Patch date: . Guide reviewed 2026-11-03. Historical changes can be superseded; use current definitions for a match today.
How this guide was prepared: AI-assisted analysis with a separate source-check pass against archived official notes. Practical decisions are reasoned suggestions, not player-tested results or measured win-rate evidence. A small hotfix receives a short guide rather than a reconstructed full build.
Original update sources
Recorded topics: Heroes, Items, Gameplay, Fixes, Interface. Dates refer to the update named in the notes; a mirrored post can be published later.
Spirit scaling, Grey Talon, and Neutrals
What changed: Spirit scaling was reduced by about 15%, but the notes specify that this is the Spirit multiplier portion, so total effective Spirit damage falls by less; the largest impact is on late-game burst. Grey Talon’s Guided Owl scaling fell from 2.2 to 1.2. Its T3 changed from +200 damage to killing enemy heroes below 20% health, with low-health enemies highlighted while guiding the Owl. Strong Neutral Spirit Resist rose from 25% to 35%, and Medium Neutral Spirit Resist from 25% to 30%.
How to adapt: If your damage relies on Spirit scaling, compare late-game burst rather than assuming all Spirit damage drops 15%; test Neutral clear and Grey Talon’s Owl against the changed resistances and T3 threshold.
Souls, bounty, and Trooper durability
What changed: Unclaimed souls convert 10% slower, Vault base bounty rose from 220 to 260, and the killer-to-assister hero-kill bounty ratio fell from 2.75x to 2.55x, meaning slightly more goes to the assister. Starting at 15 minutes, one melee Trooper per wave spawns with 1.75x health; Medic Trooper health rose from 240 to 260.
How to adapt: Check whether your rotations still reach unclaimed souls in time, and account for the higher Vault bounty, assister share, and more durable Troopers when testing contests and wave-clear timing.
Veils and zipline speed
What changed: The middle lanes gained an area with Veils for laning. Sidelane Veils near Guardians now provide one-way visibility instead of blocking visibility in both directions. Zipline Boost speed rose from 100% to 130% and its ramp time fell from two seconds to one. After Base Guardians die, zipline base speed boost rose from 100% to 120% and its ramp time fell from five seconds to four.
How to adapt: Recheck sightlines at sidelane Veils and routes through the new middle-lane area; test how the faster Zipline Boost and post-Guardian ramp affect your rotations.
Selected hero and item changes
What changed: Haze’s Sleep Dagger no longer breaks invisibility when cast, and its Spirit scaling rose from 2.3 to 2.6. Its T3 no longer gives +140 damage; it now applies a 30% damage penalty to the victim for four seconds after wakeup. Bebop’s Sticky Bomb T3 changed from Silence to Disarm, and Hook detection was improved to avoid grabbing targets behind cover. Yamato’s Shadow Transformation was reworked: after its initial two-second invulnerable channel, it gives 4.5 seconds of invulnerability, refreshes abilities, increases ability speeds by 60%, and grants unlimited ammo. The ability-speed effect applies to Power Slash cast time, Flying Strike flying time, and Crimson Slash cast time; cooldown rose from 90 to 100 seconds. Withering Whip moved from T3 to T2, with duration reduced from 5 to 3.5 seconds, cooldown increased from 25 to 40 seconds, Bullet Resist reduced from 25% to 20%, and cast range reduced from 20m to 15m. Mystic Shot now requires a shotgun middle pellet to hit the target.
How to adapt: Retest these exact interactions before relying on prior behavior: verify Sleep Dagger’s invisibility and T3 effects, Yamato’s timing and cooldown, and Mystic Shot’s middle-pellet hit requirement.
Follow the affected decisions
- Bebop build and counter guide
- Grey Talon build and counter guide
- Haze build and counter guide
- Kelvin build and counter guide
- Yamato build and counter guide
- Mystic Shot item reference
- Mystic Burst item reference
- Knockdown item reference
- Majestic Leap item reference
Verify your match build · How current recommendations are checked
Earlier and later records
Archive coverage currently ends 2026-10-30; sources last successfully checked 2026-11-01. A source check does not establish a post-patch win rate.