EpicDuelsgiving on Artix Entertainment

A bounty of balance changes await on the even of an epic holiday weekend! Savor all the changes between bites of turkey, ham, tofu, broccoli, or whatever food you favor as you give thanks for this long-awaited update!

General Balance

Adjusted starting stats for 3 classes
- Tech Mage: 19 Str, 21 Dex, 22 Tech, 18 Supp → 17 Str, 21 Dex, 24 Tech, 18 Supp
- Tactical Mercenary: 18 Str, 22 Dex, 19 Tech, 21 Ssupp → 18 Str, 21 Dex, 19 Tech, 22 Supp
- Cyber Hunter: 19 Str, 19 Dex, 24 Tech, 18 Supp → 19 Str, 18 Dex, 22 Tech, 21 Supp
Field Medic
- Support scaling unified for all classes. Improves with every 1.5 Support

Class Balance

All classes have received some major changes this update. Ultimately, our goal is that each class should have multiple viable builds, and these changes should provide more viable builds while reinforcing the unique identity of each class. Special thanks to those who responded to our feedback survey, who provided thorough documentation for all proposed changes. We are much more likely to implement an idea that's specific (not just "nerf/buff X skill") and well-justified.

Bounty Hunter
- Multi Shot: Lowered energy cost by 80 across all levels; improves with every 0.35 Dex → 0.32 Dex.
- Stun Grenade: Lowered energy cost by 40 across all levels. Improves with every 0.4 Dex → 0.35 Dex. 20% stun chance → 15% chance.
- Shadow Arts: Added Dex buff (10% at max); Support requirement lowered by 8 across all levels.
- Massacre: Lower energy cost by 30 across all levels; requires Strength → Support; reduced by 10% across all levels (130% at max); added 30% defense ignore and 50% lifesteal.
- Venom Strike: Improves every 6 Dex → every 2 Supp.
- Cheap Shot: Changed values to 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48; added 25% Rage reduction; lowered energy cost by 10 across all levels.

Blood Mage
- Fireball: Reverted scaling to improve with Dex instead of Support.
- Fire Rain: Reverted scaling to improve with Support instead of Dex; improves every 0.40 Supp → 0.32 Supp; ignores 10% defense → 20% defense; removed staff requirement.
- Brutal Strike: Replaced with Fire Scythe; ignores % Defense; unblockable; ranged; values 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42; costs 105 energy +15 per level; 2 turn cooldown.
- Terrify: Buffed values to 17, 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35; reduce duration from 4 turns to 3 turns.
- Blood Shield: Changed values to 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 28, 30; grants 90 energy upon use.
- Blood Instinct: Grants 90 energy upon use.
- Deadly Aim: Added flat 10% Strength buff.

Tactical Mercenary
- Concentration: Reverted to Reroute (Passive); converts % of all damage received into energy; values 14, 17, 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32. Requires 24 tech, +2 per level.
- Adrenaline: Changed to an active effect that grants flat 180 energy and % Rage; values 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 46, 48, 50.
- Mineral Armor: Reduced Support requirement from 43 to 34 at max (+2 per level instead of +3); added flat 10% Support buff.
- Frenzy: Remove 2 turn warmup; unblockable.
- Crippling Strike: 110% damage → 120% damage; reduced energy cost scaling from 25 per level to 15 per level (220 energy at max); only debuffs Defense; values 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33; requires club.
- Field Commander: 10% crit chance to 10% damage reduction.
- Suppressing Fire: Improves every 0.35 Supp→ every 0.32 Supp.

Cyber Hunter
- Lock On: Renamed Kernel Panic; reduce % Resistance: 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33; improves every 4 tech; cost 85 energy +15 per level (220 max); requires 21 dex +2 per level; initial strike deals 100% damage.
- Static Charge: 100% damage → 85% damage; drain opponent’s energy by 50% of damage.
- Pulse Punch: Removed 2 turn warmup; changed effect from % More Damage to % reduced Rage Gain for 3 turns: 38, 41, 44, 47, 50, 53, 56, 59, 62, 65; initial strike reduced target Rage 50%; reduced energy cost scaling from 20 per level to 10 per level; removed 25% lifesteal; added 20% defense Ignore.
- Plasma Grenade: Removed 25% crit chance; added 25% lifesteal.
- Neural Scythe: Reverted to Support skill; new values: 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300, 320, 340; improves every 0.35 Support, +1 per 0.3 level above 20, -1 per 0.8 levels below 20.
- Adaptive Offense: Improves every 0.35 Supp→ every 0.3 Dex; removed 15% crit; added 25% energy drain based on damage dealt; lowered energy cost by 100 across all levels; 3 turn cooldown→ 2 turn cooldown.
- Memory Leak: 4 turn cooldown→ 3 turn cooldown.
- Counterattack: Swapped with Nanotech Shield
- Nanotech Shield: Swapped with Adaptive Armor; increases Defense/Resistance for 3 turns; values 40, 55, 70, 85, 100, 115, 130, 145, 160, 175; improves +1 Defense every 1 support, +1 per 0.5 levels above 20, -1 per 0.7 levels below 20; costs 100 energy +20 per level; 2 turn cooldown.

Tech Mage
- Nanotech Shield: Changed to Defense Matrix with values 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200; improves +1 Defense every 0.35 Support; +1 per 0.5 levels above 20, -1 per 0.7 levels below 20; costs 80 energy +20 per level; 2 turn CD.
- Battery Backup: Changed to Concentration; essentially passive Reroute in that it converts % of all damage received into energy; values 14, 17, 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32; requires 24 tech, +2 per level; added15% damage reduction.
- Deadly Aim: Added flat 10% tech buff.
- Assimilation: Changed base values to 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160; improves every 1.5 Dex → 1.25 Supp; Changed 150% absorption to 90% absorption. 70% damage → 100% damage.
- Overload: Improves with every 0.35 Dex → 0.3 Dex; lower energy cost by 20 across all levels; +15 energy cost per level → +10 per level. 2 turn cooldown → 1 turn cooldown ; 20% stun chance → 15% chance.
- Bludgeon: Reduced energy cost scaling from 20 per level to 15 per level (245 energy at max).

Mercenary
- Hybrid Armor: Reduced Support requirement from 42 to 33 at max (+2 per level instead of +3); removed stat buff.
- Static Smash: 120% damage → 100% damage; buffed values by 7% across all levels; removed Tech requirement.
- Reactive Armor: Reduced Dex requirement by 8 across all levels.
- Artillery Strike: Improves every 0.35 Supp → 0.32 Supp; added 20% defense ignore; removed 30% lifesteal.
- Blood Commander: Improves every 4 Supp → 3 Supp; buffed values to 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41
- Intimidate: Removed 10% Defense debuff; reduces Support in addition to Strength.
- Berzerker: Requires Supp → requires Dex; remove 15% lifesteal; reduce energy cost by 20 across all levels.
- Maul: Added a 65% Heal Reduction effect lasting 1 turn; 2 turn cooldown → 4 turn cooldown .

Core balance

While many of these changes serve to buff underutilized cores, there are also calls for nerfing many cores. While a much broader core update was planned, these have been on hold to weigh the impact of this new balance update on the game meta.

Skull Cracker: Compatible with Deadly Aim.
Skull Smasher: Reusable; 4 turn cooldown .
Frost Aura: 25% trigger chance → 35% trigger chance.
Curse Aura: 25% trigger chance → 35% trigger chance; 50% Support reduction → flat 50 Support reduction; added 25% heal reduction debuff for 3 turns.
Curse: 50% Support reduction → flat 50 Support reduction; added 25% heal reduction debuff for 3 turns.
Minor Curse: 40% Support reduction → flat 40 Support reduction; added 25% heal reduction debuff for 3 turns.
Eternal Protection: +15 Def/Res → +20 Def/Res.
Salvage: 100% damage → 110% damage.
Phase Shift (all versions): 100% damage → 110% damage.
Infernal Fury/Titan’s Trigger/Hair Trigger: 100% damage → 110% damage.
Blood Bullet/Titan’s Barrage: 120% damage → 125% damage.
TrueShot (Gun)/TrueShot: 135% max → 140% max.
Feast of Flesh: 35% highest stat → 50% highest stat. Grants 150 energy upon use.
Dark Omen: 40% Support reduction → flat 40 support reduction. Add 20% heal reduction debuff for 3 turns.
Growth Serum: 50% Support → flat 50 Support. 25% Rage gain → 50% Rage gain. 3 turn duration → 4 turn duration. Grants 150 HP upon use.
Minor Growth Serum: 40% Support → flat 40 Support. 25% Rage gain → 50% Rage gain. 3 turn duration → 4 turn duration. Grants 150 HP upon use.
Sea King’s Spirit: 5 turn cooldown → 4 turn cooldown.
Lifeline: 225 HP → 300 HP.
Sea King Corruption: 25% heal reduction → 30% heal reduction.
Corrosive Shot: Restored 15% defense ignore on initial attack.
Screaming Soul Spears/Darkeater’s Impaler: 40 HP/MP reduction → 60 HP/MP reduction.
Sea King’s Venom: 70 HP reduction → 80 HP reduction.
Poison Barbs: 70 HP reduction → 80 HP reduction. 85% initial damage → 100% initial damage.
Cold Ignition: Costs 60 energy → 90 energy. Reusable; 5 turn cooldown.
Magma Grenade P/E: Defense reduction factor increased to 4 per level.
Minor Magma Grenade P/E: Defense reduction factor increased to 2.5 per level.

Robot Balance

Many bots have been beefed up in this release, including the Yeti sets. Several older bots have also had additional effects added to their normal attacks.

Phantasm Slash: Drains energy by 25% of damage.
Phantasm Blast E/P: 35% +4% per round (55% max) → 60% +3% per round (81% max).
Infernal Overload P/E/PxE/ExP: 85% +5% per round (115% max) → 100% +5% per round (135% max). Single use.
Bio Claw: Added 20% defense ignore.
Cyber Yeti Breath: 100% damage → 105% damage.
Ice Shield: Added 30% damage reduction.
Dino Fire/Rusted Dino Fire P/E/PxE/ExP: 2 turn warmup → 1 turn warmup.
Azrael Claw: Added 15% defense ignore and 25% crit chance.
Heart Attack: 85% damage → 100% damage; changed from physical damage to energy damage.
Plasma Super Beam/Infernal Super Beam: 4 turn cooldown → 3 turn cooldown.
Baby Yeti/Dark Yeti/Downtown Yeti/Dark Downtown Yeti: 150 damage → 170 damage.
Baby Yeti Warrior/Dark Yeti Warrior/Pink Yeti: 160 damage → 180 damage.
Omega Baby Yeti/Omega Dark Yeti: 170 damage → 190 damage.
Golden Yeti: 180 damage → 190 damage
Flesh Demigod Judgment E/P: 30% lifesteal → 25% lifesteal; reusable; 4 turn cooldown.
Necrosis: 85% damage → 100% damage; increased defense reduction factor to 4 from 2.4.
Lionhart’s Claws: 25% Rage reduction → 50% Rage reduction.
Assault Claw: Added 15% lifesteal.

Epic Legendary Supporter

Although there will be no Gifting event this year, we are still offering the 40K Varium package for those who wish to stock up. This package also comes with the Epic Legendary Supporter 2022 achievement. This offer will only be available until December 1st, 2022!

The other 10K Artix Point packages will also include the evolving Epic Supporter 2022 achievements. If you purchased a 10K AP package since Friday November 18th, 2022, you will receive this achievement retroactively. Please note the Varium offered by the other 10K AP packages have not been increased this year.

We've also added a 2022 World Cup achievement if you still needed a few more rating points to your next star!

Battlepass Encore

Some of you have been extremely diligent in completing your daily and weekly Battlepass challenges, reaching the coveted level 50 milestone. To make completing challenges worthwhile after hitting the cap, we've expanded the pass to include 10 more levels with substantial Varium and Credit rewards! This Battlepass will officially end at the end of the day on December 4th. In the future, we expect passes to last about 30 days, but due to some early hiccups, we're letting this season run a bit longer.