Happy upcoming holidays, Stormgaters!
As we get ready to enter the new year, we’d like to give one final report on how balance is and one final game update to close out the year. In the last month, since the last big balance patch, all three factions have taken turns being both the leading race and the lagging race. Over the last month overall, Vanguard is at 48.6%, Infernals is at 51.31%, and Celestials is at 50.64%. Balance is better than it has ever been since EA launch, but we can certainly make some improvements. Before the holidays, we’d like to put out an update with the primary goals of shaking up the game, reducing player frustration in specific situations, and providing more rewarding interactions. With that, let’s talk about all the matchups.
Vanguard vs Infernals
Since the last big patch, Infernals have been slightly favored with a 50.5% advantage, but the favored faction flip-flops weekly. This is a very even matchup overall, but we’d like to address some frustration points from both sides.Brute
- Weapon damage increased from 20 to 24.
- The Sundering Soul Craze upgrade now increases the attack speed of Fiends when they split from 50% to 100%.
Magmadon
- Weapon damage increased from 30 to 30 (+20 vs Heavy).
Weaver
- Cost increased from 100/150 to 125/200.
- Supply cost increased from 4 to 5.
- The Soul Ripper trait now increases the weapon damage of Weavers from 15% against units to 20%.
- The Soul Ripper trait now increases the weapon damage of Weavers from 7.5% against structures to 10%.
- Weapon damage is now clamped between 5 damage and 200 damage.
Graven
- Graven weapon damage reduced from 10 (+15 to Light) to 10 (+8 to Light).
- No longer disables Top-bars when you Infiltrate a Command Structure.
Vanguard vs Celestials
Celestials currently hold a 55.29% win rate against Vanguard.Vector
- Recall no longer restores the health of the Vector to its previous health.
Infernals vs Celestials
Infernals currently have a 54.8% win rate over Celestials. We’ll address some degenerate rush strategies first:Meat Farm
- Health decreased from 500 to 400.
- Armor decreased from 15 to 5.
Therium Purifier
- The Celestial Hyperdrive upgrade now requires Arcstation.
General
- Fixed an issue where units were sometimes not correctly prioritizing their more powerful weapon. Units affected include Hornets, Flak Cannons, Gaunts, Vectors, and Scythes.
Vector
- Anti-air damage increased from 6 (+6 vs Light) to 8 (+8 vs Light).
Scythe
- Scythe air weapon damage increased from 12 (+12 Heavy) to 16 (+10 Heavy).
Vanguard vs Vanguard
Hedgehog
- Weapon damage changed from 10 (+5 vs Heavy) to 8 (+7 vs Heavy).
Fun Stuff
Perhaps because it’s the holidays, we’ve added a few fun updates to enhance the pace and feel of the game:Solar Habitat
- Cost decreased from 100/0 to 75/0.
- Solar Charge can now stack!
MedTech
- Nanoswarm upgrade research cost decreased from 100/100 to 50/50.
- System Shock radius increased from 2 to 3.
Infernal Top-Bar
- If you summon an Effigy on Shroud, the cooldown will now be decreased by 12 seconds, down to 8 seconds.
Looking Towards the Future
Finally, a message to our 1v1 fans. So far in 2024, the competitive team has primarily been focused on addressing standout balance issues as we discover them. As we approach the new year, I’m very excited to announce that we’ll be adopting a more proactive strategy; in addition to incremental adjustments, we’ll be looking to deliver comprehensive overhauls of entire systems and mechanics. In the meantime, we hope these changes keep the game fresh and exciting during the holiday season. Thanks for being part of this journey, and as always, we’ll see you on the battlefield! Lead Competitive Designer, Kevin DongChangelist
General
- Fixed an issue where units were sometimes not correctly prioritizing their more powerful weapon. Units affected include Hornets, Flak Cannons, Gaunts, Vectors, and Scythes.
Vanguard
Solar Habitat- Cost decreased from 100/0 to 75/0.
- Solar Charge can now be stacked multiple times on the same structure. [list]
- Note that Med Stations and Repair-o-Matics will currently still only benefit from 1 Solar Habitat and Ambush Posts currently do not benefit from Solar Charge.
MedTech
- Nanoswarm upgrade research cost decreased from 100/100 to 50/50.
- System Shock radius increased from 2 to 3.
Hedgehog
- Weapon damage changed from 10 (+5 vs Heavy) to 8 (+7 vs Heavy).
Graven
- Graven weapon damage reduced from 10 (+15 to Light) to 10 (+8 to Light).
- No longer disables top-bar abilities when you Infiltrate a Command Structure.
Infernals
Infernal Top-Bar
- If you summon an Effigy on Shroud, the cooldown will now be decreased by 12 seconds, down to 8 seconds.
Meat Farm
- Health decreased from 500 to 400.
- Armor decreased from 15 to 5.
Brute
- Weapon damage increased from 20 to 24.
- The Sundering Soul Craze upgrade now increases the attack speed of Fiends when they split from 50% to 100%.
- Weapon damage increased from 30 to 30 (+20 vs Heavy).
Weaver
- Cost increased from 100/150 to 125/200.
- Supply cost increased from 4 to 5.
- The Soul Ripper trait now increases the weapon damage of Weavers from 15% against units to 20%.
- The Soul Ripper trait now increases the weapon damage of Weavers from 7.5% against structures to 10%.
- Weapon damage is now clamped between 5 damage and 200 damage.
Celestials
Therium Purifier
- The Celestial Hyperdrive upgrade now requires Arcstation.
Vector
- Recall no longer restores the health of the Vector to its previous health.
- Anti-air damage increased from 6 (+6 vs Light) to 8 (+8 vs Light).
Scythe
- Scythe air weapon damage increased from 12 (+12 Heavy) to 16 (+10 Heavy).
