Beastieball News

Another BIGMOON BASH is beginning soon in Beastieball! During Bigmoon Bashes, coaches can challenge each other in open matchmaking for a limited time.

When: February 15, 2025 00:00 UTC to February 16, 2025 00:00 UTC (equivalent to February 14, 4PM PST to February 15, 4PM PST) Theme: Bildit VS Axolati VS Kichick!

This Bash is a contest between 3 Beasties! Players must bring EXACTLY ONE Beastie related to one of the theme Beasties (metamorphs or alternate forms of the theme Beasties are OK)! Your wins and losses will count towards the global score of the Beastie you bring. When the Bash is over, only one of the theme Beasties will be declared the Bash Champion! Choose your favorite and fight to bring them to the top!

During the event you'll have a Bash Rank, which will improve based on your performance. After it's over, you'll receive in-game rewards based on your participation, such as Social Battery and Sports Points.

Players of all skill level are invited! All you need to do to participate is to play the game on that day and join the Bash on SportNet! SportNet is typically unlocked within the first 2 hours of your adventure, after beating your first Ranked boss. And if you aren't confident in your own Beastie team, you can use a randomly generated one instead - just go to Team Setup and set "Random Team" as your current team.

[h3]Official Game Rules:[/h3]
First to 2 Points wins
Standard time limit on move selection
No Undos allowed
No duplicate Beastie species allowed
Relationship Combos are disabled
All Beasties are set to Level 50

[h3]Notice on Upcoming Balance Changes[/h3]
If you're preparing a new team for this Bash, we recommend you reference ourlatest balance patch as of Feburary! Teams that were strong before will still be strong after the new balance adjustments, but you might want to take a peek at the changes if you rely on splash damage from attacks like Mindfield, Bang or Explosion.

We've been following discussion on the most recent Experimental balance patch. We're back with some more tweaks that we hope sands off some of the edges and brings things closer into balance! With changes this big, and a team as small as ours, it's hard to test every corner - that's why your feedback on these is so valuable. Thanks for keeping the discussion healthy and productive!

[h3]If you missed it, you should check out our notes on the current experimental changes. These patch notes are alterations on top of the previous experimental patch.[/h3]

[h2]Changes to Quake[/h2]
Quake no longer "stacks" the same way that field effects like Rally and Trap do. Instead, moves like Rumble will set Quake to a specific value, which then counts down, more like Rhythm or Dread. There is one new fold distinguishing Quake from these field effects, however; if you attempt to set Quake when the target field already has the effect, then the field will take on whichever value is higher (its current Quake level, or the Quake level being set). So applying 2 Quake will set the field to 2 Quake whether it already has 0, 1, or 2 stacks of Quake.

The intention of this change is to cap out how much value players can get from applying Quake from several sources. Previously, it was easy to get momentum and overwhelm the opponent with layers of Quake faster than they could be cleared. Quake should be immediately threatening, but have lower long-term effectiveness compared to slow-play strategies like Sweaty or Trap.

[h2]Play Changes[/h2]

• Rumble: No longer makes the user feel ANGRY.
  
• Explosion: Name is changed to Eruption. POW now is 60 (from 70). Applies 3 Quake to opponent field (from 2). Applies 2 Quake to ally field (from 1).
  
• Bang: Name is changed to Boom. Now a BODY type attack (previously SPIRIT).
  
• Mindfield: POW reduced to 30 (from 35).
  
• Bounce: POW reduced to 70 (from 80).
  
• Careful Shot: POW increased to 45 (from 40).
  

[h2]Beastie Changes[/h2]

• Duggout:
  • -Body POW: 50 (from 54)
    
  • -Spirit POW: 100 (from 105)
    
    This change lowers Duggout's stat quality to compensate for its extraordinarily good traits, and makes their stat total the same as Diggum's. This Beastie is proving to be very effective with the stats that it has!
  
  
  
• Deluja:
  • Playbook: Added Boom
  
  
  
• Goofsder:
  • -Body POW: 80 (from 85)
    
  • +Spirit POW: 30 (from 25)
    
  • Playbook: Removed Slide (and updated level-up plays)
    
    This combined with lowering Bounce's power undoes some of the power gain Goofsder got in this experiment. We want to see Goofsder succeed offensively, but still be in-line with other major aggressive threats.
  
  
  
• Scauldra + Druppa:
  • Playbook: Removed Boom (and updated level-up plays)
  
  
  
• Sefren + Zephyre:
  • Playbook: Removed Boom
  
  
  
• Skibble + Skorock + Boldlur:
  • Playbook: Added Boom
  
  
  
• Sprecko + Surgus:
  • Playbook: Added Toppler, including to level-up plays. Boom is now a friendship-only play.
  
  
  
• Turogue, Turtaneer, Tortanchor:
  • Playbook: Added Boom, including to level-up plays.
  
  
  
• Conjarr:
  • +Body DEF: 110 (from 63)
    
  • -Mind DEF: 63 (from 110)
    
  • Playbook: Added Eruption and Mind Read. Removed Boom. Adjusted level-up plays to include better offensive options.
    
    Conjarr fits into the game's balance very strangely, offering a huge variety of utility without a particularly defined role or specialty. Our initial changes didn't respect its unique design and we are bringing it closer to how it was before. That said, analytics from the last bash showed this Beastie underperforming, and we want to see them offer more value in their role. We are giving them easier access to strong attacking options with the intention of making them easier to use casually.
  
  
  
• Yamyth:
  • Playbook: Removed Relentless, and updated level-up plays to better incorporate Boom.

These changes are currently available for testing on the Experimental Branch, only on PC. After testing these changes and making other modifications, we will roll changes out to all players.


[h2]Introducing a new Field Effect, Quake![/h2]

• Quake: Volleying to your ally deals 25 damage to that ally, and reduces the amount of Quake by 1. Quake also lowers by 1 at the end of your offense.

Quake has been added to replace all splash damage in the game (ie. secondary damage done to allies via moves like Explosion, Bang, and Mindfield, as well as the Echo trait). Splash damage in general has been the cause of many of the game's most unintuitive interactions with respect to how Beasties are wiped, points are scored, etc. It makes it easy to force opponents into unplayabale and unfun situations where both of their fielded Beasties are WIPED. And because splash damage scales with damage dealt to the initial Beastie target, it gave players a way to deal high amount of damage to ally Beasties that otherwise would resist their attacks, invalidating many defensive matchups. It never quite felt right or made sense, and it was time to do something a little more interesting.

Quake provides similar utility to splash damage (it often deals damage to Beasties that are allies of the one you targeted). However, it puts more power in the hands of the team that has had Quake applied to them, giving them the option to avoid damage by taking fewer actions instead. It's another tool that can be used by stall-focused teams to slow down the pace of the game and build up damage through means other than direct offense. It also offers more direct counter-play into teams that heavily rely on frequent passing or increasing their action count, strategies which have emerged as more popular than others over time.

We're eager to see what players can do with Quake and to get their feedback on this experimental new mechanic.

[h2]Info Guide[/h2]
We've added a new menu purely for explaining game mechanics in a simple, readable format. This guide includes detailed reference information on different FEELINGs and Field Effects. It's available from your phone menu as well as during any sport match where no time limit is set, and it replaces some of the more dry and inaccessible NPC dialogue that we previously relied on to convey the details of some game mechanics. In future updates, we intend to add images to some guide sections so it isn't all just text.

[h2]Bigmoon Bash Prizes[/h2]
The game will now account for your past Bash results and award you with in-game rewards based on your performance. You can collect these rewards by opening SportNet.

[h2]Etc[/h2]

• Added a "copy to clipboard" button for Team Codes in the Team Setup > View/Edit Details menu
  

Many story encounters have been modified in accordance with below balance changes. In general our intention was to make use of new play and trait changes without affecting the game's overall difficulty balance. Final boss fights in the post-game Expedition mode have had their difficulty notably adjusted with the intention of making each Boss more equally threatning (some were overperforming and some were unerperforming).

[h2]FEELINGs[/h2]

• Wiped: Introduced a new RUSHED RECOVERY mechanic. Generally, anytime WIPED is cured by counting down to 0, Beasties fully restore their stamina. This recovery is now reduced by 10 STAMINA for each stack of WIPED above 1 on the Beastie if they recover earlier than they would naturally. So a Beastie recovering with 2 stacks of WIPED will restore to 90 STAMINA; 3 stacks to 80 STAMINA, and so on.
  
  The intention of this change is to reduce the effectiveness of some methods of recovery that circumvent the downsides of being WIPED OUT too easily, such as Team Chant and Torch Pass. WIPED is a special status in the game and any amount of this Feeling applied to a Beastie should be relevant.
  
  
• Tender: Beasties that are TENDER are now prevented from feeling TOUGH. If a Beastie is already TOUGH, TENDER does NOT remove the feeling.
  
  This small change adds some more usefulness to TENDER, which hasn't seen much use and is outclassed by many other Feelings.

[h2]Plays[/h2]

• (NEW!) Rumble: Support play that applies 2 Quake to opponent’s field. Makes the user 1 angry.
  
• Explosion: No longer deals damage to the entire field. Instead applies 2 Quake to opponent’s field, and 1 Quake to your field.
  
• Mindfield: POW reduced to 35 (from 45). No longer deals damage to target’s ally. Instead applies 2 Quake to opponent’s field.
  
• Bang: No longer deals damage to target’s ally. Instead applies 1 Quake to opponent’s field.
  
• Updraft: Costs 40 STAMINA to use (from 34).
  
  Players have discovered many uses of Updraft that give a lot of value with very little drawback. This tweak gives opponents greater opportunity to limit how many times the play can be used, introducing more effective counterplay.
  
  
• Juggle: Now shifts its user sideways.
  
  This change means players need to plan a little more in order to make effective use of Juggle. Previously, the move was too easy to use in too many circumstances, giving players great benefit without any drawback.
  
  
• Dump: Target now always get an easy receive.
  
  Dump has been a little too easy to use, and difficult to play against. This adds a slight drawback to one of the strongest and most-used attacks in the game. It also better reflects the move as a simulacrum of a setter-dump in real volleyball.
  
  
• Bounce: POW increased to 80 (from 50). Now auto volleys to the target’s ally.
  
  Bounce was previously too similar to Careful Shot and Slice, without offering any interesting distinction. There also was no solid attacking option for Beasties hitting sideways using Body POW. This adjustment gives Bounce more of a unique niche, and indirectly buffs Goofsder, a Beastie that has been underperforming.
  
  
• Soulcrusher: POW reduced to 110 (from 120).
  
• Vigor Beam: POW reduced to 125 (from 135).
  

[h2]Traits[/h2]

• Echo: No longer deals damage to target’s ally. Instead applies 1 Quake to opponent’s field.
  
• (NEW!) Welcoming: +40 Stamina to your ally as they Tag In. This is now Bongus’s recessive trait as it no longer gets Crafty.
  
  Crafty was seldom used and not very effective on Bongus, whose POW stats are overall lackluster. This trait better cements their role as a strong pivot and supporting Beastie.
  
  
• Performer: Boost to DEF increased to x1.5 (from x1.3).
  
  Surgus and Plumask, two Beasties with this trait, have been somewhat underperforming. Our intention is to give these two more of an edge and make them more viable relative to other Beasties.
  
  
• Tireless: Removed from the game! Seakit now has Hunter, Scrubbub and Grubiron now have…
  
• (NEW!) Momentum: 1.3x damage just after moving or tagging in.
  
  Tireless was not a very well designed trait. In the vast majority of circumstances, it was entirely useless. And when it was useful, it was overwhelmingly effective to the point where it had no interesting counterplay. Our intention is to offer these Beasties options that are more generally useful and better convey their theme.

[h2]Playbook Changes[/h2]

• Slide: Added to Goofsder
  
• Rumble: Added to Tortanchor, Boldlur, Shloom, Demolipede, Millimine, and Yamyth
  

[h2]Stat Adjustments[/h2]
In general, since our last patch, Mind offense has been dominant in PvP. One of our overall goals with these changes is to bring the game to a more equitable balance where Mind attackers aren’t more effective than others.

On Saturday we ran the very first Bigmoon Bash, a timed in-game event where players could matchmake against one another! We saw 557 participants play a total of 4,958 matches - the average player played about 18 games, with a median of 11. (!)




1. Dino (Bash Score: 3525)

2. Bolimar (Bash Score: 3354)

3. Arc Tech (Bash Score: 3225)

4. Wavewhyse (Bash Score: 3106)

5. ArtemTotem (Bash Score: 3105)

6. Sami (Bash Score: 3068)

7. SillyAshley (Bash Score: 3011)

8. Rutabaga (Bash Score: 2925)

9. ? (Bash Score: 2924)

10. Patatin (Bash Score: 2903)


We went into detail on the most-used and least-used Beasties on our official blog - check it out for all the extra details!

Thanks to everyone for making this event a success - we'd like to do more soon. :)

On Saturday, January 18 from 9AM to 9PM PST, Beastieball will see its first Bigmoon! During Bigmoon events, coaches can join a Bigmoon Bash to challenge opponents from all around the world.

Players of all skill level are invited! All you need to do to participate is to play the game on that day and join the Bash on SportNet! SportNet is typically unlocked within the first 2 hours of your adventure, after beating your first Ranked boss. And if you aren't confident in your own Beastie team, you can use a randomly generated one instead - just go to Team Setup and set "Random Team" as your current team.

During the event you'll have a Bash Rank, which will improve based on your performance. In future updates, you'll receive in-game rewards based on your participation, such as Social Battery and Sports Points.

[h2]Here are the official rules for matches during this Bigmoon:[/h2]
All Beasties are allowed
First to 2 Points wins
Standard time limit on move selection
No Undos allowed
Relationship Combos are disabled
All Beasties are set to Level 50

This event is a Beta test - we've never run a timed online event before! We'll be monitoring players' experience, feedback, and any technical issues that may arise.


[h3]Why is this event for such a limited time?[/h3]
Although our community is incredibly energetic, it's also very small - we simply do not have the number of concurrent players it takes to support prolonged matchmaking events. By having a narrower time and date to play together, we can make sure more of our small community comes together at the same time to play. If players enjoy this event, we'll be able to scale the length of events up or down as needed to ensure that players always have a good experience.

[h3]This time isn't convenient for me.[/h3]
We chose the specific day and time window based on periods when the game naturally experiences the highest number of concurrent players. If this beta event performs well, we'd be open to hosting future events at other days & times!

[h3]Why are games to 2 points instead of 3?[/h3]
We're aware many community members who play competitive PvP prefer 3-point matches. However, with the convenience of open matchmaking, we've found that 2-point games have a much more satisfying pace. It makes landslide victories and miserable defeats a bit more tolerable, as you get to quickly move on to the next opponent. This also means you get to challenge more diverse opponents, and get points for your Bash Rank more quickly. It also greatly reduces the time that the average player spends waiting in queue for matches, since eligible opponents are entering the queue more often. For players who want longer, more focused 1-on-1 matches, you can always find an opponent in a Private Lobby or in fan-organized tourneys.

[h3]Why are Undos disabled?[/h3]
The ability to undo your actions is an amazing convenience in the single-player adventure, but poses a large problem in PvP. With Undos disabled, every time a player makes a choice, they are committed to it, which means we can communicate their action to their opponent and let the opponent see their choice right away. With Undos enabled, any choice a player makes can be undone, so we can't let the opponent know their choices until they've selected all their actions and ended their turn. In practice, this adds many minutes of dead time during every match where you're waiting for your actions to replay for your opponent so that they "catch up." This significantly slows the pace of games.

[h3]Why aren't Relationship Combos allowed?[/h3]
Relationship Combos are another feature which is fantastic in single-player but dreadful in PvP. There are roughly 10,000 unique relationship combo plays in the game and, frankly, they are NOT balanced. If allowed, combo plays would be very centralizing and would often determine which player has the advantage. From a team building perspective, it would be tiresome to try to develop specific relationships amongst your Beasties in order to get access to certain overpowered combos and gain a competitive advantage. We think the game in PvP is simply more fun without this particular system. However, if you disagree, you can always make your own Private Lobby and set the rules to enable these if you like.