Just wanted to follow up on two of the points you brought up specifically:
The freeze issue appears to be tied to right-clicking the browser window during gameplay in the web build. I’m also planning to put up a downloadable build soon, which should avoid a lot of the browser-specific issues and limitations entirely.
Also regarding leveling and hero progression, patrols are intended to be the primary source of XP potions and stronger rewards, so they’re designed as high-risk/high-reward expeditions where losses can happen. That said, I agree the game still needs to communicate that risk/reward structure much more clearly, and I’m continuing to rebalance progression and hero investment based on feedback like yours.