[2019] Overview: Prime Time #266!

This is a very condensed overview of last night’s stream where we talked about Changes and Additions coming in Update #26: The Old Blood. Catch it all in action here!

CHANGES:
1) Inbox Gift + Melee Alerts 

• After the Update launches, we are providing an Inbox full of goodies. We know you’ve put a lot of time and resources into some of the things we’re changing (Melee, Vauban, Ember, etc), so please enjoy these free items by logging in before December 31st 11:59PM ET:

• 3 Forma
• 7-Day Affinity Booster
• 1x Legendary Core

• After the Update launches, we are running 3x Alerts over the weekend to give you Forma! Jump into these Melee-only Alerts and get a feel for how the changes performs against the three main Factions in different mission settings. 

2) Melee

• We are not touching Melee Riven Dispositions until we get updated data - expect advance notice when we close in on a date for this.
• All Riven Challenges related to Channeling have been changed to reflect ‘Combo Counter’.
• Abilities that use the Combo Counter (such as Ash, Atlas, etc.) will scale at 25% of their former values, to make up for the ease of building a much higher Combo Counter Multiplier. This value is pending review for balance passes. 
• All Melee weapons have received an updated Slam FX - come on and SLAM (attack), and welcome to the jam! 
• But what about the Channeling FX you ask? Prime Armor Channeling FX will now appear when the Combo Counter reaches 2!
• Condition Overload - Now stacks a Maximum of three times, but the buff amount has risen from 60% to 120% per stack to offset the damage difference.
• Covert Lethality - is remaining as a Dagger Mod for now with +16 Initial Combo and 100% Finisher damage, pending later review. 
• Killing Blow - Increases Heavy Attack damage and decreases the ‘wind-up’ time for Heavy Attacks
• True Punishment - Add 40% Critical Chance, but reduces the chance to add to the Combo Counter by -10%

This update will also see some changes to the following Weapon, Arcane and Focus School buffs:

• Zenurik - Inner Might - Has been changed to provide 60% Combo Efficiency, instead of Channeling Efficiency.
• Synoid Heliocor, Furax Wraith and Fragor Prime - All receive bonus initial Combo Count to offset the boosted Channelling Damage they had previously.
• Exodia Triumph Arcances - Have been changed to +50% chance to increase the Combo Counter on hit.
• Exodia Valor Arcanes - Have been changed to +200% chance to increase Combo Count when hitting Lifted Enemies.
• Exodia Brave Arcanes - Now grants +5 Energy Generation when killing an Enemy with a Heavy Attack. This can stack up to 3 times.

Exalted Weapons

• Using the 'Swap to Melee Mode' key will now let your Exalted Melee experience not be impacted by 'quick swap' to other weapons on Aimglide.
• All Exalted abilities are getting the new Combo behaviours + new stats (blocking angle, etc).
• Final numbers to come in Update notes!

3) Catchmoon

• Check out Pablo’s detailed stat review: https://youtu.be/TgkA5CzaLSc?t=1247
• Decreased fall off damage from 100 to 10.
• Decreased range of projectile from 40m to 20m and fall off range from 20-30m to 8-16m.

4) Ember

FIREBALL

• Works fundamentally the same as it does now - tap for quick fire, hold to charge for greater impact. Enemies already inflicted by any Heat Status effect will now take additional damage. 
• Fireball has a casting combo, if you use it multiple times rapidly it gets stronger.

IMMOLATION (replacing Accelerant)

• When cast, Ember Immolates herself with protective fire armor. Her current level of self-Immolation is indicated by a unique UI indicator; the higher the heat, the more damage resistance, and the more effective Ember’s other abilities become.
• The Immolation meter will build slowly at first - using Ember’s Fireball or Inferno causes the meter to build faster. Previously we stated that enemies would attribute to building Immolation meter but feedback and testing showed that the meter overflowed way too quickly. But be warned! If the meter reaches maximum (now 90% as opposed to 100%), Ember will “overheat” and Immolation will start draining Energy per second the longer you stay in an overheated state - previously at this moment it would unleash a wave of flame expending ALL energy, but that left you in an incredibly vulnerable state if you couldn't manage to expel in time. To prevent this from happening, use Fire Blast to expel a portion of your heat meter, or toggle Immolation off to reset meter build.

FIRE BLAST

• Casting time has been greatly reduced, and the ability now strips armor from nearby enemies. The amount of armor removed scaling in effectiveness based on current Immolation levels. On cast this immediately reduces your Immolation level by up to half.

INFERNO (replacing World On Fire)

• Upon casting Inferno, all enemies currently within sight are struck by a fiery comet, lighting each target ablaze in a personal ring of fire. Inferno costs Energy per each target in sight, with the cost capped at 10 targets.
• If an enemy ignited by Inferno comes in contact with another unit, the fire will spread, igniting them as well with a fresh ability duration. Damage of the heat AoE scales with current Immolation level.

Ember Augment Changes:

• Immolation: Flash Accelerant is now Immolated Radiance: Allies within Affinity range will receive 50% of Immolation’s Damage Reduction.
• Fire Blast: Fire Fright is now Cauterizing Blast: Each enemy hit heals Ember by 25 to 50 based on the level of the Immolation meter.
• Inferno: Firequake is now Exothermic: Enemies killed by Inferno have a 15% chance to drop an Energy Orb.

Heat Status Proc Changes:

• Heat Status procs now reduces Armor in increments over time. Not hot enough for you? Apply the Status proc multiple times to turn up the Heat, dealing more damage per tick as the flames increase.

5) Titania

• Titania’s cast animations are now an upper body animation only (except Razorwing); alleviating momentum cancelling lower body animations and trimming cast time.
• Thorns Tribute now has Damage reflected AND reduced to help our little bug feel a little less squishy.
• Razorflies can now pick up Tributes.
• Titania can spawn up to four more Razorflies if all Tributes are active, one per Tribute.
• Enemies directly affected by Titania’s Lantern will now have any damage they take dealt to them when the Ability ends (a la Mind Control).
• Titania can now Transfer to the Operator during Razorwing. 

6) Vauban

TESLA NERVOS (replacing Tesla Grenades)

• Instead of sticking to surfaces, these new Tesla Drones will roll around, following the player. Once an enemy comes within range, these Drones will latch on and emit a shock that stuns the target and nearby enemies. Each Drone has a limited number of shock charges before it must be replaced. Hold cast to summon multiple Tesla Nervos’ at once!

MINELAYER

• All four of his mines have been replaced with new options:

1. Tether Coil pulls a number of nearby enemies to wherever it sticks, rendering them immobile.
2. Flechette Orb fires high velocity nails in all directions, inflicting puncture damage to any unlucky enough to be nearby.
3. Vector Pad lays down a walk pad, granting a boost of speed in a chosen direction (indicated by arrows). Players must be moving in the same direction as the pad to receive a boost, while enemies are affected no matter which way they wanted to go.
4. Overdriver will latch onto a nearby ally or yourself, enhancing their damage output for a period of time.

PHOTON STRIKE (Bastille moved to #4)

• A deployable beacon marks a location on the map. After a short countdown, the area is struck by a massive orbital laser explosion (and yes, it does work indoors).

• Repelling Bastille and Perpetual Vortex have been combined into 1 Augment.
• Tesla Nervos now has ‘Tesla Bank’ Augment: While a target has a Nervos attached, any damage is channeled into a 8m burst of Electric damage on expiration.
• Photon Strike now has ‘Photon Repeater’ Augment: If Photon Strike hits at least 5 enemies, the next cast will cost no Energy. 

7) Zealoid Prelate Boss Fight

• A Key blueprint will be available for crafting in the market to play this Boss fight! 

 

ADDITIONS:

1) 3 More ‘Config’ Slots

• 10 Plat each, per item! This offers premium Customization depth - you’ll still have the ABC you’ve always had, just 3 new options. Only appears at MR 10 - so you do need progress before you have this option.

2) Grendel

• 3 Keys are available in Arbitration Honors for his parts. Complete the Key to get the part - but you can Keyshare! One person could get the Chassis Key, while the other gets the Neuroptics Key, for example. They are 25 Vitus Essence each. The Leverian gives a hint of what type of hero Grendel was, which explains the key missions rules. Simply put, they are the great equalizer of key missions. 

3)Parazon

• This is a new tool given to ALL Tenno of any level and is now a part of the Tutorial. It is an interactive tool with widespread use in the game, from basics like hacking and reviving allies to deeper gameplay like decoding the means to Assassinate your Lich.
• It will have 6 Mod Slots - 3 REQUIEM, 3 PARAZON. 
• Intruder has become a Parazon mod, and we’re adding 10+ new Mods in Spy Vaults in place of Credits / Endo.

4) Requiem Mods

• New Mods! 8 new cryptic and invocative Mods required for truly Vanquishing or Converting your Kuva Lich.

5) Requiem Relics

• New Relics that come from Kuva Siphon (30% chance) and Kuva Floods (guaranteed). They hold Requiem Mods and other rewards (Kuva, Amber Ayatan Star, Weapon Exilus Adapter Blueprint), as well as RIVEN FRAGMENTS which can be exchanged for a Riven Mod (weekly) from Palladino. 

6) Requiem Fissures

• The Void is reacting to the experiments in the Kuva Fortress - Fissures are appearing! 
• New Tier-5 Difficulty Fissures on the Kuva Fortress will allow you to unlock Requiem Relics! They have a starting enemy level of 60-70. 

7)Kuva Liches + Kuva Weapons 

• Kuva Liches have an Influence on the Origin System.
• Playing Influenced nodes incur a reward tax, but you can get some rewards back once you Defeat your Lich.
• We aren’t going to spoil too much – you will have to learn how to defeat your Lich. Everything we’ve talked about is involved in your Kuva Lich journey. You can CONVERT to your side, or VANQUISH the foe!
• Kuva Weapons that we are launching with:
  • Kuva Karak
  • Kuva Quartakk
  • Kuva Ogris
  • Kuva Kohm
  • Kuva Tonkor
  • Kuva Drakgoon
  • Kuva Stubba (AKA Twin Stubba)
  • Kuva Seer
  • Kuva Kraken
  • Kuva Brakk
  • NEW: KUVA CHAKKHURR
  • NEW: KUVA SHILDEG 
  • NEW: KUVA AYANGA 
  • Weapons do not come with slots, and you always get a custom version to your Lich if you choose to Vanquish. If you choose to Convert, they keep their weapon but can join you in battles.