Patch 1 is Here: Read the Full Changelog

Generals,

Patch 1 is live on Steam. It focuses on the points where almost all of you agreed: more gold on Casual, faster leveling for heroes and spells, fewer stars to unlock content, and fixes for the stages and towers that caused the most friction.

Below you'll find every change with its exact values, plus a short note on why we made it.

AT A GLANCE

• Casual: you earn 20% more gold per enemy.

• Heroes need 40% less XP to reach level 10.

• Spells need 25% less XP to reach their top level.

• 15 unlocks need fewer stars on Steam. Drakkan drops from 80 to 54.

• New

  New tower spots near the exit on stages 7 and 10, and gentler early waves on stage 3.

• Royal Catapult, Dwarven Culverin and Ironbark Treant are cheaper and hit harder.

• Rhodes and Rain of Fire get buffs.

• Fixed

  Fixed Bolin's Mine Field behavior.

• Classic Rush: cheaper skills, and every upgrade available on Impossible.

• More than 50 bug fixes.

ECONOMY

BUFF Casual: you earn 20% more gold per enemy (×1.2, rounded per enemy). Enemies worth 2 gold (Crow, Spiderling, Skeleton) are unaffected and pay the same as before.

CHANGE Normal, Veteran and Impossible are unchanged.

Why: Running short on gold was one of the most frequent complaints on Casual. Casual is the way in for players who want to enjoy the story and the stages, so it gets more gold to build with.

Hero XP

Total XP needed to reach each level. Level 10 now takes 40% less.

Level | Before | After | Change 2 | 1,000 | 1,000 | - 3 | 4,500 | 4,000 | -11% 4 | 10,500 | 8,500 | -19% 5 | 19,000 | 15,000 | -21% 6 | 30,000 | 22,000 | -27% 7 | 45,000 | 30,000 | -33% 8 | 64,000 | 40,000 | -38% 9 | 88,000 | 52,000 | -41% 10 | 120,000 | 72,000 | -40%

Why: Heroes played only through the campaign were finishing it around level 8. The new curve aims for level 10 by the end of the campaign, including the heroes you unlock along the way, so trying a new hero doesn't mean falling behind.

Spell XP

Total XP needed to reach each level. The top level now takes 25% less.

Level | Before | After | Change 2 | 6,000 | 6,000 | - 3 | 16,000 | 16,000 | - 4 | 36,000 | 32,000 | -11% 5 | 72,000 | 56,000 | -22% 6 | 120,000 | 90,000 | -25%

BUFF Spell XP multiplier in game modes: Iron ×1.5, Blitz ×1.25.

FIX Spell Rush: spell XP multiplier set to ×1.1.

Why: Spells follow the same idea as heroes: the ones you unlock later catch up faster.

Star unlocks on Steam

15 unlocks now need fewer stars. Listed in unlock order.

Unlock | Before ★ | After ★ | Change Malik | 28 | 26 | -2 Gold Prospectors | 30 | 28 | -2 Rhodes | 40 | 32 | -8 Ignus | 58 | 38 | -20 Alchemist Shack | 46 | 40 | -6 Gnome's Shop | 48 | 46 | -2 Illiana | 66 | 48 | -18 Gemina | 54 | 53 | -1 Drakkan | 80 | 54 | -26 Thunder Zapper | 62 | 57 | -5 Sentry Watchtower | 64 | 58 | -6 Wintersong's Wrath | 68 | 59 | -9 Oni | 70 | 60 | -10 Aspect of Sol | 72 | 62 | -10 Ashbite | 84 | 64 | -20

CHANGE Impossible difficulty now unlocks after completing stage 18 in Campaign, on any save slot.

Why: Finishing the campaign with 3 stars on every stage (54 stars) now unlocks everything up to Drakkan. The last few unlocks, Ashbite included, stay as goals for players who take on the extra modes.

Stage 3 (Campaign)

CHANGE Eased some of the toughest waves, mainly early ones with too many Crows or Shadow Blades.

CHANGE Adjusted enemy mix and pacing in other waves to keep total gold income about the same.

Stage 7 (All modes)

BUFF Added 1 tower spot near the exit: 11 → 12 spots.

Stage 8

BUFF Adjusted the path grid so it's easier to block enemies with Reinforcements.

Stage 10 (Campaign)

BUFF Added 1 tower spot near the exit.

BUFF Unblocked one of the back-line tower spots.

Stages 11, 15 and 16

FIX Adjusted the grid near the exits so enemies can be attacked while they're still visible on the path.

Why: Some of stage 3's early waves put too much pressure on you for that point in the campaign, and stage 10 had a high defeat and restart rate. The new spots near the exits on stages 7 and 10 give you room for a last line of defense.

Royal Catapult

| Lv 1 | Lv 2 | Lv 3 | Lv 4 Cost | 110 | 170 160 | 240 220 | 310 290 Damage | 12-18 14-20 | 30-44 32-45 | 52-78 | 80-120

Total cost to Lv 4: 830 780

BUFF Secure the Area cost: 150 / 100 / 100 → 120 / 100 / 100

NERF Blazing Ball cooldown: 30 → 35

Dwarven Culverin

| Lv 1 | Lv 2 | Lv 3 | Lv 4 Cost | 130 | 170 180 | 260 240 | 340 310 Damage | 9-13 10-14 | 21-30 25-33 | 41-55 45-59 | 66-86 70-90

Total cost to Lv 4: 900 860. Level 2 costs 10 more; levels 3 and 4 cost less.

BUFF Sulfur Blast damage: 66-86 / 108-148 / 156-218 → 70-90 / 115-155 / 165-225

BUFF Sharp Pellets armor reduction per hit: 3% / 5% / 7% → 4% / 6% / 8%

NERF Fiery Fumes now triggers every 6 → 7 attacks.

Ironbark Treant

| Lv 1 | Lv 2 | Lv 3 | Lv 4 Cost | 140 | 180 | 240 230 | 320 300 Damage | 6-9 8-12 | 14-21 19-29 | 26-39 33-50 | 40-60 50-75

Total cost to Lv 4: 880 850

BUFF Nature's Hand cost: 300 / 100 / 100 → 200 / 100 / 100

BUFF Gnarly Roots cost: 180 / 100 / 100 → 150 / 100 / 100

BUFF Hay Fever cost: 150 / 150 / 150 → 150 / 100 / 100

FIX Nature's Hand no longer fails when its target is gone.

FIX Fixed its idle animation loops.

Why: These towers cost too much to build up for what they delivered. Upgrades are cheaper and damage is higher at every level. Blazing Ball and Fiery Fumes trigger a little less often to keep their overall power in check.

Gerald

BUFF Inspire Courage can now be used while Gerald is fighting in melee.

FIX Fixed his helmet's position.

FIX Tutorial: adjusted the drag check when moving Gerald.

Bolin

CHANGE Mine Field now lays its mines well ahead of Bolin on the path, toward incoming enemies, instead of around or behind him.

CHANGE Mine Field isn't used when an enemy is already close.

FIX Smoke Mortar now hits the foremost enemy.

FIX Smoke Mortar is no longer used during cinematics.

Rhodes

BUFF Movement speed: 32 → 40

BUFF Health: +20 at every level (180 → 200 at level 1, 405 → 425 at level 10).

BUFF Sunbeam cooldown: 10 / 9 / 8 → 8 / 7 / 6

BUFF Sunbeam damage: 28-42 / 40-60 → 32-48 / 56-84

CHANGE XP per Sunbeam cast: 10 / 20 / 30 → 8 / 15 / 21

BUFF Twisting Top I and II damage per tick: 10-15 / 10-15 / 12-18 → 12-18 / 12-18 / 16-24

Rain of Fire

BUFF Meteor damage: 30-45 → 36-54

BUFF Meteor radius: 60 → 70

BUFF Unstable Core damage: 20-25 → 24-36

NERF Engulfing Flames slow: 50% → 40%

FIX Meteors always land on the path, and now cast a growing shadow as they fall.

Why: Rain of Fire should reliably wipe out a group of Shadow Archers, even on Veteran.

CLASSIC RUSH

BUFF Impossible: towers have all their upgrades active, regardless of the stage.

BUFF Lower skill costs:

Tower | Skill | Before | After | Total Rangers Hideout | Poison Arrows | 250 / 250 / 250 | 250 / 200 / 200 | -100 Rangers Hideout | Wrath of the Forest | 300 / 150 / 150 | 250 / 150 / 150 | -50 Musketeer Garrison | Shrapnel Shot | 300 / 300 / 300 | 250 / 250 / 250 | -150 Holy Order | Shield of Valor | 250 | 200 | -50 Holy Order | Holy Strike | 220 / 150 / 150 | 200 / 125 / 125 | -70 Arcane Wizard | Death Ray | 350 / 200 / 200 | 300 / 150 / 150 | -150 Sorcerer Mage | Polymorph | 300 / 150 / 150 | 250 / 100 / 100 | -150 500mm Big Bertha | Dragonbreath Launcher | 250 / 100 / 100 | 200 / 100 / 100 | -50 500mm Big Bertha | Cluster Launcher | 250 / 150 / 150 | 200 / 150 / 150 | -50 Tesla x104 | Supercharged Bolt | 250 / 250 | 200 / 200 | -100

BUG FIXES

Fixes for Gerald, Bolin, Ironbark Treant and Rain of Fire are listed in their own sections above.

Stages

Heroes, towers and spells

• Arcane Forger: no longer uses its second skill on spots enemies can't walk on.

• Archer tower: its second skill's effect now carries over correctly when the tower is upgraded.

• Connor: moving him no longer interrupts his ultimate.

• Cursed Crossbows: the ultimate no longer loses its bleed and poison immunity.

• Gemina and Illiana: their ultimates now detect enemies along the path more reliably.

• Gnome's Shop: can now be summoned on terrain that's valid for flying units; adjusted its taunt volume.

• Ignus: fixed a bug that could permanently raise his movement speed if he walked before flying.

• Royal Edict: upgrading a tower just as the buff ends no longer permanently lowers that tower's damage.

• Royal Edict and Light Priestess: fixed a rare timing issue with their effects.

Enemies

• Troll Crusher: its cooldown now resets after use, and its attack is slightly delayed after being stunned.

• Frost Brute: instant-kill effects now check correctly when it gains or loses armor.

• Gargoyle: no longer becomes invulnerable after being polymorphed.

• Necromancer: skeleton summoning now resets correctly after being stunned.

• Troll Jumper: fixed effects not being applied or removed correctly, and its shadow animation restarting.

• Troll ice patches are now drawn further back in the scene.

• Changed

  Adjusted where hits and effects land on several enemies, including the Rider Goblin and enemies facing the camera, and the position of the sniper mark.

Gameplay and progression

• Changed

  Spells can no longer be cast after a stage is won. This let you earn XP after the game had already saved.

• Changed

  Spell buttons no longer show XP progress for spells that don't earn XP.

• Changed

  Play Pass: fixed a rare case where the hero and spell order changed in the middle of a stage.

• Changed

  Explosive damage modifiers are now calculated correctly.

• Changed

  Freeze effects now wear off correctly.

• Fixed

  Fixed cases where some high-priority effects weren't applied or removed correctly.

Interface, visuals and audio

• Fixed

  Fixed a rare zoom error in stages and on the map.

• Selecting wave flags now focuses the first flag.

• Fixed

  Fixed visual issues on the level select and victory/defeat screens.

• Fixed

  Fixed idle animation glitches on several units.

• Holding Alt on the splash screen no longer skips the intro.

• New

  Added sound variations in the Armory and a voice-over for the stage 14 building; adjusted several sound effect volumes and the Tower Room click sound.

• Text fixes, including Lethal Focus and the gold info on items.

Thank you for every review, comment and bug report. We'll keep reading and adjusting.

See you on the battlefield,

The Ironhide Team