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Update 3.8: Hero & Item Balance Changes (UPDATED)

Update 3.8: Hero & Item Balance Changes (UPDATED)

  • Vainglory
  • |
  • Oct 16, 2018

DEV NOTES

Let’s start with the concerns that we have seen and are looking to address in this update. There are plenty more that we are aware of, but these are the ones that this update hopes to address.

General
Plenty of changes here with heroes and items seeing substantial tuning.

  • Things we’re addressing:
    • Lack of distinction between weapon and crystal damage styles
    • Energy being a non-factor on most heroes
    • Unclear windows of opportunity/power
  • Things to know:
    • A lot of tier 3 items were revamped! Be sure to familiarize yourself with them to ensure the best chance of victory against your opponents
    • Armor and shield are most effective early on, but will eventually be outpaced by carries that have a few items and penetration
    • If an opponent used an ability ineffectively, punish them with your abilities while theirs is on cooldown!
    • Watch your opponent’s energy bar! Heroes are effectively silenced when they’re out of energy
    • Last hitting is important, but not worth dying for. You can recoup some missed last hit gold by just being near an enemy minion when it dies

5V5
A huge shakeup to the overall meta of this game mode. We’ll continue to fine tune this, but this is a large step in the direction outlined in this article.

  • Things we’re addressing:
    • Lanes feeling uninteractive/unnecessary
    • 2v1 matchups in the side lanes
    • Jungle camps taken frequently by laners
    • Lack of strategic late game options
    • Unbalanced orb buffs
    • Tanks, tanks everywhere
  • Things to know:
    • You should generally stay in your lane early on, gold and experience are much more important early
    • Early game roaming needs to be much more carefully considered
    • Captains will earn the most gold and experience pairing with the mid laner
    • Try and find openings to take out opposing side lane turrets!

3V3
Starting small here. There are clearly some things that can be improved on this front and you can expect more substantial changes in following updates.

  • Things we’re addressing:
    • Healing Treants guarantee a won or lost team fight early game
  • Things to know:
    • Be sure to prevent healing by hitting heroes that have taken a treant recently

That’s it in a nutshell. We’d love to hear your feedback on all these changes when update 3.8 drops!

-Zekent/Sonata

OVERALL META


JUNGLE HEALING

  • [NEW] Cancels upon taking damage from an enemy hero

LANE MINIONS

  • [NEW] 30% of gold bounty granted as ambient gold if killed by a non-hero
  • Durability changed to Health instead of armor and shield

HERO STATS

  • Max Cooldown
    • 45% → 35%
  • Armor
    • 20-50 → 25-75
    • 20-60 → 30-85
    • 20-70 → 35-100
  • Shield
    • 20-50 → 20-55
    • 20-60 → 20-60
    • 20-70 → 25-75

3V3 META


STRUCTURES

DAMAGE
    • Outer Turret
      • 250 → 200
    • Middle Turret
      • 350 → 300
    • Vain Turret
      • 450 → 400

JUNGLE MONSTERS

DAMAGE
  • Elder Treant
    • 110+16 → 80+16
  • Healing Treant
    • 70+8 → 48+8
  • Big Bear
    • 60+12 → 36+8
  • Small Bear
    • 32+9 → 28+6
  • Gold Miner
    • 40+10 → 50+12
  • Crystal Sentry
    • 80+20 → 60+15
BUFFS
  • Healing Treant
    • Heal
      • 380-520 → 250-400
    • [NEW] Barrier
      • Grants 80-240 barrier for 12s

5V5 META


GENERAL

  • Trickle Gold
    • 5/s → 3/s
  • Experience Required Per Level
    • 90+10 → 68+16

STRUCTURES

  • Middle lane turrets permanently receive 33% reduced damage
HEALTH
    • Outer Turret (Middle Lane)
      • 3750 → 3000
    • Inner Turret (Middle Lane)
      • 5700 → 4000
    • Armory Turret (Middle Lane)
      • 7200 → 5000
    • Inner Turret (Side Lane)
      • 4950 → 4000
    • Armory Turret (Side Lane)
      • 6450 → 5000
DAMAGE
    • Outer Turret
      • 230-290 → 190-250
    • Inner Turret
      • 290-410 → 250-340
    • Armory Turret
      • 340-500 → 280-400

LANE MINIONS

ARMORY DESTRUCTION BUFF
  • Minion Damage
    • +100% → +50%
SPAWNING
  • [NEW] Middle lane spawns an extra range minion
  • Time Between Waves
    • 30s → 25s
CAPTAIN MINION AURA
  • Incoming Minion Damage
    • -20% → 0%
  • Outgoing Damage
    • 0% → +20%
STRUCTURE DAMAGE
  • Melee
    • 35+3 → 20+4
  • Ranged
    • 60+2 → 25+5
  • Siege
    • 60+2 → 35+5
  • Captain
    • 60+2 → 40+8
GOLD
  • Melee
    • 30 → 45
  • Ranged
    • 30 → 25
  • Siege
    • 40 → 65
  • Captain
    • 50 → 85
EXPERIENCE
  • Siege
    • 12 → 8
  • Captain
    • 12 → 10

JUNGLE MONSTERS

LEASH
  • Monsters try to stay in the jungle
SPAWNING
  • First Spawn
    • 55s → 45s
  • Respawn Time
    • Healing Treant + Small Bear
      • 120s → 100s
    • Big Bear + Big Bear
      • 120s → 100s
    • Orb Guardians
      • 135s → 120s
    • Goldoak
      • 120s → 100s
GOLD
  • Healing Treant
    • 35 → 50
  • Big Bear
    • 65 → 85
  • Small Bear
    • 20 → 25
  • Goldoak
    • 180 → 230
EXPERIENCE
  • Healing Treant
    • 9 → 11
  • Big Bear
    • 22 → 19
  • Small Bear
    • 6 → 5
  • Orb Guardian
    • 30 → 29
  • Goldoak
    • 40 → 34
BUFFS
  • Weapon Orb
    • Slow Duration
      • 2s → 0.5s
    • Weapon Damage Amp
      • 15% → 4-15%
  • Crystal Orb
    • Crystal Damage Amp
      • 20% → 4-15%
  • Healing
    • [NEW] Healing Treants, Orb Guardians, and Goldoak heal 150-300 and recharge 50-100 over 12s
    • [NEW] Healing Treants grant 100-300 barrier for 12s

HEROES


ANKA

GYTHIAN PROMISE
  • Execute Damage (Missing Health)
    • 13-35%  → 19-30%
SHIMMER BLADE
  • Cooldown
    • 8/7.5/7/6/6.5/6s → 10/9.5/9/8.5/8s
  • Damage Crystal Ratio
    • 50% → 40%
  • Reactivate Window
    • 2.2s → 3s
EVISCERATE (REACTIVATE A)
  • Damage Crystal Ratio
    • 100% → 80%
DANCE OF BLADES
  • Cooldown
    • 7/6.5/6/5.5/4.5s → 8/7.5/7/6.5/5.5s
  • Damage Crystal Ratio
    • 45% → 40%
MIRAGE
  • Cooldown
    • 60/50/40s → 80/70/60s
  • Initial Dash Damage
    • 120/180/240 + 50% CP → 95/140/185 + 40% CP
  • Return Dash Damage
    • 240/360/480 + 100% CP → 190/285/380 + 80% CP
  • Multiple Hit Damage
    • 50% → 75%

ARDAN

VANGUARD
  • Barrier Duration
    • 4s → 2s
GAUNTLET
  • Duration
    • 4/6/8s → 4/5/6s

BARON

PORCUPINE MORTAR
  • Energy Cost
    • 60/60/60/60/60 → 40/50/60/70/80

CATHERINE

MERCILESS PURSUIT
  • Bonus Movement Speed Duration
    • 1.5/1.5/1.5/1.5/1.5s → 1.5/1.5/1.5/1.5/2s
  • Stun window now matches bonus movement speed duration
BLAST TREMOR
  • Cooldown
    • 70/60/50s → 90/80/70s
  • Damage
    • 400/550/700 → 300/450/600
  • Silence Duration
    • 2/2.5/3s → 1.5/2/2.5s

CELESTE

HELIOGENESIS
  • Energy Cost
    • 40/40/40/40/40 → 25/30/35/40/45
CORE COLLAPSE
  • Energy Cost
    • 100/100/100/100/100 → 100/100/100/100/0
SOLAR STORM
  • Energy Cost
    • 100/100/100 → 150/175/200

CHURNWALKER

HOOK & CHAIN
  • Cooldown
    • 4/3.5/3/2.5/2s → 5.0/4.5/4/3.5/3s
TRESPASS
  • Cooldown
    • 60/50/40s → 80/70/60s

GRUMPJAW

GRUMPY
  • Damage
    • 75/125/175/225/325 + 50% CP → 50/90/130/170/250 + 75% CP
  • Damage Per Stack
    • 10/25/40/55/85 + 25% CP → 10/15/20/25/35 + 40% CP
HANGRY
  • Damage Increase
    • 30/50/70/90/110 + 80% CP → 25/40/55/70/85 + 90% CP
STUFFED
  • Damage
    • 400/550/700 + 200% CP → 300/450/600 + 150%

IDRIS

DIVERGENT PATHS
  • Required Weapon/Crystal Power
    • 120 → 100

JOULE

HEAVY PLATING
  • [REWORK] Joule takes 35% reduced damage when hit from the front or sides.

KESTREL

GLIMMERSHOT
  • Energy Cost
    • 60/60/60/60/60 → 30/40/50/60/70
ACTIVE CAMO
  • Energy Cost
    • 130/130/130/130/130 → 100/120/140/160/180
ONE SHOT, ONE KILL
  • Energy Cost
    • 60/60/60 → 150/175/200

KOSHKA

BLOOD RUSH
  • Duration
    • 4s → 3s
POUNCY FUN
  • Damage
    • 80/140/200/260/380 + 130% CP → 60/100/140/180/260 + 80% CP
TWIRLY DEATH
  • Damage
    • 70/100/130/160/220 + 90% CP → 50/80/110/140/200 + 80% CP
  • Empowerment Duration
    • 10s → 4s
  • Empowered Basic Attack Damage
    • 25/40/55/70/100 + 125% CP → 40/70/100/130/190 + 150% CP

KRUL

DEAD MAN’S RUSH
  • Cooldown
    • 8/8/8/8/7s → 10/9.5/9/8.5/7s
  • Barrier
    • 75/185/295/405/515 → 80/200/320/440/560
  • Barrier Duration
    • 3s → 2s
SPECTRAL SMITE
  • Damage Reduction Per Stack
    • 6.25% → 2.5%
  • Lifesteal Per Stack
    • 6/7/8/9/12% → 6/8/10/12/16%
FROM HELL’S HEART
  • Cooldown
    • 60/50/40s → 80/60/40s

LYRA

PRINCIPLE ARCANUM
  • Heavy Attack Crystal Ratio
    • 80% → 120%
  • Heavy Attack Slow + Bonus Health
    • 35% + 0.02% → 0% + 0.04%
IMPERIAL SIGIL
  • Damage Over Time Crystal Ratio
    • 80% → 60%
  • Detonate Damage
    • 80/140/200/260/380 + 100% CP → 75/125/175/225/325 + 75% CP

MALENE

STATS
  • Attack Range
    • 6.2 → 5.8
ENCHANTED TRANSFORMATION (LIGHT)
  • Slow
    • 30/40/50/60% → 25/30/35/40%
  • Slow Duration
    • 1.25s → 1s

PETAL

MUNIONS
  • Spawn Range
    • 11 → 16

REIM

FROSTGUARD
  • Fortified Health Generation
    • All damage generates fortified health
  • Fortified Health Cap
    • 25% → 20%
  • Fortified Health vs. Non-Heroes
    • 25% → 20%

SKAARF

SPITFIRE
  • Energy Cost
    • 35/35/35/35/35 → 25/30/35/40/45

TAKA

HOUSE KAMUHA
  • Duration
    • 14s → 10s
  • Charge Time
    • 4-0.4s → 2-1s
  • Empowered Basic Attack Damage
    • 30-63 + 35% WP → 20-75 + 20% WP
KAITEN
  • Damage
    • 100/150/200/250/300 + 110% CP → 80/120/160/200/240 + 140% CP
X-RETSU
  • Damage
    • 250/350/450 + 150% CP + 120% WP → 200/275/350 + 180% CP + 140% WP
  • Bleed Damage
    • 40/50/60 + 65% CP → 30/35/40 + 75% CP

VOX

SONIC ZOOM
  • Energy Cost
    • 40/40/40/40/40 → 35/40/45/50/55
PULSE
  • Energy Cost
    • 30/35/40/45/50 → 40/50/60/70/80
  • Bonus Bounce Damage
    • 10/30/50/70/110 → 15/30/45/60/90

ITEMS


AFTERSHOCK

  • Total Cost
    • 2400 → 2600
  • Crystal Power
    • 35 → 30
  • Max Health Damage
    • 12% → 10%
  • Proc Lifesteal
    • 50% → 25%
  • Cooldown
    • 1.5s → 1s
  • Energy Recharge
    • 2.5 → 1.0

ALTERNATING CURRENT

  • Crystal Power
    • 60 → 50

AEGIS

  • Build
    • Reflex Block + Warmail
  • Total Cost
    • 2150 → 2100
  • Health
    • 250 → 200
  • Armor
    • 25 → 40
  • Shield
    • 90 → 40
  • Cooldown
    • 35s → 45s

ATLAS PAULDRON

  • Armor
    • 80 → 60
  • Shield
    • 25 → 0
  • Cooldown
    • 20s → 45s

BARBED NEEDLE

  • Weapon Power
    • 12 → 10
  • Lifesteal
    • 8% → 10%

BONESAW

  • Weapon Power
    • 25 → 40
  • Armor Pierce
    • 18% → 20%
  • Passive: Your basic attacks shred 10% of the target’s armor for 3s. Max 4 stacks.

BOOK OF EULOGIES

  • Lifesteal
    • 4% → 5%
  • Life Restore
    • 65/25 → 25/10

BREAKING POINT

  • Total Cost
    • 2600 → 2700
  • Weapon Power
    • 55 → 50
  • Passive: Gain 5 Weapon Power for every 100 weapon damage done to enemy heroes; +5/10 (melee/ranged) needed for each stack thereafter. 35 stacks max. Decays 5 stacks per second after you’ve stopped attacking for 2.5s.

BROKEN MYTH

  • Crystal Power
    • 80 → 60
  • Shield Pierce
    • 30% → 35%

CAPACITOR PLATE

  • Build
    • Dragonheart + Warmail
  • Total Cost
    • 2100 → 2400
  • Health
    • 450 → 400

CHRONOGRAPH

  • Cooldown Reduction
    • 10% → 15%
  • Energy Recharge
    • 2.5 → 0.75

CLOCKWORK

  • Crystal Power
    • 40 → 30
  • Max Energy
    • 600 → 400
  • Energy Recharge
    • 10 → 5

COAT OF PLATES

  • Armor
    • 65 → 55
  • Shield
    • 10 → 0

CONTRAPTION

  • Energy Recharge
    • 3 → 2

CRUCIBLE

  • Total Cost
    • 1850 → 2100
  • Cooldown
    • 45s → 75s

CRYSTAL BIT

  • Crystal Power
    • 20 → 15

CRYSTAL INFUSION

  • Bonus Crystal Power
    • 20-70 → 30-60
  • Bonus Cooldown Reduction
    • 5-15% → 7.5-15%
  • Bonus Armor & Shield
    • 0-15 → 10-20

DRAGONHEART

  • Health
    • 450 → 400

DRAGON’S EYE

  • Crystal Power
    • 85 → 75
  • Passive: Gain 10 Crystal Power each second you damage enemy heroes. After 5s, lose 3 stack per second. 15 stacks max.

ECLIPSE PRISM

  • Crystal Power
    • 35 → 30

ENERGY BATTERY

  • Max Energy
    • 200 → 100
  • Energy Recharge
    • 4 → 1.5

EVE OF HARVEST

  • Crystal Power
    • 70 → 60
  • Damage Storage
    • 600-1200 → 400-800
  • Lifesteal
    • 10% → 15%
  • Max Energy
    • 400 → 300
  • Energy Recharge
    • 7 → 4

FROSTBURN

  • Total Cost
    • 2600 → 2700
  • Crystal Power
    • 100 → 85
  • Slow
    • 30% → 25%
  • Duration
    • 1s → 1.5s

FOUNTAIN OF RENEWAL

  • Total Cost
    • 2300 → 2500
  • Health
    • 250 → 400
  • Armor
    • 20 → 20
  • Shield
    • 65 → 60
  • Cooldown
    • 65s → 75s

HALCYON CHARGERS

  • Total Cost
    • 1700 → 1500
  • Max Energy
    • 350 → 250
  • Energy Recharge
    • 6 → 3.5
  • Movement Speed
    • 0.4 → 0.5
  • Cooldown
    • 50s → 45s
  • Sprint Duration
    • 3s → 2s

HEAVY PRISM

  • Crystal Power
    • 50 → 45

HEAVY STEEL

  • Weapon Power
    • 55 → 45

HOURGLASS

  • Cooldown Reduction
    • 5% → 7.5%
  • Energy Recharge
    • 1.5 → 0.25

JOURNEY BOOTS

  • Total Cost
    • 1700 → 1500
  • Max Health
    • 250 → 150
  • Cooldown
    • 60s → 75s
  • Cooldown Upon Damaging Enemy Hero
    • 12s → 10s

KINETIC SHIELD

  • Armor
    • 10 → 0
  • Shield
    • 65 → 60

LIGHT ARMOR

  • Armor
    • 35 → 20
  • Shield
    • 5 → 0

LIGHT SHIELD

  • Armor
    • 5 → 0
  • Shield
    • 35 → 25

LIFESPRING

  • Health
    • 250 → 200

LUCKY STRIKE

  • Critical Chance
    • 25% → 20%

METAL JACKET

  • Armor
    • 130 → 90
  • Total Cost
    • 2000 → 2400
  • Shield
    • 25 → 0
  • [NEW] Passive: Reduces incoming damage from Basic Attacks by 10%.

NULLWAVE GAUNTLET

  • Health
    • 500 → 400
  • Energy Recharge
    • 4 → 1

OAKHEART

  • Health
    • 250 → 200

PIERCING SHARD

  • Shield Pierce
    • 18% → 10%

POISONED SHIV

  • Lifesteal
    • 8% → 10%

PULSEWEAVE

  • Health
    • 700 → 600
  • Total Cost
    • 2300 → 2700
  • Damage + Bonus Health
    • 200 + 15% → 50 + 25%
  • Slow + Bonus Health
    • 20% + 0.01% → 5% + 0.02%

REFLEX BLOCK

  • Health
    • 250 → 200
  • Barrier
    • 25% Missing Health → 100-400 (Level 1-12)
  • Cooldown
    • 45s → 75s

ROOK’S DECREE

  • Build
    • Dragonheart + Warmail
  • Total Cost
    • 2200 → 2400
  • Health
    • 600 → 500
  • Armor
    • 0 → 30
  • Shield
    • 0 → 30
  • Energy Recharge
    • 2.5 → 0
  • Cooldown Reduction
    • 15% → 5%
  • Cooldown
    • 8s → 10s

SCOUTPAK

  • Energy Recharge
    • 2.5 → 2.0

SERPENT’S MASK

  • Weapon Power
    • 85 → 60
  • Damage Storage
    • 600-1200 → 400-800
  • Lifesteal
    • 10% → 15%

SHATTERGLASS

  • Crystal Power
    • 150 → 125

SHIVERSTEEL

  • Health
    • 650 → 400

SIX SINS

  • Weapon Power
    • 30 → 25

SLUMBERING HUSK

  • Build
    • Warmail + Kinetic Shield
  • Total Cost
    • 2350 → 2600
  • Armor
    • 75 → 45
  • Shield
    • 75 → 90
  • Cooldown
    • 25s → 30s
  • Burst Threshold
    • 20% → 25%
  • Burst Window
    • 1.5s → 1s
  • Selling and rebuying Slumbering Husk no longer resets the cooldown.

SORROWBLADE

  • Weapon Power
    • 150 → 120

SPELLFIRE

  • Total Cost
    • 2700 → 2900
  • Crystal Power
    • 90 → 75
  • Damage
    • 5-20 + 100% CP → 10-120 + 50% CP

SPELLSWORD

  • Build
    • Heavy Steel + Six Sins + Chronograph
  • Total Cost
    • 2750 → 2800
  • Weapon Power
    • 100 → 85
  • Energy Recharge
    • 3 → 2

STORMCROWN

  • Passive: Your next basic attack will deal 140-480 bonus true damage (4s cooldown). 25% effectiveness against heroes and structures. (Does not stack with other Stormguard)
  • Cooldown Reduction
    • 10% → 15%
  • Energy Recharge
    • 4 → 1

STORMGUARD BANNER

  • Passive: Your next basic attack will deal 30-200 bonus true damage (4s cooldown). 25% effectiveness against heroes and structures. (Does not stack with other Stormguard)

SUPERSCOUT 2000

  • Health
    • 500 → 450
  • Energy Recharge
    • 5 → 4.5

TENSION BOW

  • Total Cost
    • 2150 → 2700
  • Armor Pierce
    • 10% → 35%
  • Passive: Every 6s, your next basic attack will deal 50 + 125% of bonus weapon power bonus damage.

TORNADO TRIGGER

  • Total Cost
    • 2600 → 2800
  • Attack Speed
    • 30% → 40%
  • Critical Chance
    • 35% → 35%

TRAVEL BOOTS

  • Total Cost
    • 800 → 750

TYRANT’S MONOCLE

  • Total Cost
    • 2750 → 2900
  • Weapon Power
    • 70 → 50
  • Critical Chance
    • 35% → 35%
  • Critical Damage Amp
    • 10% → 15%

VOID BATTERY

  • Max Energy
    • 350 → 250
  • Energy Recharge
    • 6.0 → 3.0

[NEW] WARMAIL

  • Build
    • Light Armor + Light Shield
  • Total Cost
    • 900
  • Armor
    • 30
  • Shield
    • 30

WAR TREADS

  • Total Cost
    • 1900 → 1800
  • Max Health
    • 500 → 400
  • Movement Speed
    • 0.3 → 0.5

WEAPON BLADE

  • Weapon Power
    • 15 → 10

WEAPON INFUSION

  • Bonus Weapon Power
    • 20-70 → 20-40
  • Bonus Attack Speed
    • 5-15% → 15-35%
  • Bonus Armor/Shield
    • 0-15 → 10-20