Seven Deadly Ascended is a comprehensive gameplay overhaul for ARK: Survival Ascended that redefines progression and combat through a structured, tier-based system. This update introduces a complete rework of the mod’s core mechanics, delivering a more cohesive and balanced experience centered around mastery, long-term progression, and meaningful player choice.

At the heart of the mod is the new Catalyst system, a pseudo-currency crafted from Variant Bloods and used to power all transformations. This replaces earlier consumable-based mechanics, creating a more consistent and scalable resource loop. Transformations are now tied directly to progression, ensuring that advancement feels earned and impactful.

The newly introduced Mastery System spans 9 tiers with 90 total levels, allowing players to specialize in specific creature groups. Progression is tightly controlled—experience is only gained while using creatures within the active tier and by defeating SDA-enhanced dinos. Each level increases the effectiveness of that tier’s creatures, while reaching key milestones unlocks boss encounters and further progression paths.

A major addition is the Bind Form system, which allows players to permanently capture and retain a creature form after demonstrating proficiency with it. Bound forms preserve their variant, stats, levels, and appearance, and can be freely transformed into without additional cost. This system emphasizes long-term investment and personalization, as each bound form becomes a permanent part of the player’s arsenal.

To further enhance progression, the Upgrade Catalyst enables bound forms to advance through variant tiers, provided the player has unlocked the corresponding mastery level. This creates a direct link between player progression and form strength, reinforcing the importance of the mastery system.

The update also introduces the Altar of Sin, a central structure used to summon bosses and apply buffs to the player’s current form. Boss encounters have been fully redesigned, with nine new bosses aligned to each progression tier. Defeating these bosses is essential for unlocking higher-tier Catalysts and continuing advancement.

All systems are unified through the Seven Deadly Ascended Codex, a central interface that provides access to mastery tracking, form management, kill tracking, and customization options. The Codex integrates with an updated radial menu system, allowing players to quickly access and manage up to five favorite forms, as well as return to human form or open the Codex at any time.

In addition to gameplay changes, this update includes a wide range of technical and quality-of-life improvements. Transformations are now more stable and responsive, with new visual effects, improved state handling, and clearer restrictions to prevent invalid usage. Player-state interactions have been refined to ensure consistency, including inventory handling, death conditions, and environmental interactions while transformed.

Overall, this update transforms Seven Deadly Ascended into a more structured and progression-driven experience, replacing older systems with a unified design that rewards mastery, strategic play, and long-term investment.

Major Overhaul Patch Notes

Removed:

Bottled Blood.
Original bosses.
Consumable forms.

Added:

Catalysts

Catalysts are a type of pseudo currency for powering transformations.
Catalysts currently cost 10 variant bloods each.
Transformations cost 1 catalyst each.

Mastery System

Nine tiers of mastery, 10 levels of mastery per tier - 90 total mastery levels.
Each level of mastery increases the stats of the dino in that specific tier.
At mastery level 10, engram for boss unlocks.
Boss kill rewards engram for next tier catalyst.
Mastery can only be earned for the tier you are currently in.
Mastery exp can only be earned while using a dino of the correct variant (matching the mastery tier).
Mastery exp can only be earned by killing SDA buffed dinos.
Mastery exp per kill dependent on variant killed.
Mastery exp bar added to main UI with alert when next level ready.

"Bind Form"

At 50 kills using a dino, "Bind Form" unlocks for that dino.
Bound forms keep all data; variant, levels, stats, colors, etc.
Form progress is saved via level-up.
Plans for upgrading to next variant are set, but progress has not been made.
Created bound forms are set in stone and cannot be modified outside of leveling. This means binding a new form will give a completely new dino.
Transformation using the bound form is free of charge and has a five second cooldown.

New Abilities

Player forms now have buffs and abilities unique to the Sin.

Gluttony gains more damage as it consumes corpses.

Lust can now seduce nearby wild creatures into doing their bidding (does not work on bosses).

        * Lust seduction time reduced as the tier of creatures increases.
        * Press Crouch to activate ability.

Greed gains a stacking damage increase based on the percentage of their weight used. More junk, more damage.

Sloth slows enemies around them.

        * Press Crouch to activate ability.

Envy can now become any other creature it chooses just by looking at them.

        * Press Crouch to activate ability while targeting a creature.

Pride grows larger and faster the more enemies they strike.
Wrath unleashes a torrent of devastating fire, dealing high damage and igniting those left standing.
```
        * Press Crouch to activate ability.
```

Upgrade Catalyst

Can only be used on binds.
Can be used once a certain amount of level-ups have been applied.
Will upgrade variant by one.
Will not upgrade past your currently unlocked tier.
Awarded to players in the area from killing each boss.
Dynamically changes description based on tier, levels required, and variant.

Draughts & Elixirs

Added three tiers of Exp Elixirs.
Minor Elixir of Growth gives 2500 Exp per use.
Elixir of Growth gives 5000 Exp per use.
Major Elixir of Growth gives 10000 Exp per use.
Elixirs have a 25% chance to drop 0-2 Elixirs off of SDA dino's when killed (added to the inventory of the killing player), starting at Lust.
Added nine different Draughts.
Eight Healing Draughts and one Stamina Draught.
T1, 3, 5, and 7 Healing Draughts heals 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% HP over 5 seconds.
T2, 4, 6, and 8 Healing Draughts heals 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% HP instanly.
Stamina Draught recovers 50% of Stamina over 5 seconds.
Draughts can be crafted in the Alchemy Cauldron and require different bloods and crops to craft.
All Draughts and Elixirs work for both player and forms.

Altar of Sin

Used to summon bosses.
Applies a buff to your form.
Buff applied increases harvesting rates based on mastery level.
Indestructible.

Bosses

Added nine new bosses (one for each tier).
Boss difficulty increases with variant.
Each boss unlocks the engram for the following variants catalyst.
Recommendations for other boss rewards requested.

Battle Pass

Contains seven "seasons," one for each Sin.
Currently, killing the matching type for each season earns progress.
Rewards are given every 10% (100 kills) and vary based on milestone.
Rewards include a new item, only available through the Battle Pass (Elixir of Mastery).
Seasons can be changed through script command (cheat scriptcommand SetActiveBattlePass 1-7).
Seasons can be set through GameUserSettings.INI * [SevenDeadly] * ActiveBattlePass=1 through 7
Setting a new season through script command resets all player progress and reward milestones.
Seasons can be controlled by me through updates.
100% Free.

Elixir of Mastery

Rewarded through Battle Pass milestones only.
Awards 25% mastery experience at any stage of progression.

Seven Deadly Ascended Codex

Provides all relevant information about the mod.
Provides access to mastery system.
Provides access to forms.
Tracks mastery exp, dino kill counts, and favorite (most kills) form.
Allows for binding form and adding form to radial menu.

Radial Menu

While in human form, provides access to the codex.
While in dino form, allows transform to human form.
While in dino form, if dino exists on radial, radial will display "Remove from Radial" option and vice versa.
When five forms exist on radial only "Remove from Radial" will display if current form exists on radial. Only Human Form, current favorites, and the Codex will show if it does not.

Technical Changes/Improvements

Carrying a dino in your hands prevents transformation.
Carrying a dino on your shoulder does not prevent transformation.
Flyers ignore water (on purpose).
Player oxygen removed while in form.
Player insulation set to 10k while in form.
Player cannot be dismounted by dinos while in form.
Player cannot be damaged while in form.
Cannot transform into flyer while in caves unless the server allows flyers in caves.
A vertical check is performed for obstruction. If obstruction is found, transformation will fail (height dependent on creature).
If form dies, player dies.
If player dies (for some unknown reason), form destroyed.
If player logs out while in form, inventory is transferred and form is destroyed.
Player immune to damage for two seconds after transforming to human form.

For any and all things SDA related, join the Discord! https://discord.gg/cCJZVHSnrs

Seven Deadly Ascended

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