Werewolf Update From The Combat Refresh Team

Hi All. Below is an update on the Werewolf Refresh from the Combat Refresh Team. As a reminder, the Werewolf refresh will be available to test next week on PTS.

Greetings! The Combat Refresh team would like to give a quick update on what to expect for the Werewolf refresh coming to the PTS next week. We’ve been hard at work making sure it’s up to snuff and we’re very excited to let you sink your teeth into all the new stuff that’s been updated! To recap, here is what to expect with the Werewolf refresh that we’ve already brought up through previous developer streams and reveals:

• Two new Werewolf models, one male and one female. Female characters will automatically use the new female model.

• New animations, visual effects, and sound effects for almost every Werewolf action including but not limited to:

  • Locomotion (movement, jumping, etc)

  • Core combat mechanics (Block, Roll Dodge, etc)

  • Abilities

• A new ability tied to your Ultimate to cast while in Werewolf form, which lets you unleash the beast for a duration and grants a handful of stark power bonuses

• A completely overhauled way to manage and sustain Werewolf form, now using Ultimate to both activate and sustain the form. Ultimate is now enabled and heavily awarded through certain Werewolf actions and overall you will find it significantly easier to maintain Werewolf form in most cases.

• And two new mechanics we’ve added, named “Prowl” and “Slaughter” - which we’ll touch loosely on, but we want you to go on the hunt and sniff them out yourself!

  • Slaughter is a synergy-based ability, operating similarly to things like Blade of Woe or Vampire’s Feed

  • Prowl is a mechanic override for Crouch, which is designed to help utilize Slaughter more regularly, as well as a tool to help you hunt those who would prefer to remain hidden. Your nose knows! While this is not ‘true’ Crouch or Stealth, we hope that Werewolves appreciate the chance to be a bit more sneaky.

When we first showed off the updated model for the Werewolf, we saw a lot of positive feedback with some reservations that largely boiled down to three core criticisms: the size and bulk of the model, the mangy appearance of the model, and the methods of sustaining Werewolf form. Based on that feedback, we’ve made some notable adjustments to try and improve the Werewolf refresh. Some of the most noteworthy adjustments are:

• Increased the size of the model by roughly 20%, making it substantially larger. This will ensure that you loom over normal player characters and humanoid enemies.

• Adjusted and added more fur to the model based on feedback that noted how the previous iteration felt like it was mottled and bare.

  • There is more fur coverage overall along the back, shoulders, and forehead.

  • The tail is now bigger, floofier, and blends better into the fur on the Werewolf’s back.

  • The fur along the spine now covers more area, helping to add some extra size and aura.

  • There are performance constraints that we had to work within in regards to adding more fur to the model. While we know that some of you really wanted to see a model completely covered in fur, we cannot match the fur coverage from the Werewolf’s cinematic design due to run-time limitations.

• The color of the skin now more closely matches the color of the fur and the fur now blends more seamlessly into the remaining areas where there is exposed skin.

• While we didn’t go into all the details of