Hytale Update 2 adds a "temporarily bad" new grimoire, but Hypixel boss steps in to stop "Reddit going full panic mode"

It looks like Hytale, after a reasonably successful launch, isn't resting on its laurels. The Minecraft-like has already released a substantial update, with another, even larger one arriving imminently. However, after sharing the patch notes for Hytale Update 2, Hypixel Studios head Simon Collins-Laflamme has had to give some clarification on the new grimoire to stop "Reddit going full panic mode."

Hytale is a process; it's an evolving building game that is looking to be as adaptable as possible, both in terms of modding and in audience participation. Collins-Laflamme is in a constant back-and-forth on X with players, taking suggestions and quashing concerns as they arise. Today, he posted what is coming with Hytale Update 2.

The list of changes is substantial, with bug fixes galore and several tweaks to existing mechanics. Pickaxe progression, for instance, has been reworked so that your mining speed now scales with the quality of your tool, making those upgrades even more of a necessity.

A huge inclusion is the new Necromancy grimoire, which is an item that, when activated, spawns up to five skeletal minions from bone piles. Collins-Laflamme insists that this grimoire is not the actual magic system that Hypixel had promised previously, and that it is just a "random drop fun item." This in response to panicked Redditors who collectively thought this was the be-all and end-all when it comes to magic in Hytale.

The grimoire, as well as the various totems and staffs, are all "temporarily bad," at least for now. This is, as Collins-Laflamme says, to avoid a strange meta evolving that presumably focuses on all magic, all the time. The knee-jerk reaction from Reddit about the grimoire specifically appears to revolve around its ineffectiveness, with user 'BilisS' commenting: "You have to place shit down + it's a consumable + it barely does damage. What is the purpose of this?"

A work in progress, then, but a fun one. As for the more cohesive, substantial magic system fans want to see, Collins-Laflamme says: "We will have a proper mana and spell system in the future. We are just introducing fun random items to add variety to the game. The staves, totems and grimoires are all ass by design, we will regroup them all into a proper system later on, but for now you get to play around with it, mod it, etc."

Elsewhere, there is also a host of new cosmetics being added with Update 2, including new mask face accessories and some new mouth variants. I'm especially looking forward to seeing the 'cute' mouth. People have complimented me on several occasions about the exact same thing, but never elaborated…