Core Keeper 1.3 gives returning players mounts, a hookshot and a less fussy summoner

If your last memory of Core Keeper is crossing a very long tunnel or repeatedly refreshing summons, version 1.3 changes some of that routine. Riders of the Underground is available on Steam, adding mounts, a hookshot for crossing gaps and summoned minions that no longer expire on a timer.

The full patch notes cover travel, combat and equipment handling. We have not played the update for a review. These are the changes most likely to matter when deciding whether to reopen an established save.

Travel tools for a world you already built

Cattle can become mounts when equipped with a Saddle. Remove it and the animal becomes ordinary cattle again. A Racing Saddle is also included, so mounts are not simply a separate new creature added to the collection.

The Hookshot can pull you across water and gaps by attaching to a solid wall. That anchor matters: it is not unrestricted flight across any opening. In a large established world, improving an everyday journey can be more useful than adding another decorative room.

Equipment comparison and easier loadout switching also reduce the effort involved in moving between exploration, mining and combat during one session.

Summoners no longer have to refresh a timer

Summoned minions remain active indefinitely and can be dismissed manually. The update removes the summon cooldown and allows a full group to be summoned at once up to the available limit. Managing equipment and combat still matters, but keeping a group active no longer requires repeated casting solely to replace expired minions.

That does not establish an identical damage increase for every build. The notes include talent changes and other balance adjustments, so returning summoners should review their skills and equipment. Scepters also expand the warlock's weapon options.

The roadmap places Trials of the Depths and Beyond the Breach after this update. It is a content plan, not grounds to attach unconfirmed release dates to them.

Protect a long-running save before making changes

Update the game and keep a save copy before rearranging files or changing mods. If you encounter a Steam Cloud conflict, do not select a version blindly because the dialog asks for a choice.

A separate backup is especially useful for a world with many hours invested in it. Our 3-2-1 backup guide explains why synchronization is not the same protection. This is a precaution for valuable saves, not a claim that this patch has a known save-loss defect.