Illuvium: Arena Beta 3 v0.3.0 Patch Notes

Patch Notes Arena November 2023

Hello and welcome to the Arena Patch notes. The Illuvium team is incredibly excited to offer Ascendant's first beta, our competitive Player vs Player mode. 

This is the most significant release in the history of Illuvium, and almost all facets of Arena have been changed in some manner. We have eight new Illuvials, a rework to Augments, reworked Ranger Suits, and heavy tweaks to Synergies, Illuvials, and Ranger Weapons.  

Along with these changes, Illuvium Overworld has seen significant improvements. You can read the patch notes for Overworld: https://illuvium.io/news/illuvium-overworld-beta-3-v0-3-0-patchnotes

You can download Illuvium through Epic Games: http://link.illuvium.io/epic-games

Ascendant Mode Released

In Ascendant Mode, create a Team and then battle against another Player in multiple exciting rounds. After winning a battle, your Drone will damage the opponent with a powerful Drone Blast. Reduce their health to zero, and you win the Match. We intend to make rapid changes over the coming weeks as community playtesting reveals balance and gameplay outliers, so please feel free to be vocal with feedback and suggestions!

TeamBuilder: https://play.illuvium.io/team-builder

Intro to TeamBuilder: https://illuvium.io/news/illuvium-arena-team-builder-guide

Intro to Arena: https://illuvium.io/news/illuvium-arena-beginners-guide

Intro to Ascendant: https://illuvium.io/news/illuvium-arena-ascendantguide

Patch Overview

Augments

Augments are changing in this patch. The previous augments were too complicated and also too binary. With the presence of Stages, we ended up with a tonne of Augments that were difficult to balance and did not create the decision space we wanted. Instead, we’ve overhauled them. Augments now have two effects; when you equip an Augment to an Illuvial, you pick which effect to be active. Each Augment also has a Trigger, which governs when the selected effect occurs. 

Fear not; the best of old augments have received a facelift and now feature as Legendary Augments that you’ll discover in Ascendant. 

You can look at the new Augments in the teambuilder - https://play.illuvium.io/team-builder

Legendary Augments

Legendary Augments are a new addition to the game, currently present only in Ascendant mode. They cannot be added in Team Builder, but at the start of a match and after round three, there is a Legendary augment round where you can bid for the Augments you want. These incredibly powerful Augments can change the course of a battle. You’ll need to change your plans depending on which appears and may need to deny your opponent from getting key ones. You can read more about legendary augments here - https://illuvium.io/news/illuvium-arena-ascendantguide

Here are all of the available Legendary Augments:

Synergy Balance

Synergies have yet to receive large gameplay changes but did receive a significant amount of balance changes due to Ascendant testing. 

Water:

Water proved too strong when stacking vertically, allowing many units to cast their omegas too frequently. We’ve lowered the vertical scaling by quite a bit while keeping the lower threshold close to its previous value.

Allies:

Energy Regen: 2/4/6 → 2/3/5

Water:

Energy Regen: 5/10/15 → 4/6/10

Nature:

Nature units are very tanky. We’ve lowered the Max Health gained by a small amount to slightly level the playing field with other defensive options.

Allies:

Max Health: 100/200/300 → 75/150/225

Nature:

Max Health: 200/400/600 → 150/300/450

Air:

Air units struggle to do much independently, relying heavily on their synergy bonus to provide value. We’ve increased these values at all thresholds to give air teams a fighting chance.

Enemy Omega Cost: 15/30/45 → 40/60/80

Allies:

Dodge Chance: 5/10/15 → 10/15/20

Air:

Dodge Chance: 10/20/30 → 20/30/40

Bulwark: Resistances

Vertically stacking bulwarks was creating near impenetrable walls of beef. We’ve reduced the scaling at higher thresholds while keeping similar benefits at lower thresholds.

Allies:

Resistances: 20/50/80 → 25/50/75

Bulwark:

Resistances: 50/120/200 → 50/100/150

Rogue:

Rogues struggled to find a place in most teams, as committing three units to invade the enemy backline was too much investment. We’ve updated the thresholds for rogue bonuses and slightly buffed the vertical scaling to give more incentive to slot rogues into a team.

Thresholds: 3/5/7 → 2/4/6

Rogue:

Crit Amp: 20/25/30 → 20/30/40

Psion:

Psions were on the cusp of being a go-to synergy but needed some help, so we slightly increased the Omega Power gained at all thresholds.

Allies:

Omega Power: 20/40/60 → 25/45/65

Psion:

Omega Power: 50/90/130 → 55/95/135

Mud:

While keeping the top-end attack speed reduction approximately the same, we’ve slowed down the rate at which units receive the debuff. Mud was debilitating enemy units a little too quickly.

Max Stacks: 3/3/3 → 10/10/10

Attack Speed Reduction: 12/14/16 → 3/4/5

Toxic:

Toxic was insanely strong. We’ve reduced the amount of poison applied, the rate at which it is applied, and the Health gained on Takedown. Don’t worry; Toxic is still a valuable synergy in the right team.

Activation Interval: 2/2/2 → 4/4/4

Stacks: 1/2/3 → 1/1/2

Health on Takedown: 400/500/600 → 150/200/250

Frost:

Frost was stacking the debuff too quickly for our taste, so we reduced the application rate slightly.

Activation Interval: 3/3/3 → 4/4/4

Magma:

Magma had limited positional strategy, with the zones unable to stack. By allowing the effects of multiple zones to stack, there is now a decision to make on whether you spread out your magma units to cover more ground or pile them together to get the maximum buffs in one place. Values were reduced accordingly.

Zone Stacking: No → Yes

Damage: 40/60/80 → 25/30/40

Grit & Resolve: 20/30/40 → 10/12/15

Inferno:

We slightly increased the damage per second on Inferno to make the big Pterodactyl more enticing.

Energy Damage: 50/75/100 → 65/80/95

Shock:

Shock was electrocuting enemies too reliably with the previous values, so we’ve lowered them slightly.

Energy Damage: 300/450/600 → 250/300/350

Verdant:

Overall, the power of Verdant hasn’t changed much, but we slightly shifted the power into the Verdant unit’s self-healing over the Healing Area.

Self Heal: 30/45/60 → 35/50/65

AoE Heal: 35/45/55 → 25/35/45

Spore:

Spore was very lacklustre. These changes to Dodge Chance and Energy Efficiency reduction should give Spore units a meaningful place in the right team.

Dodge Chance: 15/20/25 → 20/25/30

Energy Efficiency Reduction: 2/2/2 → 4/6/8

Tempest:

Similarly to Spore, the Dodge Chance and On Dodge effects of Tempest were not feeling impactful enough. These updates should give tempest units more survivability as well as more reward for dodging attacks.

Dodge Chance: 18/25/32 → 25/30/35

Energy Steal: 2/3/4 → 4/5/6

Behemoth:

Behemoths have the potential to do a lot of damage with their empowered attacks, but we felt their iconic stun was a bit underwhelming, so we’ve increased its duration.

Stun Duration: 1/1.2/1.4 → 1.5/2/2.5

Slayer:

If Slayer units fail to vanquish any enemies during their initial Attack Speed boost, they tend to fall off in power quite a bit. By increasing the initial Attack Speed bonus, Slayers are able to put out a bit more pressure during the early seconds of combat.

Attack Speed after Blink: 40/40/40 → 50/50/50

Arcanite:

Arcanites struggled to contribute to combat meaningfully, so we’ve slightly increased all aspects of the synergy.

Energy Attack Damage: 30/45/60 → 40/55/70

Attack Speed: 20/30/40 → 25/35/45

Buff Duration: 4/4/4 → 5/5/5

Colossus:

The Max Health of Colossus units felt a bit overwhelming from a defensive standpoint, so we’ve reduced that. The resistance also felt a little top-heavy, so we’ve tweaked that.

Max Health: 700/900/110 → 400/600/800

Resistances: 30/60/90 → 40/60/80

Vanguard:

Four seconds of Taunt and Damage Reduction shut down specific teams too easily, so we toned down the duration.

Taunt and Damage Reduction Duration: 4/4/4 → 2/2/2

Harbinger:

Harbinger synergy’s impact felt very low compared to the previous values. We wanted to keep the same feel for Harbinger, where the unit can resemble a bulwark with extra resistance or provide a powerful buff to an ally, but not both simultaneously. We’ve increased the Resistances and Omega Power buff to make each side more enticing.

Resistances: 60/90/120 → 75/100/125

Resistances Duration: 5/5/5 → 6/6/6

OP Increase: 80/120/160 → 100/125/150

Invoker:

With the addition of Ophisto, we now have the natural ability to hit the fourth threshold of the Invoker Synergy. The scaling behaviour of Invokers is a powerful tool that was getting out of control with the previous values, so we lowered them by a significant amount.

OP Increase: 25/33/40 → 18/22/25

Enchanter:

Yep. Enchanter was crazy. We hit all aspects of the synergy (AoE, Damage, Duration, Shielding). It still works, but it doesn’t instantly delete the enemy board any more.

Shield: 220/280/340 → 110/130/150

Shield Duration: 6/6/6 → 4/4/4

Damage: 150/200/250 → 100/120/140

Damage Radius: 25/25/25 → 16/16/16

Mystic:

Only a minor tweak to Mystic here, increasing the time between Shielding and Attack Speed buffs to reduce its power slightly.

Activation Interval: 8/8/8 → 10/10/10

New Illuvials

Eight new Illuvials have been added to the set of available units.

Sloth Line (T3, S1/2/3)

Cling: Nature/Bulwark

Twine: Verdant/Bulwark

Gnarl: Verdant/Colossus

Example Omega: Gnarl slams its front claws into the ground, Channelling roots to the 2 furthest Enemies, dealing (125*OP) Damage per second and Rooting them. After 3 seconds, the roots erupt, Knocking Up Enemies in a Medium Area for 1.5 seconds.

Water Buffalo Line (T1, S1/2/3)

Carablu: Water/Bulwark

Caradulo: Toxic/Bulwark

Cardulox: Toxic/Colossus

Example Omega: Cardulox's horns extend, Taunting Enemies in a Medium Area for 2 seconds, gaining 30 Thorns and 250 Maximum Health for 5 seconds.

Squid Line (T5, S2/3)

Octius: Shock/Psion

Ophisto: Shock/Invoker

Example Omega: Ophisto raises a tentacle calling lightning to strike the 2 Lowest Health Enemies. Each strike deals (400*OP) Energy Damage, and if either kills an Enemy, Ophisto casts an additional time (3-second cooldown).

Illuvial Balance

Along with some changes to specific lines (seen below), all Bulwarks have had their Max Health reduced by about 15%, and all Fighters have had their Max Health reduced by about 10%. These reductions scale proportionally for composites containing Bulwark and/or Fighter components. E.g. Vanguard ~7.5%, Behemoth ~12.5%.

Axolotl Line:

The Omega felt a little sluggish. We’ve sped up the animation to make it more reliable and increased the Omega strength. 

Omega:

Shield: 20/20/20 + 200/225/250→ 20/22/24 + 200/250/300

Shield Duration: 4/4/4 → 4/5/6

Shield Damage: 10/10/10 + 0/100/200 → 10/12/14 + 0/150/250

Pterodactyl Line:

Pterodactyls struggled to cast their omega consistently, so we increased their maximum health to give them more survivability.

Stats:

Max Health: 1380/1500/1600 → 1580/1700/1800

Thylacine Line: 

Thylacine has been a candidate for weakest character in the game for a patch, so we’re giving the doggo a significant buff to bring up to standard. 

Stats:

Physical Attack Damage: 86/110/135 → 92/116/141

Omega:

Enemy Count: 2/2/2 → 3/3/3

Damage: 90/130/170 → 230/300/370

Anteater Line:

Anteater fits a unique niche: an anti-Omega flanker that achieves its goals more interestingly than just killing them. It’s struggling to achieve its gameplay fantasy. Why debuff your enemies when you can make them de-exist? (that's a word) We’re putting more power into the anti-omega gameplay to try and help them fulfil that role.

Omega:

OP Reduction: 25/30/35 → 35/40/45

Reduction Duration: 8/8/8 → 10/10/10

Taipan Line:

The Taipan line was slightly underperforming across the board. Combined with the Magma and Arcanite tweaks, we hope this will be enough to allow the artillery adder to be more impactful. 

Omega:

Energy Attack Damage: 20/30/40 → 30/40/50

Attack Speed: 30/30/30 → 35/35/35

Duration: 5/5/5 → 6/6/6

Squid Line:

The rest of the Squid line finally made their debuts in this patch. We fixed Squizz's lack of Omega scaling to allow it to scale appropriately.

Omega:

Damage: 300/350/400 → 300/350/400 *OP

Monkier Line:

Monkier was struggling on all counts. We’ve significantly buffed the AOE and damage of its second Attack. It is now appropriately dangerous. 

Omega:

Attack Damage: 80/100/120 → 110/130/150

Cone Size: 16/19/22 → 22/25/28

Aapon Line:

Aapon is intended to be a character that rewards great positioning. Its Omega wants to be hitting Enemies to achieve its greatest impact, but the character is very squishy, so it needs to be positioned carefully. We’ve increased the attack range to allow players to play a bit safer and increased the AOE for the Stun to reward aggressive play. 

Stats:

Attack Range: 40/40/40 → 50/50/50

Omega:

Radius: 25/25/25 → 23/25/27

Grilla Line:

Grilla line was struggling to make an impact, particularly in the opening seconds of the match. We’ve increased its burst damage and decreased the time before its first Omega. 

Stats:

Physical Attack Damage: 80/93/107 → 85/98/112

Starting Energy: 0/0/0 → 60/60/60

Energy Cost: 190/190/190 → 140/140/140

Omega:

Damage: 300/400/500 → 450/600/750

Komodo Dragon Line:

Komodo’s Blind was shutting down too many characters too effectively. We’ve reduced the length of the effect and made it fade faster. It’s still arguably the best anti-fighter tank in the game, but hopefully not quite so overwhelming. 

Omega:

Cloud Duration: 5/5/5 → 4/4/4

Blind Duration: 2/2/2 → 1/1/1

Ranger Weapons and Suits

Available Weapons include all Primary Classes paired with all Primary Affinities in all 6 Tiers and all 3 Stages, for a total of 450 unique Weapons ranging from 10 MP to 70 MP.

Available suits cover a wide range of defensive and offensive stats, including Max Health, Energy Regen, Crit Chance, Attack Speed, and more. Suits are tiered, but the MP cost is only affected by Stage, ranging from 20 to 40 MP.

For details on all Weapon and Suit stats, visit the Team Builder, linked at the top of these notes.

Bug Fixes

This list is not comprehensive but is intended to give an overview of some of the fixes since the previous update.

• Fixed a crash caused by selecting a unit instantly after selling another

• Fixed a bug that prevented the Mystic SFX from playing

• Fixed a bug that prevented the Tenrec SFX (projectiles and omega) from playing

• Added all SFX for Terrorbird S1/2

• Fixed Terrorbird Omega targeting (furthest → focus)

• Added all SFX for Penguin Line

• Fixed a crash caused by combat starting while ALT-TAB’d

• Fixed a bug that sometimes generated multiple of the same Ranger Weapon in Survival Mode

• Fixed miscellaneous crashes during the combat phase

• Fixed a bug in Survival Mode that mixed up the Highest Stats of the Day and Wave in Progress stats during Reconnect

• Fixed an infinite reconnect bug in Survival Mode if the Player attempted to reconnect to a session after the Reload Checkpoint timer expired

• Fixed a bug that sometimes allowed players to place more than 8 Illuvials on the board

• Fixed broken attack animations for Illuvials reaching very high Attack Speed values

• Removed a small patch of light that was sometimes present in the middle of the Survival Arena

• Fixed a bug that was causing Illuvials to generate close to 0 Energy when attacked

• Fixed a bug that sometimes caused the Ranger Pistol to disappear

• Fixed various GPU crashes

• Fixed an infinite loading bug upon login

• Fixed a bug causing new Illuvials to enter T-Pose when they were supposed to have stun animations played

• Fixed a bug causing Composite units to receive the “big” synergy bonus from primaries instead of the “small” bonus intended for allies of that synergy

• Fixed an issue where “Illuvials Defeated” in Survival Mode was not correctly tracked by all screens that display this information

• Fixed a bug in the Combat Stats panel where “Healing” was displaying surplus healing instead of the actual healed amount

• Fixed a crash caused by activating the Magma synergy

• Fixed a bug where the VFX of the Magma zone was not in sync with the actual zone speed

• Fixed a bug in Survival Mode where the Inferno VFX could persist after a player loses and chooses to play again

• Fixed a bug that caused the mud statues created by Grilla to remain in a T-Pose

• Fixed a bug in the Ascendant Loadout where Augments, Weapons, and Suits were not displayed in the selected Team alongside the Illuvials

• Fixed a bug where the Ranger Pistol would drop to the ground after equipping a sword, followed by equipping another weapon

• Added VFX for the Shock lightning strikes

• Fixed a bug where Rogue units were not receiving buffs from Augments/Synergies that target Closest Allies

• Fixed a bug that caused “The Purest Damage” from Overload to not bypass shields

• Fixed a bug that caused Overload to stop increasing its damage output after 20 seconds

• Fixed a crash caused by the Grilla Pet feinting

• Fixed a bug where adding a Legendary Class with the blink ability to a unit that already has a blink resulted in the unit teleporting multiple times across the board

• Fixed a VFX issue with the Psion Hyper Activation

• Fixed a bug where synergy counts were not updating properly when multiple T0 units of the same class, but with different affinities, were played

• Fixed a bug where Monkier’s aftershock VFX was larger than the actual hitbox

• Fixed a bug where Grilla’s Pet added a stack of Earth and Rogue to the synergy panel

• Fixed an issue where Fliish was generating constant SFX after being placed on the board

• Fixed various Attack and Omega VFX for Ranger Weapons

• Fixed a bug causing combat stats to be cleared at the start of a new round, instead of when the next battle phase starts

• Fixed a bug that caused Ryplance to get huge when knocked up from the sloth line omega

• Improved the VFX clarity on the Ranger Gauntlet explosion

• Fixed collision on Pistol Shrimp line’s omega (was passing through units with which it should have collided)

• Fixed an issue where the “Restore to Default” button in the settings had no functionality

• Updated the synergy panel always to display the highest unlocked thresholds at the top

• Fixed a bug where units affected by the Aegis buff were not receiving additional stats due to Augments on the Aegis units

• Fixed a bug where the tooltip for Grilla’s Pet was displaying placeholder information

• Added a “Remember Me” button on login