[2018] Vermintide 2 - Big Balance Beta - Update #3 & Hotfix #1

We just hotfixed a couple of issues with update #3:

Hotfix #1

• Fixed crash when using Unchaineds talent "Reckless Rampage" or Pyromancer's talent "Spark Smith" together with Flaming Sword, Hammer or Dagger.
  
• Fixed the patch not having a 'content revision' within the 'settings.ini' file, making it both hard for us to identify beta specific crashes as well as causing a host of problems when trying to use mods.

Heroes!
Today we're putting out Update #3 for the Big Balance Beta - our ongoing test bed for shaking up the meta. You'll find the notes for this update below.

Please provide your feedback in our forums and social channels, else feel free to use our private feedback form[docs.google.com] if you prefer to fire and forget your thoughts!

To access the beta patch:

• Right-click Warhammer: Vermintide 2 in your game list.
  
• Select properties.
  
• Go to the 'Betas' tab and enter the password: 4GBBetaOct23rd2018
  
• Select balance_beta from the dropdown.

The beta uses your account - any progress you make on your characters, or rewards gained will be permanent. Any items salavaged, will be salvaged permanently. You are free to switch between the beta and the live game, by opting out of the beta branch. There will be a download each time you switch in and out of the beta.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue where gaining temporary health increased stacks of Zealots Fiery Faith passive.
  
• Fixed an issue where the Necklace trait Barkskin was not functioning properly when playing as a client.
  
• Fixed an issue where attacks with Shield Slams or first heavy of Sienna's Flaming Sword and Ceremonial Dagger could miss targets that were extremely close.

Tweaks & Balance

• Dodge time window reduced from 3 to 1.5 seconds for normal enemy attacks. Heavy cleaves and most elite enemy attacks remain unchanged.

Sword & Shield (Kruber)

• Remade action chains - Sword and Shield now has more choice in attack chains.

Two-Handed Hammer (Kruber and Bardin)

• Increased efficient dodge count from 1 to 2.

One-Hand Axes (Saltzpyre and Bardin)

• Added 10% bonus critical strike chance to Axe light attacks and push attack.
  
• Increased damage of light attacks across the board, significant increase in Infantry damage.

Sword & Dagger (Kerillian)

• Changed damage profile of the dagger attack for the first heavy attack. Should now use the same profile as the sword attack. (Basically increased damage of Heavy 1).
  
• Removed 10% critical strike chance modifier of first and second light attacks.

Dual Swords (Kerillian)

• Reduced critical strike of 3rd and 4th attack from 50% to 25% and 99% to 50% respectively.
  
• Removed 10% critical strike chance modifier of first and second light attacks.

Halberd (Kruber)

• Increased attack speed of all attacks by 5%. Still lower than live game.

Executioner Sword (Kruber)

• Reduced damage taken by the first target hit by light attacks.

Falchion (Saltzpyre)

• Increased damage of third light attack.

One-Hand Swords (Kruber and Sienna)

• Increased damage of third light attack.

Slam attacks (Kruber and Bardin Shields, Sienna Flaming Sword and Ceremonial Dagger)

• Increased stagger versus Infantry.

Brace of Pistols (Saltzpyre) *

• Increased damage versus armor.
  
• Slightly increased damage on close range.
  
• Increased damage on long range.
  
• Reduced spread (tighter crosshair).
  
• Reduced movement speed slow while aiming from 65% reduction to 15%.

Repeater Handgun (Kruber) *

• Increased damage versus all targets.
  
• Increased armor penetration.
  

  * We have received a lot of feedback that both Brace of Pistols and Repeater Handgun are performing below expectation. Therefore we want to experiment with increasing their output quite drastically. We would appreciate a lot of play-testing and feedback from you all with this change.

Talents

• Heal on Cleave - Increased the healing granted for damaging multiple enemies. First target now triggers a minimal heal. Gets progressively more powerful up to 5th target hit.
  
• Heal on Stagger - Increased the healing granted from staggering enemies with melee attacks by 25%. Increased the healing granted for pushing enemies from 0.25 to 0.4 per enemy hit.
  
• Heal on Kill - Increased the healing granted from killing enemies by about 30% across the board.
  
• Heal on Crit/Headshot - Increased the healing granted on headshot/critical strike from 2 to 3.

For this update we want to experiment with increasing the efficiency of all the temporary health talents quite substantially. This take intends to make most combinations of talents and weapons at least viable while making a good talent/weapon combination very strong. Increasing the decay rate of temp health made some of the talents perform below expectation with certain weapons. By keeping the decay rate but increasing the amount of health you receive we hope to strike a nice middle-ground where it's possible to build up a strong buffer of temporary health in combat but it won't be as readily available once the dust has settled. Please try it out and discuss this change on the forums, your feedback is very important when tweaking this.

Traits

• Natural Bond - Being healed by other players now yield permanent health. This includes healing from First Aid Kits and Heal Share talents.
  
• Hand of Shallya - Increased healing from Hand of Shallya from 35% to 50% of missing health.
  
• Hand of Shallya - Healing from Hand of Shallya can now trigger heal share talents.
  
• Resourceful Combatant - Reduced internal cooldown from 5 to 4 seconds.
  
• Resourceful Sharpshooter - Reduced internal cooldown from 5 to 4 seconds.

We are getting close to finalizing this first trial Big Balance Beta. In the future we will hold more dedicated Big Balance Betas as we make changes to the game, to ensure you all are involved in the process. This is just the beginning. The feedback you have provided thus far has been excellent in helping make Vermintide 2 a better game.