The Battle Simlulator Showcase
Explorers!
We've been hard at work solidifying our tier list but we wanted to share with you some of the battle simulation results that we've seen thus far!
We are so fortunate to have a really cool battle simulator that models every 1v1 matchup in the game and helps us to get a clear impression for who can confidently win different matchups. We're hard at work on some mind maps that showcase the various move orders and how we come to some of these conclusions, but for today we're just going to stick with what we know:
What changed after patch 1.9 and who are the best one versus one matchup creatures in the game?
Let's take a look and cover some explanation.
The Two Towers Meta
For nine patches, this sauropod fan has been waiting for some legitimate contenders at the top of the arena, and we finally have them. Unfortunately, we still wouldn't call them meta-defining.
What they lack in damage, they make up for in sheer health. Both Geminititan and Ardentismaxima are truly forces to be reckoned with, requiring a lot of turns to defeat, but while they win nearly every 1v1 matchup, they really don't leave you with much after. And having something after is important.
When a Trykosaurus or a Thoralodosaur beats you and still has an instant move, it can take a large chunk of health out of your next dino as well. But with kits that are focused on slowing (decelerating impact and decelerating rampage paired with immunity means you can't be counter-slowed), it also means you tend to be slower out the gate.
This makes both of the two towers (as we so kindly call them) excellent closing dinosaurs -- and not as great openers. Still, there is no doubt that they have a place on any team. Beating 98% and 95% of the creatures in the game in a straight 1v1 is nothing to scoff at.
Indoraptor Gen 2 is primarily a force to be reckoned with because of the combination of cleansing moves in cautious strike and mutual fury. Adding immunity to stun and distract to both Indoraptor and Indo G2 may have limited the ways you can beat them both, but slowing Indoraptor is still the way you destroy it. Only, two of Indo G2's moves actually BENEFIT from being slowed down.
Looking at the move selections, Indo G2 generally uses cautious strike against an opponent UNTIL they slow it down and then use mutual fury and a big definitive rampage to destroy it (or just a definitive rampage if both aren't necessary). This is extremely damaging because what else can you use to stop a dino that breaks shields, kills cloak, destroys armor, can't be distracted, can't be stunned, and ENJOY's being slowed? Not a whole lot. Having two cleansing moves (one of which is always available) makes Indo G2 supremely better in a 1v1 basis than Indoraptor.
There are a bunch of immune dinosaurs that benefit greatly from immunity being rebalanced. Particularly, the following all received much needed health and damage boosts and it shows in the top 20:
- Magnapyritor got her groove back with a health boost that makes her relevant in a bigger way.
- Procerathomimus was apparently given god-like powers.
- Ardontosaurus got a massive damage buff that put it below but still within striking distance of the two towers.
- Erlidominus got even more damage and is now the silent dracoceratops killer.
In a meta exemplified by immunity, these immune monsters show us what they're made of in 1v1 matchups. The two towers should also be on this list but we discussed them above already.
This is also the first time in a while that new dinos have been so strong right out of the gate.
- Smilonemys has that insane 50% armor going for it.
- Indo Gen 2 comes in 2nd for 1v1 matchups
- Indominus Rex Gen 2 comes in 8th due to the insanity of Mutual Fury and the highest 3 turn combo in the game.
- Brontolasmus is a beast that no one is talking about, and exemplifies what we sort of wish had been done with ceratopsians.
- Phorusaura is sneaky powerful with Instant Rampage and Rampage and Run -- replacing what Dilorachierus used to be.
- Carbotoceratops is also an underdog force to be reckoned with -- if any of us could find the carbo to carbo-load.
In Conclusion
There's a lot to like about this new meta. Even the top dogs (sauropods) are somewhat balanced by being slow and unable to really sweep a team (unless they're overleveled and overboosted).
And while we still think Carnotarkus is all hype (as it exemplifies something that beats a ton of stuff 1v1 and immediately dies by the next setup dino) we'll continue to debate the prospects and keep hard at work on that tier list (which we hope to have for you VERY SOON).
Stay tuned Explorers.
