Why don’t I start with an explanation on the overall changes to the “Freeze” status effect?
The existing “Freeze” status effect originally was meant to neutralize the enemy for 2 turns, but the effect performed differently once applied in actual combat. When heroes with continuous passives like “Ace” or “Eileene” were frozen, it turned out to be a negative effect for allies.
Because of this, “Spike” the Special Hero, who uses Freeze as his main skill, often went unused. In order to prevent “Freeze” from becoming a positive effect for enemies, the following changes have been made.
1. Frozen enemies can now be attacked.
2. While the enemy is “frozen,” if the enemy is attacked with a “Freeze” skill again, additional Damage will be inflicted. Here is a more detailed explanation in regards to the first change. Previously, “frozen” enemies could not be attacked until the 2 turns were up. However, now “frozen” enemies can also be “attacked,” and through additional attacks, the HP for “frozen” enemies can also be decreased. Also, the “frozen” enemy will receive additional damage when the status effect ends and will also receive more Damage when “frozen” again. Additionally,
we’ve made a change to the mechanics of skills which can induce the freeze status effect. All “Freeze” skills will now have a permanent additional effect. “Freeze” skills will also inflict additional damage. This effect applies to “frozen” enemies, which is different from the damage that is inflicted when the effect ends. Please refer to the following images for a better understanding.
This is the damage inflicted on an enemy who isn’t frozen from the “Severe Cold Earthquake” skill.
This is the damage inflicted on an enemy who is frozen from the “Severe Cold Earthquake” skill.
Do you see the difference?
(The images above were taken in a test environment. This is not Spike’s confirmed specs.)
Summary: If a “frozen” enemy is hit with a “Freeze” skill again, the enemy will receive “additional damage.” Basic Skill Damage + Additional Damage for the Frozen Enemy
Hopefully, the images above help those of you who are still confused better understand the changes being made.
Here is the explanation for Spike’s remake.
* [Before] Ice Berserker Spike Severe Cold Heart (Unique Passive Effect)
Protects all allies from debuffs for 2 turns.
Additionally, blocking will take effect and increases the ally’s Critical Rate by 40%.
Severe Cold Strike (Cooldown: 74 sec)
Inflicts 230% of Physical Attack on 1 enemy. Chills the enemy for 2 turns at a certain rate and inflicts 160% Physical Damage afterwards. (The Chill damage ignores the enemy's Defense.)
Severe Cold Earthquake (Cooldown: 94 sec)
Inflicts 90% Physical Damage on all enemies. Chills the enemies for 2 turns at a certain rate and inflicts 100% Physical Damage afterwards. (The Chill damage ignores the enemy's Defense.)
[After]
(6 ★ Spike’s Skills) Severe Cold Heart (Unique Passive Effect)
Becomes immune to debuffs for 3 turns.
Additionally, blocks all enemy attacks, and freezes the attacker for 2 turns at a certain rate.
(Unfreezes after 2 turns or when attacked, and additionally inflicts 100% Damage afterwards. This Damage ignores the enemy's Defense.)
Severe Cold Strike (Cooldown: 74 sec)
Inflicts 100% Physical Damage on 1 enemy 3 times. Additionally, piercing will take effect, and freezes the enemy for 2 turns at a very high chance. Also, if a frozen enemy is hit with another Freeze skill, the enemy will receive 100% additional Damage. (Unfreezes after 2 turns or when attacked, and additionally inflicts 160% Damage afterwards. This Damage ignores the enemy's Defense.)
Severe Cold Earthquake (Cooldown: 94 sec)
Inflicts 60% Physical Damage on 3 enemies 3 times. Additionally, ignores the enemies' Defense, and freezes the enemies for 2 turns at a certain rate. Also, if a frozen enemy is hit with another Freeze skill, the enemy will receive 100% additional Damage. (Unfreezes after 2 turns or when attacked, and additionally inflicts 100% Damage afterwards. This Damage ignores the enemy's Defense.)
(*Please note that the remake stats and update schedule have not been fixed. The actual changes to the skills may be different from the developer’s note.)
How’s that for a berserker with a cold heart?
Here’s a more detailed explanation regarding Spike’s skill changes. Firstly, why don’t we take a look at the changes to the Unique Passive Effect?
This could be considered the most important part to Spike’s remake.
Spike’s original passive protected all allies from debuffs for 2 turns, but this was changed to a 3-turn debuff immunity for himself.
His original passive is why he is put on most teams, but we wanted to make Spike more powerful through this turn count increase so that he is used for his strong skills. In order to do this, we added the “freezes the attacker for 2 turns at a certain rate” portion to the skill to synergize with the “blocks all enemy attacks” portion. This will be Spike’s core feature. The Damage he receives will be reduced with the blocking, and whether he uses a basic attack or a skill, both can “freeze” the attacker at a certain rate. If this was the “Chill” status effect before the remake, the battle could turn favorable to the enemy once the effect ended, but with the newly revamped “Freeze” status effect, Spike will truly become the Ice Berserker.
Secondly, here is an explanation regarding the skills. With the existing Damage, hit count and pierce were added to Severe Cold Strike. The skill was changed so that the damage he can deal is now on par with the other Seven Knights. Also, it was changed so that there’s a very high chance that the “Freeze” status effect will activate and he becomes a hero that can actively neutralize the enemies. Severe Cold Earthquake used to be a skill that attacked all enemies, but the number of targeted enemies was decreased, while the hit count increased. Also, the activation rate for the “Freeze” status effect was increased.
Through this remake, we hope that Spike will become a hero that you will love to use through his ability to neutralize the enemy team’s main tanker and dealers with the additional damage from the Freeze status effect, and the passive skill that will be changed.
Also, the skills of the normal monsters that share the same “Freeze” effect as “Spike” will also be changed. The range isn’t huge, but the generic changes are as follows. If a frozen enemy is hit with another Freeze skill, the enemy will receive N% additional damage. (Unfreezes after 2 turns or when attacked, and additionally inflicts N% Damage afterwards. This damage ignores the enemy's defense.) The “Freeze” effect will always inflict additional damage, and if a frozen enemy is attacked with another Freeze skill, the Damage inflicted will be even greater. That’s it for the revamped “Freeze” effect and “Spike’s” remake. What are your opinions? We hope this remake solidifies Spike’s position on your teams!
