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Introduction

In the latest patch notes for the popular game, players will see a focus on healing reduction and Hunter balance. The Global Healing Reduction Aura has been buffed to make sure players are healing in combat and not in short windows after it. Additionally, all healing reduction percentage nerfs from the previous update have been reverted. The time window for full healing after successfully Brawling with an enemy god has also been decreased from 4 seconds to 3 seconds. In terms of items, Divine Ruin, Brawler's Beat Stick, Toxic Blade, Pestilence, Contagion, and Shadowsteel Shuriken have all received an increase in Healing Reduction. Fail-Not has been toned down in terms of its base stats, while Berserker's Shield has been brought down slightly in a way to affect multiple roles. Spectral Armor has been buffed to counter crit, decreasing the amount of damage that Critical Strikes deal from 50% to 40%. These changes aim to balance the game and keep players engaged in the meta.

General

GLOBAL HEALING REDUCTION AURA

Healing rose up the meta through the end of Season 7, and we introduced a new rule to combat that in Season 8. The 8.1 changes focused on nerfing out of combat healing and actually slightly buffed healing in combat through the nerfing of anti-healing items. We have gathered a lot of data and feedback on 8.1 and seen that healing has continued to be a very powerful strategy, so we are taking further steps to nerf it. First, we are buffing the Global Healing Reduction Aura by making the duration even shorter, making sure players are healing in combat and not short windows after it. Out of combat healing was a large concern from player feedback, but it statistically is not the bulk of healing done in matches. That is done in combat. So we are also reverting all of the healing reduction percentage nerfs from 8.1. This will be watched closely throughout the next update and we will consider nerfing individual gods or healing in other ways if the issue persists.
- Decreased the time window where full healing is allowed after successfully Brawling with an enemy god from 4s to 3s.

Items

DIVINE RUIN

Increased Healing Reduction from 35% to 40%

BRAWLER’S BEAT STICK

Increased Healing Reduction from 35% to 40%

TOXIC BLADE

Increased Healing Reduction from 17.5% to 20% per stack

PESTILENCE

Increased Healing Reduction from 20% to 25%

CONTAGION

Increased Healing Reduction from 20% to 25%

SHADOWSTEEL SHURIKEN

Increased Healing Reduction from 35% to 40%

CADUCEUS’ SHIELD

An additional nerf to healing items that doesn’t quite fall into the previous categories is the cost of this item. This was unintentionally lowered a while back when some Tier 2 items were being rebalanced. It wasn’t as much of a concern at first but as healers like Guan Yu and Camazotz started rising in popularity we wanted to fix this, which also nerfs the item.

Increased cost from 2250 to 2500

FAIL-NOT

Another topic that’s a large part of the current meta is Hunter balance. Hunters are pretty commonly regarded as the most impactful role right now, and some stats back that up. A few key items are rising well above the rest. Fail-Not offers pretty much everything a Hunter could want, so we are toning down its base stats while bringing up the effect of its passive slightly.

Decreased Physical Power from 45 to 40
Decreased Critical Strike Chance from 20% to 10%
Increased the Critical Strike Chance on marked enemies from 15% to 20%

BERSERKER’S SHIELD

This shield was pivoted to be more aggressive, and it looks like it was clearly over-statted. Hunters were picking this up at the same rate as Warriors or Assassins, but instead of restricting its class usage we are bringing it down a small amount in a way to affect multiple roles.

Increased Cost from 2500 to 2600.
Decreased Physical Power from 50 to 40.
Decreased Attack Speed from 20% to 15%.

SPECTRAL ARMOR

Instead of nerfing more Crit items, we are buffing the counter crit item, Spectral Armor. This item has potent base stats but wasn’t quite enough to keep hunters in check, so its seeing a buff specifically to its passive that counters crit.

PASSIVE – Decreased the amount of damage that Critical Strikes deal from 50% to 40%

ARCHMAGE’S GEM

This item has been tweaked a few times, but high burst mages are still making big impacts in the late game through the additional power scaling on this item. We are decreasing that bonus scaling even further while also giving this a bit more base power to help it apply to a wider subset of mages instead of a specific few who abuse it like Nu Wa.

Decreased Magical Scaling per stack from 2% to 1.5% (40% to 30% at Max Stacks)
Increased Magical Power from 100 to 120

Gods

APOLLO

When looking for top meta nerfs, this one was clearly written in the sky. Apollo has some exceedingly high metrics, currently as the absolute most played god in ranked conquest. Apollo’s global pressure lets him make plays that many other Hunters can’t and that is the nerf we are looking to apply. Some other buffs have happened recently to help Apollo’s laning but we would rather not revert those, as many players expressed a high amount of frustration with trying to get him through the early lane phase.

ACROSS THE SKY

Decreased Power Scaling from 40% per tick to 30% per tick.

DANZABUROU

This small fellow packs a big punch. Danzaburou received a few nerfs already and his win% has come down, but his pick and ban remain extremely high. We are decreasing his primary damage ability as well as the stun duration on his ultimate to nerf him in both damage as well as CC.

FOOL’S GOLD

Decreased Base Damage from 70/120/170/220/270 to 70/115/160/205/250

UPROARIOUS ROCKET

Decreased stun duration from 1/1.1/1.2/1.3/1.4s to 1s at all ranks

CU CHULAINN

The solo lane is raging over this god. He is the perfect example of high aggression early game, which can snowball the lane and even entire matches. He got a big boost from the 8.1 item changes and is performing well in the meta as a whole, and these nerfs counteract that and help stabilize the role.

BERSERK

Decreased Physical Power per Level from 3 to 2 when transformed

BARBED SPEAR (GROUND SLAM)

Decreased Base Damage (on both forms) from 75/135/195/255/315 to 65/125/185/245/305

SCYLLA

When you win a world championship with Scylla people don’t soon forget it. This goddess has spiked in popularity ever since the PK Squad showed us how to play her. The 8.1 meta was also quite favorable toward her, with some new items smoothing out her usually rough early game. We are looking to scale down her late game slightly to even out this boost from itemization.