[h1]2.5 Balance Notes[/h1] [h1]Sword[/h1] [i]The Sword's air game is often raised as a concern both from a balance and flavor standpoint. Its range can feel deceptively large compared to weapons like the Axe and Spear. We're making the neutral and down airs a little smaller and faster, and giving a little more punish window after the long active frames of the side air.[/i] [list] [*]Sword Side Air: Reduced Damage from 20 to 17; Increased Recover Time from 30 to 32. [*]Sword Neutral Air: Decreased Hitbox Size; Reduced Startup Time from 17 to 16. [*]Sword Down Air: Decreased Hitbox Size; Reduced Startup Time from 16 to 15. [/list] [h1]Spear[/h1] [i]The last set of changes to the down light's combo potential hurt some playstyles more than intended. We're giving some stun back, but making it more situational whether to follow up with the neutral air or side air. The side light now has a small momentum bonus similar to our recent changes to the katar side light.[/i] [list] [*]Spear Side Air: Hitboxes are focused more along the arc of the swing. [*]Spear Down Light: Increased Stun Time from 23 to 26; Increased Variable Force from 10.5 to 11; Decreased Fixed Force from 67 to 50; Slightly shifted angle of Force. [*]Spear Side Light: Forward movement before first swing is now variable based on momentum, increased from 80 to a range between 80 and 110. [*]Spear Neutral Light: Extended Active Frames of first stab from 1 to 5, the second stab from 1 to 5, and the third stab from 1 to 2. Power duration is unchanged. [/list] [h1]Hammer[/h1] [i]Some of the Hammer kit had much more Recover than Stun Time, and would give targets a free counterhit at low health. We've given significant stun increases to the side and neutral air attacks.[/i] [list] [*]Hammer Neutral Air: Increased Stun Time from 18 to 28 [*]Hammer Side Air: Increased Stun Time from 19 to 29 [/list] [h1]Katar[/h1] [i]The Katar's Recovery is considered by some to be the strongest in the game. It also has fairly generous hitboxes that didn't match the animation very well, so we've addressed that to reduce its power. The side light had unusually high downward movement that has been toned down.[/i] [list] [*]Katar Side Light: Reduced downward movement at start of leap from 80 to 35. [*]Katar Recovery: Rehitboxed to better match animation. [/list] [h1]Blasters[/h1] [i]Blasters are getting a small reduction to Ground Pound Force this patch.[/i] [list] [*]Blasters Ground Pound: Reduced Variable Force from 52 to 50. [/list] [h1]Vraxx[/h1] [i]Vraxx's Side Blasters were killing too early considering their fast startup and recovery times and his 4 Strength.[/i] [list] [*]Vraxx Side Blasters: Reduced Variable Force from 55 to 52. [/list] [h1]Gnash[/h1] [i]Gnash is performing a little better than intended at all ranks. We're reducing the Force of one of his more reliable signatures, especially considering the buffs to both of his weapons this patch.[/i] [list] [*]Gnash Side Spear: Reduced Variable Force from 57 to 54; Reduced Fixed Force from 77 to 72. [/list] [h1]Queen Nai[/h1] [i]We're moving some power from Nai's Katar signatures to her Spear signatures. Her Side Katars is the hardest hitting signature in the game, while her spear attacks are uncharacteristically weak for 7 Strength.[/i] [list] [*]Nai Neutral Spear: Increased Variable Force from 48 to 50. [*]Nai Side Spear: Increased Variable Force from 50 to 53. [*]Nai Neutral Katars: Decreased Variable Force from 58 to 56. [*]Nai Side Katars: Decreased Variable Force from 70 to 66. [/list] [h1]Scarlet[/h1] [i]The reductions to Scarlet last patch didn't seem to have much of an effect. We're dialing down her potential for early knockouts slightly to bring her more in line.[/i] [list] [*]Scarlet Side Lance: Decreased Variable Force from 55 to 53; Decreased Fixed Force from 90 to 80. [/list] [h1]Sentinel[/h1] [i]The rewards for landing some of Sentinel's signatures felt a little out of balance. We're moving some Force from his Side to Neutral Hammer.[/i] [list] [*]Sentinel Neutral Hammer: Increased Variable Force from 48 to 49; Increased Fixed Force from 60 to 62. [*]Sentinel Side Hammer: Decreased Variable Force from 60 to 58. [/list] [h1]Lucien[/h1] [i]Lucien's Side Blasters continues to be one of his most reliable ways of gaining early knockouts, and has little Recovery Time compared to its Force. We're giving it a longer punish window.[/i] [list] [*]Lucien Side Blasters: Increased Recovery Time on Miss from 18 to 23. [/list] [h1]Teros[/h1] [i]Teros's Side Axe covers enough ground and hits hard enough that trying to punish it sometimes doesn't feel worth the risk. It is also getting a slightly longer punish window.[/i] [list] [*]Teros Side Axe: Increased Recovery Time from 23 to 26. [/list] [h1]Ember[/h1] [i]Like Nai, some power is being shifted away from Ember's Katar to her other signatures.[/i] [list] [*]Ember Neutral Bow: Increased Variable Force from 51 to 54 [*]Ember Side Bow: Reduced Recover Time from 27 to 24 [*]Ember Neutral Katar: Decreased Variable Force from 52 to 50 [*]Ember Down Katar: Decreased Variable Force from 56 to 54; Decreased Fixed Force from 71 to 67. [/list]