While Killer Instinct’s Kan-Ra will certainly be the main focus for players when he is released next week, the update that makes him playable will also extend balance changes to the existing cast members. These range from simple bug fixes to other adjustments that will further affect gameplay and, in turn, competition.
After finishing up their live stream this morning, Microsoft creative director Adam Isgreen took to the Ultra-Combo forums to provide a full rundown of the system and character changes that will go into effect on Monday, November 24. You’ll find this entire list below, so peruse it at your leisure and get ready for the tweaks the update will bring.
System Changes
- Characters are no longer allowed to perform an ender right after activating instinct mode.
- Sweep attacks are now unbreakable and cannot be counter broken from.
- Some characters had gratuitous windows for Heavy Manuals after Heavy Linkers. These are a bit tighter now.
Jago
- Linker Shadow Wind Kick is now projectile invulnerable just like the neutral version.
Sabrewulf
- Fixed a bug that caused Wulf to face the wrong direction if he was throw at a certain point during his dash.
- Fixed a bug that let your opponent break you during Feral Cancel in some neutral situations.
- Fixed an overlapping manual/double window on Heavy Leap Slash linker, causing people to get a manual when they expected a double.
- Fixed a bug that was adding extra delay after the super flash during Shadow Eclipse before the move became active.
Glacius
- Glacius is no longer vulnerable during Instinct Activation.
- Fixed a bug that caused Glacius to get “crossed up” by Maya’s Mantis while he was crouching, which got him hit when he shouldn’t have.
Thunder
- Fixed a bug that allowed Thunder to tech out of throws during Call of Sky.
- Linker Shadow Triplax has armor now, just like the neutral version.
- Fixed a bug that prevented Thunder from using the Lv3 Call of Earth ender with the Light or Medium buttons.
Sadira
- Fixed a bug that caused Sadira to experience her special landing frames when scoring a counterhit jumping attack after a Web Cling.
- Fixed a bug that caused Sadira to land farther away from her opponent after a Heavy Recluse Linker if you held the Medium button instead of the Light button.
Orchid
- Juggle Firecat projectiles have more knockback on them.
- Shadow Uppercat does less damage.
- Air Throw does less damage.
- Grenade explosion hitbox size reduced about 25%.
- Fixed a bug that let Orchid Counter Breaker out of Shadow Uppercat in some situations.
- Performing an air throw after an opener Shadow Uppercat now counts as an opener, so performing a juggle ender right after this will count as opener-ender and be breakable.
- Fixed a bug that caused Orchid to not fall correctly during an air throw attempt.
- Fixed a bug that allowed Orchid to tech throws during Grenade Toss.
Spinal
No bones to pick with this hard-headed fellow this time.
Fulgore
- Linker Shadow Blade Dash is now projectile invulnerable just like the neutral version.
- Fixed a bug that caused your inputs to reverse after a Shadow Plasmaport into the left corner.
TJ Combo
- The linker version of Shadow Flying Knee comes out a bit faster so that it can combo off of light manuals now.
- Use of Vortex/Cyclone in a combo (non-linker version) adds additional KV.
- Fixed a bug that caused Heavy Spin Fist Linker to act slightly differently when coming from Light or Medium buttons.
- Fixed a bug that allowed him to tech throws while attempting a Shoot Toss.
- Fixed a bug that caused Counter Hits with Tremor to play the wrong reaction.
- Fixed a bug that caused TJ’s stage ultra to slow down if used after Auto Barrage.
- Fixed a bug that caused TJ to get stuck when performing Powerline into Shadow Flying Knee into a Counter Breaker.
Maya
- Shadow Spirit Slicer now launches standing opponents, but will get all five of its hits much more reliably.
- Temperance and Vengeance separate more violently after Emnity Strike or Shadow Spirit Slicer
- Mantis does less damage when used as part of a combo and can no longer cash out damage.
- Mutli-hit normal attacks now build a more appropriate amount of shadow meter.
- Fixed a bug that let Maya use Shadow Spirit Slicer without holding both Daggers.
- Fixed a situational bug that allowed Maya to perform whiff cancels into special and shadow attacks.
- Fixed an issue that caused Maya’s Mantis and Tumble Kick to break Glacius’ instinct armor even on block/miss.
- Fixed a bug that prevented Maya from starting an Ultra if she opened a combo with Axe Kick.
- Fixed a bug that caused Maya’s daggers to go missing if she was grabbed by certain characters after throwing homing Emnity Strike.
- Mantis hits are now counted by the combo counter.
- Fixed a bug that let Maya instinct cancel out of her lv4 Launcher Ender.
Additionally, Isgreen mentioned that they will soon be providing an option for players to upgrade to Ultra Edition, which will allow them to get their hands on new content and other bonus material sooner. This won’t be open forever, however, so be sure to take advantage of this offer while it’s available.
Kan-Ra will join the Killer Instinct cast for Ultra Edition owners on November 24, with a later release for Combo Breaker packages scheduled for November 30. More details can be found in Isgreen’s official post.
Source: Ultra-Combo