JWA Patch Notes 3.2: Creature Feature!

So new notes, and that means new creatures and new buffs! We are getting a total of 8 new creatures, with 6 of them being Omega, which isn't that thrilling if I'm being honest, but at least there are some other exciting creature changes to go with them. So let's break it down!

Yutyrannus is an Omega

Moveset:

• Group Fierce Strike
• Roar
• Alert Critical Rush (level 6)
• Ferocious Restore (level 11)
• Critical Escape (level 16)
• Alert Fierce Rampage

So to kick us off, let's look at the posterchild for the update: Yutyrannus. However, to be honest, it doesn't look all that great. Roar and group fierce strike aren't bad along with alert fierce rampage. And this is all paired with ferocious restore. However, there's a problem. In order to unlock the rampage, you have to unlock the on escape. And this is the problem. You can just swap out and force your opponent's Yutyrannus by swapping yourself and only taking a bit of damage as a result, which could even be an advantage if you have a creature with a counter like Megalotops or Diplovenator. Also, the swap in is just a worse version of Giganotosaurus's swap in. So my hopes aren't high for this guy.

Homalocephale is an Omega

Moveset:

• Bulwark
• Group Resilient Impact
• Swap in Heavy Charge (level 6)
• Bellowing Impact (level 11)
• Head to Head (level 16)

Next up is a creature with a little more promise. Homalocephale looks like it was designed with the omega raptors in mind with Bulwark being the best way to work around pounce and bite. And with swap in heavy charge, you have a decent shot of swapping on Fukuiraptor unpunished. Bellowing impact and group resilient impact are great resilient tools, and head to head looks like an interesting option to take down Clever Girl. And once again, we have an omega with one less move, which is nice to see diversity within the rarity

Masiakasaurus is an Omega

Moveset:

• Thievish Strike
• Instant Dodge Impact
• Swap in Ambush Rend (level 6)
• Fade Away (level 11)
• No Escape Rend (unlocked at level 16)
• Weakening Decimate and Run (unlocked at level 21)

Masiakasaurus is looking interesting as a hit and run kind of creature. You have good ways of increasing your attack, doing some priority damage, healing up, and also you can pivot really well with an act last running ability, which is nice to see. However, the swap and no escape abilities aren't as amazing due to the fact they rely on rend, which many creatures resist or, in the case of some big omega like Megalania, are immune to. However, with a kit like this, we need to wait on the stats and resistances before a final verdict can be said. 

Rativates is an Omega

Moveset:

• Offensive Stance
• Shattering Triple peck
• Counter Dual peck (level 6)
• Jab and Weave (level 11)
• Shrill Victory on Escape (unlocked at level 16)
• Frustrating Rending Takedown (unlocked at level 21)

Rativates is the first ornithomimid rig we have had in a long time, and it is nice to see them come back. This Omega seems to really specialize against flocks with its multiple attack abilities. At level 6, you can do 5 separate hits in one turn. However, luckily it seems these hits will not be doing a full amount of damage. However this Omega looks like it has great potential with a good kit and great ways of dealing damage and dodging hits. However, we need to wait on the stats for a creature like this to be certain, but hopes are high. 

Olorotitan is an Omega

Moveset:

• Protect the Herd
• Ferocious Assisted Rampage
• Rampage Intervention (unlocked at level 6)
• Counter Vulnerability Strike(unlocked at level 11)
• Group Invincibility on Escape (unlocked at level 16)
• Herd Sentinel (unlocked at level 21)

Now Olorotitan is looking to be my personal favorite of the omegas this time around thanks to its unique hybrid style because while it will do well in PVP, it also has great usage in raids too. You have a basic attack that dodges, increases armor, and shields. You have a rampage that also increases damage available turn 1, then another rampage at level 6 that shields and heals you. You gain a full counter that induces vulnerability for 4 attacks instead of 1 like on Andrewtops, and a better on escape compares to something like Ankylos Lux. And herd sentinel is an insanely good move in both raids and pvp. Based on other Hadrosaur stats and other omega resistances, Olorotitan should trample the raptors and other cunning omega with ease. 

Geosternbergia is an Omega

Moveset:

• Ferocious Flying Strike
• Fierce Impact
• Swap in Dive Ready (unlocked at level 6)
• Gnawing Rampage (unlocked at level 11)
• Divebomb (unlocked at level 16)
• On Escape Dive Ready (unlocked at level 21)

Geosternbergia is the last Omega released this patch, and this is the fierce omega that can compete with the 93 Rex that people were hoping Yutyrannus would be. Ferocious flying strike is a great strike ability and fierce impact is a good start to capitalize off of that. Then you start to get wild with the abilities after that. Next up is swap in dive ready, which is basically swap in cloak. You can then use this swap in to increase the damage of Gnawing Rampage or the insanely powerful Divebomb. And if you try to run on this pterosaur, it has on escape dive ready, which is basically on escape cloak. Unfortunately the cloaking effects probably don't stack, so don't get your hopes up for a 7.5x Divebomb. 

Pantherrator is a Unique Superhybrid made from Thylacotator and Panthera blytheae

Moveset:

• Determined Strike
• Shredding Wound
• Evasive Hunt
• Floating Double Strike
• Hunt On Escape
• Swift Wounding Swap In
• Piercing Nullification
• Tier 5 Reactive: After each action phase (if opponent damage reduced) Target highest HP
  opponent: Rend 25% target’s max HP, bypassing Armor.

Ludia is evil for this one after buffing Thylos Intrepidus so everyone would blow all their Marsupial Lion DNA. However, this shows that there is no Megalotops hybrid with Panthera blytheae, however looking at the kit, you can tell it probably was originally supposed to be Megalotops. To start off, we have determined strike, which is arguably the best strike in the game being able to do so many different effects all at once. You also have the defensive and offensive evasive hunt, allowing this unique to shrug off any fierce hits and then get ready for some big damage. Then you have the option of using shredding wound for tanks like Geminideus or floating double strike for fierce like Tyrannometrodon. If you try to run on this unique, you have hunt on escape. Meanwhile, you have swift wounding swap in to deal a good amount of damage to pick something off, even if it hides behind dodge like Clever Girl. And you also have the best counter attack in the game now because nothing can block it outside of absorb. And finally, the reactive is interesting. While yes you can gain a follow up 25% rend to any creature after a strike for example, be careful because you will take 2 separate counter attacks for both hits. However, this unique may struggle as a cunning due to the next and final new creature of the patch. 

Nomingia is a Nonhybrid Unique

Moveset:

• Instant Devious Strike
• Critical Sidestep
• Cunning Devious Impact
• Cunning Decimate
• Critical Counter Strike
• On Escape Rampage
• Tier 5 Reactive: At end of turn (if dealing critical damage) Target Self: Heal 25% max HP.

Oh boy this guy looks crazy. Nomingia is the first non-omega creature to have a different critical boost multiplier than the standard 125%. What is it? I don't know/ However, what I do know is that if the stats are decent at best, this unique is going to be an absolute beast and could potentially end the fierce meta all by itself. Devious strike is a good move, but having priority is pretty good as well in case you are slowed. Cunning sidestep is a good defensive option if you need to quickly regain the upper hand. Cunning devious impact may not cleanse bleed or remove ferocity, but its another good tool to soak hits and deal damage. But the main way of dealing damage as Nomingia is through cunning decimate. You also keep opponents on the field with on escape rampage while dealing even more damage with that critical counter strike. However, the thing that ties this all together is the tier 5 reactive, which is probably the best reactive-creature combination in the game. Now something like Atrocimoloch wouldn't mind this, but it wouldn't really be all of much help with that low critical hit chance. However, Nomingia is dealing a critical hit every time it survives a hit. So every time it deals a counter, it is also healing 25% of that hp stat back up. And remember, it has that different critical boost multiplier, and I fear it could be over 125%. And if this thing is basically dealing 150% with each critical hit, then that's insane. This is the creature to really look out for. Well, the NEWEST creature to look out for. 

In its threatened state, Alert Buff and Strike ability now increases Critical Chance by 50% instead of 25%.

So now onto the buffs. Contrary to what the early release said, there are actually 7 buffs, however 2 of those are incredibly minor, so let's get into it.

The first two can be lumped together. Now when threatened, Archaeopteryx and Argenteryx will have a 50% critical hit chance when they use their strike. Is it going to increase their viability? Not really. I mean Archaeopteryx will live in the tiny shadow of Preondactylus. Argenteryx will still be a pain in the rear in an epic-only format, but both still struggle with omegas.

In its threatened state, Survival Instinct now increases armor by 25%. 

In its secured state, Survival Instinct now increases armor by 15%.

Leading Charge now cleanses distraction.

Speaking of Omega, let's look at Diabloceratops. Now normally I'm not a fan of buffing the Omega. However, this change I can get behind as it's obviously done to help with the raptors that are just so frustrating. More armor and cleansing distracting with leading charge will help Diabloceratops take them down. Will it become one the best omega in the game? Well maybe because it needed a way around distraction, however I wouldn't bet all my money on it.

• Decelerating Rampage becomes Resilient Group Rampage
• Cleansing Strike becomes Instant Defense Shattering Strike
• On Escape Lockdown becomes Disarming Lockdown On Escape
• Health: 3600 to 4050

Scutophicyon has seen better days back when it was first released and creatures like Eremoceros and Coelhaast were top legendary picks. Now it lies in the shadow of Rexy and Thylaconyx. Unfortunately, it still probably will, but at least it can now work better in this meta thanks to the added priority as well as a tool to hit flocks, which it struggled with upon release. It may be better in advantage, but it definitely isn't going to shake up the tournament format. 

Decimating Telson now has a Delay of 1 instead of 2 and a Cooldown of 3 instead of 2.

• Damage: 1600 to 1650
• Health : 4050 to 4250
• Speed : 109 to 115
• Damage Reduction Resistance: 0% to 25%

Next up is Alacranix, and let's just say my white pants are white no longer. This thing is going to wreck house. The decimating telson change alone would've done a lot, but now you're also packing distraction resistance and a counter with an attack buff. If you're hit with a distracting impact at base stats, you still do over 7000 damage in 2 turns, with the only ability stopping decimating telson being absorb. And then you have more levels and boosts as well. For example, at level 30 with just 15 attack boosts, decimating telson alone does over 8600 damage, and that's not including the rampage or necrotic impact. And to top it off, you have the speed buff. Watch out, because this apex went from zero to hero.

• Lesser Group Heal becomes Rampage Intervention
• Decelerating Counter added
• Damage: 1000 to 1100
• Damage Reduction: 0% to 50%
• Speed Reduction: 0% to 50%
• Taunt: 0% to 50%

However, you think that was a zero to hero, this last and final buff is the greatest one of all. This might be the biggest shift in viability for a rare ever. Tenontosaurus was dead last for sure. Like Alacranix you could make a case for it not being dead last as an apex, but Tenontosaurus was below the majority of commons even it was that bad. And while you could also say that about Irritator, Irritator is actually solid in raids with its multiple group buffing moves while Tenontosaurus saw no raid usage either. But now, this is about to change. Tenontosaurus has alright bulk, but now with rampage intervention, you not only gain a way to deal damage, but you also heal and gain a shield. But to increase that output even more, you gain 50% distraction resistance, 100 extra attack, and a decelerating counter, which then also pairs nicely with the deceleration resistance Tenontosaurus got. I know people will dread rare tournaments as it's just an omega ensemble with Albertosaur, but I wouldn't mind breaking out Tenontosaurus and giving it a spin because now it has something many rares don't have these days: a shot.

• Tip the Scales now deals 1.5x damage to opponent with most positive effects
• Group Distraction becomes Group Distracting Rampage
• Nullifying Counter added
• Damage : 1000 to 1100
• Health : 4500 to 4800
• Distraction Resistance: 0% to 50%
• Armor Change Resistance: 0% to 50%

This buff looks crazy. I am already in the works on a whole article dedicated to this change and how it might be able to really shake up the legendary meta. For now, know that it's pretty good, and may be on par with Tenontosaurus as the biggest buff in the patch.

Those are all the new creature changes and additions. I am super pumped for the Skoolasaurus and Tenontosaurus buff. Alacranix is going to be a nightmare and isntantly become a staple of teams. As for the omegas, I have my eye set on Olorotitan and Geosternbergia. And Nomingia could bring all of the fierce to their knees. However, make sure you wait until the update before jumping the gun. Don't want to dump a bunch of attack into Tenontosaurus only for them to goof you. However thanks for reading and stay tuned for future articles.