Major character reworks for the Warrior, Musa, Maehwa, Valkyrie, Ninja, Kunoichi, Striker, and Mystic took place on Oct 19th in Black Desert Online KR. PvE damage for some awakening skills of the Warrior/Musa/Maehwa/Vallkyrie/Ninja/Kunoichi was buffed for faster grinding, and the defensive ability of the Striker/Mystic was nerfed while offensive abilities of the characters were buffed.



KR players’ reactions are very differing, according to each character. The reactions toward the reworks for Warrior and Musa are very negative, as the main skills that the characters use still remain weak. In contrast, everyone is happy about the reworks that the Maehwa, Ninja, and Kunoichi got as they can see that the characters are clearly more powerful in PvE than before. There weren’t many changes for the Valkyrie but majority of players are satisfied with the changes. Lastly, players commented that the Striker and Mystic are not as powerful as before in RvR.



Below are BDO KR players’ comments on the balance update that took place last week.

◆ Warrior



PvE damage for Balance Strike, Flow: Hilt Strike, Solar Flare, Merciless, and Armor Break has increased, thus increasing the Warrior’s general damage output in PvE. Flow: Overwhelm will now recover 60 HP per hit, and Pulverize will have larger AoE&HP recovery. Also, Solar Flare III and IV are acquirable at Level 60.

▲ Grave Digging and Slashing the Dead did not undergo any changes.



▶ Reactions on Warrior's Skill Change (Reactions on the Absolute skills are not included.)

The damage for Solar Flare, Overwhelm, Balance Strike, Hilt Strike, and Armor Break has increased and the Warrior has become more powerful in general.

It’s really nice to have Solar Flare IV on Level 60.

But I would not say there are dramatic changes with PvE.

They might look like huge buffs, but in reality they are rather disappointing.

I don’t really see any big balance changes with Awakening skills.

This is not good. PA doesn’t know what they are doing and changing unnecessary skills.

I think PA is going the wrong direction. Warriors need shorter cooldown on Grave Digging and Flow: Slashing the Dead for PvE.

The combo that goes Armor Break-Solar Flare-Overwhelm-Balance Strike-Hilt Strike has become more powerful, but that combo is only used when Grave Digging and Slashing the Dead are on cooldown, so there’s no big change in grinding speed.

Nothing is going to change when the cooldown for Grave Digging and Slashing the Dead remain the same. The buffed skills have tiny AoE and that’s not fun at all to watch. Also, the animation is too slow.

How come Reckless Blow is not buffed? It’s not easy to use and has a long cooldown, but has an AoE smaller that basic attack.

Reckless Blow seriously has to be buffed. I don’t even want to call this a skill. Looks flashy, but works like Knee Kick.

◆ Musa



Like the Warrior, the Musa also had a few changes with PvE skills. PvE damage for Fiery Angel has increased, and Down attack became Air attack. PvE damage for Spinner (1st, 2nd,&3rd hit) and Crosscut (2 spin) also has increased. Flow: Dash Slash now has a shorter cooldown (14 sec) and higher damage, and Musa’s Spirit will now deal PvE damage. The AoE and Critical hit chance for One Step Back has increased, and Fiery Crevice will now recover HP on good hits. Crust Crusher will give a Critical hit chance buff, and lastly, Flow: Foul Play will also recover HP on good hits.

▲ Only the 2nd spin for Crosscut, which is not used very often, was buffed.



▶ Reactions on Musa's Skill Change

Why buff the 2nd spin for Crosscut? The 1st spin was the one that had to be buffed.

Is PA doing this on purpose? We once said that PA might buff Musa in a weird way and they actually did. So, can I get like 7,000 Centaurus with these skills now or what? (being sarcastic here)

They never actually listen to us. We’ve been asking PA to remove the 2nd spin in Crosscut, and here they are increasing its damage instead. At least they should remove the animation delay.

I think these changes are just cover-ups. Fiery Crevice can’t really heal because the HP recovery comes with 2nd hit, and Crosscut has a super long animation delay.

The 2nd spin for Crosscut can deal more damage now, but the animation delay is still insanely long, making the skill’s DPS really low even when it’s used with Musa’s Soul.

Why did they buff Spinner? It’s better off without the skill, even after the patch.

One Step Back now has much larger AoE and also can deal decent damage. Too bad it’s not one of the primary skills for Musa.

Crust Crusher got the biggest buff in PvE among the skills. Use it with the Critical hit chance buffs from other skills, and you’ll notice the difference in damage right away.

The Below the Belt-Crosscut-Backflow combo is still intact. How many times do I have to tell them that just making the numbers bigger won’t change anything?

They don’t know why Spinner is called Suicide Spinner. Percentages are not the real problem here!

Remove the animation delay, like for real!

Buff on the 1st spin attack in Crosscut, and reduced animation delay for Crust Crusher. That’s what we really need.

◆ Maewha



PvE damage for Tenacious Edge and Frost Pillars (both when on cooldown and not on cooldown) has increased, and Frost Pillars will have wider AoE when not on cooldown. PvE damage for Petal Bloom and New Year’s Eve also increased, and Petal Drill will decrease enemy’s DP by 10 for 10 seconds. Flow: Cloud Stab will give a Critical Hit chance buff (+50%), Oppression will deal more damage in PvE but less damage in PvP. Lastly, Flow: December will recover 30 WP instead of 10.

▲ With the DP debuff on Frost Pillars, the overall damage output increased for the Maehwa.

▶ Reactions on Maehwa's Skill Change

Petal Drill’s DP debuff works in PvP too. Nice!

Petal Drill will now decrease enemy’s DP. Should I get Scattering Petal for Rabam then?

Approaching Step is for CC, and Scattering Petal is for damage. The two skills are used in different situations.

If you don’t have enough dps skills, you should get Scattering Petal.

Grinding speed got faster, but the skills still have a small AoE.

AoE was the real problem for Maehwa, but PA decided to buff damage instead of AoE. Well maybe I can kill the monsters one by one faster now.

Tenacious Edge and Petal Bloom can deal more damage, the level cap for Moonrise went down, and Frost Pillars have DP debuff. All these changes added up and grinding speed got much faster. I can feel the difference in Hystria.

Sweet buffs for Maehwa, especially Tenacious Edge, Oppression, and Moonrise IV.

I went to Centaurus after the update, and I got about 6,500 trash loot per hour. Pull with Tenacious Edge, deal with fully charged Petal Bloom, and finish off with Tenacious Edge. Clear the rest with Moonrise or Petal Bloom.

◆ Valkyrie



The damage for Purificatione’s energy explosion has increased, and the description “damage reduced in PvP” changed to “damage reduced during cooldown.” PvE damage for Promptness and Blitz Stab has increased, and Flow: Lucem Fluxum will recover more SP while being able to hit 1 more target.

▲ Although there aren't many comments for the Valkyrie, majority of players are satisfied with the buffs she got.



▶ Reactions on Valkyrie's Skill Change

So Pufiricatione can deal more damage in PvP now? That’s great.

Purificatione, Promptness, and Blitz Stab are now about 30% more powerful. Maybe I can try Basic Attack + Promptness while grinding.

I don’t feel much difference in Pila Ku, but Lucem Fluxum can recover SP pretty fast and Blitz Stab became a decent skill.

◆ Ninja



PvE damage for Corrupt Sword Dance, Murderous Intent, Drastic Measure, Bloodthirst: Katana Shower, and Sura ChaoSpree has increased. Also, Katana Shower III&IV, and Drastic Measure III are acquirable at level 60.

▲ Bloodthirst: Katana Shower is the Ninja's new main dps skill.



▶ Reactions on Ninja's Skill Change

We, as Ninja mains, have been waiting for this our whole lives and now we finally have it. We can lock Black Spirit’s Rage!

Sura ChaoSpree now has 1.5x higher damage. The best part of this update!

Bloodthirst: Katana Shower used to be a good AoE skill, and now it got even better.

Bloodthirst: Katana Shower is the skill that got the best buff. The AoE became much larger, and it also can deal much more damage. It should be used as the Ninja’s main dps skill now.

First time I’ve ever seen a Ninja saying there aren’t enough mobs around me. This surely is a huge buff for Ninja in PvE.

I agree that this is a nice buff for Ninja, but what about Super Armor and/or Forward Guard?

Now we have one more step to go. SA/FG for Serpent Ascension!

◆ Kunoichi



Lunar Dash will now recover 40 WP, and PvE damage for Lunar Dash, Wheel of Wrath, Flow: Indignation, Delighted Blast, and Sah Spree of Sonan has increased. Chain Crash: Sah Chakram will consume stamina instead of WP, and Lethal Spin Spree III&IV and Wheel of Wrath III are acquirable at level 60.

▲ Lunatic Discus will now be as powerful as Lethal Spin Spree.



▶ Reactions on Kunoichi's Skill Change

Chain Crash: Sah Chakram will now use stamina. But Kunoichi doesn’t really use much stamina so it’s not a bad change.

It’s good that Wheel of Wrath and Flow: Indignation were buffed, but I wish Lethal Spin Spree was buffed too.

Really nice to have Lethal Spin Spree IV at level 60, not at level 62.

I think the overall damage output increased by about 30% in Gyrin Rhasia, Hystria, and Aakman.

Not a drastic change but got stronger in PvE.

The entire damage for Lunatic Discus increased from 10131% to 15202%. It’s now as powerful as Lethal Spin Spree.

PvE damage for Lunatic Discus increased a lot. Use it every time when the cooldown is over, and you can deal massive damage in Gyfin Rhasia or Hystria.

Before the update, I had to go like Ankle Cutter-Ghost Step-Lunar Dash, which was too much work for my fingers. Now I can Lunar Dash right after Ankle Cutter.

Overall damage output increased and grinding speed became much faster. I’m satisfied with this update.

◆ Striker



All other classes except for the Mystic can now deal more damage to the Striker. The damage for Ultimate Crush and Endless Explosion slightly increased, and PvE damage for Rampaging Predator has increased. Also, Flow: Skull Hammer’s critical hit chance decreased to 50%, and Infernal Destruction III&IV and Skull Crusher IV are acquirable at level 60.

▲ Some skills were buffed, but a lot of players did not notice this since the nerf on the Striker's defensive ability was too big.



▶ Reactions on Striker's Skill Change

PA took away defense, but did not give any other abilities to replace that. This nerf is kind of big.

To be more precise, they didn’t take away the Striker’s DP but instead increased PvP damage of other classes. Either way, this is a big nerf.

I’m a 317 DP Striker. I have about a half of my full HP after getting hit with a full combo by a 262 AP Dark Knight or a 253 AP Witch. I’ve only tested for an hour but I don’t think it’s a huge nerf.

Strikers are much weaker against physical dps characters now. A Maehwa or a Berserker can easily kill a Striker.

Why nerf the critical hit chance in Flow: Skull Hammer all of a sudden? Why?

◆ Mystic



Just like the Striker, all other classes except for the Striker can now deal more damage to the Mystic. Dragon Fist Strike now has critical hit chance of 50% (regular hit) and 100% (last hit), and the damage for Blue Lightning and Torrent has increased. PvP damage for Burial at Sea, Rise, Wave Orb, Whirlpool, and Flow: Burial at Sea has slightly increased, and Rise with Black Spirit’s Rage will now cause Stiffness with only the 1st and 2nd hit. Lastly, Rise IV and Qigong III are acquirable at level 60.

▲ The Mystic now can deal more damage, but lost her tankiness and is not as powerful as before in RvR.



▶ Reactions on Mystic's Skill Change

The Mystic’s overall dps effectiveness has increased. Dragon Fist Strike is still weaker than Blue Dragon’s Eyes but the Down Smash works great. However, the Mystic is not tankier than the other classes anymore.

In my opinion, the Mystic is a support character who can debuff enemies in RvR, which means that increasing PvP damage is meaningless. Mystic performs better when she can support allies with cc chains and survive longer against enemy attacks. Now the Mystic lost her unique characteristic.

Mystic lost her tankiness. So is she more like a dps character now? Apparently not. All of her awakening skills still can’t deal any damage.

The damage for Rise increased, but the damage fluctuates too much. So overall, the damage is still low.

Rise used with Black Spirit’s Rage is never going to work. If only the 1st and 2nd hit can inflict Stiffness, then the enemy can escape and attack the Mystic from the back.

In RvR, the Mystic used to be able to pull enemies towards allies, like Zarya in Overwatch does. Now she can never do that. Rise with Black Spirit’s Rage is a suicide skill.