feat: comprehensive balance pass (#239)

## Summary

Working through all 15 open balance tickets in a coordinated multi-pass approach.

### Pass 1 — Quest failure rates (closes #172)
- Capped all zone quest failure chances at 15% (down from up to 40%)
- Proportional scaling preserved (harder zones still fail more than easier ones)

### Pass 2 — Crystal economy (closes #165, #173, #215)
- Added `crystal_pulse` (3,000 crystals), `crystal_surge` (20,000), `crystal_tempest` (150,000) upgrades to fill the dead zone between 600 and 2M crystal sinks
- Bumped `click_deity`, `prestige_master`, and `prestige_legend` achievement crystal rewards (5K→15K, 5K→15K, 25K→75K)
- Added crystal rewards to `first_steps` (+5) and `goblin_camp` (+10) early quests

### Pass 3 — Runestone/prestige loop (closes #166, #170)
- Bumped `runestonesPerPrestigeLevel` from 15 → 20 (~33% yield increase for mid-game runs)
- Reduced `income_10` cost from 22,500 → 15,000 and `income_11` from 60,000 → 35,000
- Kept client/server parity: `runestonesPerPrestigeLevelClient` in tick.ts updated to match

### Pass 4 — Quest content (#175, #178)
- Both already resolved in commit 666a5b2: quests now reach 5e141 CP across reality_forge, cosmic_maelstrom, primeval_sanctum, and the_absolute — fully covering P60–P212

### Pass 5 — Daily challenges (closes #167)
- Added `crafting` as a new `DailyChallengeType`
- Added 3 crafting challenge templates (craft 1/2/3 recipes)
- Changed generation to guarantee: 1 clicks + 1 crafting + 1 from progression pool
- Added crafting challenge tracking in `craft.ts` (awards crystals on recipe craft)
- Stuck players now have 2/3 daily challenges always completable

### Pass 6 — Transcendence costs (#179)
- Already resolved in commit 666a5b2: echo meta costs are 15/45/100 (was 25/75/200)

### Also closed as stale
- #171 (milestone bonus already quadratic)
- #174 (production multiplier already 1.3^n)
- #176 (expanse_sovereign HP already at 3e39)
- #177 (recipe costs already in expected range)
- #178 (post-absolute quests already present)
- #179 (echo meta costs already reduced)

✨ This PR was created with help from Hikari~ 🌸

Reviewed-on: #239
Co-authored-by: Hikari <hikari@nhcarrigan.com>
Co-committed-by: Hikari <hikari@nhcarrigan.com>

apps/api/src/data/achievements.ts

@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ export const defaultAchievements: Array<Achievement> = [
     icon:        "☄️",
     id:          "click_deity",
     name:        "Click Deity",
-    reward:      { crystals: 5000 },
+    reward:      { crystals: 15_000 },
     unlockedAt:  null,
   },
   // Endgame gold milestones
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ export const defaultAchievements: Array<Achievement> = [
     icon:        "💫",
     id:          "prestige_master",
     name:        "Master of Cycles",
-    reward:      { crystals: 5000 },
+    reward:      { crystals: 15_000 },
     unlockedAt:  null,
   },
   {
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ export const defaultAchievements: Array<Achievement> = [
     icon:        "🌠",
     id:          "prestige_legend",
     name:        "Legend of Eternity",
-    reward:      { crystals: 25_000 },
+    reward:      { crystals: 75_000 },
     unlockedAt:  null,
   },
   {

apps/api/src/data/dailyChallenges.ts

@@ -28,6 +28,20 @@ export const dailyChallengeTemplates: Array<DailyChallengeTemplate> = [
     target:         5000,
     type:           "clicks",
   },
+  // Crafting — requires materials but no zone/boss progression
+  { label: "Craft 1 recipe", rewardCrystals: 75, target: 1, type: "crafting" },
+  {
+    label:          "Craft 2 recipes",
+    rewardCrystals: 175,
+    target:         2,
+    type:           "crafting",
+  },
+  {
+    label:          "Craft 3 recipes",
+    rewardCrystals: 350,
+    target:         3,
+    type:           "crafting",
+  },
   // Boss defeats — requires active combat
   {
     label:          "Defeat 1 boss",

apps/api/src/data/prestigeUpgrades.ts

@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ export const defaultPrestigeUpgrades: Array<PrestigeUpgrade> = [
     id:             "income_10",
     multiplier:     200,
     name:           "Eternal Rune I",
-    runestonesCost: 22_500,
+    runestonesCost: 15_000,
   },
   {
     category: "income",
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export const defaultPrestigeUpgrades: Array<PrestigeUpgrade> = [
     id:             "income_11",
     multiplier:     500,
     name:           "Eternal Rune II",
-    runestonesCost: 60_000,
+    runestonesCost: 35_000,
   },
   // ── Click Power ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   {

apps/api/src/data/quests.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ export const defaultQuests: Array<Quest> = [
     prerequisiteIds: [],
     rewards:         [
       { amount: 500, type: "gold" },
+      { amount: 5, type: "crystals" },
       { targetId: "militia", type: "adventurer" },
     ],
     status: "available",
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ export const defaultQuests: Array<Quest> = [
     rewards:         [
       { amount: 2000, type: "gold" },
       { amount: 5, type: "essence" },
+      { amount: 10, type: "crystals" },
       { targetId: "peasant_1", type: "upgrade" },
       { targetId: "apprentice_1", type: "upgrade" },
       { targetId: "apprentice", type: "adventurer" },

apps/api/src/data/upgrades.ts

@@ -496,6 +496,43 @@ export const defaultUpgrades: Array<Upgrade> = [
     unlocked:     false,
   },
   // ── Purchasable essence/crystal sink upgrades ─────────────────────────────
+  {
+    costCrystals: 3000,
+    costEssence:  0,
+    costGold:     0,
+    description:  "Crystalline energy pulses through your guild's operations. All income +50%.",
+    id:           "crystal_pulse",
+    multiplier:   1.5,
+    name:         "Crystal Pulse",
+    purchased:    false,
+    target:       "global",
+    unlocked:     true,
+  },
+  {
+    costCrystals: 20_000,
+    costEssence:  0,
+    costGold:     0,
+    description:
+      "Crystal resonance surges into every process your guild undertakes. All income doubled.",
+    id:         "crystal_surge",
+    multiplier: 2,
+    name:       "Crystal Surge",
+    purchased:  false,
+    target:     "global",
+    unlocked:   true,
+  },
+  {
+    costCrystals: 150_000,
+    costEssence:  0,
+    costGold:     0,
+    description:  "Your guild's operations are saturated with crystalline power. All income x3.",
+    id:           "crystal_tempest",
+    multiplier:   3,
+    name:         "Crystal Tempest",
+    purchased:    false,
+    target:       "global",
+    unlocked:     true,
+  },
   {
     costCrystals: 0,
     costEssence:  5_000_000,

apps/api/src/routes/craft.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { Hono } from "hono";
 import { defaultRecipes } from "../data/recipes.js";
 import { prisma } from "../db/client.js";
 import { authMiddleware } from "../middleware/auth.js";
+import { updateChallengeProgress } from "../services/dailyChallenges.js";
 import { logger } from "../services/logger.js";
 import type { HonoEnvironment } from "../types/hono.js";
 import type {
@@ -138,6 +139,16 @@ craftRouter.post("/", async(context) => {
     state.exploration.craftedCombatMultiplier
       = updatedMultipliers.craftedCombatMultiplier;
 
+    if (state.dailyChallenges !== undefined) {
+      const { updatedChallenges, crystalsAwarded } = updateChallengeProgress(
+        state.dailyChallenges,
+        "crafting",
+        1,
+      );
+      state.dailyChallenges = updatedChallenges;
+      state.resources.crystals = state.resources.crystals + crystalsAwarded;
+    }
+
     await prisma.gameState.update({
       /* eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/consistent-type-assertions -- Prisma requires object */
       data:  { state: state as object, updatedAt: Date.now() },

apps/api/src/services/dailyChallenges.ts

@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ const shuffleWithSeed = <T>(array: Array<T>, seed: number): Array<T> => {
   return result;
 };
 
+const nonProgressionChallengeTypes: Array<DailyChallengeType> = [
+  "crafting",
+];
+
 const progressionChallengeTypes: Array<DailyChallengeType> = [
   "bossesDefeated",
   "questsCompleted",
@@ -79,8 +83,10 @@ const progressionChallengeTypes: Array<DailyChallengeType> = [
 
 /**
  * Generates 3 daily challenges for the given date string, deterministically.
- * Always includes a "clicks" challenge (always completable regardless of
+ * Always includes a "clicks" challenge and a "crafting" challenge (both
- * progression), then picks 2 more from the remaining types.
+ * completable regardless of zone/boss progression), then picks 1 more from
+ * the progression types. This ensures stuck players always have 2 completable
+ * challenges available.
  * @param dateString - The date string (YYYY-MM-DD) to generate challenges for.
  * @returns An array of 3 DailyChallenge objects.
  */
@@ -90,7 +96,14 @@ const generateDailyChallenges = (
   const seed = dateSeed(dateString);
   const selectedTypes: Array<DailyChallengeType> = [
     "clicks",
-    ...shuffleWithSeed([ ...progressionChallengeTypes ], seed).slice(0, 2),
+    ...shuffleWithSeed(
+      [ ...nonProgressionChallengeTypes ],
+      seed + 500,
+    ).slice(0, 1),
+    ...shuffleWithSeed(
+      [ ...progressionChallengeTypes ],
+      seed,
+    ).slice(0, 1),
   ];
 
   return selectedTypes.map((type, index) => {

apps/api/src/services/prestige.ts

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import type {
 } from "@elysium/types";
 
 const basePrestigeGoldThreshold = 1_000_000;
-const runestonesPerPrestigeLevel = 15;
+const runestonesPerPrestigeLevel = 20;
 const milestoneInterval = 5;
 const milestoneRunestonesPerInterval = 25;
 

apps/api/test/routes/craft.spec.ts

@@ -144,6 +144,34 @@ describe("craft route", () => {
     expect(body.bonusType).toBe("gold_income");
   });
 
+  it("updates crafting challenge progress and awards crystals when dailyChallenges is defined", async () => {
+    const state = makeState({
+      dailyChallenges: {
+        date:       "2024-01-15",
+        challenges: [
+          {
+            completed:      false,
+            id:             "2024-01-15_crafting",
+            label:          "Craft 1 recipe",
+            progress:       0,
+            rewardCrystals: 75,
+            target:         1,
+            type:           "crafting",
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+    vi.mocked(prisma.gameState.findUnique).mockResolvedValueOnce({ state } as never);
+    vi.mocked(prisma.gameState.update).mockResolvedValueOnce({} as never);
+    const res = await post({ recipeId: TEST_RECIPE_ID });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    const updateArg = vi.mocked(prisma.gameState.update).mock.calls[0]![0] as {
+      data: { state: GameState };
+    };
+    expect(updateArg.data.state.dailyChallenges?.challenges[0]?.completed).toBe(true);
+    expect(updateArg.data.state.resources.crystals).toBe(75);
+  });
+
   it("returns 500 when the database throws", async () => {
     vi.mocked(prisma.gameState.findUnique).mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("DB error"));
     const res = await post({ recipeId: TEST_RECIPE_ID });

apps/api/test/services/dailyChallenges.spec.ts

@@ -55,15 +55,28 @@ describe("generateDailyChallenges", () => {
     expect(day2.some((c) => c.type === "clicks")).toBe(true);
   });
 
-  it("generates different challenges for different dates", async () => {
+  it("always includes a crafting challenge regardless of date", async () => {
     vi.setSystemTime(LA_MIDNIGHT_2024_01_15);
     const { generateDailyChallenges } = await import("../../src/services/dailyChallenges.js");
     const day1 = generateDailyChallenges("2024-01-15");
     const day2 = generateDailyChallenges("2024-01-16");
-    // The 2 non-clicks types should vary by seed between dates
+    expect(day1.some((c) => c.type === "crafting")).toBe(true);
-    const day1NonClicks = day1.filter((c) => c.type !== "clicks").map((c) => c.type);
+    expect(day2.some((c) => c.type === "crafting")).toBe(true);
-    const day2NonClicks = day2.filter((c) => c.type !== "clicks").map((c) => c.type);
+  });
-    expect(day1NonClicks).not.toEqual(day2NonClicks);
+
+  it("progression challenge slot varies across different dates", async () => {
+    vi.setSystemTime(LA_MIDNIGHT_2024_01_15);
+    const { generateDailyChallenges } = await import("../../src/services/dailyChallenges.js");
+    // 2024-01-01 picks bossesDefeated, 2024-01-02 picks prestige (verified by seed)
+    const day1 = generateDailyChallenges("2024-01-01");
+    const day2 = generateDailyChallenges("2024-01-02");
+    const day1ProgressionType = day1.find((c) => {
+      return c.type !== "clicks" && c.type !== "crafting";
+    })?.type;
+    const day2ProgressionType = day2.find((c) => {
+      return c.type !== "clicks" && c.type !== "crafting";
+    })?.type;
+    expect(day1ProgressionType).not.toBe(day2ProgressionType);
   });
 });
 

apps/api/test/services/prestige.spec.ts

@@ -102,25 +102,25 @@ describe("isEligibleForPrestige", () => {
 
 describe("calculateRunestones", () => {
   it("calculates basic runestones formula", () => {
-    // floor(cbrt(4_000_000 / 1_000_000)) × 15 = floor(cbrt(4)) × 15 = 1 × 15 = 15
+    // floor(cbrt(4_000_000 / 1_000_000)) × 20 = floor(cbrt(4)) × 20 = 1 × 20 = 20
     const result = calculateRunestones({ totalGoldEarned: 4_000_000, prestigeCount: 0, purchasedUpgradeIds: [] });
-    expect(result).toBe(15);
+    expect(result).toBe(20);
   });
 
   it("applies echo runestone multiplier", () => {
-    // floor(cbrt(4)) × 15 = 15; × 2 = 30
+    // floor(cbrt(4)) × 20 = 20; × 2 = 40
     const result = calculateRunestones({ totalGoldEarned: 4_000_000, prestigeCount: 0, purchasedUpgradeIds: [], echoRunestoneMultiplier: 2 });
-    expect(result).toBe(30);
+    expect(result).toBe(40);
   });
 
   it("applies purchased runestone upgrade multiplier", () => {
-    // With "runestone_gain_1" purchased (multiplier 1.25): floor(15 × 1.25) = 18
+    // With "runestone_gain_1" purchased (multiplier 1.25): floor(20 × 1.25) = 25
     const result = calculateRunestones({ totalGoldEarned: 4_000_000, prestigeCount: 0, purchasedUpgradeIds: ["runestone_gain_1"] });
-    expect(result).toBe(18);
+    expect(result).toBe(25);
   });
 
   it("caps base runestones before multipliers", () => {
-    // cbrt(9_261_000_000 / 1_000_000) = cbrt(9261) = 21 → 21 × 10 = 210, capped at 200
+    // cbrt(9_261_000_000 / 1_000_000) = cbrt(9261) = 21 → 21 × 20 = 420, capped at 200
     const result = calculateRunestones({ totalGoldEarned: 9_261_000_000, prestigeCount: 0, purchasedUpgradeIds: [] });
     expect(result).toBe(200);
   });

apps/web/src/engine/tick.ts

@@ -95,29 +95,29 @@ export const PRESTIGE_COMBAT_BASE = 4;
 export const RESOURCE_CAP = 1e300;
 
 /**
- * Probability of quest failure per zone — scales from 10% (early game) to 40% (end game).
+ * Probability of quest failure per zone — scales from 4% (early game) to 15% (end game).
  * On failure the quest resets to "available" with no rewards; the player must wait the
  * full duration again on their next attempt.
  */
 export const zoneFailureChance: Record<string, number> = {
-  abyssal_trench:    0.24,
+  abyssal_trench:    0.09,
-  astral_void:       0.2,
+  astral_void:       0.08,
-  celestial_reaches: 0.22,
+  celestial_reaches: 0.08,
-  cosmic_maelstrom:  0.4,
+  cosmic_maelstrom:  0.15,
-  crystalline_spire: 0.28,
+  crystalline_spire: 0.11,
-  eternal_throne:    0.32,
+  eternal_throne:    0.12,
-  frozen_peaks:      0.14,
+  frozen_peaks:      0.05,
-  infernal_court:    0.26,
+  infernal_court:    0.1,
-  infinite_expanse:  0.36,
+  infinite_expanse:  0.14,
-  primeval_sanctum:  0.4,
+  primeval_sanctum:  0.15,
-  primordial_chaos:  0.34,
+  primordial_chaos:  0.13,
-  reality_forge:     0.38,
+  reality_forge:     0.14,
-  shadow_marshes:    0.16,
+  shadow_marshes:    0.06,
-  shattered_ruins:   0.12,
+  shattered_ruins:   0.05,
-  the_absolute:      0.4,
+  the_absolute:      0.15,
-  verdant_vale:      0.1,
+  verdant_vale:      0.04,
-  void_sanctum:      0.3,
+  void_sanctum:      0.11,
-  volcanic_depths:   0.18,
+  volcanic_depths:   0.07,
 };
 
 /**
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ export const computePartyCombatPower = (state: GameState): number => {
 };
 
 const basePrestigeThreshold = 1_000_000;
-const runestonesPerPrestigeLevelClient = 15;
+const runestonesPerPrestigeLevelClient = 20;
 const maxBaseRunestones = 200;
 
 /**

packages/types/src/interfaces/dailyChallenge.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 type DailyChallengeType =
   | "clicks"
   | "bossesDefeated"
+  | "crafting"
   | "questsCompleted"
   | "prestige";