Ascendant Arena - Ascension

Illuvium: Arena 0.3.6 - Ascension Patch

Rangers, we're excited to introduce a new patch that transforms the Arena mode you've become deeply familiar with over the last year and a half. This update will fundamentally alter the gameplay with modifications ranging from the team builder to augments, Illuvials, and beyond. While this first iteration may not achieve perfect balance, we are eager to release it to gather your feedback, ensuring we're moving in the right direction with this mode while improving your gaming experience.

With these changes, we'll temporarily suspend the Arena Leaderboard rewards. The final leaderboard snapshot will be taken on 28/3/2024 at 00:00 UTC.

Simplified Team Builder

Upon entering the new team builder, all previous teams have been reset. This reset is necessary to accommodate the new game mode and new changes, as previous configurations would no longer be compatible. The team builder now simplifies team creation; you can only select one aspect for each Illuvial, removing the complexity of choosing dominant traits. This simplification aims to make team building more intuitive, especially for newcomers. Additionally, augments have been removed from the team builder; more details will be provided in the next section dedicated to augments.

The team constraints have been adjusted, allowing teams to include up to 50 Illuvials, Weapons, and/or Suits. Other requirements have been modified, necessitating at least 5 Stage 1 Illuvials from different lines and including lower-stage Illuvials from a line for a valid team setup.

Maximum items per Team: 50

Minimum Stage 1 Illuvials per Team: 5

Maximum Weapons: 7

Maximum Suits: 7

Augments Reworked

We've overhauled the augments system, introducing new ones and altering their effect within the game. Recognising that augments were previously underutilised and not meeting their potential to enhance game diversity, we've decided to completely free all augments, both Legendary and Normal. This means you'll still engage in the legendary augment bidding phase during the game at specific moments, now adjusted to occur ahead of Rounds 3 and 6. As for Normal augments, three will be presented randomly at the start of every placement phase at the beginning of a round, allowing you to pick one. This new approach simplifies the decision-making process, as augments will now have a singular effect, making it easier to understand their impact. Additionally, we've expanded the augment pool, increasing the total number of Normal augments to 53 and Legendary augments to 81, broadening the game's diversity.

Tutorial

Explore our new Arena tutorial designed to guide you through the fundamentals required to master the Arena. This initial version is released to support newcomers, with plans for further visual enhancements in upcoming updates. The tutorial includes 6 lessons, covering everything from unit placement to explaining the hyper system.

Placement Matches

Patch 0.3.6 introduces placement matches for the Ranked Queue. New players must complete ten placement matches before being awarded a ranked border. While we're not implementing a hard rank reset just yet, prepare for one in the near future. These placement matches won’t be required for players who have already played more than 10 games.

Ascendant Bots - G4UDI

We’re introducing bots in the Ascendant Arena. You can now play against them when queuing in the Casual Queue. This version of the model is still very early and won’t yet climb to Rank #1. The model will learn more and more with games played as it becomes more proficient in this new mode. We’ll be updating the model in future releases. It’s already a good opponent for beginners to try the Ascendant mode with an easy opponent. Note: The current model is still learning the rules of the game. It might cheat from time to time. We’ll see if you notice it.

Hyper Linear Boost

Hyper Bonuses scale as your units fill their hyperactive bar, with effects still based on the dominant class. Once fully charged, the unit becomes hyperactive, gaining an additional boost.

Synergy Changes

Synergy counts have been adjusted. Composite units now contribute to both their composite Class & Affinity counts and their dominant ones. For example, placing an Axodon on the board increases the Water and Tsunami Synergy counters by 1.

The Power of Ascension

This innovative mechanic, debuting in the Ascendant game mode, reshapes the strategy for advancing your units. Players must now strategically place Stage 1 units before ascending them to Stage 2 and eventually to Stage 3. Ascension Tokens drive Ascension; you'll begin each match without any but will earn two tokens every subsequent round. If you choose not to use your tokens, one of them will carry over to the next round, with a cap of three tokens at any given time. Moreover, a nuance in the token system allows for refunds: recalling a Stage 3 unit grants you one Ascension Token back, though recalling a Stage 2 unit offers no such return. This addition not only introduces a new layer of strategic depth but also encourages players to think carefully about their unit progression and the timing of their ascensions.

Conclusion

As we release Arena 0.3.6, our excitement to share these updates with you is matched only by our eagerness to hear your feedback. This is more than just a patch; it's a collaborative effort to refine and better the gameplay experience. We're counting on your insights and reports to fine-tune these enhancements. Stay tuned for the official 0.3.6 Arena Patch notes, coming shortly after this blog, and join us in shaping the future of Illuvium Arena together. Your voice is crucial in this journey towards a more immersive and strategic world.