Meet Val, the Gauntlets and Sword wielding android, and latest Legend to enter Brawlhalla! In patch 2.25 we also have a number of features that have been promoted from test features to game mechanics, improvements to replays, new test features, and a number of balance changes. We hope you enjoy!  

New Legend!

Val has entered Brawlhalla!
Weapons: Sword & Gauntlets
Stats: 4/5/6/7
Skins:

• Hardsuit Val - Faceless. Remorseless. Also functions as a WiFi hotspot.
• Kunoichi Val - A whispering in the trees, a breeze on your cheek, and then it’s too late.

New Taunt!

• The Flex - What would Bajheera do? Hit ‘em with The Flex!   

Community Request - Replays

• You can now use your mouse to control the camera during replays. Right click toggles the camera lock, mouse up zooms in, mouse wheel down zooms out, and left click and drag to pan the camera.
• You can now frame step with a controller during replays. Use the right stick left and right to step back and forward, and use the right stick up and/or down to pause/play.

New Game Mechanics (From Recent Test Features)

After a lot of testing, feedback, and discussion, we’ve decided to move a number of test features live. While we’re confident that these changes are good for the game, it doesn’t mean we’ll stop listening to feedback. Continue to let us know what you think, and we’ll continue to keep pushing the boundaries of Brawlhalla.

Weapon Spawn Changes

• Weapon spawns will now alternate weapons on pickup.
• Item spawning will not spawn more than two gadgets in a row.
• Second spawn is always a weapon.
• First spawn is a weapon and always spawns in the middle.

Clashing

• Changed the rules for clash tie breaking so that grounded moves beat air moves. Slide charges are treated as ground moves. Gravity Cancels have higher priority than air but lower than ground. Previous tiebreakers (Strength, Damage) have been removed.

Speed Dodge

After some discussion we’ve decided to consolidate the terms ‘chase dodge’ and ‘momentum dodge’ into a single term - ‘Speed Dodge’. ‘Chase’ and ‘momentum’ refer to the different methods used to enter a ‘Speed Dodge’ but the result is always the same. This should clear up any confusion in current and future patch notes.  

• Speed Dodge Forgiveness: Landing a hit will allow you to speed dodge even if your dodge is on cooldown. Getting this speed dodge cannot lower your current cooldown. e.g., you can’t use it to get rid of extra cooldown from a gravity cancel. You can only get Speed Dodge Forgiveness once per cooldown period.
• Canceling a Speed Dodge into an attack grants up to 10 invulnerability frames during the attack's startup frames. The invulnerability ends the first frame after a hitbox comes out.
• Added a 14 frame delay after being hit before dodges are eligible to be Speed Dodges. This will prevent players from getting the momentum dodge bonus because of velocity from recently being hit.

New Test Features

We are exploring ways to encourage 2v2 teams to chase down enemies in 2v1 situations. This test feature makes hitting your teammate less lethal.  

• In 2v2 only 75% of Variable Force is applied to teammates.

This test feature is designed to help with 2v2 Black Hole situations where players are hit by the same move over and over.

• Same Move Directional Influence: gives a player some Directional Influence when hit by a combo that uses the same power more than once.

Client Performance

• Reduced memory usage and churn.
• Improved character select screen performance slightly.
• Improved startup time and seeking for replays.
• Improve startup time when spectating a match in progress.

New Legend Rotation

This week's Legend Rotation features Azoth, Cassidy, Queen Nai, Scarlet, Thatch and Wu Shang.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed some bugs related to multiple powers attempting to grab the same target at the same time.
• Fixed a bug with test features where you could get a chase dodge in the middle of an attack.
• Fixed a test feature bug where sig jumping can no longer be done with the lance recovery.
• Fixed an issue with the mouse overs in the Game Settings menu not always highlighting the correct option.
• Fixed bug where after a few games, bots were using the wrong ground distance causing them to behave less predictably.
• Fixed a bug where the room number would still show up in the Lobby Rules tab of the Game Settings even if you were trying to hide it.

Balance Changes

Unarmed

Even though the Side Air has a rather lengthy Time to Hit for its range, repetitive use in certain situations can be a bit too strong. We are increasing the Cooldown to provide time for proper counterplay between uses.

• Unarmed Side Air: Increased Cooldown from 0 to 12.

Spear

As the Ground Pound can be a very strong tool for the Spear, it could be restarted a little too quickly, so we are increasing the Cooldown to allow for more time between repetitive uses.

• Spear Ground Pound: Increased Cooldown from 0 to 12.

Rocket Lance

We have updated the Hitboxing to better match the Recovery animation, resulting in slightly increased Range. To compensate, we have slightly reduced its incredibly strong Variable Force.

• Rocket Lance Recovery: Updated Hitboxing to better follow the animation, resulting in Increased Range; Decreased Variable Force from 56 to 54.

Axe

The Axe Recovery can be followed up with other attacks a bit too quickly, so we are increasing the Variable Recovery to allow for a larger window between subsequent attacks.

• Axe Recovery: Increased Variable Recovery from 10 to 14.

Gauntlets

The Gauntlets Recovery can feel a bit unreliable when fighting your way back up to the stage, while the Ground Pound is a bit too strong for its utility, so we are shifting some power between the two.

• Gauntlets Recovery: Increased Hitbox height for slightly more vertical range.
• Gauntlets Ground Pound: Decreased Variable Force from 50 to 48.

Sir Roland

We are shifting some Force from Roland's overly strong Side Sword into his relatively weak Down Sword to bring both in line with other similar Signature attacks.

• Sir Roland Side Sword: Decreased Variable Force from 56 to 54.
• Sir Roland Down Sword: Increased Variable Force from 47 to 48.

Lucien

Lucien has relatively low Damage on his attacks before the Strength and Defense stats apply, leaving some attacks disproportionately weak. We are slightly increasing the Damage on the final hit of his Neutral Katars so it is not so far behind other similar attacks.

• Lucien Neutral Katars: Increased Damage of final hit from 13 to 15.

Ulgrim

Ulgrim has a very reliable combo into his Neutral Lance that is slightly too strong, while his Down Lance is a bit too weak for the potential risk, so we are shifting some power from the Neutral Lance into the Down Lance.

• Ulgrim Neutral Lance: Decreased Variable Force from 51 to 50.
• Ulgrim Down Lance: Increased Variable Force from 44 to 46.

Gadgets

The Horn will now do Damage when thrown! It will now do around half the Damage of thrown weapons.

• Sidekick Summoner: Increased Damage when thrown from 0 to a range of 2 to 5 depending on its speed.

Fixes

• Gauntlets Recovery: Updated Hurtboxing to better follow the animation.
• Gauntlets Ground Pound: Fixed a bug that altered the falling Hitbox after being held for more than 39 frames.
• Spear Recovery: Fixed a bug that prevented the Variable Force from trailing off as intended. Variable Force now properly drops from 44 to 38 for the last 10 frames of the Hit Window.
• Improved logic for when powers pull targets through soft platforms. Should fix a number of rare drop cases.