Dear CEOs,

The dev notes on the renewal of the combat equation and a few other abilities will be further explained below.

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1. Combat Equation Improvement

The damage output uses a very complicated equation using the attacker and defender’s various variables. The damage output also varies by a huge margin due to where the variable is placed in the equation, and which abilities are interacting with each other or in synergy with each other.

Before the renewal of the combat equation, basic stats excluding ATK, DEF, EVA, and HIT were referred to as secondary stats. These secondary stats were irregularly placed in the equation, making them extremely difficult to handle.

With the renewal of the combat equation, we have categorized every stat in CounterSide into groups 1, 2, and 3, as well as refined rules on the timing calculation of damage reduction and various other situations.

▷ Damage Output Equation

Below is the equation for the final correction value of the damage, NOT the final damage itself. We used the correction value to make the overall explanation not too complicated for the readers.

• The total value of damage reduction inside Brackets {} including defense reduction % is capped at 80%.
• The total value of damage reduction inside the square brackets [] is capped at 50%.
• The maximum Role DISADV DMG DEC is 100% (= No Role ADV).
• Fixed damage: If the DMG RES value inside the Brackets {} is 1 or less, it will correct itself to 1.
• Extra Stat: Special stats that are used in a specific battle environment, such as PVE. (e.g. Barrier DMG debuff, etc.)
• With the exception of Sure CRIT, the maximum CRIT rate is 85%.
• With the exception of Sure CRIT, CRIT will not apply when the target evades.

Rather than renewing and integrating the original stats, we decided to renew the existing equation rules, select stats that will be buffed and organize the equation within a practical boundary.

Stat variables that were unorganized due to a series of multiplications, such as DMG RES, special skill DMG variations, ultimate skill DMG variations, and AoE DMG RES are now integrated into Group 2 stats, allowing Group 2 stats to cancel themselves. Original DMG RES Suppression, DMG RES Penetration, and DMG TLRNC (Tolerance) will be calculated in Group 1, and do not influence Group 2 stats.

The maximum value for Group 1 and Group 2 is 80% and 50% respectively. Therefore, in theory, the final correction value for maximum DMG RES will increase more than before the renewal. Still, this value will be offset by DMG increase or by DMG Taken AMP, allowing us to find more efficient solutions.

Below is the list of stats categorized into three different groups.

(The arrow, →, indicates the stat moved from one group to another.)

Role ADV DMG stats were previously in Group 1 and included a maximum DMG RES cap at 80%. In addition, these stats were used to adjust the fundamental 30% Role ADV DMG, all of which caused a lot of illusions. After the renewal, the Role ADV DMG INC stat has been moved to Group 3 to make the value independent, and since this value is used as an adjustment for the Role ADV DMG, the final damage dealt to the Role ADV DMG will be much stronger now.

2. Ability Improvement

▷ CC RES

The original CC RES was used to reduce the duration of abilities categorized as [debuff]. Just like skill haste, it ran on a logarithmic formula. Hence, when the CC RES reached 100%, the actual resistance was about 50%, making the overall efficiency of this ability drop when the value of CC RES increased.

Therefore, other than to counter stun, silence, and sleep, this ability’s value was low, and unless it was extremely high, it was also difficult to increase the value of CC RES itself through an equipment’s sub-stats.

To make this ability more meaningful, it will be renewed like so:

• Now the resistance value will not be calculated through a logarithmic formula, but through a simple addition with the value capping at 80%.
  • The value of CC RES will greatly increase compared to before.

• RES Rate not only decreases debuff duration but also a debuff ability’s rate simultaneously.
  • If 50% CC RES is applied to [50% ATK decrease for 10 seconds]:
    • Before: 50% ATK decrease for 6.67 seconds (Actual RES rate 33.3%).
    • After: 25% ATK decrease for 5 seconds.
• The value of CC RES can be negative (capped at -100%), and if CC RES goes negative, debuff duration and ability rate will increase.

With the changes made to CC RES, we believe this ability will be used more effectively to counter debuffs. In addition to the buff to CC RES and the changes to the calculation of CC RES, sub-stats for this ability on equipment will also change. The number will drop taking into account the changes in both duration and debuff ability rates, the renewal of the RES rate formula, and the effect on debuffer units.

As an example, a fully tuned T6 Maze Equipment with a CC RES sub-stat and its effect are listed below.

■ Incoming Healing and Healing Reflux

Currently, if the value for incoming healing decreases and accumulates over 100% on a unit, the healing will reflux and will cause HP to decrease. Originally, healing reflux existed as an independent ability, but because it was not defined clearly, it was intermixed with incoming healing decrease.

This intermix did not cause any issues in the gauntlet or in similar circumstances. However, there were instances in high-level PVE, in which healing patterns led to units accumulating incoming healing over 100%, or in which debuff immunity was essential in order to create a new healing-pattern enemy.

To develop content of different levels and unique units with their own specialized characteristics, rules regarding incoming healing and healing refluxes will change like below:

• A new ability, “Healing Power”:
  • The healing amount will increase in ratio with the caster’s healing power.
  • This includes healing abilities cast on oneself.
• Incoming healing decreases and healing power cancel each other:
  • Total heal amount = Incoming Healing * (1 + Healing Power – Incoming Healing decrease).
• Incoming healing decrease will never go below 0.

Units and ships that originally had close to 100% incoming healing will not aim for healing reflux anymore but will counter the opponent’s HEALING POWER instead.

3. Changes in the Safety Zone in the Gauntlet

The safety zone is defined as an area where the ship takes damage instead of the units.

The safety zone was designed to allow the defensive side to cope with the incoming opponent’s units. Its function is to protect the tower class units or deploy units at the very end to pull the frontline, but initially, its main function was to provide a last line of defense that was highly appreciated.

However, through the years of service, new tower class units were added to the game, some of which were very powerful. Unless we decide to stop making tower class units, we thought it would be impossible to change the meta just by individual balance change.

With this update, the minimum deployment location point of the units in the gauntlet will change.

However, the overall field area for a deployed unit to move around will be the same as before, so units going behind the safety area due to knockback or an opponent entering inside the safety zone will stay the same.

After this update, we expect a few changes in gauntlet strategy and meta.

We will keep a close eye on plays that target the ship directly since this is not something we intended.

We will do our best to provide our CEOs with a great gaming experience.

Thank you.