Birth Stars

Replacing the point-based character upgrade system from the beta version of The Consuming Shadow, when the player levels up one of the game's Playable Characters by gaining enough Experience, they will earn a Birth Star. At the beginning of each new playthrough as that character, the player can choose to place a Birth Star somewhere in the randomly generated night sky. The placement of these stars confers a bonus or bonuses to the player depending on which constellations are close by.

Placing a star between two signs for a combined bonus

If there is a region of overlap between two constellations, the player can place a star somewhere between them, receiving a bonus from each one. In this way, one single Birth Star might confer two or three upgrades to the player's various stats.

There are several known constellations which can appear in the sky, though their placement is randomized and not all of the constellations will always be in view.

Bonus Granting Constellations

• The Bull - Provides a bonus to the player's Melee Damage. Each Birth Star placed at the exact center gives +40% damage to melee attacks (to a maximum of +100% (or double) melee damage). Always appears in the Warrior's night sky.

• The Crab - Provides a bonus to the player's Health. Each Birth Star placed at the exact center gives +25 HP (to a maximum of +100 HP). Always appears in all night skies.

• The Chariot - Provides a bonus to the player's car speed (default 20 mph). Each Birth Star placed at the exact center gives +8 mph top speed (to a maximum of +20 mph).

• The Lion - Provides a bonus to the player's Sanity. Each Birth Star placed at the exact center gives +25 SP (to a maximum of +100 SP). Always appears in all night skies.

• The Magician - Provides a bonus to the player's Random Spell Chance. Each Birth Star placed at the exact center gives a +3% chance to discover spells (to a maximum of +9%). Always appears in the Scholar's night sky.

• The Priest - Provides a bonus to the player's Research rate. Each Birth Star placed at the exact center gives a 3% increase in the rate at which the player learns about the game's various monsters (to a maximum of +6%). Oddly enough, this can go into decimals and isn't referred to as percentage in-game. Is unique to and always appears in the Scholar's night sky.

• The Serpent - Provides a bonus to the player's Medkit capacity. Each Birth Star placed at the exact center allows the player to carry an additional 25 HP worth of medical supplies in their kit. The Medkit will always cost the same amount to refill at a hospital, regardless of how high its capacity is (increases to a maximum of +100 capacity). Always appears in the Wizard's night sky.

• The Smith - Provides a bonus to the player's Random Equipment Chance. Each Birth Star placed at the exact center gives a +4% chance to discover new items (to a maximum of +9%). Always appears in the Warrior's night sky.
• The Hunter - Provides a bonus to the player's maximum and starting Bullet capacity. Each Birth Star placed at the exact center gives a +3 increase in ammo capacity (to a maximum of + 12 ammo capacity). The player starts with a full supply of 9mm bullets as the Scholar or Ministry Man regardless of ammo capacity.
• The Emperor - Provides a bonus discount on all hospital and supplies purchases. Each Birth Star placed at the exact center gives a +20% discount on ammo, items and hospital services (to a maximum of +70%). Is unique to and always appears in the Ministry Man's night sky.
• The Alchemist - Provides bonus effect and duration to drugs. Each Birth Star placed at the exact center gives a +10% effect and duration to drugs (to a maximum of +??%). Is unique to and always appears in the Wizard's night sky.