EpicDuel PVP Game Design Notes

February 29, 2024

Core ReBalance 2024

Finally, the long awaited core rebalance of 2024 is here! There are a lot of changes here so bear with us as we make additional tweaks over time. The goal of these changes was to perform a bit of a "reset" on the power levels of the cores and robots to stop some extreme builds and encourage more build versatility. If you're mad that your favorite core was nerfed, take this as an opportunity to change up your build and experiment. No core or robot or build was meant to stay on top forever.

With all these changes, some bugs and unintended interactions are inevitable so we'll do our best to stay on top of any issues as they emerge!

• Cores
  • 9 Lives / Butterfly Blessing / CactusChan’s Health Reserve / Health Reserve x25 / UrMenace’s Health Reserve / Health Reserve: 500 → 400 HP cap. Formula changed to Health Restored = (Armor's Defense x 2.92) + 50
  • Minor Health Reserve: Formula changed to Health Restored = (Armor's Defense x 2.50) + 50
  • Absolution (Armor): Added x30 Credits version for 10,000 Credits or 195 Varium; +7 → +6 tech/supp
  • Absolution (Auxiliary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Absolution (Primary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core
  • Absolution (Sidearm) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core
  • Accomplishment’s Curse / CactusChan’s Curse Aura / Curse Aura: Removed healing debuff; -50 supp → -10 all stats
  • Curse: Removed healing debuff; -50 supp → -15 all stats; 70 → 90 energy cost
  • Minor Curse: Removed healing debuff; -50 supp → -7 all stats; 70 → 90 energy cost
  • Minor Curse Aura: Removed healing debuff; -50 supp → -5 all stats
  • Mega Curse x25: 80% supp debuff → -40 supp; Add 15% healing reduction; 110 → 90 energy cost; Added permanent Varium version
  • Minor Mega Curse x25: 80% supp debuff → -30 supp; Added 10% healing reduction; 110 → 90 energy cost
  • Mega Stun Blast x25: Deflectable → Undeflectable; 31% → 25% stun chance; Added permanent Varium version
  • Achilles’ Phalanx / Consecrated Ground: 3 → 2 turn duration; 100% → 85% damage
  • Amplifier / Butterfly Boost / Eternal Enhance: +4 → +3 to all stats
  • Apocryphal Champion’s Roar / Apocryphal Demigod’s Roar: 50% Rage drain → 35% Rage steal; Blockable → Unblockable; 70 → 90 energy cost
  • Apocryphal Champion’s Wrath / Apocryphal Demigod’s Wrath / Yeti Fury: Usable at 40% → 30% HP
  • Ares’ Vengeance: 12% → 10% max HP as damage bonus
  • Astral Projection: 75% → 40% energy drain; Changed effect from energy drain to energy steal, i.e. user gains Energy drained
  • Bacon Breath P/E x25 / Bacon Rain P/E x25 / Titan Chomp P/E x25: 125% → 115% damage
  • Blood Bullet: 125 → 120% damage; 80 → 90 HP cost
  • Blood Shot: 25% → 20% crit chance; 40% → 35% lifesteal
  • Bloodseeker Blast / Bloodseeker Blast x25: 25% → 20% crit chance; 40% → 35% lifesteal; 125 → 90 energy cost
  • Botanical Entrapment: 2 → 1 turn duration; 15% → 25% healing reduction
  • Botanical Infection: Removed healing reduction effect; Multi-use → Single-use; Effect cannot be removed and lasts 99 turns (essentially unlimited until triggered); Bug fix:Stack with Deadly Aim/Red Vision
  • Deep Plague: Effect cannot be removed and lasts 99 turns (essentially unlimited until triggered); Multi-use → Single-use; 175% → 150% max. Damage
  • Hunters’ Retribution: Effect cannot be removed and lasts 99 turns (essentially unlimited until triggered); Multi-use → Single-use; 175% → 150% max. Damage
  • Molten Bullet: Effect cannot be removed and lasts 99 turns (essentially unlimited until triggered); Multi-use → Single-use; 175% → 150% max. Damage; Stacks with Deadly Aim/Red Vision
  • Molten Shrapnel: Effect cannot be removed and lasts 99 turns (essentially unlimited until triggered); Multi-use → Single-use; 175% → 150% max. Damage
  • Botanical Infestation: Removed defense ignore; Blockable → Unblockable; 35% → 25% lifesteal; 0 → 90 energy cost
  • Botanical Wrath: 2 → 1 turn armor removal; Poison maintains 2 turn duration, but as 50% → 40% primary damage
  • Captain’s Charge: Usable at 40% → 30% HP; -40 → -30 to str/supp; 35% → 25% def/res debuff
  • Chained Blood: Multi-use → Single-use; +50% → +40% lifesteal / crit chance / highest stat
  • Chairman’s Fury P/E: 120% → 110% damage; 50% → 35% Rage steal
  • Minor Chairman’s Fury P/E: 110% → 105% damage; 35% → 25% Rage steal
  • Chronopact: Multi-use → Single-use; +100 → +70 Strength; 4 → 3 turn duration
  • Cold Ignition / Frost Shards / Frost Shards x25: Multi-use → Single-use; 120 → 100 energy
  • Concussive Shot / Concussive Shot x25: Multi-use → Single-use
  • Core Corruption: -30 → -20 dex/tech; 70 → 80 energy cost
  • Corrosive Shot: 3 → 2 turn duration; 15% → 20% defense ignore/reduction
  • Consecrated Fire: Multi-use → Single-use; 60 → 90 energy cost
  • Crimson Offering: 300 → 350 energy
  • Crow Frenzy P/E: 25% → 20% crit chance; 50% → 35% lifesteal; 85 → 90 energy cost
  • Crystal Grenade x25: 50% → 40% strike damage as energy drain; 50 → 80 energy cost; Add 85% melee damage
  • Minor Crystal Grenade x25: 40% → 30% strike damage as energy drain; 50 → 80 energy cost; Add 80% melee damage
  • Dark Omen: 20% → 15% healing reduction; -40 supp → -30 str
  • Darkeater’s Defiance: Multi-use → Single-use; 50% → 85% damage to energy drained from attacker; Effect only applies to ranged damage
  • Darkeater’s Edge: 95% → 90% min. damage; 135% → 125% max. damage; 85 → 110 energy cost
  • Darkeater’s Impaler / Screaming Soul Spears: 60 → 50 HP/MP drain per turn; 60 → 80 energy cost; 100% → 85% initial damage
  • Darkeater’s Insanity: -40 → -25 str/supp; 70 → 80 energy cost
  • Darkeater’s Overcharge: 2 → 1 turn armor removal; 90 → 110 HP cost
  • Darkeater’s Stun Blast: 10% → 6% stun chance
  • Destruction (Armor): Added x30 Credits version for 10,000 Credits or 195 Varium; +7 → +6 str/supp
  • Destruction (Auxiliary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Destruction (Primary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Destruction (Sidearm) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Domination (Armor): Added x30 Credits version for 10,000 Credits or 195 Varium; +7 → +6 str/dex
  • Domination (Auxiliary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Domination (Primary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Domination (Sidearm) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Draconic Frost King’s Might / Romulus’ Frost King’s Might: 105% → 90% min. Damage; 140% → 125% max. Damage; 100 → 110 energy cost
  • Draconic Frost King’s Will: Multi-use → Single-use; 40% → 30% to all stats
  • Dualism / Revolver Retribution: 115% → 110% to all targets; 0 → 70 energy cost
  • Energy Booster / Energy Booster x25: 450 → 400 energy
  • Energy Pack / Energy Pack x25: Removed from shop
  • Energy Harvest: 2 → 1 turn duration
  • Energy Reserve / Energy Reserve x25: 560 → 500 max. energy
  • Minor Energy Reserve: 470 → 400 max. energy
  • Energy Shot / Energy Shot x25: Multi-use → Single-use; 2 → 0 turn warmup
  • Energy Storm / Energy Storm x25: Multi-use → Single-use; 20% → 25% energy drain
  • Exile Strike / Legion Strike: 115% → 110% damage
  • Minor Exile Strike / Minor Legion Strike: 110% → 105% damage
  • Exsanguinating Shield: Multi-use → Single-use; 4 → 3 turns
  • Exsanguinating Stomp: 25% → 15% healing reduction; 20% → 10% def/res reduction; Removed lifesteal effect; 2 → 3 turn duration
  • Feast of Flesh: 4 → 3 turn duration; +50% → +40% highest stat
  • Flagellation: Multi-use → Single-use; +50% → +40% highest stat
  • Focused Fury / Hunters’ Judgement: 12% → 10% max HP as damage bonus
  • Forbidden Pact / Saevussax Heart: Multi-use → Single-use; 40 → 100 energy cost
  • Force’s Shroud / Titan’s Shroud: Multi-use → Single-use; 4 → 3 turn duration; Removable → Un-removable by buff removal cores
  • Frost Aura: 50 → 30 energy drained per turn when effect is triggered
  • Minor Frost Aura: 35 → 20 energy drained per turn when effect is triggered
  • Frostbite / Lycan’s Bite / Saggy’s Frostbite: Multi-use → Single-use; 100 → 80 energy cost
  • Minor Frostbite: Multi-use → Single-use; 100 → 80 energy cost
  • TrueShot (Aux) / TrueShot (Gun): 95% min. damage; 140% → 130% max. Damage; 120 → 110 energy cost
  • Frozen Fist / Frozen Bonebreaker: 105% → 95% min. damage; 140% → 130% max. Damage; 85 → 110 energy cost
  • Generator / Generator x25: 440 → 330 max. HP gain; 410 → 400 max. energy gain
  • Fortitude (Armor): Added x30 Credits version for 10,000 Credits or 195 Varium; +7 → +6 dex/tech
  • Fortitude (Auxiliary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Fortitude (Primary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Fortitude (Sidearm) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Growth Serum: Multi-use → Single-use; +100 → +70 support; 4 → 3 turn duration
  • Minor Growth Serum: Multi-use → Single-use; +60 → +50 support; 4 → 3 turn duration
  • Hair Trigger / Infernal Fury / Titan’s Trigger: 110% → 100% damage
  • Hammer Grenade P/E x25: 3 → 2 turn duration; 100% → 85% damage; 50 → 80 energy cost
  • Minor Hammer Grenade P/E x25: 85% → 80% damage; 50 → 80 energy cost
  • Hardened Armor: Multi-use → Single-use; 4 → 3 turn duration
  • Hatchling Rush P/E: 45% → 25% healing reduction
  • Minor Hatchling Rush P/E: 30% → 15% healing reduction
  • Hawk Guardian P/E: Usable at 40% → 30% HP; 130% → 125% damage
  • Health Booster / Health Booster x25: 450 → 350 HP
  • Health Pack / Health Pack x25: Removed from shop
  • Hunter’s Mark: 3 → 2 turn duration; Initial attack ignores 20% defense; Removed block chance reduction; 85 → 90 energy cost
  • Hunters’ Eradication / Saevussax Annihilation / Sea King’s Curse: Removed armor removal
  • Hunters’ Evocation / Permafrost / Tentacle Prison: 100% → 85% damage
  • Icy Overkill / Icy Overkill (Aux): 80 → 100 energy cost
  • Incensory: Multi-use → Single-use; 90 → 120 energy cost
  • Indominus Spear: 85 → 50 energy cost; Removed defense ignore
  • Inexpiabilis: 90 → 50 energy cost; Removed extra crit chance
  • Infernal Surge: 35% → 25% to all stats; Removed HP gain; 25% → 40% Rage boost
  • Infinity (Armor): Added x30 Credits version for 10,000 Credits or 195 Varium; +7 → +6 str/tech
  • Infinity (Auxiliary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Infinity (Primary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Infinity (Sidearm) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Infinity Mind Spears / Infinity Mind Spears x25 / Saw Strike P/E: 40% → 25% defense ignore
  • Minor Infinity Mind Spears: 30% → 20% defense ignore
  • Infinity Power Strike / Infinity Power Strike x25 / Saevussax Slash: 125% → 120% damage; 95 → 90 HP cost
  • Minor Infinity Power Strike: 95 → 90 HP cost
  • Lifeline: Usable below 40% → 30% HP
  • Lycan’s Curse / Titan’s Curse: 4 → 3 turn duration
  • Magma Grenade P/E x25: 3.5 → 1.5 defense reduction per level; 50 → 80 energy cost
  • Minor Magma Grenade P/E x25: 2.5 → 1.2 defense reduction per level; 50 → 80 energy cost
  • Mana Burst: 35% → 25% energy drain; 2 → 0 turn warmup
  • Minor Mana Burst: 25% → 15% energy drain; 2 → 0 turn warmup
  • Medusa’s Gaze: 2 → 1 turn duration
  • Gladiator’s Omega Override / Katie’s Omega Override / Omega Override / Pro’s Omega Override / Roman’s Omega Override: 60% highest stat reduction → -50 to target’s highest stat
  • Minor Omega Override: 50% highest stat reduction → -40 to target’s highest stat
  • Om Nom Bomb P/E x25: 75% → 60% lifesteal; 50 → 80 energy cost
  • Minor Om Nom Bomb P/E x25: 60% → 50% lifesteal; 50 → 80 energy cost
  • Paralysis Coating / Paralysis Coating x25: Add 25% crit chance; 125 → 90 energy cost
  • Phase Shift / Phase Shift (Aux) / Phase Shift (Gun): 110% → 100% damage
  • Piercing Shot: 20% → 15% healing reduction
  • Piston Punch / Piston Punch x25: 110% → 85% damage; +20 → +15 energy per armor level
  • Poison Barbs / Sea King’s Venom: 60 → 80 energy cost; Incurable → Curable
  • Prime Dexterity Boost: +4 → +6 Dexterity
  • Prime Strength Boost: +4 → +6 Strength
  • Prime Support Boost:+4 → +6 Support
  • Prime Technology Boost: +4 → +7 Technology
  • Dexterity Boost x30: +8 → +6 Dexterity
  • Strength Boost x30: +8 → +6 Strength
  • Support Boost x30:+8 → +6 Support
  • Technology Boost x30: +8 → +7 Technology
  • Radiation Burn / UrMenace’s Radiation Burn: 25% → 15% defense/resistance reduction
  • Resonant Armor: 10% → 5% damage to energy drained from attacker; Effect applies to all attacks
  • Revenant’s Plague: 25% → 35% chance to trigger; 2 → 3 turn duration; Incurable → Curable
  • Revenant’s Ward: 10% → 5% damage reflection
  • Revitalization: Usable at 40% → 30% HP; 1300 → 1000 HP cap; 25% → 10% additional defense reduction; 100 → 0 energy cost
  • Minor Revitalization: Usable at 40% → 30% HP; 25% → 10% additional defense reduction; 100 → 0 energy cost
  • Saevussax Evisceration: 4 → 2 turn duration; Deflectable → Undeflectable; Removed stun chance
  • Sanguinomancy: 85 → 90 energy cost
  • Sea King’s Corruption: 30% → 25% healing reduction; 4 → 3 turn duration
  • Shell Shocker: 25% → 15% healing reduction; 15% → 10% def/res debuff; 2 → 0 turn warmup
  • Skull Cracker / Skull Smasher: 125% → 120% damage; Multi-use → Single-use; 120 → 90 energy cost
  • Short Circuit Grenade P/E x25: 115% → 105% damage; 50 → 80 energy cost
  • Minor Short Circuit Grenade P/E x25: 115% → 105% damage; 50 → 80 energy cost
  • Soldier’s Grenade P/E x25: 120 → 115% damage; 50 → 90 energy cost
  • Soul Siphon / Spirit Well: 25% → 20% energy steal
  • Stalagrenade P/E x25: 50% → 35% defense ignore; 50 → 80 energy cost
  • Minor Stalagrenade P/E x25: 35% → 25% defense ignore; 50 → 80 energy cost
  • Supremacy (Armor): Added x30 Credits version for 10,000 Credits or 195 Varium; +3 → +2 str/dex/supp; +6 → +5 tech
  • Supremacy (Auxiliary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Supremacy (Primary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Supremacy (Sidearm) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Tactical Reload (Gun): 40 → 70 energy cost; 2 → 0 turn warmup; Puts regular sidearm in cooldown
  • Tactical Reload (Aux): 3 → 0 turn warmup; Puts regular auxiliary in cooldown
  • Telekinesis: 4 → 2 turn duration; 0 → 90 energy cost; Deflectable → Undeflectable; target much more likely to be blocked and deflected
  • Thorn Assault P/E: 115% → 110% damage
  • Minor Thorn Assault P/E: 110% → 105% damage; 25% crit → 15% crit
  • Titan’s Barrage: 125% → 120% damage
  • Tranquility: Multi-use → Single-use; 500 → 450 max. HP; 150 → 0 energy cost
  • Tremor Blast: 4 → 2 turn duration; Deflectable → Undeflectable; target much more likely to be blocked and deflected
  • Ultra Obliteration: 115% → 110% to both targets; 0 → 70 energy cost
  • Vigor (Armor): Added x30 Credits version for 10,000 Credits or 195 Varium; +7 → +6 dex/supp
  • Vigor (Auxiliary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Vigor (Primary) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Vigor (Sidearm) x30: Adjusted permanent Varium version to align with x30 core; increased price to 295 Varium
  • Unbreakable Heart: Buffed to x25 Version of +45 Defense; Credit price increased to 20,000
  • Unbreakable Spirit:Buffed to x25 Version of +45 Resistance; Credit price increased to 20,000
  • Vampirism: 125 → 100 energy
  • Whiteout x30: 110% → 100% damage
  • Wolf’s Fury: Usable at 40% → 30% HP; 100% → 60% energy conversion
  • Wrath of Callisto: 125% → 115% damage; 125 → 90 energy cost
  • Zeus’ Might: Removed 10% stun chance
  • Aim Assist: Calculated multiplicatively; 30% —> 70% deflection chance reduction
  • Laser Sights: Calculated multiplicatively; 20% —> 80% decreased deflection effectiveness
  • Super Scope: Calculated multiplicatively; 10% —> 40% deflection chance reduction, 20% —> 50% decreased deflection effectiveness
  • Lucky Strike: Calculated multiplicatively; 13% —> 50% block chance reduction
  • Deflection Shield: Calculated additively; 15% —> 30% deflection chance addition (will necessitate raising maximum deflection chance)
  • Overshield: Calculated additively; 20% —> 25% increased deflection damage reduction
  • Ballistic Shield: Calculated additively; 10% —> 20% increased deflection chance and 20% —> 15% increased deflection damage reduction
  • Ninja Reflexes: Calculated additively; 6 —> 20% block chance addition

• Robot Regular and Special Attacks
  • Azrael Claw: Removed extra crit chance
  • Azrael’s Chimera Curse P/E: 75% → 50% healing reduction
  • Breath of Kartherax: 100% → 105% damage
  • Color Blast: 4 → 3 turn duration
  • Dragon Bite P/E: Removed extra crit chance
  • Dragonblade Familiar Drill P/E: 25% → 20% damage to user’s HP / Energy
  • Grenade Storm P/E: 25% Rage drain → 30% Rage steal
  • Incineration P/E: Removed armor removal effect, Add 60% lifesteal, 100% → 90% damage, Usable below 30% HP
  • Minotaur’s Charge P/E: Remove Mini-Rage effect; Add 25% defense ignore
  • Minotaur’s Rage P/E: Multi-use → Single-use; 2 → 3 turn duration
  • Naval Bombardment: 80% → 85% damage to 2 targets
  • Necrosis: 3.5 → 2.5 defense reduction per level (i.e. 170 → 130 max. defense reduction)
  • Phantasm Blast P/E: 50% flat value of robot damage as energy drain
  • Phantasm Slash P/E: Removed energy drain effect; Since the special drains plenty of energy, it seems fair to leave this attack as pure damage output
  • Shadowlord’s Severance P/E: 5 → 4 turn cooldown
  • Techstalker Tremor P/E: 4 → 2 turn duration, eliminates blocks, deflections, and crits entirely; Single-use → Multi-use; 4 turn cooldown; target much more likely to be blocked and deflected
  • Ultra Corsair Crusher P/E: 75% → 70% damage; 75% → 35% of base robot damage as energy drain; Removed stun chance

Other Changes

• 50,000 Varium achievement, Legendary Epic Supporter updated to 2024
• Epic Supporter achievement updated to 2024
• Fourteen Year Alpha achievement and weapons removed
• Alpha and Beta Remembrance weapons removed
• Fifteen Year Alpha achievement added
• Big Game LVII removed
• Big Game LVIII added
• Seasonal rares set to normal release cycle
• Void Trial mission removed
• Many rares removed from Acatriel
  • Apocryphal Demigod Bow P/E
  •  Cathedral Knight Magnum P/E
  • Celtic Wendigo Staff P/E
  • Cosmic Eviscerator Worldeater P/E
  • Necro Energy Burst Claymore P/E
  • Sanguinomancer Cruelty Blades P/E
  • Celestial Bane P/E
  • Chaos Amalgam Sword P/E
  • Darkeater Annihilator P/E
  • Flesh Demigod Axe P/E
  • Frost Revenant Vindictae P/E
  • Infernal Samurai Evocator Blades P/E
  • Scorn Advitalis Destroyer P/E

Tags: Nightwraith