Reading comments, I genuinely think you need to get over whatever ego is preventing you from accepting that the first trial is poorly balanced or designed.
I understand you want to focus on specific stats, but you legitimately need to min-max which is counter-intuitive to games of this type.
"You don't need to pass it" is said like that's a choice. When players feel forced to lose, because there is nothing they can do, it is not enjoyable. Designing a "puzzle" around face-slamming your head into the spamming the option waiting for it to work, is not enjoyable or good design.
You have received this feedback numerous times, and refuse to listen to it.
Your answer implies that you are meant to play the game like a regular person would, crash and completely burn, then have to restart from scratch to minmax your stats now that you know what to expect.
And thinking on it. Your RNG system might need some work, because people COULD just be getting really unlucky if they have the "30" they need in the stats like you keep repeating, but not getting anywhere at all, because they don't know some meta trick to it.
I don't know how it's designed currently, it seems like there's a huge RNG factor regardless of stats, on top of some "trick" to it that's not explained in the trial itself, so many people will just be screwed out of the trial for no good reason.
First of all, thank you for your feedback. Second, I do listen to feedback, but not all feedback needs to be listened to.
As for the Trial itself - really, no significant RNG is involved, and a lot of people successfully finish the first Trial. And, no, the Trial is balanced the way I want it to be. If you want to pass a trial you have to either focus on one of the stats specific to this Trial (yes, stats - multiple, you don't have to focus on just one), you have to look for spells that would make the Trial easier, or you need to be very attentive during the Trial to know how it works mechanically. You cannot just try and bruteforce it. And that's the experience I want the players to have.
If you want to win a non-mandatory encounter, you'll have to work for that win. And it IS a non-mandatory encounter.
truth is most people don't want to think to much on what they think is a gooning game, which is not something I see changing but still. I haven't played yet but im going too, but maybe an easy mode for those who have issues? once again, haven't played but i'll see for myself if its that much of a hassle.
Truly one must concur it is not what actions that one does that matter but for whom they do it for
(Who the f*** cares about the gameplay I'm trying to smash and also the writing and personality of the characters matter too cuz like once you're done gooning you still want to be able to read a story and fall in love with the characters)
I managed to finish the first trial in first place with a 10 in knowledge, it wasn't that hard.
The first trial is interesting because you actually have several ways to get through some doors, it reflects the game itself in some ways : If you go all in in a stat or activity, you miss content or options, if you spread yourself too much, you will fall appart.
Like the game True Love 95, there is no easy mode, you either go through trials and errors (No pun intended) to get what you want, or you wait for a walkthrough.
Kind of proving my point, you spread yourself too much : 30 is the bare minimum for an option to be potentially successful and you would need to know the Trial well. (Though some of the options are obvious)
The Trials are meant to be an optional challenge, they are not meant to be easy.
The game even outright tell you to be careful the first time you are losing points in a stat if it's neglected too long, but some players still raise every stats at the same time in attempt to see everything in a single playthrough, and that's impossible.
Or if they are like, they get the stat drop message and am unsure what that means for the playthrough and feels like it's potentially detrimental so they don't let it happen. I had 65-68 in int and was still absolutely trashed and was confused the entire time. Honestly I was convinced you're supposed to lose unless you have a perfect playthrough until now