Minion Masters News

Minion Masters!



We've got a large overhaul to one of our oldest masters, Volco, coming in Version 1.18. Here's a sneak peak at the new Volco:

Basic Attack
Unchanged

Perk 1 - Burn the Bridges
Add the card Burn the Bridges to Volco's deck.

Burn the Bridges
Both bridges get covered in flames, dealing damage to ground Minions.
Mana Cost: 2
Card Type: Spell
Damage: 200
Duration: 5 seconds

(Functionally the same as the current Burn the Bridges, but now costing 2 mana, up from 0)

Perk 2 - Tempers Flaring
Summon an Ember of Flame every 15 seconds on a random bridge. When a friendly Melee Minion picks up the ember, all nearby friendly Melee Minions gain Rage

Rage
+50% Attack Damage

Ember of Flame
Pickup Radius: 1
Effect Radius: 8

(Embers spawn on your side of the bridge)

Perk 3 - Tempers Burning
Ember of Flame now gives Berserker's Rage instead

Berserker's Rage
+100% Attack Damage. Also self inflict 10% of attack damage

Developer Comments:

For a while Volco has been directed a lot by his perk 1, pushing him into this Spam Master identity. This was never really the intention, as Volco's identity is supposed to be Aggressive, brutish and very much a fighting Master. The Afterburner perk was supposed to give him a tool to put some pressure on the opponent master, allowing him to be more aggressive. However, it has proven that the effect was far too strong which resulted in him being relegated to simply dominating the bridges (with help from perk 2) and spam killing his opponent from a far - Quite the opposite of what we want Volco to really be.

Veteran users will remember the days before Rage was set to 50% where Volco was all about getting to that 3rd perk and destroying your opponent with superior brawling power. This is the style we are trying to get back to with this rework.

By making the rage dependent on the bridge we are hoping to gear Volco into an aggressive track in which he minions are far stronger in offense, rather than in defense. Adding the 100% Berserkers rage should make his perk 3 quite significant again, however the 10% self damage should help make it slightly more manageable to deal with these highly explosive minions.

Ultimately we're hoping this design will help Volco return to his true Identity, as well as removing a play style that has been very frustrating to play against.

It's been a blast playtesting the new Volco behind the scenes, and we can't wait for him to hit the Live servers next week. Let us know what you think!


We've also got a selection of other card balance changes coming in version 1.18;

Healing Fireball

• Healing is now split among friendly Minions.
  
• The spell will try to split healing as evenly as possible, but will not "overheal" units. If there are two minions with 100/200 hp, and 100/400 hp, the first Minion will heal for 100, and the second for 300.
  
• Developer Comments
• Healing Fireball simply provided too much value for its mana cost in push-oriented decks, exponentially becoming more powerful the more units it affected and rendering some spells completely ineffective as a countermeasure, or making trades far too valuable after the fact. Nerfing the numbers of the Spell would simply put it in a state where it's either dominant with how much value it provides or too bad to consider running, so we're opting for a rework to how the healing is applied.
  

Restless Dead

• Mana Cost 3 -> 4
  
• Developer Comments
• We wanted to take a moment to explain why this nerf didn't come sooner. We were first made aware of how explosive Restless Dead really was just a few days before the release of Version 1.17, which ended up being dangerously close to the patch deadline and would have more than likely affected the Xbox Certification process, and delayed the patch as a whole.
  
• We weighed our options and decided against hotfixing it so we could try a new mechanic on the PTR that could hopefully be incorporated as a balancing measure in the future, but the results weren't satisfactory. We've shelved that idea for now, and while there are still interesting options for Restless Dead on the table, we're opting to go with this change for now and revisit it later.
  

Screaming Scrat

• Mana Cost 2 -> 1
  
• Health 100 -> 15
  
• Add Barrel Shield (Includes the reduced movement speed effect)
  
• Damage 130 -> 30
  

Zeppelin Bomber

• Attack Cooldown 3 -> 2
  
• Damage 100 -> 70
  

Empyrean Army

• Requires 5 Unique (non-Wild Carded) Empyrean Cards in your deck to activate
  
• Developer Comments
• This is a change we've wanted to make for a while, as the intention has always been that a significant portion of your deck needs to meet the Empyrean theme for the effect to activate. The usage of Wild Cards would somewhat defeat this goal, hence the change.
  

These are just a small selection of changes coming in Version 1.18. As always, let us know what you think!



BadAsAFish has signups for another 2v2 tournament open right now! Signups are closing on the 26th for this Double Elimination multi-day event, so if you're looking for competitive Minion Masters action with a friend, this'll be the tournament for you!

This is a global Minion Masters 2v2, Double Elimination, Best of 3 (Finals are Best of 5), Multi-Day event. The tournament will start on the 28th of September, and you will be given 3 days to play each round at your convenience. Please note that this is a global tournament, open to players of all time zones.

1st: $50.00 ($25 each) + 3 Big Dwarf Packs Each (900 Rubies + 45 Power Tokens)
2nd: $25.00 ($12.50 each) + 2 Big Dwarf Packs Each (600 Rubies + 30 Power Tokens)
3rd: $15.00 ($7.50 each) + 1 Big Dwarf Pack Each (300 Rubies + 15 Power Tokens)
4th: $10.00 ($5.00 each) + 1 Big Dwarf Pack Each (300 Rubies + 15 Power Tokens)
5th - 8th: 1 Dwarf Pack each (1500 Gold + 3 Power Tokens)

https://www.toornament.com/en_GB/tournaments/4022691033885106176/information

Cheers from BetaDwarf!

Minion Masters!

[h3]Discord Account Migration[/h3]


We're able to share some more about the process of Account migration we'll be offering with Version 1.18 for Discord users.

(Previously we discussed that support for the Discord version of Minion Masters will be ending with the new update due to concerns about the game's stability - Check out the post here if you'd like to read more.)

With the patch, when you launch the game through Discord you'll be given a 6 digit code that's unique to your account. When playing on Steam, you'll be able to select a "Migrate Discord User" option in the Menu where you can enter the code to start a one-way operation that replaces the account you're playing with on our server with that of the Discord account.

If you own DLC on the Steam account, but not on Discord, you'll unlock the content once you've transferred your progress.

However, if you already own the DLC on Discord, you will not receive them a second time for your account, even if you purchase it from the Steam store. We cannot flag your account as having purchased the DLC, so the option to buy it will still be there even though you won't get anything from it.

Note that we are not responsible for any incorrect or accidental account transfers that happen as a result of you accidentally sharing your code. Don't transfer your account while streaming, and recheck your Steam credentials to make sure you're logged into the correct account before migrating. Keep your code safe!

Version 1.18 will be releasing on the 29th of October. If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to us at the usual places, or via [email protected].

[h3]Halloween decorations are live today![/h3]


The arenas are getting spooky with today's mini-Update! As detailed in last week's blog, all your favourite arenas have a facelift - Have fun with the haunted festivities and let us know which modified arena is your favourite! And get ready for a huge DLC sale on the 27th, and that special free shop offer on Halloween itself!

[h3]Mountain Gale in action![/h3]
Last Friday, we showcased the new Mountain Gale card on our Update Site. This week we figured we'd showcase a sneak peek of it in action:



(We'll start including GIFs of the new cards in our weekly Newsletters. If you haven't already signed up, make sure to do so and be the first to see previews like this!)

[h3]BadAsAFish80's Minion Masters Tournament 1v1 #16[/h3]


BadAsAFish is back at it again with another multi-day tournament, with a $100 prize pool and an invitation to the Sinobii Battleground Invitational up for grabs!

It'll be starting on October 19th, so you've still got time to sign up if you want in. Earn some experience playing competitive Minion Masters games, and engage with our awesome e-sports community!

https://www.toornament.com/en_GB/tournaments/4003556989281189888/information

Cheers from BetaDwarf!

Minion Masters!



It's that time of year again, Masters, which means it's time for us to bring out the pumpkins and douse the Arenas in those spooky lights - We're bringing back the Halloween decorations from last year!

• ALL your favourite arenas have been given a special seasonal look!
  
• The elusive Pumpking Puff will be available in the store.
  
• Free Halloween-exclusive shop offer on October 31st, packed with goodies!
  

We'll also be having big discounts on all Minion Masters DLCs from the 29th to the 2nd, so it'll be the perfect opportunity to pick them up if you hadn't already!

Have a sneak look at Jadespark Jungle's makeover! Which arenas are you most excited to play in with the seasonal decorations?



The decorated arenas will be landing next week on the 15th!



The time for the third and final Season Pass of the Nightmares expansion is coming soon, and so are its reveals! We'll be revealing the first card this Friday on our Update Site, so don't forget to stop by, check it out, and enjoy a cool Stoutheart breeze!

Cheers from BetaDwarf!

Minion Masters!

[h3]Minion Masters on Discord[/h3]


We have some important news to share about the status of the game on Discord. In recent months we've been concerned about the stability of the platform in regards to the game, with users experiencing difficulties related to the platform itself that we can't resolve. While we expected this to happen eventually as Discord had officially ended support for game distribution, they occurred a lot sooner than anticipated. As such, we're making the call that starting with Version 1.18, we will no longer support the Discord version of Minion Masters.

We don't want to just switch off supporting the Discord version of the game without offering any alternatives for everyone playing through the platform, however, so we're working on a system to allow you to migrate your account progress from Discord to Steam. We'll have more news on how this will exactly work in the coming weeks, but the basic concept is that it will be a one-time ability to replace your existing Steam account's progress with that of your Discord's. This can be any steam account of your choosing, so if you want to keep your Steam account's progress as well, you'll be able to do so by simply making another account. We currently cannot offer merging the two accounts together due to technical limitations.

None of this will affect our Discord Server - Just the ability to play the game through Discord. We'll still aim to be as active as ever on there. By slimming down on our available platforms, it also enables us to free resources to focus on the core game itself with more features and fixes than we could have done before. Thanks to everyone that's joined us through the Discord version of Minion Masters, and we're hoping you'll continue to join us for the future of the game.

Please note that we cannot offer this to users on the Xbox or Steam platforms at this point in time that wish to move their accounts to another platform, this service is only for Discord players at this time.

[h3]Nightmares Fan Art Contest Winners![/h3]
We had an absolutely phenomenal turnout for the Nightmares Fanart Contest! In fact, there were so many incredible entries, we had no choice but to increase the total amount of winners to Five, and the prizes accordingly! Take a gander at the victors of the contest, voted by our users:

Click on an image to see it in full resolution!

5th - SpiritAlpha#8801

4th - NyraPetreski#5907

Joint 2nd - Noranatori#1548

Joint 2nd - chilienka#8822

1st - Chloette#1127

A huge thanks to everyone that entered - We hope to see you at our next contest!

[h3]Treasure Vault in the Shop on October 3rd[/h3]
Don't forget - You'll be able to pick up the Treasure Vault in the in-game shop with a special 20% Discount due to a recent error where it was priced at 100,000 Rubies by mistake. If you haven't bought it before and you've got a pile of gold laying around, now's the perfect opportunity to show it off!

Cheers from BetaDwarf!

Minion Masters!


The hero of the Empyreum, Valorian, has landed in the arenas starting today!

Dawn Marshall Valorian is the wearer of the legendary Armor of the Sun and the supreme commander of the Chapter of Light. He is the greatest soldier in the Empyreum. A superhuman warrior enhanced by the light, powerful beyond mortal reckoning and tempered by centuries of war. He is a shining beacon for his people and the greatest hope for the survival of the Empyreum.

[h3]To celebrate the release of Valorian, we've made a special post on Imgur detailing his development process. Check it out here![/h3]

Basic Attack: Valorian uses his heirloom blade for a slow but powerful attack.
Damage: 40
Cooldown: 2 seconds
Range: 10
+5 damage for each Empyrean card in hand.

Perk 1: Holy Light
Valorian heals up to 5 injured friendly Minions for 15 health.
Cooldown: 5 seconds

Perk 2: Searing Light
Add the card Searing Light to Valorian's deck.
Searing Light - 1 Mana Spell
Valorian does 5 attacks in an area, each attack targeting a random enemy Minion.

Perk 3: Divine Light
Double Valorian's Damage as well as Healing from Holy Light.

You can get access to Valorian through Tier 6 of the Premium Season Pass, Tier 49 of the Free Path, or unlock him instantly through the All Masters Upgrade DLC! If you unlock him via the DLC and obtain him from the Free Path afterwards, you will be refunded 300 Rubies.

Also comes with 2 new cards:



The Season Pass will end on October 29th.


Border Patrol

• Mana Cost 6 -> 5
  
• Mana Freeze 1 -> 2
  

Bridge Shrine (REWORK)

• No longer passively generates XP
  
• Increased decay rate during Mana Frenzy removed
  
• Mana Cost 4 -> 3
  
• Duration 45 -> 60
  
• Now generates an additional XP every time you gain XP from the bridge in the same lane as Bridge Shrine
  
• If Bridge Shrine is placed in the center of your arena, only one bridge will be affected. There is a visual indicator that points towards the relevant bridge.
  
• Developer Comments
• Bridge Shrine has been a problematic design for quite a while. While the card wouldn’t see a lot of success in regular gameplay, strategies involving it would feel uninteractive to play against, and the card was utilised far more effectively in Competitive gameplay due to the more control-orientated metagame. In general we felt the card just wasn’t fun to play around, too. We hope that with this redesign Bridge Shrine can be involved in far more active strategies that rely upon you to aggressively fight over a bridge, rather than passive rely on it as your primary source of XP.
  

Gor’Rakk Sacrifice

• Duration 5 -> 4
  
• Now only targets minions you control. (Does not affect allied minions in 2v2)
  
• Developer Comments
• Much like with our changes to Lone Scout and Lone Wolf, we want to make this card more usable in 2v2 gameplay, as well as give it a general buff.
  
  

Grasping Thorns

• Radius 2.5 -> 3.5
  

Illusory Cleaver

• Mana Cost 1 -> 2
  
• Damage 10 -> 30
  
• Now has Voidborne Wound: Reduce cost by 1
  
• Developer Comments
• This change serves two functions. Firstly, we wanted to find a way where we could restore Illusory Cleaver’s 30 damage value, as the card just wasn’t seeing any effective usage beyond bridge grabbing since it was changed. Secondly, with the new Illusory Dragon releasing this patch, we were having difficulty tying it to the existing mechanic without it being a straight downgrade due to the small damage values.
  

Jungle Jumble

• Mana Cost 6 -> 5
  
• Now only creates Minion cards
  
• Can no longer give you the same card more than once
  
• Developer Comments
• We felt Jungle Jumble needed major changes in order to be effective, as it would put you significantly behind in the game no matter what the mana cost was, and getting Zen-Chi spells from the card wasn’t good enough since the addition of Growthburst Shrooms, as you would lack the bodies to effectively utilise them.
  

Mar’Dred, Prince of Nightmares

• Now cancels his attack if the target dies during it
  

Sugilite Shield

• Mana Freeze 2 -> 1
  

Void Altar

• Now spawns the first Soul immediately
  
• Developer Comments
• Void Altar was simply too slow of a card, offering no immediate value, making it very easy to push into as soon as the card was played. While it’s still a significant risk to play the building, the immediate soul should enable you to get the board presence required to stay in the game.
  

[h2]Slitherbound Reworks[/h2]

• As there are a number of reworks relating to the Sacrifice mechanic in this patch, we’re grouping them together.
  
• The main goal with these changes is to significantly buff the Sacrifice mechanic in general. Currently the reward for incorporating Slitherbound synergies into your decks just isn’t good enough, both due to the steep costs and the lack of viable cards that can utilise the effect. While we hope these changes will be enough to make the faction relevant, we intend to monitor it closely and adjust as necessary going forward.
  

Sacrifice (Mechanic)

• Now only Sacrifices the amount of Slitherbound necessary for the card’s effect
  
• For instance, Slithering Summons can’t sacrifice more than 6 Slitherbound, and Rabid Prowler will only sacrifice 1 Slitherbound.
  

Empowered Soul Stealer (REWORK)

• Rage activator removed
  
• No longer spawns with base souls
  
• Now has Sacrifice: Gain 1 Soul for each Slitherbound Sacrificed.
  

Gambler’s Ball (REWORK)

• Faction Empyrean -> Slither
  
• Chance of firing both spells is now 0% at base
  
• Now has Sacrifice: Gain a 20% chance to fire both spells for each Slitherbound Sacrificed.
  
• Developer Comments
• Gambler’s Ball was a card that proved difficult to balance, and equally frustrating to play against. At lower chances of firing both spells the card wasn’t seeing much play, but since it was buffed its unpredictable nature made it feel like a very “cheap” card to go up against. We hope that with this change we can make the card’s powerful effect feel much more controllable and expected, but require setup to achieve its powerful results.
  

• The Now It’s A Party! Adventure relic has been changed to summon Stoutheart Cards. Previously it would only summon Minions, which led to some bugs.
  
• The Twitch Memotes have returned in this patch's Tri-Team Tourney!
  

• Fixed Black Hole still resetting targets.
  
• Fixed Deck Slots breaking after Page 17 - Thanks LordJulius!
  
• Fixed Wheel of Doom missing some of its sfx.
  
• Fixed a visual bug with Stormbringer’s ready animations.
  
• Fixed Spirit Infusion missing its Accursed Ascension description in other languages.
  
• Fixed Mythic units having the Mordar Resurrection indicator.
  
• Fixed Masters facing away from the camera in the post-game screen.
  
• Fixed Mordar’s second perk in Adventures still referencing Frenzy.
  
• Fixed Raging Reinforcements using the old Warrior art.
  
• Fixed the notification of unclaimed rewards being missing.
  
• Fixed an issue with the Shadowbringer skin’s stun animation.
  
• Added missing search tags for some Expansions - Thanks Jackeea!
  
• Fixed the Jahun description being broken in German.
  
• Fixed Xiao Long missing a Fear symbol.
  
• Fixed the Fear symbol being inside of Mar’Dred when he was affected by it.
  
• Fixed Shadowbringer attacking from the base of the Master tower.
  
• Fixed Jade Flingers being absent from the placement preview of Jadespark Watchers.
  
• Fixed Blaze Volco using the default Volco’s ragdoll.
  
• Fixed some clipping issues with the Mar’Dred avatar in 2v2.
  
• Fixed Scott not having a placement preview.
  
• Fixed Morellia disappearing if you went to the Shop while queuing.
• Fixed Bridge Buddies’ activation counter not decreasing if you lost a bridge.
  
• Fixed a prototype Stoutheart card being summonable by the Now It’s A Party! Adventure relic.
  

Cheers from BetaDwarf!