This is a smaller balance change that focuses mostly on Ryu & Akuma. Their versatility, along with their low cost abilities gave them little to no downsides. The cost of particular abilities have been increased to match their utility in combat.
Ryu (Street Fighter)
Leader
Ryu has by far the best ability utility in the game. With the low cost of certain abilities, it just meant he could respond to any threat he faced. From the opponent’s view, the combat became a guessing game. If you guessed wrong you were punished. We want to allow some prediction in the way Ryu’s plays so opponents may be able to out play a Ryu player with educated guesses. Also, hit combo power was way too high. While we like when combos happen, the frequency at which those combos occur was too high.
Hadoken
The Hadoken was easy to burn at such a low cost while chipping away at the opponent with no repercussions. As such the cost has been increased to match its power.
- Normal EP Cost increased from 2 -> 4.
- Super EP Cost increased from 3 -> 5.
Shoryuken
The Shoryuken was never meant to be such an offensive tool. It is fast and cheap. It was meant to be used reactively and defensively. The cost and startup time have been increased to encourage proper use of the ability.
- Normal EP Cost increased from 4 -> 5.
- Super EP Cost increased from 5 -> 6.
- Normal Shoryuken startup time increased by ~122%
- Super Shoryuken startup time increased by ~70%
Akuma (Street Fighter)
Leader
Akuma is strong. We like that. He’s the glass cannon we wanted him to be, but right now he is a rapid fire cannon with stagger abilities. His abilities lock down opponents for too long making your match feel unresponsive. We want to keep his strength and utility, but bring down his one-sided gameplay.
Gohadoken
This is an extremely cheap and fast ability that stagger the opponent and leaves them open for even stronger follow up such as Goshoryuken or Super Gohadoken. The cost has been increased to match the effectiveness of the ability.
- Normal EP Cost increased from 3 -> 4.
- Super EP Cost increased from 3 -> 5.
Anhadoken
While the damage this ability give is lower than Gohadoken, the utility of the ability is much higher given that in addition to the stagger, the beginning of the move can dodge projectiles. The cost has been increased to match the effectiveness of the ability.
- Normal EP Cost increased from 3 -> 4.
- Super EP Cost increased from 4 -> 5.
Super Mode
- Super Mode ability could be activated while the owner was being damaged. This allowed the activation to be used defensively, and we feel Super Mode activation should be a preemptive or aggressive choice and not a reactive one.
- Super Mode cannot be activated while being damaged by the opponent.
- Known issue: The Super Mode icon does not dim while being damaged by the opponent.
Bugs
- Multi-hit Defensive projectiles will properly interact with Strikes abilities.
