World Bosses

📖 Added Boss Codex

• Added the new Boss Codex.
• The Codex contains boss information, shrine details, ritual guidance, crafting recipes, rewards, and progression info.
• Players now receive the Boss Codex automatically when joining a world or server for the first time.

🔥 Major Boss Combat Overhaul

• Boss fights now feel more like real world boss / raid boss encounters.
• Added stronger boss-specific abilities, spell telegraphs, particles, sounds, DoTs, and debuffs.
• Added configurable Combat Pressure system.
• Added configurable Boss Self-Heal that scales with nearby active players.
• Added improved cast visuals and stronger skill feedback.

👑 Astrael Final Boss Overhaul

• Astrael now has Primordial Chains.
• Astrael now has Cataclysm Nova.
• Astrael now uses Elemental Shift visuals and bossbar color changes.
• Astrael now has stronger final phase pressure and cooldown scaling.
• Astrael now blocks every 3rd Mace hit by default.
• Astrael is now fire-resistant.
• Astrael can no longer drown.

🧨 Boss Ability Updates

• Varkhul received improved Infernal Chains and Flame Prison.
• Aureon received Thunder Cage and improved storm visuals.
• Morvath received Fear Pulse and improved Soul Drain visuals.
• Sylvaron received improved nature, root, and spore visuals.
• Nekhraz received improved sandstorm and burrow strike visuals.
• Elyndra received improved void, rift, and tether visuals.

⚖️ Balancing

• Added configurable Mace damage cap against World Bosses.
• Mace damage cap is ignored while debug mode is enabled.
• Bosses are now persistent and should no longer despawn unfairly when players briefly leave range.
• Improved Mace gameplay compatibility.
• Anti-cheese arena behavior has been softened.
• Default active boss limit per world increased to 5.
• Bosses now automatically despawn after 24 hours if not defeated.

⚙️ New Config Options

• Added boss intro config.
• Added boss self-heal config.
• Added combat pressure config.
• Added Mace damage cap config.
• Added Astrael Mace block config.
• Added Astrael Elemental Shift and Final Enrage config.
• Added boss lifetime cleanup config.
• Added active boss limit config.
• Added more tuning options for boss abilities, cooldowns, damage, particles, and visuals.

Important: Existing config files keep their old values. To use all new defaults, delete and regenerate the config file or manually copy the new config sections.

This update is intended to make World Bosses feel much more like real raid bosses, with stronger mechanics, clearer visuals, better balancing, and more server control.