Anthem Halloween Event Revealed With Season of Skulls With Mass Effect-Inspired Armor

Even BioWare’s Anthem is getting into the Halloween spirit with a new event called Season of the Skulls. With so much unusual radio silence from the team paired with a nasty reception due to bugs and different perspectives on the game’s base story, many have wondered if BioWare would continue to support the adventure given that it meant to be a chaptered tale. It’s honestly exciting to see a new content update, especially in relation to a previous message about where the game goes from here. 

What is Season of Skulls? 

Season of Skulls marks the end of Anthem’s first Cataclysm event and also marks the beginning of a brand-new season. Freelancers going back into the heart of Fort Tarsis will notice it has just recently seen a major Halloween makeover as well as new activities for players to enjoy within the game’s visually beautiful open-world. 

New Anomalies are also themed around everyone’s favorite arcanist but most importantly: MASS EFFECT ARMOR! If you’re like me, you LOVE the original Mass Effect trilogy. Now players can get into the calibration spirit with a Garrus Vakarian armor set, a Tali’Zorah vas Normandy (always Normandy) armor set, and so much more! 

Here’s what’s new: 

• The Cataclysm is back with updates for the Season of Skulls. The higher your score, the more seasonal currency you’ll be awarded to spend at the seasonal store.
• New Season of Skulls Freeplay events. Successfully finish three of these events in one Freeplay session to spawn a boss encounter.
• Learn more about Season of Skulls lore through a scavenger hunt and new data archives.
• Mass Salvage is now available on all inventory management screens.
• The chance to obtain a legendary item from a war chest has increased by 250%
• A Legendary-Only War Chest has been added to the Seasonal Store

And here’s what’s fixed: 

• Fixed various crashes for stabilization.
• Auto-loot now works for all high-rarity loot drops in a game session.
• When flying into obstacles, javelins now automatically go into hover mode instead of crashing to the ground
• General Cataclysm Changes/Fixes:
  • All challenges that awarded major crystals now reward 500 minor crystals instead.
  • Turrets will no longer respawn once destroyed in Sea of Takaro and Castle Kelrik.
  • Teleporters are now immediately re-usable after teleporting.
• “Daily: Repair” no longer auto-completes when a player returns to Fort Tarsis.
• Fixed an issue in which the Expedition Tracked menu could display incorrect difficulty level.
• Updates to inscription tooltips for Combo Damage bonus clarify which javelin a bonus applies to. Colossus Combo damage bonus is now “Combo Blast Dmg”, Ranger is “Combo Imp Dmg”, Storm is “Combo Chains”, and Interceptor is “Combo Aura Eff”.
• Fixed an issue where the Acid Status Effect would not increase damage taken from the “acid” damage type
• Aim assist has been adjusted so that it doesn’t “pop” onto enemies as easily
• Updated multiple weapon and gear piece descriptions to read “armor” instead of “suit health”.
• The Badge of Devastation component no longer shares an icon with Emergency Power.
• Gun Updates:
  • Assault Rifles
    • Defender/Elemental Rage/Pyrrhic Victory
      • Base Damage 16->24.1
    • Hammerhead/Ralner’s Blaze
      • Base Damage 24.1->34
  • The fire status effect applied by Ralner’s Blaze is now correctly affected by damage inscriptions.
  • Light Machine Guns
    • Relentless
      • Base Damage 18.9->26.4
    • Artinia’s Gambit
      • Base Damage 37.8->52.8
    • Havoc
      • Base Damage 14.8->22.5
    • Renewed Courage
      • Base Damage 23.7->35.9
    • Sledgehammer
      • Base Damage 28.5->43.1
    • Cycle of Pain
      • Base Damage 41.3->62.6
  • Marksman Rifles
    • Scout/Thunderbolt of Yvinia
      • Base Damage 36.5->39.7
    • Anvil
      • Base Damage 60.8->70.2
    • Soothing Touch
      • Base Damage 103.4->119
  • Autocannons
    • Torrent/Endless Siege
      • Base Damage 26.4->27.6
    • Cloudburst/Fist of Strahl
      • Base Damage 19.7->20.4
    • Mauler/The Last Stand
      • Base Damage 18.6->19.6
      • Fixed an issue that prevented Autocannon damage types from displaying as intended. The Anti-Armor damage type is now shown correctly.
  • SMG’s
    • Fulcrum/Unending Battle
      • Base Damage 8.9->12
    • Trajector/Retaliation of Garretus
      • Base Damage 14.3->26.3
    • Hailstorm
      • Base Damage 6.9->10.8
    • Vassa’s Surprise
      • Base Damage 15->21.6
  • Heavy Pistol
    • Barrage/Close Encounter
      • Base Damage 18.1->26.5
    • Resolution/Glorious Result
      • Base Damage 47.9->48.4
  • Shotgun
    • Scattershot/Papa Pump
      • Base Damage 16.6-20.8
    • Constrictor/Radiant Fortress
      • Base Damage 17.7->18.1
    • Vengeance/Rolling Carnage
      • Base Damage 12.9->24.1
  • Grenade Launcher
    • Fixed an issue that prevented Grenade Launcher damage types from displaying as intended; the Anti-Armor damage type is now shown correctly.
  • Sniper Rifle
    • Deadeye/Wyvern Blitz
      • Base Damage 240->246
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Physical damage.
    • Whirlwind/Siege Breaker
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Anti-Shield damage.
    • Devastator/Truth of Tarsis
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Anti-Armor damage.
  • Pulse Accelerator
    • Bad Omen
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Physical damage.
    • Rainmaker
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Physical damage.
  • Blade Slinger
    • Fixed an issue that prevented Blade Slinger damage types from working as intended; all now correctly display and function as Physical damage.
  • Volt Caster 
    • Jarra’s Wrath
      • The Electric status effect applied by Jarra’s Wrath is now correctly affected by damage inscriptions.
• Javelin Updates
  • Ranger Gear Updates:
    • Venom Darts/Tactical Onslaught
      • Now displays the correct number of status effect stacks
    • Inferno Grenade/Explosive Blaze
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
    • Frost Grenade/Cold Blooded
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
    • The Gambit
      • Masterwork/legendary effect (as seen in the orange text on the item description) is now correctly affected by gear damage inscriptions.
    • Ember’s Lance
      • Masterwork/legendary effect (as seen in the orange text on the item description) is now correctly affected by gear damage inscriptions.
    • Relentless Pursuit
      • Increased damage by 50%
    • Vanguard’s Rampart
      • Vanguard’s Rampart masterwork/legendary effect (as seen in the orange text on the item description) is no longer reapplied each time a player enters the bubble.
  • Colossus Gear Updates:
    • Firewall Mortar
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
    • Rubidium Furnace
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
      • Damage is now correctly affected by local gear damage inscriptions.
    • Venom Storm
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
    • Lightning Coil/Vassa’s Arc
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
      • Fixed an issue that prevented its damage type from working as intended. Now correctly displays and functions as Electric damage.
    • Shock Coil/Voltaic Dome
      • Fixed an issue that prevented its damage type from working as intended. Now correctly displays and functions as Electric damage.
    • Titan’s Hail
      • Masterwork/legendary effect (as seen in the orange text on the item description) is now correctly affected by gear damage inscriptions.
  • Storm Gear Updates:
    • Shock Burst/Seal of the Open Mind
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
    • Icestorm/Winter’s Wrath
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
    • Binary Star
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Fire damage. 
  • Interceptor Gear Updates:
    • Interceptor Combo Aura
      • Interceptors now deal the correct amount of combo damage based on enemy material (shield, armor, or flesh) if the target is primed by Electricity.
    • Venom Bomb & Serpent’s Veil
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
    • Tesilar Trap
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
    • Cryo Glaive & Absolute Zero
      • Status effect stacks increased to 100
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Ice damage.
    • Detonating Strike
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Electric damage.
    • Cariff’s Talon
      • Damage is now correctly affected by local gear damage inscriptions.
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Electric damage.
    • Tempest Strike
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Physical damage.
    • Sudden Death
      • Masterwork/legendary effect (as seen in the orange text on the item description) is now correctly affected by gear damage inscriptions.
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Physical damage.
    • Wraith Strike, Shadow Claw, and Spectre’s Flash
      • Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Physical damage.
• Interceptor Melee Updates:
  • Venomous Blades/Twin Blades
    • Smalls hits went from 38->50 base damage
    • Big hits went from 105->100 base damage
  • Deathstalker Blades
    • Small hits went from 38->75 base damage
    • Big hits went from 105->150 base damage
    • MasterWork property – Used to deal 60 damage per hit on targets below 50%. Now doubles melee hit damage on targets below 50%.
  • Blades of Warding
    • Small hits went from 38->87.5 base damage
    • Big hits went from 105->175 base damage
  • Ultimate
    • Small hits went from 55->75 base damage
• Storm Melee Updates:
• Searing Blast
• Fixed an issue that prevented the damage type from working as intended; now correctly displays and functions as Fire damage.

The Anthem Halloween event is now live, happy flying! 

H/T Resetera