At last, you now earn EXP for playing Queued PvP Matches.
Like with Passive (Chat) EXP, there is a maximum amount of PvP EXP that slowly replenishes over time. You can continue to play PvP Queue matches after reaching this cap, however you will not earn rewards for doing so.
To earn consistent EXP in PvP matches, it is recommended to play 2v2 or 3v3 matches. 1v1 Matches reward a much smaller amount of EXP in comparison.
–PvP Bonus Events
Every 4.5 hours, the EXP payouts for PvP Queue matches increases to 250%! This is the best time to find cross-server PvP matches and earn rewards doing it.
Even if you’ve already reached your PvP EXP cap, don’t fret – you will still earn 150% EXP for every match you play until Fever Time ends.
–PvP Queue Improvements
Along with this change, a number of Quality-of-Life improvements have been made to Queued PvP Matches. Bugs have been fixed, the turn timer has been increased to 60 seconds (from 40s), and there is now a timeout system for AFK teams. FTA balancing has also been addressed: Teams who receive first turn can no longer attack immediately, just like PvE Challenge teams.
AI Update
PKMN CPUs can now recognise ‘bad’ choices when picking Moves to use on their targets (e.g. Toxic on a Poison-Type enemy). They will still intentionally make a few mistakes on lower difficulties, but the game as a whole should feel more challenging as a result.
In addition, AI Movesets have been refreshed to make full use of PMDiscord’s updated 480+ movepool. Certain other Moves which the AI doesn’t know how to use have been filtered out from their Movesets.
Certain common TM moves have been excluded from the AI movesets too, including the infamous Shock Wave. Water enthusiasts, it’s safe to come out now. Various minor AI changes and improvements have been made as well.
It is no longer possible to ]release a PKMN in a Pinned Group. This should help prevent players from releasing their favorite PKMN by accident.
Increased the ‘leeway time’ allowed for entering commands after the timer hits zero.
The ‘No-Switch Bonus’ reward for 1* and 2* PvE Challenges have been slightly reduced.
Balance
This patch sees a number of system mechanic changes across the board, designed to increase the usefulness of Support PKMN and Status Moves. The most important of these are as follows.
PKMN now Passive Heal 1 HP after each turn that they do not Attack or Parry.
Hiding no longer provides Passive Healing.
Status Moves can now be used from behind Objects.
‘Blocked Retreats’ now occur automatically. If there are multiple teammates that could have blocked a Move, it will be aimed at the last teammate that Engaged the attacking PKMN. Additionally, a Blocked Retreat now has all the benefits of Guarding, including damage reductions and the ability to block Status Moves.
For the advanced players:
You can no longer ‘push’ an enemy out of Hiding by pre-emptively aiming at the object they hid behind. Most people didn’t know this rule existed, I think it’s no longer needed now.
Bracing now reduces ‘Direct’ damage by 10%, previously 8.33% (1/12). It’s just simpler.
Comeback Mechanics have been altered. Gone is the old complicated formula. In this update, the team with the fewest PKMN in a Battle gains a Fixed Damage bonus equal to the difference in team size. (e.g. in a 3v1 match, the second team would have +2 Fixed Damage added to each of their attacks.) Fainted PKMN are not counted in the team size comparison. This affects all game modes, for Players and CPUs alike.
The formula for Intercept chances has been adjusted. The previous Defending PKMN’s speed is now factored half as much as before (from 4% to 2%). This change tones down the Speed stat as a whole, but also improves the chance for faster PKMN to protect their slower teammates.
Stacked Damage Scaling has been increased. Previously, PKMN. Instead of reducing damage taken by a subtractive 10% per stacked attack, it now reduces damage by a multiplicative 1/8th.
The Frozen Status now reduces the Damage of incoming attacks by 50%, instead of reducing the Power by 50%.
Slight adjustments to additive damage values under the hood.
Global Attack Damage has been increased +0.25.
Subtracted damage for Guarded and AoE attacks have been changed as follows:
-Unguarded AoE Splash Damage: -0 -> -1
-Ranged Attack Guarded Damage: -1 -> -2
-Ranged Attack Guarded + AoE Splash Damage: -2 -> -3
Guarded Damage vs Ranged attacks now has a Fixed Damage reduction of -2 points, previously -1. (its Power reductions remain the same.)
Outrage, Thrash, Petal Dance – Accuracy 95% -> 100%. Accuracy now decreases 25% per consecutive use, previously 20%.
Brine – now gains Power against targets with 25% or less HP remaining. Previously 30% HP or less.
Belly Drum – Now costs 30% Max HP to use, previously 33% Max HP.
Rollout, Ice Ball – Fixed a bug that allowed Parrying while the ‘Rolling’ status was active.
Defense Curl – Removed its effect of boosting Speed for each successful hit. Now increases the base Power of Rollout and Ice Ball by 25%.
Play Rough – Cooldown 3 -> 2. Power +9 -> +8. As the only Melee Fairy-type Move in the game, I felt this move needs to be more well-rounded.
Extreme Speed – Power +8.5 -> +9. The nerf last patch was a bit overkill.
Narrowing a few more signature Moves closer to the curve.
High Horsepower – Power +10 -> +9.5.
Dragon Hammer – Accuracy 100% -> 90%.
Crabhammer – Accuracy 90% -> 85%.
Kinesis – Accuracy 80% -> 85%.
Rather than significantly nerf the Speed stat again, this patch is testing what happens when the speed-boosting Moves are toned down instead.
Agility, Rock Polish – Cooldown 1 -> 2.
Shift Gear – Now increases Melee Attack +3, Speed +2. Previously increased Speed +3, Melee Attack +2.
Shell Smash – Cooldown 2 -> 3. Is once again a Secret Action.
Quiver Dance – Now increases Speed by +1, previously +2.
Venom Drench – Now decreases Speed by -1, previously -2.
Finally, Self-healing takes another heavy hit this patch. Note that due to the Passive Healing rework, these Moves now heal more HP than they did before.
All 3-Cooldown Self-Healing Moves now have a Cooldown of 4.
Roost – Cooldown 3 -> 4. ‘Roosting’ Status now lasts 2 turns instead of 1.
Moonlight, Synthesis – Now heals a base amount of 2 HP + 10% of the user’s Max HP. Previously 2½ HP + 10% Max HP.
Pain Split – Cooldown 4 -> 3. Now transfers up to 7 HP, or 14 HP if the targeted teammate is ‘nearby’.
Aqua Ring – Cooldown 1 -> 2. Now always heals 5 HP, even when stacked.
Purify – Cooldown 1 -> 2.
Wish – Cooldown 3 -> 4. Keeps its old Cooldown of 3 when used on a teammate.
Ingrain – Healing amount now reduces after 6 turns, previously 7.
Refresh – Now heals 2 HP in addition to normal effects.
Bugs
Fixed a bug where PKMN could still Hide behind a PKMN using ‘Phantom Force’.
Fixed a bug where ‘Pursuit’ would deal bonus damage to any PKMN with a Retreat Bonus condition, even if they did not actually Retreat that turn.
Fixed a bug where Parries would not halt the user’s ‘Rolling’ status.
Fixed a bug where Normal/Flying Dual-Type PKMN using Roost would be changed to ‘Double’ Normal-Type.
Fixed a bug where Sucker Punch would cause the user to move out of Cover before it is ‘prepared’, instead of after it activates.
‘Soft-Boiled’ and ‘Heal Order’ are no longer Secret Actions.
‘Purify’ no longer requires confirmation from teammates.
Patch Notes: Alpha 0.42a
Fixed a bug where the PvP Queue turn timer was much shorter than intended. To make up for this, EXP Bonus will be active immediately after this patch is live.
Patch Notes: Alpha 0.42b
Balance
Kneejerk buffs.
Shell Smash – Cooldown 3 -> 2. Now boosts Speed by +2, previously +3.
Purify – Cooldown 2 -> 1.
Bugs
Fixed a bug where closing a PvE Challenge would cause it to not respond, which prevented players from starting a rematch.
Attempted to fix a bug where EXP payouts for some 1v1 PvP Queue Battles were not correctly being awarded.
Patch Notes: Alpha 0.42c
Fixed a bug where dungeons would not report that they have expired due to inactivity.
Fixed a bug where Secret Action attacking moves (such as Sucker Punch and Me First) caused a soft-lock if aimed at an opponent who previously used a Secret Action.
Fixed an exploit where it was possible to attack on the first turn of a PvP Battle.
The ‘No attacking on the first turn’ rule no longer applies when the MetronomeOnly custom rule is enabled.
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