Playtest 225: Titan Scaling adjustments, minor balance!
Resources & Economy
Stock Crystals are now Energy Orbs, and have received new models!
Titans
Titan health decay: 40 damage per second ⇒ 0.8% of max health per second
Base health: 2000 ⇒ 5000
Base Damage: 50 ⇒ 125
Titan stats now scale up each time that Gem Spawner summons a Titan.
Health scaling per capture: +7500
Damage per capture: +125
Units
Blue
Scuttleguard
Context: The original intent of this upgrade was to allow Scuttleguards to transition well into the late-game as viable tanks. Unfortunately, this upgrade being available early at full power allowed Scuttleguards to become unkillable demons. So we're trying something new here.
Calcified Shell (Upgrade)
Now starts at lower values and scales with Hero level
Health gain: 40 ⇒ 10 + 2 per Hero level
Physical Resist gain: 20 ⇒ 5 + 1 per Hero level
Magical Resist gain: 20 ⇒ 5 + 1 per Hero level
White
Windray
Context: Simply put, double-Windray builds were completely dominant in every respect, especially for how simple it was to execute this build successfully. We tied two causes to this -- First, the ease of access to Windrays at a low cost point. Second, the sheer power of the combined range AND speed. By reducing the unit cap down to 1, we make it so that one player's Windray usage can't trivially produce this god-tier stat combination, and also hopefully make the usage of that Windray a bit more interesting and interactive.
Blue (1.1) - This is pretty much just anecdotal at best, but I felt like the utility curve of the Scuttleguard was parabolic with a minimum in the mid game. Still seemed strong at the beginning and end, and didn't stick around much during the mid game. Before, I'd say they felt more useful early on, with diminishing impact mid and late game. I don't know how much to attribute to the upgrade change (if any), but this was an interesting element to the game I played with them tonight. (read: sample of one data point)
White (2.1) - Tried to play Celesta to get a reference point for the Windray change. Last time I played her in PvP feels like a while back, and then two Windrays wasn't a big deal. This may well have been pre-merc v2, though. This time, I had trouble even getting to a Windray, nexus was almost dead before I managed to build one, so no feedback there. To get the balance cannon* directed at her means others were having success with Celesta, but the only thing that seemed worthwhile to me was jungling, as she seemed pretty good at that with even just Wisps. Interestingly, I expect that to transfer to efficiency in taking out titans (at minimum, unescorted titans), but it felt like it took longer with her than other squads, even with a fairly well-upgraded army.
"balance cannon" just sounds cool, I don't actually think this was as aggressive as the phrase would imply.
I am not sure if intentional, but the changes to the Titan have had a critical impact on gameplay. Previously, there tended to be a choice of whether to take camps or contest titans. This was especially the case when medium camps and hard camps spawned. It would be acceptable to concede Titans if your team was able to secure more camps. This does no longer seem to be the case. In the current patch, winning the Titans is the most important thing to achieve in order to magnify your lead and win the game. There is literally no economic decision making in regards to whether to take camps or titans. You have to contest the Titan.
The assertion I am making could possibly be disputed with regards to the first Titan, where it behaves like the Titans of the previous iterations. However, with the latter Titans, it becomes indisputable that Titans are the number one objective, by far. If this was the intention, that is fine. If it was not, then maybe the stat growth of the Titans could be tuned down.
The reason that Titans are so good, is that they do so much damage that the opposing team has to defend them. This leaves the other team with the choice of pushing, jungling and contesting the remaining Titans. This allows them to push the lead even further.
The devs have said this titan change is a placeholder that will be scaled back dramatically.
That said I want to reiterate how the game feels much more dynamic when capturing a Titan is a choice rather than an absolute necessity. It gives the game more distinct stages and gives more opportunities to outplay the opponent besides micro fights. Ending the game was a little too hard before if the opponent was actively defending, so I understand the hot patch - but I would prefer to see army advantages compound in the mid-lategame rather than titans being the primary compounding factor.
Game 1: Alder, felt pretty good. I focused on seedbots/tenders, and had great survivability, never being short on stock. Pathing hiccup by central fountain just after 17:00 G1ae3343e120f4c70ae2d0e7d23079a67
Game 2: Played Celesta with a focus on zephers and precogs, but forgot to stick with teamates, so it didn't work well. Got a sick slow-zone + ult though.
Game 3: Weird caster heavy Rhyme. Got sandwiched several times which didn't help any.
I tried to watch the replay for game 3 (G1b6b6ddd3c0d4cf485b79f9fdfb5176c) immediately after game 1, and both the game and out-game clients crashed shortly after the main game view appeared. I looked at the bug reporter, but it said 15 hours ago, so hit cancel and clicked outside the ? dialog. The bug reporter opened again, and I was stuck in a loop. I tired hitting ? to see if it would toggle main dialog. The bug reporter was no longer appearing, but now I was unable to dismiss the main dialog. I was able to watch the replay from a fresh start.
Date: 11 July 2016 Version: Playtest 225 Description: Floating Recalled Rooted Purifier Severity: Minor Steps to reproduce: 1. Root Purifier, 2. Cast Recall from Teleporter on Rooted Purifier Actual behavior: When the Recall finishes, the rooted Purifier is floating at the same height as the Teleporter. When the Purifier Unroots, it drops back to the ground. Expected Behavior: The rooted Purifier finishes the teleport on the ground
Treisk
Member, Administrator
Comments
I don't get melee. Did poorly as Hydros and absolutely wrecked as Grath.
I'm always behind on supply, but whenever I build supply, I end up burning all my generators on energy, and often unable to build it out.
If there is only one Windray, could it have a single key that toggles?
Singleton units seem kind of weird. Perhaps Vela gets that ability as ult, with ult key as toggle. Then a stealth unit could take they Windray's slot.
Unit changes
Blue
(1.1) - This is pretty much just anecdotal at best, but I felt like the utility curve of the Scuttleguard was parabolic with a minimum in the mid game. Still seemed strong at the beginning and end, and didn't stick around much during the mid game. Before, I'd say they felt more useful early on, with diminishing impact mid and late game. I don't know how much to attribute to the upgrade change (if any), but this was an interesting element to the game I played with them tonight. (read: sample of one data point)
White
(2.1) - Tried to play Celesta to get a reference point for the Windray change. Last time I played her in PvP feels like a while back, and then two Windrays wasn't a big deal. This may well have been pre-merc v2, though. This time, I had trouble even getting to a Windray, nexus was almost dead before I managed to build one, so no feedback there. To get the balance cannon* directed at her means others were having success with Celesta, but the only thing that seemed worthwhile to me was jungling, as she seemed pretty good at that with even just Wisps. Interestingly, I expect that to transfer to efficiency in taking out titans (at minimum, unescorted titans), but it felt like it took longer with her than other squads, even with a fairly well-upgraded army.
I am not sure if intentional, but the changes to the Titan have had a critical impact on gameplay. Previously, there tended to be a choice of whether to take camps or contest titans. This was especially the case when medium camps and hard camps spawned. It would be acceptable to concede Titans if your team was able to secure more camps. This does no longer seem to be the case. In the current patch, winning the Titans is the most important thing to achieve in order to magnify your lead and win the game. There is literally no economic decision making in regards to whether to take camps or titans. You have to contest the Titan.
The assertion I am making could possibly be disputed with regards to the first Titan, where it behaves like the Titans of the previous iterations. However, with the latter Titans, it becomes indisputable that Titans are the number one objective, by far. If this was the intention, that is fine. If it was not, then maybe the stat growth of the Titans could be tuned down.
The reason that Titans are so good, is that they do so much damage that the opposing team has to defend them. This leaves the other team with the choice of pushing, jungling and contesting the remaining Titans. This allows them to push the lead even further.
The devs have said this titan change is a placeholder that will be scaled back dramatically.
That said I want to reiterate how the game feels much more dynamic when capturing a Titan is a choice rather than an absolute necessity. It gives the game more distinct stages and gives more opportunities to outplay the opponent besides micro fights. Ending the game was a little too hard before if the opponent was actively defending, so I understand the hot patch - but I would prefer to see army advantages compound in the mid-lategame rather than titans being the primary compounding factor.
Spells need to indicate visually whether they can hit air. Ground-skimming projectiles like Rhyme's ice bolt certainly don't look the part.
Game 1: Alder, felt pretty good. I focused on seedbots/tenders, and had great survivability, never being short on stock. Pathing hiccup by central fountain just after 17:00 G1ae3343e120f4c70ae2d0e7d23079a67
Game 2: Played Celesta with a focus on zephers and precogs, but forgot to stick with teamates, so it didn't work well. Got a sick slow-zone + ult though.
Game 3: Weird caster heavy Rhyme. Got sandwiched several times which didn't help any.
I tried to watch the replay for game 3 (G1b6b6ddd3c0d4cf485b79f9fdfb5176c) immediately after game 1, and both the game and out-game clients crashed shortly after the main game view appeared. I looked at the bug reporter, but it said 15 hours ago, so hit cancel and clicked outside the ? dialog. The bug reporter opened again, and I was stuck in a loop. I tired hitting ? to see if it would toggle main dialog. The bug reporter was no longer appearing, but now I was unable to dismiss the main dialog. I was able to watch the replay from a fresh start.
I found a bug!
Date: 11 July 2016
Version: Playtest 225
Description: Floating Recalled Rooted Purifier
Severity: Minor
Steps to reproduce: 1. Root Purifier, 2. Cast Recall from Teleporter on Rooted Purifier
Actual behavior: When the Recall finishes, the rooted Purifier is floating at the same height as the Teleporter. When the Purifier Unroots, it drops back to the ground.
Expected Behavior: The rooted Purifier finishes the teleport on the ground