Buckle up because we’ve got a huge update in store for you today!
New Rival - Olympia, The Amethyst Fist
Our biggest update since launch includes our latest free character - Olympia, The Amethyst Fist. Olympia is tiny, tough, and doesn’t pull her punches. If you’re looking for a close-range fighter that comes out on top during a scrap - give her a shot.
In case you missed it, check out her official reveal trailer here.
If you’d like some extra practice before jumping on ranked with Olympia make sure to:
- Watch Olympia’s 101 tutorial by MSB.
- Hop into her new arcade mode, and/or try her Target trial!
Lovers Homecoming Event
April Fools’ Day has a special place in our hearts. In case you missed our completely normal presentation yesterday, you can see our Rivals Micro Direct here. During our longstanding tradition of sharing (mostly) real news, we revealed the in-game event for April is Lovers Homecoming!
Take a break from fighting because class is back in session! Reunite with some of your favorite classmates and collect new Lovers-inspired cosmetics from 4/2 to 5/6. Each Lovers skin also has both custom victory and taunt voice lines. All Lovers skins provide an XP bonus for the free event track, including the Lovers Zetterburn skin previously available.
Ranked Revamp: Full Ranked Mode Season 1
Today we are moving from the “Ranked Lite” system we had in place at launch into Full Ranked Mode. Season 1 starts now and includes some of the original features we envisioned for ranked before launch.
The biggest features coming with this update are Ranked Rewards and the Ranked Shop. You can earn medals by playing Ranked matches and moving up the ladder. Spend these medals to get exclusive skins, icons and emotes and we’ll keep adding more items throughout the year.
The new Ranked mode also features an overhauled leaderboard and seasonal updates. We’re planning to do a soft reset every 3 months as a new ranked season starts. When you finish your placement matches, you’ll earn a bunch of medals for new rewards so there’s tons of reasons to come back each season.
A New Look for an Old Battlefield - Crystal Oasis Stage Skin
Introducing Stage Skins! These give stages a whole new look, and this one turns the Rock Wall into Crystal Oasis, Olympia’s home stage! You can pick up the fresh look for Aether Bucks, coins, or in a new bundle.
New stages (as in new layouts) are still on our roadmap, but our goal is to keep the competitive stage list at 10 stages and swap less popular layouts out of rotation. You could also see any of the stage skins that we release including Crystal Oasis as a new stage layout in a later patch!
UI Updates and Lobby Migration
Some of our planned UI updates are arriving today. Make sure to appreciate the sleek new Stage Select screen, along with the playtest feature and other improvements our team added to this patch.
We pioneered the playtest feature on the character select in the original Rivals of Aether so players could check their controls or warm up before a match, so we're excited to finally be able to bring it back!
Lobbies are also getting a tech upgrade this patch. Along with more stability, we’re adding the ability to drop in and out of lobby games so you no longer need to leave and create a new lobby to add another friend. We have more plans for lobbies in the future including eventually supporting up to 4 players and up to 4 spectators at once. Note lobbies are not used in casual and ranked queues.
Gameplay and Balance Changes
This patch is a big one, with a few of the global changes having major implications on game balance. To highlight a few, we have made some big adjustments to floorhugging, with the intent to monitor and continue balancing the mechanic over time, we have adjusted character Environmental Collision Boxes to match animations, and we have reduced the startup on many aerials across the cast.
- You can no longer floorhug non-tumble attacks while in parry stun.
- This means that players won't be able to counterattack weak moves while in parry stun. Instead they will be launched until the knockdown threshold is met. This should be a pretty sizable change to parry punishes, since players can now start a combo with a weaker move at lower percents without fear of a counter hit.
- You can no longer floorhug non-tumble attacks while in flinch states.
- Similar to the above change, this means that players won't be able to counterattack weak moves after getting spiked while grounded. Instead they will be launched until the knockdown threshold is met. As an example, Loxodont down tilt causing a flinch can now be followed by a weak attack such as jab without the fear of a floorhug and counterhit.
- Successfully floorhugging non-tumble attacks will now cause the character to flash blue.
- One thing we found in a lot of feedback, is that despite the SSDI arrows being added, it was still difficult for players to recognize that a floorhug has occurred. This new visual effect should help players recognize and understand the mechanic better, while also helping players react to it better in the moment.
- Attempting to floorhug but failing will now cause the character to flash red.
- Similar to the successful blue flash, this unsuccessful red flash should help provide visual feedback to players in real time to indicate an attempted floorhug that had failed.
- Successfully floorhugging non-tumble attacks will now allow you to floorhug by holding down without another timed input for the next 20 frames.
- This change still required a timed down press to initiate an initial floorhug, while allowing players to continue to hold down for hits coming in rapid succession. This should reduce strain on players/controllers since floorhugging things like jab combos used to require multiple tap downs in quick succession. We hope this will make using the tech a bit more accessible, while still requiring a bit of intent on an initial floorhug.
- Many aerials have had their startup reduced.
- One goal of this change is to increase their usefulness as out-of-shield options, since they will now hit not only faster, but lower in the jump arc. This also allows you to use aerials more easily when whiff punishing an opponent, increasing the number of viable options you have. This is especially important since well-spaced hitfall aerials are one of the better options against floorhugging.
- The Environmental Collision Box (ECB) will now change shape depending on the character's animations.
- The most relevant effect of this change is that most characters will land later in their jump arc. In many cases, this allows them to use their aerials later to hit lower with them. This also means characters will take longer to reach the ground when trying to wall out with aerials, making this more punishable by a few frames.
- As a result of this change, characters will now land later during hitstun, which will cause them to wait a few more frames in order to tech. This should help players extend their punishes a bit better.
- The Run Stop state can now be canceled into Tilt attacks.
- This allows you to use Forward Tilt and Up Tilt out of run without needing to crouch first. Using all tilts while running was already possible if your Right Stick Setting was set to Attack, so this change should narrow the gap between Attack Stick and Strong Stick users.
- Grab escapes that result from the grabbing player getting interrupted will now be actionable twice as fast, from frame 30 to frame 15.
- This prevents situations where the grabbing player would get hit by a weak move and be actionable much sooner than their opponent, who was stuck in the grabbed escape state for the full 30 frames.
- Angleable attacks that were started with the right stick can now be angled with the right stick.
- This was a requested feature that allows tilt stick users to angle tilts with the right stick easier. The left stick will still take priority if it is being held down.
- Pressing up or down within 2 frames after starting a Forward Strong will now perform an Up/Down Strong. Pressing backward within 2 frames will reverse the Forward Strong.
- This adds some leniency to Strong Attackss performed with the Strong button when performed during a dash. This does not apply to Forward Strongs started with the right stick.
- Double Jumping will now cancel all vertical knockback velocity.
- This prevents the double jumps from gaining more/less height depending on the residual knockback velocity.
- Bug Fix: Getting hit while in the Ledge Grab state will no longer teleport you above the ledge.
- This was only possible after being parried, since you're normally invincible during this state.
- Bug Fix: Hitfalling an aerial will no longer remove 1 frame of hitstun from the opponent.
- Critial hit and KO sounds will now only play on confirmed frames.
- This prevents them from playing when a hit gets rolled back.
- There are new parry success VO for Fleet, Loxodont, and Clairen.
- All Lovers skins have a custom Victory and Taunt lines.
Zetterburn is having a few aerials affected by the global aerial change, and a change to Up Special to make its interactions with projectiles more consistent.
- Neutral Air startup: 5 > 4
- Up Air startup: 8 > 6
- These are part of the global aerial startup change.
- Uncharged Neutral Special hitstun multiplier: 1.0 > 0.9
- This is intended to nerf this move's confirms into Ustrong when performed directly below an aerial opponent.
- Up Special now has a hitbox in the front while moving that can only hit projectiles.
- This prevents projectiles from randomly hitting him while traveling. It also prevents him from getting stuck under a Kragg rock when traveling straight up.
Ranno is getting a change to his aerial needle confirms, making them a bit tighter at higher percents, sometimes requiring multiple needles to hit opponents before the followup.
- Neutral Special poison dart knockback: 4 + 0.1 > 4 + 0.05
- This reduces the hitstun applied at higher percents. For example, at 100%, the opponent's hitstun is now 18 frames instead of 21 frames. This reduction makes Ranno need to throw multiple darts to get the same followups he did previously, since each dart adds 2 frames to Ranno's advantage.
Wrastor is getting a few changes to his dash attack to allow for more lenient DI from opponents. He is also getting a quality of life change to Down Strong that will allow its hitbox to come out before striking the ground when performed in close proximity.
- Dash Attack early hit knockback: 7 + 0.5 @ 65 > 6.25 + 0.6 @ 70
- Dash Attack mid hit knockback angle: 72 > 75
- Because of this move's forward movement, the correct DI is usually inward, making this a strong DI mixup, especially against higher gravity characters. These changes aim to increase the effectiveness of both inward and neutral DI, while also leaving opponents farther away from Wrastor at high percents.
- Down Strong can no longer land on the ground on the first active frame.
- This ensures that Wrastor gets at least 1 active frame when using this move right above the ground.
Kragg is getting some changes to his rock and cargo throws in order to remove some silly interactions on stage and while falling offstage during a grab. Kragg’s pillar is getting another change to help its consistency.
- Neutral Air startup: 6 > 5
- This is part of the global aerial startup change.
- Forward Rock Throw now has a hitbox on release.
- This prevents it from whiffing against point-blank opponents.
- Can no longer floorhug while holding a rock.
- Because he can't go into tumble while holding a rock, combined with his heavy weight and high fall speed, he could frequently turn a disadvantageous situation around in ways that no other character can. In order to make up for this increased risk, we're speeding up his rock throws, since floorhug rock throws were a big reason for why they were slowed down in the first place.
- Rock throw startup: 8 > 6
- This applies to all rock throws and cargo throws.
- Neutral Special's Hit Player window will now be canceled into a throw if Kragg passes the auto-throw zone (3 meters below stage level while moving more than 10cm/f downward) after the first 5 frames.
- Kragg's high fall speed meant that he could throw the opponent from far below the auto-throw zone if he grabbed them while falling, often leading to a guaranteed KO regardless of percent.
- Cargo Down Throw knockback: 7 + 0.2 > 7 + 0.3
- Now that it cannot be performed as low, we're increasing the knockback scaling to maintain its strength at higher percents.
- Pillar will now restore opponents' resources when raising them up after hitting them.
- In a recent patch, we made pillar raise opponents up after hitting them, even if they weren't directly above it. This was intended to make pillar consistent on hit, and this new change makes it even more consistent.
- Kragg now has a charging sound for his strong attacks
Fleet is getting a lot of love this patch, with added tech options to her Forward and Down Specials, and a few aerials affected by the global startup change. Fleet also benefits the most from the dynamic ECB change, since it allows her to perform any aerial after buffering an instant Slow Fall following a jump.
- Neutral Special will now heal 2% when eating the food.
- This is just to be consistent with all the other times she eats food.
- Forward Special can now be B-reversed.
- This gives Fleet more options in how she uses her strongest zoning tool.
- Forward Special's tornado will no longer destroy itself when Fleet puts herself into tumble by pressing Taunt in the air.
- This mechanic let Fleet bait opponents into parrying the tornado, then canceling the tumble to punish them during the parry's endlag. This added too much of a mixup to this move, while also just looking confusing.
- Down Special's landing window can now be ledge canceled.
- This gives Fleet opportunities to use this move safely in specific positions.
- Neutral Air startup: 4 > 3
- Back Air startup: 9 > 8
- These are part of the global aerial startup change.
- Fleet has new victory lines for the Kickstarter backer skins and Cupid.
- Fleet has a new default taunt VO along with corrected SFX.
Maypul has two aerials affected by the global aerial startup change.
- Neutral Air startup: 8 > 7
- Back Air startup: 6 > 5
Clairen is getting the ability to cancel her jab into tilts with tilt stick to match existing behavior when using the attack button, and has two aerials affected by the global aerial startup change. Her Down Special is getting some functionality fixes as well, including having it removed when successfully parried.
- Jab can now cancel into tilts with the right stick when it is set to Attack.
- Previously, her tilt cancels required the joystick to not be idle, because she can't cancel into another jab like all the other characters. Now it behaves normally even when using Tilt Stick.
- Forward Air startup: 6 > 5
- Back Air startup: 8 > 6
- These are part of the global aerial startup change.
- Down Special's plasma field will now be destroyed if the move is parried.
- Clairen will still not be stunned, but the field being destroyed makes sure the reward for parrying the move is worth it.
- Down Special's plasma field will now destroy Zetterburn's flame puddles, Kragg's rock shards, Kragg's Ledge Special projectile, Maypul's root, Loxodont's lava pools, Forsburn's smoke, and Etalus' ice.
- This is consistent with the move’s behavior in Rivals of Aether, with similar moves from Rivals of Aether II added to the list.
- Bug Fix: Down Special's counter will now activate even if Clairen has respawn invincibility.
Loxodont has two aerials affected by the global aerial startup change, and has a quality of life change to his down special that affects when he loses his molten charges when interrupted.
- Neutral Air startup: 7 > 6
- Up Air startup: 10 > 9
- These are part of the global aerial startup change.
- Getting hit during Down Special will only remove his molten charges if it is hit during the startup.
- Previously, he would lose all of his charges if he was hit out of Down Special's recovery, even if he saved his charges by holding the shield button.
- Loxodont is getting new victory lines for Chef, Hockey and Dark Future skins.
- Chef and Dark Future Loxodont also have a new custom taunt line.
- Yes, we heard you, the "I don't even know who you are" will become Dark Future's taunt :)
- Dark Future Loxodont Sweetspot hit sounds have been updated.
Orcane has a small change to his droplet behavior to ensure the projectile is destroyed when leaving stage boundaries.
- Neutral/Down Special droplets will now be destroyed when passing the bottom blastzone.
Forsburn has two aerials affected by the global aerial startup change, and has some decreased frame data on his Forward Strong cancel into Jab/Tilts.
- Forward Air startup: 6 > 4
- This is part of the global aerial startup change.
- Forward Air recovery: 11 > 13
- The startup reduction made the move a bit too repeatable in the air, so we're increasing the recovery to leave the full move duration the same as before.
- Forward Strong and Up Strong cape hits are now auto-floorhuggable.
- This makes them easier to counter by grounded opponents, since the quick attack is pretty safe due to its large range and option to follow up with a second attack, making it risky to attempt a punish out of shield.
- Forward Strong tilt cancel window now starts 5 frames earlier.
- Because of the floorhugging change, the cape hit was guaranteed to be punished by any opponent holding down, even with slower attacks. Now Forsburn has the option to cancel into a tilt to stuff the startup of slower attacks, while still being punishable by fast moves. The second hit of Forward Strong still has the same frame data.
Etalus is getting changes to Dash Attack and Forward Tilt to help with consistency against incoming hitboxes. He is also getting some slight changes to Forward Strong and Getup Special to help with overall strength and consistency.
- Dash Attack now has a hitbox in the front that can only hit projectiles.
- This prevents projectiles from randomly hitting him while sliding.
- Removed the 1 frame gaps between the active windows for Forward Tilt by adding in hitboxes.
- This makes the move more consistent at stuffing nearby opponents' attacks, since they won't be able to hit him between the hits. The total duration of the move is unchanged since the gaps have been replaced with hitboxes.
- Back Air startup: 9 > 7
- This is part of the global aerial startup change.
- Forward Strong final hit knockback: 7 + 1.15 > 7 + 1.2
- The angle of this move makes getting perfect DI pretty consistent, so it's getting another slight increase to the knockback at high percents.
- Forward Strong ice shard spawn location lowered.
- This prevents it from whiffing against shorter characters.
- Getup Special's armor starts 1 frame earlier.
- Previously, the opponent could hit Etalus on a single frame to bypass the armor.
- Bug Fix: Getup Special's armor is removed when the ice armor visually disappears.
That's it for today! Thank you for reading this far and please be sure to check out our new Nolt Board, where community members can leave feedback about the game and help us continue to add helpful features!