Smalland Patch #8 Breakdown: Drowning Tames Fixed, Hotbar Expanded, Eagle Tamed

Following the sizable Forbidden Monuments update, Smalland has rolled out Patch #8. This one focuses on quality-of-life upgrades rather than headline features: aquatic creature behavior gets a long-needed pass, the hotbar finally stretches out, and Malik has a fresh quest waiting for any vanguard willing to take it on.

Here is what shipped in the latest patch for Smalland: Survive the Wilds.

The Big Changes

https://twitter.com/playsmalland/status/1686727661400297472

Tames No Longer Treat Water Like Lava

Pre-patch, your loyal companion could happily drown two steps behind you. Patch #8 corrects this by warping tamed creatures back to your side the moment they would otherwise submerge, and they no longer take damage from being underwater. Swimming sections suddenly feel a lot less tragic.

A New Quest from Malik

Malik now offers an extra quest aimed at vanguards. Finish it and you earn safe passage in and out of the Forbidden Monuments without the Eagle swooping down to ruin your day. If you are new to the game and want a head start before tackling it, the HolyHosting Smalland beginner's guide covers the basics worth knowing.

The Eagle Plays Nicer (Sort Of)

Speaking of that giant feathered nuisance: dying to the Eagle no longer drops your inventory, regardless of your world settings. The Eagle still shows up when you wander past the map boundaries, so it is less a pardon and more a reduced penalty.

Hotbar Goes from 8 to 10

Two additional hotbar slots, which means two fewer reasons to dig through your inventory mid-fight. Combined with reworked water animations that make escaping a drowning situation feel less janky, the moment-to-moment play is noticeably smoother.

Full Patch Notes

Here is the complete list straight from the official patch notes:

• Creatures return to the character's side if they are about to drown
• Creatures no longer take damage from being submerged
• Hotbar expanded from 8 to 10 slots
• New Malik quest grants safe travel between the Forbidden Monuments and the rest of the world without Eagle aggression
• Firefly torch placement fix
• Added new half-length railings
• Striking a friendly and a hostile target simultaneously no longer cuts damage to the friendly
• Eagle kills no longer drop inventory items, regardless of world settings
• Updated water interaction animations to make escaping drowning easier
• Potential fix for crashes when placing or relocating a large tree base

That covers it. Small patch, but a meaningful one if you spend any time near water or anywhere the Eagle calls home.