January 12 Patch Notes Rundown
Table of Contents
This rundown will only go over balance changes and bug-fixes relevant to the meta. To view other upcoming content for the January 12 patch, click here.
The official patch notes were difficult to understand so I hope this version of the information helps with understanding.
See the current bug list here.
Max HP Bug Fix
Current HP Increase Once Per Max HP Increase (Noise Bug Fix)
At the time of writing, Max HP increase buffs also increase Current HP upon each new application (refresh) of the max HP buff, NOT with actual Max HP increase.
Units that currently increase Current HP with Max HP buff:
- Noise Skill 2, Burst
- Folkwang Skill 2
- Soldier FA Burst
- Rapunzel Skill 2 (Worryingly, Skill 1 and Burst were listed on the official patch notes but they should NOT be affected)
This is how Noise is currently dominating the Arena meta by healing on every full charge shot hit.
With the January 12 patch, Max HP buffs will only increase current HP ONCE per increase in Max HP, NOT per each new application (refresh) of the Max HP buff. What this means is that the Max HP buff duration will act as a “cool-down” for healing from Max HP buffs.
Currently, Noise’s Max HP buff duration is 5 seconds. With this change alone, Noise’s self healing would be receiving a major nerf by going from every full charge shot to once every 5 seconds.
However, Noise is simultaneously receiving a buff: Her Max HP buff value is being increased to 24.86% and the duration is being lowered to 1.8 seconds. This means that after the January 12 patch, Noise’s “healing” cool-down is 24.86% Max HP every 1.8 seconds rather than on every charge shot. Presumably, it will effectively be every other charge shot (every 2 seconds, as Noise’s full charge time is 1 second) rather than exactly refreshing every 1.8 seconds. This is at worst a 2.73% HP decrease in healing per second at level 10 Skill 2.
Edit: This might mean that Max HP buffs only increase current HP with each NEW application (after the previous application expires), not that the first application’s duration will act as an internal cool-down. Since Noise’s full charge time is 1 second, she will refresh her Skill 2 with each full shot when left on auto and only be able to increase Current HP ONCE per reload.
This would be a significant nerf to Noise’s Arena performance. Since it will take Noise 8 seconds until her second Skill 2 heal (or 7 seconds from her first heal), it only arrives after the enemy team’s burst. As she is a Supporter and not a Defender, Noise may not be able to survive long enough if positioned as the main tank the way she is currently used.
If Noise becomes too weak for Arena use after the January 12 patch, the Arena meta will likely revolve around fast nuke teams with clip shot guns (and Centi, Anis, Noah, Harran and possibly Jackal).
As always, wait for live testing to see how this change will actually work on live servers.
Noise Skill 2 – Sing Together (Lv. 10)
■ Activates when attacking with Full Charge. Affects the target.
Taunt for 2 sec.
■ Affects self.
Max HP ▲ 15.16% for 5 sec. → Max HP ▲ 24.86% for 1.8 sec.
Currently, Max HP only increases every 5 seconds but Current HP increases with every full charge shot.
After the January 12 patch, Current HP will only increase upon actual Max HP increase (every 1.8 seconds).
Despite the patch notes mentioning Rapunzel as also being affected by this change, Rapunzel’s performance should NOT be affected by this change, because Rapunzel’s Skill 2 buff duration will be lowered to 15 seconds, matching her Skill 2 cool-down time.
Units affected by change: Noise Skill 2, Frima Skill 2 (post-fix), Delta Skill 1 (post-fix).
Units NOT affected by change: Rapunzel Skill 2 (due to duration being lowered), Folkwang, Soldier FA.
Rapunzel
Rapunzel‘s Skill 2 buff duration will be lowered from 20 seconds to 15 seconds to match her cool-down time. This means that after the January 12 patch, Rapunzel will “heal” every 15 seconds from her Skill 2, which is the same as the current version.
Rapunzel Skill 2 – Divine Blessing (Cool-down: 15 seconds)
■ Affects 2 allied unit(s) with the highest ATK.
Max HP ▲ 8.19% for 20 sec. → Max HP ▲ 8.19% for 15 sec.
HP Potency ▲ 13.65% for 20 sec. → HP Potency ▲ 13.65% for 20 sec.
Frima & Delta Bug Fix
The bug where Frima & Delta‘s Max HP buffs do not increase current HP will be fixed.
Frima Skill 2 – … Ah (Passive)
■ Activates when attacking with Full Charge. Affects all allies.
Max HP ▲ 6.09% for 5 sec.
Currently, Frima and Delta’s Max HP buffs do not increase current HP, so it appears as though their Current HP total decreases upon application of the buff.
After the January 12 patch, Frima and Delta’s Max HP buffs will also increase Current HP, consistent with other Max HP buffs.
With this fix, Frima may become a decent healer. Delta only heals herself and does not have a taunt other than her 40 second cool-down burst, remaining unhelpful.
Current HP Affected By Other Buffs
As Current HP increase from Max HP buffs was confirmed to NOT interact with HP Potency, we are tentatively assuming this refers to stacking multiple Max HP buffs. This will be confirmed as soon as we are able.
Max HP Buffs with Healing Over Time
Currently, the first tick of healing over time effects will not scale with the accompanying Max HP buff when they are applied at the same time. This issue will be fixed.
Noise Burst Skill – Energetic Noise (Cool-down 40 sec) (Lv. 10)
■ Affects all allies.
Constantly recovers 2.47% of caster’s Maximum HP every 1 sec for 10 sec.
Max HP ▲ 49.5% for 10 sec.
Currently, the first tick of healing over time effects will not scale with the accompanying Max HP buff when they are applied at the same time. (On left: First tick heals for 113 HP, subsequent ticks heal for 144 HP)
This issue will be fixed in the January 12 patch. (On left: all ticks heal for 144 HP as intended)
Taunters Buff
Taunters are currently underwhelming in most of the available content. The following taunters have been buffed:
- Noise’s Skill 2 [Sing Together]: Max HP increase rate increased from 15.16% to 24.86%. Max HP increase Duration decreased from 5 sec to 1.8 sec.
- Diesel’s Skill 1 [Strawberry Field]: Defense increase rate increased from 22.04% to 25.92%. Recovery rate of caster’s Max HP increased from 11.02% to 12.96%.
- Noah’s Skill 2 [Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’]: Attack Reduction rate increased from 7.82% to 13.25%.
- Noah’s Burst Skill [U Mad Bro?]: Defense Increase rate increased from 99% to 133%.
Noise’s changes were previously mentioned above. The other units’ changes are fairly minor.
Diesel’s buffs will help her become stronger in Arena, and possibly for Alteisen or other PvE content. However, with recent new strategies discovered for Alteisen, it remains to be seen if Diesel will still be considered a good pick for Altesein.
Noah’s buffs will also help her become a stronger Arena pick, though she is already very popular in the meta. For PvE purposes, this is unlikely to affect her use much as she is used for her invulnerability and burst energy generation rather than for tanking.
Unfortunately xRupee and Ludmilla are not included in these buffs.
Novel & Isabel
The bug where Novel & Isabel‘s damage taken increase debuffs had no effect will be fixed. The skill properties remain the same since the actual damage rate is normal.
We have confirmed that Novel & Isabel’s damage taken increase debuffs DO increase damage taken. We are unsure what this means. Please wait for us to conclude our testing on these units.
Alice & Yuni
The UI issue where Full Charge Damage rate is incorrectly displayed as 100% when the Charge Time reduction rate of Alice and Yuni is 100% will be fixed. The skill properties remain the same since the actual damage rate is normal.
We have confirmed that this is NOT a visual bug and Alice and Yuni’s charge damage is affected by 100% Charge Time reduction. This bug fix will hopefully fix this issue and make Alice Charge Speed & Reload Speed teams viable in the PvE meta.
Maxwell
The issue where Maxwell‘s Skill 1 charge speed buff may not trigger upon Maxwell’s burst being used will be fixed.
Snow White
The issue where Snow White‘s Burst’s full charge damage may not take effect upon use will be fixed.
Damage Taken Decrease Buffs
The issue where damage taken reduction does not take effect properly against attacks with damage increase effect and ignore defense effect will be fixed. Units affected: Ether, Ludmilla, Noah, Noise, Admi.
Yuni
Yuni‘s Skill 1 DMNS will be changed so that its Charge Time reduction buff is calculated based on the Charge Time of the characters present instead of Yuni’s own Charge Time.
Visual Bugs
The following are visual bugs. These fixes will have no affect on the actual game-play itself.
- The UI issue where the Full Charge Damage rate is incorrectly displayed as 100% when the Charge Time reduction rate of Alice and Yuni is 100% will be fixed.
- The issue where the Laplace‘s Burst Skill laser does not shoot in the correct direction in Arena will be fixed.
- The issue where Privaty’s Max Ammunition Capacity is displayed incorrectly will be fixed.
