The Experimental queue is back! Hop in and try out the new Test Feature: Grounded String Leniency.

This patch also includes new Balance changes, Gadgets and Maps from all Game Modes now available in Training Mode, and other bug fixes & quality of life improvements.

Check out the full notes below and click here to learn all about the Brawlhalloween updates for this patch.

Tune into our Dev Streams on Twitch or YouTube nearly every Tuesday and Friday, at 1pm ET, and follow us on Discord, Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook to keep up with all the latest news!

Live right now and available for 3 weeks, there’s a new Experimental Queue with a new Test Feature: Grounded String Leniency. 

This feature adds a 15 frame delay after leaving stun where touching the ground won’t grant the landed dodge cooldown. This keeps strings that drag the opponent to the ground from being too easy to escape after a dodge punish.

This would enable interactions such as: 

• Sword being able to bounce someone off the ground during a dodge punish without them getting their grounded dodge cooldown back
• Katars being able to Dair someone into the ground as a dodge punish and follow up on it without immediately giving them their dodge cooldown back.
• Greatsword being able to do a full starter, bridge, finisher string as a dodge punish without letting their opponent get their grounded dodge cooldown in the middle of the string, thus dodging out before the finisher.

The goal of this feature is to allow all weapons to get their well earned full 3 seconds of string potential when executing a dodge punish instead of only weapons that happen to string while keeping the opponent airborne.

This patch consists of minor adjustments to a number of key attacks, setting the tone for the World Championship at BCX. Competitors should have a solid footing to practice and bring their best to the world stage following these changes. This marks the balance lock for BCX.

Axe

We have slightly increased the Time to Hit of Axe’s most used grounded attacks to create a wider opportunity to evade or contest these attacks.

• Axe Neutral Light: Increased Time to Hit from 8 to 9.
• Axe Down Light: Increased Time to Hit from 9 to 10.

Battle Boots

Some of the Battle Boots power has been shifted from its grounded kit into some aerial quality of life. The Side Light now has greater Time to Hit to better offset its movement and to open a Dodge Window after certain options. The Recovery attack now has less Recover time on miss to allow for safer use as a movement tool when returning to stage.

• Battle Boots Side Light: Increased Time to Hit from 8 to 9.
• Battle Boots Recovery: Decreased total Recover time on miss from 1 Fixed/29 Variable to 1 Fixed/26 Variable.

Blasters

We have slightly decreased the time between the initial hits of Blasters Side Light to slightly decrease the total duration of this attack on both hit and miss. We have also increased the Damage of Blasters Side Light to increase the average reward of this ranged string starter.

• Blasters Neutral Light: Decreased the time between the two shots from 13 to 12.
• Blasters Side Light: Increased Damage from 12 to 14.

Bow

The Bow Side Light and Down Light now have greater Recover time on miss to allow for a wider opportunity to punish these attacks when used recklessly, especially in scenarios with multiple opponents.

• Bow Side Light: Increased total Recover time on miss from 8 Fixed/19 Variable to 9 Fixed/19 Variable.
• Bow Down Light: Increased total Recover time on miss from 2 Fixed/22 Variable to 4 Fixed/22 Variable.

Chakram

Users could often steer themselves away from their target during the first swing of Fused Chakram Recovery, so we have reduced the steering and adjusted the setup location for more guaranteed knockouts. We have also increased the force of the Fused Ground Pound to better match its relatively soft angle of knockback.

• Chakram Fused Recovery: Decreased allowed acceleration in the backwards direction during the first swing and adjusted the setup location to reduce cases where users could steer themselves away from the target before the final hit.
• Chakram Fused Ground Pound: Increased Force from 53 Fixed/42 Variable to 55 Fixed/44 Variable.

Hammer

The Hammer had potential combos at low health ranges that were overly centralizing to the beginning of stocks, so we have reduced the Stun of Hammer Side Light and smoothed the range of Stun to open a Dodge Window during these lengthy combos.

• Hammer Side Light: Decreased Stun from a range of 26~20 to a range of 25~17.

Katars

Katars would often land a Neutral Light while edgeguarding, but descend during their attacks around a corner, leaving them farther from their target than usual. We have adjusted their movement and gravity during the attack to allow for more consistent followup attacks in these cases.

• Katars Neutral Light: Halts the user’s vertical movement more aggressively during use to provide a more consistent setup location, especially when used near a corner or when performed with a Gravity Cancel.

Sword

We have increased the Force of Sword Recovery to bring the weapon’s knockout potential closer in line with other midrange weapons.

• Sword Recovery: Increased Force from 55 Fixed/40 Variable to 60 Fixed/41 Variable.

Ember

Ember’s Side Katars now has less Minimum Charge time to allow for more responsive use as a punish against pokes and combo starters. We have also increased the Damage and Force of Ember’s Side Bow to better match the lengthy total duration and level of risk.

• Ember Side Katars: Decreased Minimum Charge time from 11 to 8.
• Ember Side Bow: Increased total Damage from 23 to 25; Focused most of the Damage into the final hit; Increased Force from 65 Fixed/52 Variable to 65 Fixed/54 Variable.

Ezio

Ezio’s Down Orb now has significantly greater threat coverage for more reliable use, especially in the air or against a wall. We have also increased the Force for better reward more in line with its total risk.

• Ezio Down Orb: Greatly increased threat coverage near the user; Increased Force of the aerial version from 58 Fixed/41 Variable to 60 Fixed/44 Variable; Increased Force of the grounded version from 65 Fixed/52 Variable to 65 Fixed/54 Variable.

Kaya

We have increased the Minimum Charge time of Kaya’s Side Bow and Neutral Spear to allow a greater opportunity to evade or retaliate against these attacks, especially in scenarios with multiple opponents. Kaya’s Down Spear now has much greater Recover time on miss to allow for easier punishes, bringing the risk in line with its variable timing.

• Kaya Side Bow: Increased Minimum Charge time from 11 to 13.
• Kaya Neutral Spear: Increased Minimum Charge time from 10 to 13.
• Kaya Down Spear: Increased total Recover time on miss from 21 to 25.

King Zuva

King Zuva’s Neutral Battle Boots now has less Recover time to bring its risk closer in line with other similar attacks. King Zuva’s Down Battle Boots now has greater Force to better match its knockout potential with the horizontal precision it requires.

• King Zuva Neutral Battle Boots: Decreased total Recover time from 28 to 25.
• King Zuva Down Battle Boots: Increased Force from 40 Fixed/53 Variable to 40 Fixed/56 Variable.

Mordex

We have increased the Minimum Charge time of Mordex’s Side Scythe to provide a wider opportunity to evade or contest this ranged attack. We have also increased the Recover time on miss for Mordex’s Down Scythe to bring its risk closer in line with its power and utility.

• Mordex Side Scythe: Increased Minimum Charge time from 6 to 8.
• Mordex Down Scythe: Increased total Recover time on miss from 23 to 26.

Reno

Reno’s Down Orb now has significantly less Minimum Charge time for more responsive use when used as an edgeguard or when using it to evade and counter an opponent’s horizontal attack.

• Reno Down Orb: Decreased Minimum Charge time from 10 to 6.

Teros

Teros’ Neutral Hammer now has significantly greater Recover time on miss to bring its risk in line with its high potential reward. We have also reduced the Force of Teros’ Side Hammer and Side Axe to bring their knockout potential closer in line with other similar Signatures.

• Teros Neutral Hammer: Increased total Recover time on miss from 19 to 24.
• Teros Side Hammer: Decreased Force from 75 Fixed/54 Variable to 68 Fixed/51 Variable.
• Teros Side Axe: Decreased Force from 62 Fixed/56 Variable to 60 Fixed/53 Variable.

Training Mode

• Game Mode exclusive Gadgets are now usable in Training Mode.
• New Map list in Training Mode that includes Maps from all Game Modes.

UI

• 3v3 game settings in custom lobbies now have their own unique icon.
• Adjusted the scaling of a Legend in the Battle Pass Colors Unlock popup screen.

Performance

• Made various performance improvements for Super Metal Rayman and Ascended Wu Shang Legend Skins.

UX 

• Fixed a rare bug where players who purchased Gold Battle Pass after already completing the Intro Path could fail to receive the Gold rewards from the Intro Path.

Art & Animation

• Fixed a disconnect between Super Metal Rayman’s hair and head.
• Fixed a visual bug with the Tommy Companion where he could flicker in and out in between different animation states if he was directly below the owner’s Legend player at a great enough distance.

Gameplay

• Fixed a crash that would occur after trying to reconnect to a match featuring the Tommy companion. Would also occur after trying to spectate a match in progress if one of the players was using Tommy.