Warhammer Fantasy: Updates Have Come To Vermintide 2

Big updates abound for Vermintide 2, as Patch 3.1, which contains the Big Balance Update, goes live. Come take a look at what’s changed in Vermintide 2.

A big patch for Vermintide 2 dropped yesterday, bringing in a few hotfixes to a few rare issues that would cause the game to crash with the Store or Spoils of War, but much more importantly, it includes the big changes from the Big Balance Beta. What does that mean? Pretty much every character has been tweaked, if not overhauled. There’s a lot to dig through, so let’s get right to it:

via Fatshark

• Added psuedo random distribution to critical strikes and procs.
• Generic damage reduction is now calculated multiplicatively rather than
  additively.
• Headshots and critical strike no longer automatically apply the lightest level of
  stagger to enemies, regardless of their stagger resistance.
• Buffs now appear in two rows in the UI, displaying a maximum of 10 buffs instead
  of 5.

MELEE WEAPONS

1H Sword – Kruber & Sienna

• Finesse multiplier (headshot/crit multiplier) increased to ~2 for all attacks, up
  from 1.4 for light attacks, 1.5 for heavies.

1H Mace / 1H Hammer

• Light attacks 1 and 2 and push attack now have Tank hit mass multiplier.
• Light attacks 3 & 4 now have the same single target damage profile.
• Light attack 3 now has 10% bonus crit to compensate for being an uppercut
  animation.

2H Hammer (Kruber + Bardin)

• The push attack now has the same damage profile as the heavy attacks. No tank hit
  mass count.
• Heavy tank attacks now properly puts enemies into stagger level 2 (fixes a
  bug).

2H Sword (Kruber + Saltzpyre)

• Move speed charging heavy attacks increased to 60% from 20%
• Light attack animation speed sped up by approximately 10%

Mace + Shield / Hammer + Shield (Kruber + Bardin)

• Light attack 3 has 10% additional critical strike chance.
• Heavy Chain now begins with shield bash.
• Light attack 3 now has single target armour piercing damage profile. Same as push
  attack.
• Push attack now chains into light attack 3.

Mace + Sword

• Lights 1 and 2 now have the same damage profile as 1H Mace.
• Lights 3 and 4 now have the same damage profile as 1H Sword.
• Each weapon in the heavy attack now has the same damage profile as the original
  Falchion Heavy.
• Heavy attacks and light attacks 3 & 4 now have Linesman hit mass count.

Halberd

Heavy chain order reversed, the first heavy is now the Heavy Stab, and the second heavy is now the Heavy Sweep.

• Intact Attack Chains:
  • Light chain and push-stab chain remains intactLight 1 -> Light 2 ->
    Heavy stab, Lights -> Heavy stab chain intact
• New Attack Chains:
  • Light sweep (L1) chains into Heavy sweep (H2) -> repeat
  • Heavy stab (H1) chains into light stab (L2) into light overhead (L3) ->
    repeat
  • Heavy stab (H1) chains into light stab (L2) -> repeatLight sweep (L1)
    chains into Heavy sweep (H2) -> repeat
  • Heavy sweep (H2) chains into Light sweep (L2)
• Heavy Linesman added to Heavy Sweep (H2) Armory mod will not reflect the change
  in heavy attack order.
• Dodge range increased from 0.95(-5%) to 1.0 (0%)

Executioner Sword

• Reduced animation speed by 8.5% for all attacks.
• Light attack 3 now has 10% bonus critical strike chance.

Tuskgor Spear

• Now has normal block cost modifier instead of shield modifier.

1H Axe (Bardin + Saltzpyre)

• Animation pause after Light 3 reduced from 0.42s to 0.3s
• Light attack animation speed increased by roughly 8%
• Move speed while performing light attacks increased (from 75% to 80%)
• Heavy attack charge time reduced from 0.6s to 0.5s
• Heavy attacks now share a damage profile with 2H Hammer light attacks

2H Axe

• Heavy attacks now have linesman hit mass count.
• Light attack 3 now has the same damage profile as light attacks 1 and 2.
• Push attack now has linesman.
• Light attack 3 has 10% additional critical strike chance.
• Now has 6 stamina (3 shields), up from 5 stamina (2.5 shields).

Axe + Shield

• Light attacks sped up slightly.
• Charge time required for heavy attacks decreased slightly.

Dual Axes

• Finesses multiplier on all attacks increased to ~ 2.0 (up from ~1.5).

Warpick

• Linesman hit mass count added to light attacks.

Elven 1H Sword

• Light attack Finesse multiplier increased to ~2.0 from ~1.4.
• Heavy 2 changed to the damage profile of Crowbill Heavy 1.
• Light 3 armor damage increased by 20%.

Elven 2H Axe (Glaive)

• Reverted WoM nerf. Linesman added back to light attacks.
• Now has 6 stamina (3 stamina shields), previously 4 stamina (2 shields).

Elven Axe

• Heavy attacks now share a damage profile with 2H Hammer Light Attacks.
• 10% bonus critical strike chance added to push stab.

Elven Dual Daggers

• Removed bonus 10% crit from lights 1 and 2.

Elven Sword and Dagger

• Removed bonus critical strike chance from Light attack 1 and Light attack 2.

Elven Dual Swords

• Dual swords light attack damage increased by 25% against infantry.
• Push-stab armor damage increased by 20%.

Elven Greatsword

• Light attack animation speed increased ~10%.
• Light attacks have 10% additional critical strike chance.

Elven Spear

• Push attack, Light 3, & Heavy 1 now all have Linesman hit mass count.
• Reverted 25% nerf to light stabs that came with WoM, (base damage up to 0.25 from
  0.2).

Elven Spear + Shield

• Light 3 changed from a poke into a sweep, added linesman to light 3.

Axe + Falchion

• Removed heavy linesman and bonus 20% crit from push attack.
• Increased dodge count from 3 to 4.
• Increased dodge distance from 1.1(10%) to 1.2(20%).

Falchion

• Now has 6 stamina (3 stamina shields), previously 4 stamina (2 shields).
• Heavy attacks 1 & 2 now have the same damage profile as Elf 1H Sword Heavy
  1.
• Light attack 3 now has the same damage profile as Heavy attacks 1 & 2.

Flail

• Lights 1 & 2 now have Tank hit mass count.
• Damage of Heavy attacks increased by 30%.

Billhook

• Increased dodge distance to 1.15(15%) from 1.1(10%).
• Decreased dodge count from 99 to 3.
• Special pull action now costs 0.5 stamina.

Dagger

• Now has 6 dodge count instead of 3.
• Added 10% critical strike chance to light attack 4.

Mace

• Max dodge count increased to 4 from 3.
• Heavy 1 now has the same damage profile as 2H Hammer Light attack (23% buff to
  damage).
• Animation time of Heavy 1 sped up slightly.
• Range of Heavy attacks increased slightly.
• Damage of Heavies 2 & 3 increased by roughly 30%.
• Animation speed of Heavies 2 & 3 increased slightly.
• Light attack 1 damage profile changed to Halberd L3 Damage profile (30% buff to
  infantry damage, 60% buff to armor damage).
• Range of all light attacks increased slightly.
• Animation speed of all light attacks increased slightly.
• Move speed during all light attacks increased to 80% from 60%.

Flaming Flail

• The explosion of Heavy 1 now deals direct explosion damage.

RANGED WEAPONS:

Beam Staff

• Overcharge generated by shotgun blast reduced significantly (~33%).
• Weapon switching while charging the weapon is reduced from 0.2s to 0s (matching
  all other staves).
• Weapon switch window after a shotgun blast reduced from 0.4s to 0.3s to match the
  0.31s animation time of the shotgun blast.

Drakefire Pistols

• Overheat of the shotgun blast reduced ~33%.
• Dodge range buffed from 85% (-15%) to 100% (0%).

Empire Longbow

• Forced zoom delay is now 2s instead of 0.4s (allows full charge without being
  forced to zoom in).
• 25% move speed while holding a full charge (increased from 0% previously, 25% is
  similar to the full charge move speed of bolt staff).

Handgun

• Reload time reduced from 2.0s to 1.5s.
• Max ammo=16, up from 12.
• Cleave buffed 50% to match crossbow.

Repeater Pistol

• Linesman is now on the bullet spray ( linesman on ranged weapons gives shotgun
  mass reduction).

Swiftbow

• Increased armor damage by approximately 100% on charged shots.
• Increased monster damage by 30% on charged shots.
• Increased cleave by 75% for quick shots and 50% for charged shots.

Throwing Axes

• Increased monster and berserker damage by 30%.

Volley Crossbow (Saltzpyre)

• Ammo pool boosted by 50% (from 30 max ammo to 45).
• Cleave increased by 75%.
• Reload time reduced from 5s to 4s.
• Dodge count increased to 3 from 1.

Volley Crossbow (Shade)

• Cleave increased by 75%.
• Max ammo capacity increased to 45 to match Saltzpyres crossbow.

Blunderbuss

• Increased max ammo from 12 to 16.

Grudgeraker

• Increased max ammo from 14 to 16.

TALENTS:

• Taal’s Champion – (Reworked)
  • New name: Tag Team
    • ‘Kruber gains 10% power. The closest ally to Kruber gain 50%
      damage reduction and 10% increased power. Passive aura no longer affects
      allies.’
• Rock of the Reikland (Modified)
  • Now also doubles the radius of Kruber’s Aura.
• It’s Hero Time – (Reworked)
  • Resets the cooldown of Charge when an ally is incapacitated.
• That’s Bloody Teamwork! ( Reworked)
  • Merged with Defensive Formation into ‘Increase damage reduction of Protective Presence by 5% per nearby ally.’ Moved to tier 4 mid
    row.
• Inspire Action – New talent
  • Staggering an elite enemy grants Kruber and his allies 100% increased
    cooldown regeneration rate for 0.5 seconds. Replaces That’s Bloody Teamwork
    in tier 5.
• Trample – (Reworked)
  • New name: Battering Ram
    • Doubles the width of Krubers charge and allows him to charge through
      great foes.

• Maim – (Reworked)
  • New name: Keep it Coming
    • Every third ranged hit causes the next shot to consume no ammo.
• Master Huntsman – (Reworked)
  • New name: Tough Hide
    Killing a special or elite enemy reduces damage taken by 10%. Stacks 4 times. Taking a hit removes one stack.

• Ready for Action – (Modified)
  • No longer removes Temp Health. Cooldown reduction reduced to 20%.

• Scavenger – (Modified)
  • Scavenger Ammunition Caches now drop at Bardin’s feet instead of at the
    killed specials location.
• Share and Share Alike – (Reworked)
  • New name: Field Rations
    • Killing a special has a 50% chance to drop an Ale that increases attack
      speed by 3% and damage reduction by 3% for 300 seconds. Stacks up to 3
      times.
• Exuberance – (Modified)
  • Bardin takes 30% less damage from the back. Headshots reduce damage taken by
    30% for 5 seconds
• Ranger’s Ambush – (Reworked)
  • New name: Exhilarating Vapors
    • Allies inside of Bardin’s smoke gains 8% increased attack speed and
      recovers 3 Temporary health every second

• Drakki Wrath – (Reworked)
  • New name: Rising Pressure
    • Increases drake fire damage up to 120% and reduces attack speed down to
      -50% depending on overcharge.
• Crushing Counter-Blow – (Reworked)
  • New name: Rune-Etched Shield
    • Blocking an attack grants Bardin and his allies 2% power for 6 seconds.
      Stacks 5 times.
• Ironbreaker’s Resolve – (Reworked)
  • New name: Vengeance
    • Periodically generates stacks of rising anger every 7 seconds while
      Gromril is active up to a max of 5. When Gromril is removed Bardin gains 10%
      attack speed per stack of rising anger.

• Ariel’s Benison (perk) – (Reworked)
  • Increase revive speed by 50% and grant 20 health back to the revived
    hero.
• Asrai Grace – (Reworked)
  • New name: Asrai Alacrity
    • Blocking an attack or pushing an enemy makes Kerillians’ next two
      attacks 30% faster and deals 10% more damage.
• Shadow Step – (Reworked)
  • New name: Shifting Seasons
    • Dodging while blocking increases dodge range by 20%. Dodging while not
      blocking increases damage by 10% for 1 second.

• Cloak of Mist – (Modified)
  • Now grants 100% critical strike chance for 4 seconds after breaking
    stealth.

• Necessary Means – (Reworked)
  • New name: Steel Crescendo
    • Upon firing his last shot Victor gains 15% attack speed and 15% power for
      15 seconds.
• Inspired Shot – (Reworked)
  • New name: Blessed Combat
    • Melee strikes makes up to the next 6 ranged shots gain 15% power. Ranged
      hits makes up to the next 6 melee strikes gain 15% more power. Melee kills
      reset the cooldown of Blessed Shots.
• Hunter’s Pursuit – (Modified)
  • New name: Rile the Mob
    • Ranged critical hits grant Victor and his allies 10% increased movement
      speed for 10 seconds.
• Duty’s Gift – (Reworked)
  • New name: Dual Action
    • Melee kills reload Victors ranged weapon. Killing an elite enemy with a
      melee attack while out of ammo restores 20% of your max ammunition.
• Just Reward
  • Cooldown reduction increased to 20% from 15%.
• Buckshot – (Modified)
  • New name: Return on Investment
    • Added shield penetration to the blast.
    • Added effect: Each kill with the blast increases the amount of pellets of
      the next blast by 1 up to a max of 20.

• Searing Grasp – (Modified)
  • New name: Outburst
    • Increased duration of DoT effect to 4 seconds. Heavy attacks increase the
      push angle of the next push by 70%.
• Chain Reaction – (Modified)
  • Increased chance of explosion to 40%
• Numb to Pain – (Modified)
  • Added effect: Venting decreases the amount of overcharge generated by Blood
    Magic by 16%. Stacks up to 3 times.
• Burning Dregs – (Reworked)
  • New name: Abandon
    • Overcharging makes Sienna start rapidly exchanging 6% of her health to
      10% cooldown.
• Flame Wave – (Reworked)
  • New name: Wildfire
    • Adds a burning aura that ignites nearby enemies when activating Living
      Bomb. Massively increase the stagger power of Living Bomb.
• Fuel for the Fire – (Modified)
  • Increased duration of the power bonus to 15 seconds from 10 seconds.

Happy slaying folks!

Author: J.R. Zambrano

Bell of Lost Souls Staff Writer and DM, J.R. covers RPGs of all stripes and on occasion eats sandwiches. You can ask him about either at [email protected]