3.5 is nearly here! The Update rolls out tomorrow – in the wee hours of the morning. Can’t quite say the exact time, but we know for a fact that it won’t be at Midgnight PST. At least a few hours after that. So let’s say “early morning” to be safe.

This Update brings a ton of changes to Shadow Lords (which you can read about here), as well as the introduction of Shadow’s in Shadow Lords, and Shadow Skins (article here). There are also changes coming for those of you playing on PC – you’ll need to be on the Anniversary Update for KI to work – for more on that bit check out this article.

Now we’re ready to show you what you’ve all been waiting for – Combat changes! Let’s dive in.

3.5 COMBAT BALANCE UPDATE

System Changes:

Fixed an input bug where players would get the opposite dash intended in various situations while being crossed up.

Fixed an input bug where jumping meaty cross-ups were not blockable as expected. (The team is reasonably sure that these fixes are the end of the left/right input issues. We want to thank the community for quickly reporting the issues they found and for their patience. We know its frustrating when fixing one set of problems causes another set of problems, but without taking that step the game may have forever had left/right issues, and we felt it was important to squash them once and for all. Please quickly report any other issues you find related to left/right inputs.)

Jago:

Fixed a bug that let Jago cancel directly into a Tiger’s Fury while charging an Endokuken by kara-cancelling a dash input.

Sabrewulf:

Raised the damage on Medium Ragged Edge Linker by ~16% so that it deals similar damage to other medium linkers in the game.

Raised the damage on Light Hamstring Linker by 70%

Raised the damage on Medium Leaping Slash Linker by 87%

Raised the damage on Heavy Hamstring and Leaping Slash Linkers by 37% (These linkers only have two versions each, making them a bit easier to break. They now do more damage to compensate.)

Glacius:

Fixed a bug where Heavy Hail would be destroyed if the player was backed up against an Aganos wall.

Thunder:

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Shadow Call of Earth (QCB+PP)

Sadira:

Fixed a bug that let Sadira circumvent the combo system using LK jump cancels when not in instinct. Performing these now will give you the expected Auto Doubles and Linkers.

Updated the rules for canceling jump startup so players don’t get linkers and autodoubles before using an opener in a combo.

Fixed a bug that could cause super flash to get stuck if she was hit out of her Lv2 or Lv3 Web Cling enders

Fixed a bug that caused hitting with widows drop on the same frame of the opponent’s landing to cause a ground bounce instead of the expected ground reaction.

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Light & Shadow Blade Demon (QCF+LP or QCF+PP), Web Cling (While in air QCB+P), Widow’s Bite (QCF+P), Shadow Widow’s Bite (QCF+PP)

Light & Shadow Blade Demon (QCF+LP or QCF+PP), Web Cling (While in air QCB+P), Widow’s Bite (QCF+P), Shadow Widow’s Bite (QCF+PP) Fixed a bug where Sadira’s Shadow Widow’s bite would become unbreakable when performed in a combo started with a normal if no non-projectile move was used before the Shadow Widow’s Bite hit.

Orchid:

Fixed a bug that let Orchid cancel directly into a Knee Buster while charging her 3rd Rekka by kara-cancelling a dash input.

Spinal:

New Shadow Move: Shadow Skull Summon (DD + 3P) Spends 1 meter to summon 3 skulls. This move is not fast, so be careful where you use it. (S2 Spinal was a very momentum based character who needed to work hard to get started but not very hard after that. Now, because skulls vanish when he is hit, he loses his momentum more easily and must make smarter decisions on offense. Adding the ability to turn meter back into skulls should make it much less difficult for a Spinal player to get his momentum going, so losing your momentum won’t be as crippling.)

Increased the meter gain from Searing Skulls by 100% (Looking back, the team feels like the big thing we missed in Spinal’s S3 changes was meter gain. Spinal used to drain his opponent’s shadow meter, giving them less and him more. Our changes to the curses were mostly intended to make Spinal’s opponents stronger by allowing them more opportunities to use Shadow and Instinct meter against him. While we are happy with that change, Spinal is simply gaining too little Shadow Meter compared to S2, and it lowers his options throughout the course of the entire match. This change, in conjunction with the instinct bouncing skulls, can give Spinal crazy amount of meter to work with, and he even has a new Shadow move to spend it on!)

(Looking back, the team feels like the big thing we missed in Spinal’s S3 changes was meter gain. Spinal used to drain his opponent’s shadow meter, giving them less and him more. Our changes to the curses were mostly intended to make Spinal’s opponents stronger by allowing them more opportunities to use Shadow and Instinct meter against him. While we are happy with that change, Spinal is simply gaining too little Shadow Meter compared to S2, and it lowers his options throughout the course of the entire match. This change, in conjunction with the instinct bouncing skulls, can give Spinal crazy amount of meter to work with, and he even has a new Shadow move to spend it on!) Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Dive Kick (j.MK), Power Devour (B+LP)

Fulgore:

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Plasma port (QCB+K), Shadow Plasma Port (QCB+KK), Air Shadow Eye Laser (While in air QCB+PP)

Plasma port (QCB+K), Shadow Plasma Port (QCB+KK), Air Shadow Eye Laser (While in air QCB+PP) Fixed a bug where canceling a normal into Shadow Eye Laser sometimes gave you the linker version making it breakable.

Fixed a bug where Fulgore’s Cyber Uppercut would autocorrect after the flash.

TJ Combo:

Made TJ Combo’s Flying Knee Special no longer cross over crouching opponents.

(There were cases where linkers would whiff if performed after the Flying Knee.)

Maya:

After activating Dagger Assault, the first dagger strikes now occur 50 frames sooner than before. (We think you’ll notice it is vastly easier to start Maya’s pressure after activating Dagger Assault now. Please experiment with it. The team is still watching and will consider future tweaks to this move as needed.)

(We think you’ll notice it is vastly easier to start Maya’s pressure after activating Dagger Assault now. Please experiment with it. The team is still watching and will consider future tweaks to this move as needed.) Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Air Mantis (While in air D+HP), Temperance Strike/Vengeance Strike/Enmity Strike (QCF+LP, MP, or HP), Shadow Spirit Slicer (QCF+PP), Leap Kick (QCF+K), Shadow Leap Kick (QCF+KK), Axe Kick (F+HK)

Kan Ra:

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Shadow Swarm (QCB+KK), Spike (QCF+K), Shadow Spike (QCF+KK), Whirl (QCF+P), Shadow Whirl (QCF+PP)

Shadow Swarm (QCB+KK), Spike (QCF+K), Shadow Spike (QCF+KK), Whirl (QCF+P), Shadow Whirl (QCF+PP) Fixed a bug where Kan-Ra could not move forward after performing Clutch while backed into the corner.

Riptor:

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Predator Stance Normals (HP, HK, and F,F+HP) | Non Predator Stance – (F,F+HP), (B,B+HP), (F,F+HK), (B,B+HK), Flame Carpet (DB+HP)

Predator Stance Normals (HP, HK, and F,F+HP) | Non Predator Stance – (F,F+HP), (B,B+HP), (F,F+HK), (B,B+HK), Flame Carpet (DB+HP) Fixed a bug where B+HP Flame Breath in instinct mode did not have the new juggle properties of the non-instinct version.

Omen:

Meter gain from normals and specials reduced by ~30% (Omen has some outstanding pressure and can keep you blocking his attacks for a long time, which gives him the resources he needs to keep this pressure going. This reduction in resources from this part of his gameplay should reduce how long he can maintain his pressure without taking more risks, but he still has outstanding meter gain on all of his enders.)

(Omen has some outstanding pressure and can keep you blocking his attacks for a long time, which gives him the resources he needs to keep this pressure going. This reduction in resources from this part of his gameplay should reduce how long he can maintain his pressure without taking more risks, but he still has outstanding meter gain on all of his enders.) Shadow Slide is now -8 on block (was -0) (In the end, the fact that almost none of the characters can shadow counter this move made it a bit too degenerate for frametraps. This change will force Omen players to use it more thoughtfully.)

(In the end, the fact that almost none of the characters can shadow counter this move made it a bit too degenerate for frametraps. This change will force Omen players to use it more thoughtfully.) Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Shadow Rashakuken (QCF+PP), Orda Shield (QCB+P), Shadow Orda Shield (QCB+PP)

Aganos:

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Payload Assault (QCF+P), Shadow Payload Assault (QCF+PP), Relinquish (While holding a peacemaker QCF+P)

Payload Assault (QCF+P), Shadow Payload Assault (QCF+PP), Relinquish (While holding a peacemaker QCF+P) Relinquish no longer whiffs if performed next to an opponent.

Hisako:

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Influence (QCB+P), Shadow Influence (QCB+PP), Air On Ryo Zan (While in the air QCF+P), Shadow Air On Ryo Zan (While in the air QCF+PP)

Cinder:

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Shadow Fission (QCB+PP), Inferno (QCB+K), Shadow Inferno (QCB+KK), Shadow Trailblazer (B,F+KK), Pyrobomb (B,F+P), Both Ground and Air Shadow Pyrobomb (B,F+PP)

Aria:

Fixed a bug causing counterhit c.hk to not juggle opponents properly.

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Medium Allegro (While in blade body F,D,DF+MP), Heavy Allegro (While in blade body F,D,DF+HP)

Shadow Jago:

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Dark Demise (QCF+K), Shadow Dark Demise (QCF+KK), Annihilation (While in instinct QCF+LP+LK)

Dark Demise (QCF+K), Shadow Dark Demise (QCF+KK), Annihilation (While in instinct QCF+LP+LK) Fixed a bug where a player could back dash when inputting a forward dash while dashing under an opponent.

Kim Wu:

Fixed a bug that was preventing players from using Dragon Cancel during Dragon Sweep

Fix for a bug that could cause light dragon dance to cause a ground bounce on a standing opponent on the first frame they landed from a jump.

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Close MP, Close HP, Medium/Heavy Dragon Kick (QCF+MK, HK), Dragon Dance (QCB+K), Shadow Dragon Dance (QCB+KK), Dragon Dash (KKK)

Close MP, Close HP, Medium/Heavy Dragon Kick (QCF+MK, HK), Dragon Dance (QCB+K), Shadow Dragon Dance (QCB+KK), Dragon Dash (KKK) Fixed a bug causing the first hit of the heavy kick auto double to blow out and preventing the second hit from blowing out.

Tusk:

Fixed a bug that let him cancel out of backstab mid-move.

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Spine Splitter (B+HP), Immortal Spirit (QCF+K), Shadow Immortal Spirit (QCF+KK)

Spine Splitter (B+HP), Immortal Spirit (QCF+K), Shadow Immortal Spirit (QCF+KK) Fixed a bug preventing players from canceling openers into Ultra in instinct mode.

Rash:

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Rash Bash (B+HP), Battering Ram (QCF+P or F,F+P), Shadow Battering Ram (QCF+PP), Wicked Tongue (PPP)

Arbiter:

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Light/Medium/Shadow Mercy’s Demise (QCF+LP/MP/ PP), Light Truth Seeker (QCB+LP), Prophet’s Bane (QCB+K), Shadow Prophet’s Bane (QCB+KK), Interrogator (F+HK), Particular Justice (DF+HK), Fire Weapon (D+HK, J+HK), Throw Grenade (PPP)

Mira:

Fixed a bug where Mira could perform air actions out of the Mist form when on the ground, using up heath.

Fixed a bug with Mira’s mist where it was possible to not apply potential damage while it was attached.

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Blood Seeker (QCF+P) Shadow Blood Seeker (QCF+PP), Trephine (QCF+K), Shadow Trephine (QCF+KK)

Gargos:

If you perform an Ultra on Gargos, his minions will now be instantly destroyed. (No more hilariously tragic late double KOs)

(No more hilariously tragic late double KOs) Fixed a bug where Gargos could perform autodoubles if just his minions hit while landing from a jump attack.

Fixed a bug where hitting Gargos’s portal punches with character attacks would disable the Fists’ ability to hit the opponent. (We know some of you thought this was a feature of the move, but it was a bug.)

(We know some of you thought this was a feature of the move, but it was a bug.) Fixed a bug where the minions would be on the wrong side of Gargos if he grabbed them while the opponent jumped over him.

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: HK, Air Reckoning (While in air QCF+K), Minion Commands (QCB+K), Shadow Oblivion (QCF+PP)

General RAAM:

Fixed a bug that could cause Heavy Autodouble to whiff from some ranges

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Shadow Dominance (QCB+PP)

Eyedol:

Fixed a bug causing Eyedol to be invulnerable for the final four frames of his Backward Telestrike

Added missing counterhit windows on the following moves: Light/Medium/Shadow Crushing Swing (QCB+LP/MP/PP)

MISC BUG FIXES:

UI:

Fixed an issue that would cause Character Portraits at Character select to appear blackened out

Shadow Lords:

Fixed an issue where the player could not fight a mission they attempted to deploy to with a Sub 60% success rate

Fixed an issue where performing a Double KO on boss Gargos can result in a failed mission

Fixed an issue where the user did not retain Astral Plane after unlocking and then rebooting the title

Fixed an issue that resulted in Boss Gargos with Full Instinct and 1 HP to stay on the ground until timer reached 0 after being hit by General RAAM’s Shadow Domination

Fixed an issue where certain character enders were not triggering Vampire Bat and Snake guardian Abilities

That’s all for this update, but we’re excited for tomorrow morning’s release. Oh, while we’re at it, the update should weigh in around 1 GB for those of you that need to plan accordingly. Catch you tomorrow!

FIGHT ON!

Discuss: https://forums.ultra-combo.com/t/3-5-patch-notes-combat-balance/16232