Patch Notes 0.10.1.0

Content and Balance Patch

## Features & Content

**Chinese New Year Mount**

We're celebrating the Chinese New Year with a new mount that will be unlocked for everyone who logs in between January 27th and February 3rd!

## Champion Balance Changes

*With these changes we want to:*

* *Improve the diversity and balance of Battlerites by tweaking or replacing unpopular ones.*

* *Adjust Battlerites that have been a tad too strong*

* *Replace or tune a couple of mechanics that offered little counter-play*

*We have kept a close eye on the Champions that received major updates in the last patch. We are now making some changes to improve the general Champion balance.*

*- A few champions can expect more extensive Battlerite reworks in the February patch. The primary targets for these reworks are at the moment Shifu, Ashka and Jumong.*

Ashka

*To allow for more of a window to escape Ashka's Fire Storm bolts we have reduced the knockback duration.*

* **(M2)**
	+ The duration an enemy is knocked back by a Fire Storm Projectile has been reduced from 0.25s to 0.2s.

Croak

*We are looking into Croak's EX Q and the impact of this ability in high level play. For now we have slightly reduced the movement speed bonus but we will take a closer look at this mechanic in the future.*

* **(EX Q)**
	+ Movement speed bonus reduced from 30% to 20%.

Freya

*Some of the tiers in Freya's Battlerite tree suffer a bit from one sided choices. We increased the power of a few unpopular Battlerites to allow for more diversity of picks.*

* **(R)**
	+ Cone angle increased from 140 to 170.
* **Battlerites**
	+ **- Reworked**
		- deals 2 bonus damage and inflicts a 1s Fading Snare.
	+ - Haste factor increased from 25% to 30%.
	+ - Now also reduces the cooldown of  by 3s.

Iva

*Iva has been running circles around a lot of the competition recently. Grandma is becoming more and more popular after the latest Battlerite reworks! We are taking baby steps here to begin with but her mobility has become a bit too strong.*

* **Battlerites**
	+ - Movement speed increase reduced from 65% to 60%.
	+ Fixed a bug that made Iva's  Battlerite not work correctly with the  Battlerite.

Jade

*There is little counter-play to Jade's Smoke Veil which can be frustrating to face. We still want her to have a tool to support allies with though. This rework will allow for that and give a more secure way to escape, but without being 100% bulletproof.*

* **(EX Q) - Reworked**
	+ Now turns you invisible. Removes movement impairing effects and grants self and nearby allies a shield absorbing 32 damage.
* **Battlerites**
	+ - duration increases from 2.4s to 2.7s and Stealth resets the cooldown of .
	+ - The duration of the Root has been reduced from 1.2s to 1s.

Pearl

*The radius of Pearl's Splash Damage has been a tad too big. We have toned it down a bit to make it more in line with its effect.*

* **Battlerites**
	+ - Radius reduced from 2 to 1.8.

Pestilus

*To rein in Pestilus' mid orb control we have reduced the output of Bloodsucker. Swarm has received a slight value increase to allow him to withstand a bit more pressure. Some Battlerite tweaks will allow for more diverse Pestilus builds.*

* **(M2)**
	+ Damage and healing reduced from 30 to 28, self damage reduced from 15 to 14.
* **(R)**
	+ Damage absorbed increased from 24 to 28.
* **Battlerites**
	+ - Healing reduced from 12 to 8.
	+ - Now also deals 6 damage.
	+ - Movement speed increased from 5% to 6%.
	+ - Damage absorbed per active scarab increased from 15% to 20%.

Poloma

*We have reduced the Root on Dire Wolf a bit to reduce the punishment of its unpredictability. This also keeps it in line with Jade's Cheap Shot and Sirius' Debilitating Slash.*

* **Battlerites**
	+ - Root duration reduced from 1.2s to 1s.

Rook

*Rook has been a little too wild at smashing away lately. We have taken a look at Crushing Blow and Smack to make them feel more fair. A reduction to the range of the knockback on Smack will force Rook to be more careful when setting up his combos. Some tweaks to Rook's Battlerite Tree will create new possibilities and more varied builds.*

* **(M2)**
	+ Radius reduced from 1.9 to 1.6
	+ Can no longer hit enemies on the other side of a wall.
* **(R)**
	+ The distance an enemy is knocked back has been reduced from 5.5 to 4.75
	+ Now interrupts casts.
* **Battlerites**
	+ **- Reworked**
		- gains 1 Ability charge.
	+ - Duration reduced from 1.5s to 1.2s.
	+ **- Reworked**
		- inflicts a 1.5s Fading Snare and cooldown is reduced by 1.5s.
	+ **- Slight Rework - Moved to Tier 2**
		- deals 2 bonus damage and enemies affected by armor break deal 25% less damage.
	+ - Removed.
	+ - Fixed a bug causing Armor Break to last 4s when applied via Crumble. Now lasts the intended 3s.
	+ **- New Tier 3 Rite**
		- Reduces cooldown of  by 3s and increases the duration of the Incapacitate by 1s.
			* Total Incapacitate duration increased from 2.5s to 3.5s.
	+ - Cooldown reduction reduced from 0.5s to 0.4s.

Sirius

*We have rounded out Sirius Battlerite choices a bit. Celestial Split will allow for better combos with Crescent Strike when engaging enemies.*

* **(Space)** &  **(EX Space)**
	+ Now slightly pulls enemies towards Sirius instead of pushing them back.
* **Battlerites**
	+ **- Replaces Orbit**
		- grants self and nearby allies a Shield that absorbs 12 damage when relocating.
	+ - Rook duration reduced from 1.2s to 1s.
	+ - Charged  weaken effect increases by 10% and duration by 1s.
			* Weaken effect increased from 50% to 60%.

Taya

*The wind in Taya's back been a little too powerful recently. As such we have evened out some of her more powerful Battlerite choices. She will also no longer be able to shut down some defensive options as well as before.*

* **(Q)** &  **(EX Q)**
	+ Wind Strike & Zephyr now counts as melee attacks instead of area attacks (which causes them to trigger counters and directional shields).
* **Battlerites**
	+ - can be used while moving at 55% movement speed during haste.
			* Movement speed is now reduced to be roughly the same as Taya's regular movement speed.
	+ - The Fading Snare duration has been reduced from 0.5s to 0.25s.
	+ - Cooldown reduction has been reduced from 5s to 3s.

## Matchmaking & Ranking Changes

* Placement players can no longer be matched with players in diamond league or above
* Fixed a bug with auto balance, where players of lowest league sometimes could end up in the same team
* Reduced the chance of players in quick match getting matched against players in league
* Reduced the amount of rating players gain when facing players of lower leagues when playing in the higher leagues.

## General Changes

* Winter Event Ends
	+ Frozen Chests can no longer be purchased
	+ Winter theme has been removed
* Items now automatically equip upon selection and unlocking via tokens

## Bug Fixes

* Fixed a bug which caused energy to be refunded if an EX was used during a channeling Ultimate
* Fixed a bug that allowed Bakko to throw two Blood Axes in a row with the Rampage Battlerite
* Fixed a bug where observers would see the wrong color on the destroy effect on the center orb
* Fixed a bug where melee champions would be unable to move when casting a melee ability on the position a stealthed enemy became stealthed