Balance Notes: Beta v 1.17.0

Cooldowns

We've gotten this request frequently lately. Cooldowns are now applied to all signatures instead of just the one used, which should lower the effectiveness of "sig spamming".

• Using a signature now applies that cooldown to all signatures (Does not apply to Unarmed)

Grabs

Powers that "grab" had logic to prevent them from being interrupted when hit. These cases happen a lot more in 2v2 and can feel broken and unsatisfying. We'll be keeping an eye on these individual moves to see if it becomes too easy to save teammates caught by them.

• Hammer Down Air, Bodvar Neutral Sword, Cassidy Neutral Hammer, Vraxx Neutral Lance, Vraxx Down Lance, Scarlet Down Hammer, Teros Neutral Hammer: Removed period where user cannot be interrupted during grab.

Lance

Lately its quirky mobility and unusual playstyle have stagnated into a wall of Neutral Airs. So, we've changed things up a bit! The new Rocket Lance will likely need more updates in coming patches, but we hope you'll like both playing as and against this new take on its fighting style a fair bit more.

• AdjustedLance Neutral LightIncreased Time to Hit; Slightly decreased Damage and Force.
• RemovedLance Neutral AirGreatly decreased Hitbox size to more closely follow flame and rear thruster; Removed hitboxes from some of the starting and ending frames; Decreased Damage and Force; Damage and Force are strongest during the middle of the swing.

• Lance Down Air: Replaced power.

• AdjustedLance Side LightAdded a hitboxed dash forward into the attack; Slightly decreased Time to Hit, Force, and Stun Time; Slightly increased Recover Time on miss and Damage.
• AdjustedLance Side AirIncreased Time to Hit, Damage, and distance travelled; Decreased Hitbox size and Force; Greatly increased Stun Time; Recover Time increased on miss, greatly decreased on hit.

Axe

We've been happy with how the Axe turned out, but it has a few over and underused moves that could stand to be tweaked. These changes should dial back its dominant air game slightly while giving it better options on the ground.

• AdjustedAxe Side LightSlightly increased Stun Time.
• AdjustedAxe Down LightDecreased Time to Hit; Added a small duration where it travels upwards at the beginning of the swing; Increased Hitbox Size during swing.
• AdjustedAxe Neutral LightSlightly increased Time to Hit.
• AdjustedAxe RecoverySlightly decreased Damage and Force.
• AdjustedAxe Down AirSlightly increased Recover and Cooldown Times.

Hammer

Only minor tweaks for the Hammer this time around. Hammer Neutral Air was a too dominant in vertically, and we've lowered the risk on the Down Light stomp very slightly.

• AdjustedHammer Neutral AirChanged Hitboxes to be a little more centered - Pared down some of the edges in the follow through of the swing; Slightly increased Time to Hit; Fixed a case where Hitbox lingered slightly longer than animation.
• AdjustedHammer Side LightIncreased Cooldown Time.
• AdjustedHammer Down LightSlightly decreased Time to Hit and Recover Time on miss.

Sword

The Sword's Air Down Light is pretty terrifying. It's one of the most reliable tools in the game. We took some cues from our recent changes to the Axe's air game, and are reducing the Damage and Force for hits that don't catch the target straight-on. Otherwise, the Sword sees changes similar to the Hammer's.

• AdjustedSword Down AirGreatly increased Hitbox size on first frame of power; Damage and Force Decrease after initial frame; Hitbox lingers an extra frame; Increased Cooldown Time.
• AdjustedSword Down LightSlightly decreased Recover Time on miss.
• AdjustedSword Side LightIncreased Cooldown Time.

Blasters

It may be surprising not