Riot has released 2XKO patch 1.1.5, and the update is mainly focused on Akali joining the roster, as well as a broad set of changes to the game’s core systems.
The patch also includes Local Duos, replay upgrades, a Spirit Blossom event, and quality-of-life updates, but the most important changes were made to the tag system, parries, meter usage, Break, combo structure, and wakeup inputs.
New champion, Akali
Akali is a mixup-heavy rushdown character, which makes sense, considering she’s an agile assassin. She has lots of options in her game to control the pace and distance: long-range kunai throws, smoke bombs that allow her to teleport and enable a whole slew of followups, and various methods to engage. Her aerial game is also unusually strong, which could create some headache for her opponents.
As always, she can be purchased for 1,000 KO Points or one Champion Token, and she can also be unlocked through a three-week Champion Recruitment Event before being moved to a 10,000 Credit price.
System changes
The biggest system adjustment in 1.1.5 is the Handshake Tag. It now has three frames of recovery when an assist fails to connect, which weakens it in neutral while leaving on-hit and on-block situations unchanged. Riot also added a 15-frame lockout on parry after Handshake Tag. That removes one of the stronger defensive sequences in the game and changes how safely players can cover early tag situations.
Meter rules also changed across several areas. Limit Strike now builds 20 meter instead of 40, retreating guard meter gain was cut from five to four, projectile parry meter gain dropped from 10 to six, and physical parry now gives zero meter instead of five.
Long combos also build less meter than before, with the penalty curve starting earlier in the combo than it did previously. Riot paired that with faster Break meter accumulation during combos, moving the system further away from long meter-rich routes. Many combos and optimal setups will have to be re-learned from scratch across the board.
Break itself got an important change as well, as the players can no longer Break when they are being hit by a Super or during a Super’s startup, but they still can Break when the incoming attack is not a Super.
The update also brings a change to the wakeup input: Rolls are no longer performed by holding down-back or down-forward. They now require holding directly away or up-and-away from the opponent. Riot says that makes rolls more consistent and also allows players to hold down-back or forward on wakeup to block. On top of that, Supers can now be performed while holding an attack button, and Break will no longer trigger when a player returns to neutral after a directional special.
Additionally, Local Duos is now live on all platforms, replays now support hitbox, hurtbox, collision, frame data, and input history overlays, and weekly and daily missions can now progress in private lobbies.
Patch 1.1.5. notes
Core Gameplay
- Handshake Tag now has 3 frames of recovery when an Assist does not make contact with the opponent.
- In neutral, Handshake Tag will be a slightly worse option, while on-block and on-hit situations are unchanged.
- On offense, early Handshake Tag to beat parry will be significantly less attractive.
- Also, the math now works in the favor of the defender if the Assist does not make contact, so champions with 7 frame jabs never lose the mathematical frame war after tag.
- You can no longer perform parry after Handshake Tagging for 15 frames.
- Handshake Tag into parry was a very powerful strategy that made an impact on all high level matches, even if it wasn’t always visible. To combat this, we’re adding 15 frames until you can parry after a Handshake Tag.
- 15 frames is short enough to block a jab and decide to parry, but also long enough that a Handshake Tag into parry is rarely a good idea.
- Limit Strike now builds 20 meter (decreased from 40 meter).
- Limit Strike was building too much meter for how easy it was to access for some champions. We expect Limit Strike to still be a choice you make in combos, while removing the ability to loop metered super combos in some situations.
- Nerfed the amount of Super meter gained from performing long combos, and performing certain actions. Long combos now generate less meter than before. This shouldn’t be felt by most players, only those who are using the long combos.
- Meter adjustments:
- Retreating Guard meter gain: 5 -> 4
- Parry projectile meter gain: 10 -> 6
- Parry physical meter gain: 5 -> 0
- Combo length penalty:
- Old values:
8 seconds: 80% meter11 seconds: 50% meter16 seconds: 10% meter
- New values:
- 6 seconds: 75% meter
- 9 seconds: 50% meter
- 12 seconds: 25% meter
- 15 seconds: 10% meter
- Old values:
- Meter adjustments:
- Break Meter now accumulates faster while in combos.
- Old values:
8 seconds: 3x Break11 seconds: 8x break18 seconds: 16x break
- New values:
- 6 seconds: 3x Break meter
- 9 seconds: 6x Break meter
- 12 seconds: 9x Break meter
- 15 seconds: 18x Break meter
- We’re increasing Break meter gain to tip the scales more towards resets, and less towards long combos.
- Old values:
- Rules on when you can Break have been updated.
- You can’t break when getting hit by a Super.
- You can’t break during a Super’s startup.
- You can break when being hit by an attack that is not a Super.
- This generally buffs Jinx, as opponents can no longer Break out of her Supers and Ultimates. This also adds additional play/counterplay during Super > Tag in Double Down.
- Air counterhits no longer count as a minor reaction.
Input Adjustments
- Rolls are no longer performed by holding 1 or 3. Rolls are now performed by holding directly away from the opponent, or up and away from the opponent.
- Rolls will now be more consistent to perform, and you can now hold 1 or forward on wakeup to block.
- You can now perform Supers while holding an attack button (ex. holding L, then pressing S1+M/H now performs an S1 Super).
- Break will no longer be performed when you return to neutral after performing a directional special.
Bug Fixes
- Fixed bug where opponent did not have throw protection after being hit with Eject in Juggernaut.
- Fixed a bug where performing a knockdown in specific situations triggered Limit Strike Bonus.
- Fixed a bug where it was possible to psuedo-unblockable opponents with Handshake Tag.
- Fixed a bug where launcher could occasionally perform an extremely small jump if the opponent is hit by a low-launching Assist or projectile during hitstop.
- Fixed issue where transitioning from running to crouching, then holding back, would cause the champion to be in a block reaction for 5 frames.
- Fixed an issue where the player indicator persisted on screen.
- Hitting an opponent during a Backslide reaction no longer causes “dropped” to display, even when it’s a true combo.
- You can no longer cancel midscreen Tumble Limit Strike into a run when performed low to the ground to gain extra frame advantage.
- Fixed a bug where Break Bonus was applying inconsistently during combos.
- You can no longer perform a Break while in Juggernaut after being KO’d in rare situations.
- Fixed a bug where performing a Fury Break the frame before an Assist died would not apply the Fury Break buff.
- Champions can no longer perform a Fury Break after dying from chip damage inflicted by Bleed in rare situations.
- Getup attack no longer pushes the attacker back when used against aerial opponents in the corner.
- Fixed an issue where using save states in Training mode would occasionally cause a crash.+ team input.
- Fixed a Training mode save state issue that allowed activating Fury while already in Fury.
- Training mode save states now store/load the correct amount of Super meter
- Fixed an issue where bots were not correctly performing their set reversal option while in the air.
- Fixed an issue where the Assist cooldown was not grayed out while Assist was unavailable.
- If both a “Roll” and a “Reversal” option are selected in training mode, the bot will now properly roll then do the reversal, instead of just the roll.
- Fixed a bug where setting the bot to “No Air Tech” would result in the bot performing an Air Tech.
- Defeating two opponents with Limit Strike bonus damage now properly triggers a 2XKO.
- Fixed an issue where the match start text persisted when viewing a replay.
- Champions are now invulnerable during Super animation.
- Champions can no longer be hit while performing the cinematic zoom-in that occurs during Supers. This invulnerability wears off as soon as gameplay action resumes.
Champion balance changes can be viewed on the official 2XKO website.
