Once Human’s team followed up on the December 23 Combat Deviation Skill System overhaul with emergency fixes after live combat data showed several Deviations dealing far more damage than intended and some core mechanics misbehaving.
The changes target Deviations that were meant to synergize with firearm builds and a handful of mechanics such as Lonewolf’s taunt, Pyro Dino’s Explosion, and control bindings. For context on the original overhaul, see our coverage of the December 23 update here.
Starry Studio reduced the base boost coefficients that inflated damage for firearm-synergy Deviations, and applied immediate fixes for several battle skill and ultimate damage values and taunt/skill interaction bugs. They also listed a set of ongoing issues they are still investigating.
Patch Notes
Follow-up on the Updated Combat Deviation Skill System
Dear Metas,
The “New Combat Deviation Skill System” updated on December 23(PT) includes a significant amount of combat content updates, aiming to deliver a comprehensive combat refresh experience and enhance the fun of Deviation combat. Due to the extensive changes, even after multiple rounds of tests, many newly added and iterated modifications were not fully covered in real online combat environments. This led to numerous issues beyond design expectations after yesterday’s update, prompting us to implement emergency fixes. Here’s a detailed explanation:
1. Fixed Deviation damage value issues
Fixes implemented:
1) Fixed the Butterfly’s Emissary Battle Skill damage issue.
2) Fixed the Lonewolf’s Whisper Battle Skill and Ultimate damage issues.
3) Fixed the ZapCam Battle Skill damage issue.
4) Fixed the Pyro Dino Battle Skill damage issue.
5) Fixed the Soul Summoner damage issue in specific dungeons.
Issue Causes and Fix Explanations:
All the above issues stemmed from Deviations designed to synergize with firearm builds. We intended for Deviation skills to trigger Meta’s firearm Crit Hits and additional Keyword Effects, greatly enhancing the fun of combining different weapons and Deviations. However, during final testing, we did not fully cover characters at varying Evolve stages, leading to skewed data conclusions and subsequent announcements based on them. After the version update went live, combat data monitoring revealed that some Deviations’ damage output far exceeded expectations. Excessive damage not only disrupts the current combat system but also reduces the viability of other Deviations, necessitating prompt online fixes.
After identifying the issue, we held careful internal discussions and decided to retain the mechanic while reducing the base coefficient of the boost, preserving the synergy fun between firearm builds and Deviations while attempting to restore values to a normal range. We will continue monitoring online combat data and make ongoing balance adjustments to meet your expectations for Deviation power while maintaining diversity, ensuring every Deviation has a chance to be chosen and shine.
We have thoroughly reflected on and reviewed the recent issues, and disciplinary actions have been taken against the responsible internal team members. We sincerely appreciate every Meta’s feedback and supervision. We will take this as a lesson to enhance the rigor of our development process and ensure the quality of our online content.
2. Fixes for Deviation mechanics issues
Fixes implemented:
1) Fixed an issue where the Taunt effect of the Deviation “Lonewolf’s Whisper” only applied upon activation. Now the effect persists as intended.
2) Fixed an issue in non-RaidZone Modes where Pyro Dino’s [Explosion] skill behaved abnormally and Battle Skills couldn’t be used during Ultimate abilities.
Ongoing fixes:
Currently, we are urgently investigating and resolving additional reported issues, including:
1) Some stationary Deviations cannot be controlled via the mouse middle button.
2) Incorrect vulnerability type applied by Zapamander.
3) Deviations attacking Metas or allied objectives under certain conditions.
4) Some Ultimate abilities of Morphed Deviations (e.g., Chaos, Lunar) still display non-Morphed models.
5) Butterfly’s Emissary projectile trajectory deflection.
We’ve acknowledged these issues and are actively working on fixes. Detailed reproduction methods submitted via in-game customer service are greatly appreciated.
Issue causes and fix explanations:
Classic Deviation mechanics like Pyro Dino’s [Explosion] and Lonewolf’s Whisper’s [Taunt] were fully retained in the new system, but implementation logic changes initially prevented proper functionality. These were prioritized for immediate post-launch fixes. We deeply appreciate your prompt reports and address such issues as top priorities.
We sincerely apologize for oversights in design/testing that led to unintended Deviation adjustments. We commit to continuously optimizing existing experience issues to balance fun and fairness, promptly announcing critical fixes via notices. Your feedback remains invaluable. Please report issues through our Co-Dev Feedback Platform: https://www.oncehuman.game/grfkpt/.
Once Human Development Team
Follow the game and report bugs on our channels X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.
Source: Steamcommunity
