From a Casual Wendy Main: Why Abigail's Player Tag Matters

[renamoe]

Even with over 1,000 hours of gameplay, I'd describe myself as someone who's not very experienced with boss fights. This has significantly hindered my progression, but I've learned to adapt. I hope other players can relate to this experience. My strategy has almost always leaned toward tanking bosses rather than skillful kiting or advanced tactics.

To summarize briefly: I struggle with boss fights because Abigail dies too easily. (I also struggle with Shadow Creatures, but I won't focus on that here.)

For seasonal bosses like Deerclops and Bearger or Moose/Goose, Dragonfly, Bee Queen, and Antlion, my approach is often the same. I tank their damage unless they force me to kite by making me drop my weapon, and I rely on armor, food, and sheer persistence to get through.

The hardest bosses I've defeated are Klaus and the Ancient Guardian. For both, I desummon Abigail because she dies far too quickly—sometimes within 4 hits—so my strategy involves relying on piles of armor, potatoes, and tomatoes while dealing 0.75x reduced damage.

For tougher bosses like Toadstool, Crab King, the Shadow Weaver, or the Celestial Champion—key milestones for the Rift Era—I've only seen them defeated in other players' worlds. As Wendy, with her damage penalty and Abigail's fragility, these fights feel out of reach. The upcoming Rift Era makes me deeply anxious because the challenges only escalate.

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Sisturn and Lune Tree Blossoms

The recent change to give Abigail the "player" tag for boss damage (via Lune Tree Blossoms in the Sisturn) has completely changed my outlook. I absolutely love this update. By filling the Sisturn with Lune Tree Blossoms, Abigail gains the "player" tag for boss damage, reducing the damage she takes from bosses.

This change directly addresses Abigail's fragility in boss fights, making Wendy much more viable for tackling these challenges solo. It doesn't compromise Wendy's playstyle or identity but instead enhances her ability to prepare and strategize for tougher battles.

To be clear, this change isn't just a free pass—it requires planning and resources. I need to collect Lune Tree Blossoms, prepare elixirs for Abigail, and bring plenty of armor and healing items for myself. However, it gives me the confidence to face bosses I previously avoided. Only by defeating these bosses can I progress toward the Rift Era, and this update makes that goal feel achievable.

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Klei's Iterative Approach

I've noticed Klei experimenting with different ways to make Abigail more durable over the course of the beta:

• Temporary health: It didn't feel effective since Abigail still died quickly after just a few slashes.
• Invulnerability frames for Gestalt Abigail: This was removed as it was deemed overpowered.
• Current approach: Granting Abigail the "player" tag for boss damage.

Jason's explanation from the update notes perfectly captures why this change works:

Quote

The level 3 and 4 Sistern skills were changed into a single one that lets you put Lune Tree Blossoms into it granting Abigail "player" status in the eyes of boss damage. This has several positive effects. It kind of gives Abigail double health (same as before) but only vs bosses, which is where the real need was. Also,  it is health that can be healed on site, unlike the previous buff. Again, this only affects boss fights and not against regular mobs. And it also offers Wendy a quest she can go on to gather said Lune Tree Blossoms. This has no art or fx for it yet, but these will come. This change brings the total skills down quite a bit, but with the same number of abilities. We've decided to let it be that way for now.

 

This approach feels thoughtful and balanced. Abigail doesn't have armor like players do, and she remains vulnerable to sustained damage. For less experienced players like me, it's a much-needed lifeline for making boss fights less punishing.

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Final Thoughts

I know there are highly skilled players who can defeat bosses effortlessly without armor, healing, or Abigail, but for players like me, this change makes a world of difference. It empowers Wendy mains to engage in challenging content without feeling outclassed or stuck.

Thank you, Klei, for listening to player feedback and iterating on Wendy's skill tree with care and thoughtfulness. This update has made a meaningful improvement to my experience, and I'm genuinely excited for what's to come.

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Edit/Comment:

Some additional details, in case anyone is curious about my experience: Over the past year, I've almost exclusively played Don't Starve Together with my best friend. We're both Wendy mains and pretty casual players overall. To be honest, we're not experts in this game—or, if I'm being honest, any video game that involves difficult combat. My friend is relatively new to the game, with around 100+ hours of playtime. For example, she's still learning and sometimes gets defeated by Treeguards (which I know most people wouldn't even consider a boss). But as Wendy, she feels confident handling hounds, spiders, frog rains, and similar challenges, which makes her happy and comfortable.

When it comes to boss fights, we tank the ones I mentioned earlier, but for more dangerous bosses, I try to study the mechanics and give it my best shot. However, even with preparation, it's tough to manage without Abigail's help. We're both very cautious about Abigail dying, and when both of us end up dying, it feels punishing, especially if we have to roll back and try again. I've learned kiting and other strategies, but some of the mechanics just feel overwhelming for a more casual playstyle.

That said, we absolutely love the simpler aspects of the game—chatting around the fire pit during snowy winters, gathering grass and twigs from our little farm, watching giant plants ripen, and just enjoying the process of survival. I really admire the players who can solo every challenge in this game, but for us, that's just not realistic. We could probably perform better with other characters, but I prefer to stick with Wendy—it's a personal preference or even a philosophy. Wendy feels like home for us, and playing as her makes the game more enjoyable.

I hope this helps clarify our perspective. I don't think casual players like us are "lesser" or "lower-tier". Casual playing is also a valid playstyle, and while we don't mind taking things slow, we still want to tackle key bosses to progress into the Rift Era.

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Additional Edit/Comment:

To share a bit more about my playstyle: I've been playing Don't Starve Together for nearly a decade in real life, with around one thousand hours of in-game experience. Despite all that time, my approach to the game remains pretty casual and care-free. I mostly play with my friends, and we focus on building long-running worlds that last for thousands of in-game days. Our style leans more toward enjoying the process—gathering resources, expanding our base, and exploring the map at our own pace. We rarely rush bosses and prefer to take things slow and steady, embracing the survival aspect of the game rather than chasing perfection in combat.

That said, even with all our hours of playtime, there are still certain bosses that feel incredibly challenging for us—or ones we can barely manage to defeat. For example, we've faced struggles with bosses like the Ancient Fuelweaver and the Celestial Champion. Abigail has always been central to my experience as a Wendy main. She's more than just a mechanic—she's a companion who provides both protection and comfort. Losing Abigail to just a few slashes during a boss fight feels like a negative feedback loop for players. Having to desummon Abigail constantly or risk losing her entirely not only complicates the fight but also detracts from the charm and simplicity of Wendy's playstyle. This is why I feel so strongly about the recent change granting Abigail the "player" tag for boss damage—it's a thoughtful improvement that keeps the experience balanced and enjoyable.

Additionally, some bosses are essential to experiencing the full story and progression of the game. Bosses like the Shadow Pieces, the Ancient Fuelweaver, and the Celestial Champion are not just optional challenges; they're milestones that players must overcome to fully enjoy everything Don't Starve Together has to offer. For my friend and me, as casual players, these fights are inevitable if we want to experience the late-game content, such as the Rift Era.

This change to Abigail helps bridge the gap, allowing casual players like us to tackle these monumental challenges without feeling overwhelmed or punished for not mastering every mechanic. It doesn't make the game easier—it makes it more inclusive and enjoyable for a broader range of playstyles. And isn't that what a great game should strive to do?

[katarinagray03]

I love this! Thank you for explaining it well.

[Siren11]

I really appreciate the insight from a different viewpoint! I enjoy fighting bosses, but I have spent significantly less time playing this game than probably anyone else here. I like the challenge of playing Wendy, but I was also hoping that her skill tree would allow Abigail to take a little bit more damage in boss fights. I haven’t had the chance to test the new version of Blessed Sisturn III yet and I acknowledge that it will probably need some tweaks, but I still think something like that is necessary for newer and more casual players.

I do have to ask though, have you tested it against any of the tougher bosses yet? I had a realization about this. I believe out of the four you mentioned, only Celestial Champion deals more damage to mobs (and even then, I don’t think it’s a huge difference). I’m not sure how useful the skill will be in the major fights needed for progression. The Spectral Cure-All interaction needs to be looked at, but it may not be as broken as people fear.

[Steorra]

Yes I hope more "casual" and average player voices would be taken seriously. 

DST should not be a thing for veterans only. So does Wendy herself.

[Lardee]

35 minutes ago, renamoe said:

For seasonal bosses like Deerclops and Bearger or Moose/Goose, Dragonfly, Bee Queen, and Antlion, my approach is often the same. I tank their damage unless they force me to kite by making me drop my weapon, and I rely on armor, food, and sheer persistence to get through.

The bolded says a lot. Wendy fights Dragonfly literally no differently than Wilson does.  6 hits, dodge, and Abigail never gets hit.

If you are at the point where you are unable to kite Dragonfly, then it makes sense that end game bosses seem out of reach regardless of whatever character you choose to play.

It should go without saying that the issue in this case isn't Abigail's survivability.

[Koomin]

It does seem like if you have played 1000 hours and are tanking every boss in the game without trying to kite, maybe a better solution to the problem would be trying to engage with the game mechanics and try it?  Instead of advocating for a character to be made strong enough to defeat everything in the game without engaging with the game mechanics, which just basically removes a fun character as an option for people that do.

[layangan putus]

6 minutes ago, Lardee said:

The bolded says a lot. Wendy fights Dragonfly literally no differently than Wilson does.  6 hits, dodge, and Abigail never gets hit.

If you are at the point where you are unable to kite Dragonfly, then it makes sense that end game bosses seem out of reach regardless of whatever character you choose to play.

Just for clarification: He means "You should build walls and tame beef then start the fight in early dusk against DF without really need to deal with multiple lavaes in normal movement speed."

[IAmAFurrz]

13 minutes ago, Koomin said:

It does seem like if you have played 1000 hours and are tanking every boss in the game without trying to kite, maybe a better solution to the problem would be trying to engage with the game mechanics and try it?  Instead of advocating for a character to be made strong enough to defeat everything in the game without engaging with the game mechanics, which just basically removes a fun character as an option for people that do.

yea... this post does read a bit weird like "grrr i dont wanna learn basic dodging and am happy abi is made into a better ally mob to make every boss to be the same as wilson except i get a mob to just stick around and have mobs' aggro".

i get it, not everyone wants to spend more time into a game, when something is made to be better people are gonna like it but some skills SHOULD be learnt. if you play wendy that only tanks, that means you only fight single target bosses, limiting your ability to even play another character in a different way. that just removes the unique strength and weakness of a character if everyone plays like wilson.

its safe to say that abi tanking is fine for later bosses (rift bosses DEFINITELY punishes players for tanking), but giving her such strength means earlier bosses are a lot easier without much different input from the wendy player (all you need is to get a pearl bottle, then you get unlimited lunetree blossom buff). its not interesting prep for such a powerful reward.

essentially, its quite literally just 'get lune blossoms' and thats her power increased by a ton for the rest of the game

i dont hate when new players give opinions, but when the opinion is 'this made the game easier' its very shallow analysis of gameplay, i love when games have more depth than just the surface, if abi has struggles surviving then klei should make it so wendy players get better control of abi and her positioning instead of just a straight buff like this (which is a much more interesting choice, relying on skill to make her last longer rather than just a permanent buff to abi, to emphasize abi's fragility, as well as their sisterly bond).

[Steorra]

2 minutes ago, IAmAFurrz said:

yea... this post does read a bit weird like "grrr i dont wanna learn basic dodging and am happy abi is made into a better ally mob to make every boss to be the same as wilson except i get a mob to just stick around and have mobs' aggro".

hmm, I personally don't think that kiting Abi is a "basic dodging". it was a far more complex skill for average players before current skill tree.

[Xplan]

23 minutes ago, Lardee said:

The bolded says a lot. Wendy fights Dragonfly literally no differently than Wilson does.  6 hits, dodge, and Abigail never gets hit.

If you are at the point where you are unable to kite Dragonfly, then it makes sense that end game bosses seem out of reach regardless of whatever character you choose to play.

It should go without saying that the issue in this case isn't Abigail's survivability.

Walter can defeat AFW easily without learning how dodge cause his slingshot has a long range. What's your opinion about this.

[IAmAFurrz]

Just now, Steorra said:

hmm, I personally don't think that kiting Abi is a "basic dodging". it was a far more complex skill for average players before current skill tree.

i didnt mention kiting abi, im saying they dont want to kite with wendy

1 minute ago, Xplan said:

Walter can defeat AFW easily without learning how dodge cause his slingshot has a long range. What's your opinion about this.

walter is a dogshit character with a dogshit skill tree so far lmao, i have never seen a good walter player and it will most likely stay that way XD

[Steorra]

25 minutes ago, Koomin said:

It does seem like if you have played 1000 hours and are tanking every boss in the game without trying to kite, maybe a better solution to the problem would be trying to engage with the game mechanics and try it?  Instead of advocating for a character to be made strong enough to defeat everything in the game without engaging with the game mechanics, which just basically removes a fun character as an option for people that do.

hmm, there is a point that "an extra skill won't break anyone game experience if we just don't spend insight point on it." the important part is "people could choose their favorate play style"

I hope we could have more better result in the end, but for current stage it seems all of simply "nerf" of "buff" are not a good direction for every play style.

[Koomin]

2 minutes ago, Xplan said:

Walter can defeat AFW easily without learning how dodge cause his slingshot has a long range. What's your opinion about this.

My opinion is that maybe this person should play Walter I guess.

[Lardee]

2 minutes ago, Xplan said:

Walter can defeat AFW easily without learning how dodge cause his slingshot has a long range. What's your opinion about this.

Got a video of this? Because most people don't even dodge FW, they just tank.

 

[zzzzzzzzzzz]

The atmosphere of the forum was destroyed by a group of people who maliciously emphasized balance.

It's nice to see the few warmth here. I want to rest here.

[HowlVoid]

Unfortunately to me this reads as

"I have no plans to improve my skillset and I want the game to hard carry me to victory"

People don't become good players over night, though I won't criticize you for not wanting to improve over the 1,000 hours you've played- I will say you're underestimating yourself.

Which is somewhat sad that you've intentionally limited yourself to the point you only see others achive certain victories that you've already told yourself you can't do.

Which is why its fair to gauge if the developers are being heavy handed with how much they're "helping" with the games difficulty. Its a fine line between enabling a perspective like yours and steering players into it.

[Koomin]

2 minutes ago, Steorra said:

hmm, there is a point that "an extra skill won't break anyone game experience if we just don't spend insight point on it." the important part is "people could choose their favorate play style"

I hope we could have more better result in the end, but for current stage it seems all of simply "nerf" of "buff" are not a good direction for every play style.

I think we should be focusing less on which play style or experience level has more votes, realize that the current design is not great for a large amount of the playerbase, and focus more on how the abilities could be updated or fixed so as to allow all types of players to enjoy them and the character.

[Xplan]

Just now, Lardee said:

Got a video of this? Because most people don't even dodge FW, they just tank.

 

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV19sqKY6Ex6/?share_source=copy_web&vd_source=09bc70368d48160f7c41746e6f6f2bb6

[Lardee]

2 minutes ago, Xplan said:

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV19sqKY6Ex6/?share_source=copy_web&vd_source=09bc70368d48160f7c41746e6f6f2bb6

Yeah I don't think the toughest boss in the game should be cheesed so easily and I think it's quite plausible Klei will do something about this.

[Xplan]

Just now, Lardee said:

Yeah I don't think the toughest boss in the game should be cheesed so easily and I think it's quite plausible Klei will do something about this.

Maybe you should work hard on it, because i didn't hear much voice about nerfing Walter, instead they are asking for more.

[Lardee]

2 minutes ago, Xplan said:

Maybe you should work hard on it, because i didn't hear much voice about nerfing Walter, instead they are asking for more.

It's not really about nerfs or buffs. It's about removing character weaknesses.

Walter being able to cheese AFW is not nearly as bad as if Klei let you remove his insanity-on-hit weakness with a skill.

I don't really have an issue with Klei making Wendy stronger. The issue I have is them doing it by removing her downsides.

[Siren11]

30 minutes ago, Fitzee said:

I shouldn't really be surprised about seeing someone disregard mostly everything someone else had said at this point, should I?

Nope. I feel like some people here believe there is One Correct Way to play the game and anyone who is playing (or learning) DST differently is Doing It Wrong. It makes it really frustrating to share opinions here sometimes bc I feel like I just get shut down. And I really don’t like seeing people do it to Rena, who’s probably the sweetest person on the entire forum.

And I will reiterate my point. When you are only able to make a few mistakes before Abigail is out of the fight, it’s difficult to learn Wendy’s trickier than usual kiting patterns. I imagine that Sisturn III was just supposed to let Abigail withstand a few more hits, which in turn gives the player more time to figure out how to kite properly.

[Xplan]

10 minutes ago, IAmAFurrz said:

i didnt mention kiting abi, im saying they dont want to kite with wendy

walter is a dogshit character with a dogshit skill tree so far lmao, i have never seen a good walter player and it will most likely stay that way XD

Who decides whether it is good or not? that is how they enjoy the boss fight. What is "a good walter"

[Lee lol]

I don't know why anyone would accuse the poster of not learning the kite boss, as if Abigail wouldn't get hurt in the fight if you learned how to  kite boss...... Also, the latency of multiplayer game makes kiting more difficult.
For Deeclops and Bearger, even if you kite them well, Abi is still having a hard time surviving, you have to constantly reclaim Abi, give her potions, and this interrupts the rhythm of the fight, I can understand why someone chooses to stand and press F instead of managing Abi while kiteing the boss, because it's simpler and more effective. BQ is not suitable for kites. The hardest thing for old Abi was the CC, and I chose to ride the beefalo every time because Abi could barely survive. As for the bosses in the post-rift era, not to mention, basically all of them have powerful AOE abilities, which require you to do perfect Abi management while kiting them well, and I have to say that it is a painful thing to constantly retract - give potions - summon Abi while dodging boss attacks in a single battle, which is why we give Abi players a label.

The point is, giving Abi a potion in battle - retracting Abi - continuing to give her the potion - while dodging the boss's attacks is not fun, on the contrary, it is boring. I've done this too many times, and it's not an easy or hard question, it's a fun-uninteresting one, like everyone would say it's easy to wash dishes, but we all don't like to wash dishes.

[Xplan]

2 minutes ago, Lardee said:

It's not really about nerfs or buffs. It's about removing character weaknesses.

Walter being able to cheese AFW is not nearly as bad as if Klei let you remove his insanity-on-hit weakness with a skill.

I don't really have an issue with Klei making Wendy stronger. The issue I have is them doing it by removing her downsides.

almost all these weaknesses can be completely prevented by skill tree. There are so many skill trees that do.

Wendy's true weakness is 0.75 not fragile Wendy. Skill tree helped her by making Abi more tanky

i guess that is how Klei wanna design their game.