Balance Intel & History
Patch Notes & Meta Timeline
Sequential balance adjustments from the first international championship (M1 World Championship) through to today.
Championship & Seasonal Version History
116 Archived Milestones
Patch 1.5.38
Season 18 Released December 15, 2020Patch 1.5.38 - Competitive Balance Adjustments
Official update released December 15, 2020. Key highlights: Hero Adjustments Battlefield Adjustments New Functions & Events System Adjustments.
4
Buffs
4
Nerfs
13
Adjusted
21 Balance Adjustments
Adjustments applied to Beta, Advance!, Rotary Impact, Force Swing, Alpha, Charge!.
All Documented Modifications (5)
Designer Note
Alpha's performance in battle is still undesirable after the previous adjustments. According to our observation, we've decided to dramatically reduce cooldowns of all this skills, both to increase his playability and to make his Passive triggered more often. Of course, to maintain a balance, we've also slightly weakened the effects of his skills for single uses.
New Effect: Continuous attacks slow the target by 90% each time, for 0.2s.
Base Damage of Slashes: 210-310 → 200-300
Base Damage of Beta's Strafe: 90-165 → 100-150
Slow Effect: 70% for 2s → 40% for 1s
Cooldown: 7-4s → 4s
Mana Cost: 60 → 50
Base Damage of Strikes: 160-460 → 250-400
Total Physical Attack Bonus of Strikes: 170% → 100%
Base Damage of Beta's Strafe: 90-165 → 75-120
Base HP Regen: 150-300 → 125-200
HP Regen Bonus: 40% of Magic Power → 30% of Physical Attack Bonus
Cooldown: 6s → 6-4s
Cooldown: 24-20s → 20-12s
Stun Duration: 1.3s → 1s
Role:
Fighter
Tier:
D
Patch History:
13 Updates
Base HP: 2,600
Adjustments applied to Magic Master, Poker Trick, Deadly Magic.
All Documented Modifications (4)
Designer Note
He is rarely picked at present. Thus we've reduced Skill 1's cooldown and added a new effect to his Passive, in order to increase his damage when Ultimate is not available. Besides, we've slightly increased his Ultimate's cooldown, so as to restrain his attacks on enemies when damage is enhanced.
New Effect: Reduces 2 Magic Defense of every target hit for 35, which is capped at 15 stacks.
Cooldown: 7s → 6s
Cooldown: 32-24s → 36-30s
Fixed the issue where the damage of Skill 1 slightly decreased during his Ultimate.
Role:
Assassin, Mage
Tier:
B
Patch History:
11 Updates
Base HP: 2,500
All Documented Modifications (3)
Designer Note
The casting of Carmilla's Ultimate makes it difficult for her to hit an enemy quicker than the opponent, and its transmittable damage cannot be maximized after Skill 2 is used. Therefore, we've adjusted the casting of her Ultimate based on player feedback. In addition, we've also adjusted her skill cast ranges to strengthen her power in melee combat.
Cast Range reduced by 50%
Cast Range reduced by 10%
Direction: Manual → Auto-aim
Role:
Support, Tank
Tier:
A
Patch History:
13 Updates
Base HP: 2,500
We expect more interactions within this couple.
All Documented Modifications (1)
We expect more interactions within this couple.
Role:
Mage
Tier:
C
Patch History:
15 Updates
Base HP: 2,300
Adjustments applied to Deadly Thorns, Ancient Seed.
All Documented Modifications (3)
Designer Note
Currently, most Tank Heroes can only roam to support their teams, but they should have been more flexibly played, even in Exp Lane and Jungle, to diversity available lineups. This time, we followed the adjustments we did to Tank Heroes in the middle of the year and tried to make Beterick gain more benefits from equipment. We will continue to observe subsequent influences of these adjustments and change some of the other Tank Heroes accordingly.
HP Increase obtained from equipment items: 15% → 40%
Damage Reflection: 120-260 + 0.8% of Max HP → 100-170 + 2% of Max HP
Damage Bonus to Minions: 50% → 80%
Role:
Tank
Tier:
S
Patch History:
13 Updates
Base HP: 2,800
All Documented Modifications (3)
Designer Note
Clint's performance didn't meet our expectations, because it took too long for him to exert his strength and his probability of death was relatively higher than those of similar Marksmen. Therefore, we've made adjustments to his survivability and combat ability in the early and mid game.
Base Damage: 200-400 → 250-450
Mana Cost: 80-105 → 60-85
Cooldown: 12-9.5s → 10-8s
Cooldown Reduction for hitting enemies: 50% → 40%
Role:
Marksman
Tier:
B
Patch History:
15 Updates
Base HP: 2,200
We observed that Benedetta's performance varied a lot from player to player and that her power was unexpectedly strong in the early and mid game. Thus, we've made optimization to her.
All Documented Modifications (4)
Designer Note
We observed that Benedetta's performance varied a lot from player to player and that her power was unexpectedly strong in the early and mid game. Thus, we've made optimization to her.
Damage of Enhanced Basic Attack: 100 + Total Physical Attack 220% → 50 + Total Physical Attack 200%
Damage to Creeps and Minions: 30% → 40%
Cast Time reduced.
Base Damage of Shadow: 300-500 → 200-400
Base Damage of Slashes: 180-300 → 100-220
Benedetta will gain Sword Intent once she blocks damage successfully.
Role:
Assassin, Fighter
Tier:
D
Patch History:
10 Updates
Base HP: 2,500
All Documented Modifications (3)
Designer Note
We want to give enemies more time to dodge the control effect of his Ultimate. Besides, we've optimized the stacks of Big Guy to make it easier to keep being stacked. Accordingly, we've adjusted his Attributes to maintain a balance.
The stacks of Big Guy reduce gradually instead of being reset at once, with the Defense provided by each stack decreased.
Cast time increased by 60%
Cooldown: 42-30s → 50-40s
Role:
Tank, Fighter
Tier:
A
Patch History:
15 Updates
Base HP: 2,500
Balance adjustments applied to Lunox.
All Documented Modifications (1)
Recently. Lunox's performance has exceeded our expectations in Ranked Mode and tournaments, with high damage output even as a Roamer. We've made Announcement adjustments to further connect her damage output with farming and enable her to jungle more efficiently.
Role:
Mage
Tier:
D
Patch History:
13 Updates
Base HP: 2,300
All Documented Modifications (2)
Designer Note
Through the previous patches the strength of most Marksmen in the early game has already been well-adjusted. However, because of their nerfed mid and late game capabilities, their performance has still been undesirable, including Bruno. Thus, we reverted the change we made to him.
Extra Attack Speed Ratio: 50% → 80%
Role:
Marksman
Tier:
C
Patch History:
18 Updates
Base HP: 2,200
All Documented Modifications (2)
Designer Note
Jawhead has high burst damage and a strong ability to take damage in the early game. Hence, we've adjusted the ratio of his Shield to weaken his ability to take damage.
Base Shield: 600-1000 → 350-800
Total Physical Attack Bonus: 100% → 140%
Role:
Fighter
Tier:
D
Patch History:
15 Updates
Base HP: 2,600
All Documented Modifications (2)
Designer Note
Alice appeared to become overpowering as players master the mechanics of this hero, so we've made some adjustments to the base values of her Ultimate.
Base Damage: 140-180 → 120-160
HP Regen: 70-80 → 60-80
Mana Cost: 50-100 → 50-90
Role:
Tank, Mage
Tier:
B
Patch History:
14 Updates
Base HP: 2,500
Ling had an unparalleled ability to kill in the mid and late game, so we've increased his Energy Cost to make him more prudent in using skills.
All Documented Modifications (3)
Designer Note
Ling had an unparalleled ability to kill in the mid and late game, so we've increased his Energy Cost to make him more prudent in using skills.
Energy Cost: 35-25 → 35
Energy Cost: 40-30 → 40
Role:
Assassin
Tier:
C
Patch History:
28 Updates
Base HP: 2,400
All Documented Modifications (1)
New Effect: Movement Speed increases by 15% when linking with an ally.
Fixed the issue of the skill Indicator of enhanced Skill 1.
Role:
Support
Tier:
D
Patch History:
8 Updates
Base HP: 2,450
All Documented Modifications (1)
Movement Speed Increase: 1s → 1.5s
Role:
Support
Tier:
A
Patch History:
9 Updates
Base HP: 2,450
All Documented Modifications (1)
Shield gained when entering the bush: 20% → 15% of Max HP
Role:
Fighter, Tank
Tier:
C
Patch History:
16 Updates
Base HP: 2,500
All Documented Modifications (1)
Damage increased by each charge: 10% → 7.5% with the limit unchanged.
Role:
Assassin
Tier:
D
Patch History:
12 Updates
Base HP: 2,400
All Documented Modifications (1)
Base Shield: 150-350 → 150-300
Total Magic Power Bonus: 150% → 120%
Role:
Mage
Tier:
B
Patch History:
20 Updates
Base HP: 2,300
Balance adjustments applied to Selena.
All Documented Modifications (1)
Comprehensive balance adjustments applied to Selena.
Role:
Assassin, Mage
Tier:
A
Patch History:
11 Updates
Base HP: 2,500
All Documented Modifications (1)
Cooldown: 28-22s → 36-28s
Role:
Mage
Tier:
C
Patch History:
20 Updates
Base HP: 2,300
Sanctum Island Map & Neutral Objectives
battlefield AdjustedNeutral creeps, defense turret plating, and lane minion mechanics tuned.
All Documented Modifications (1)
Adjustments applied to battlefield pacing and objective equilibrium in Patch 1.5.38.
Sanctum Island & Competitive Map Scope
Impacts neutral creep pacing, lane economy & objective control.