Quick Summary

Patch #9 is mainly a balance correction patch.

ALT+F4 abusers got punished.

Schism nerfed its early tempo, lowers some creature initiative and speed values, and restores higher requirements for key faction progression. Overall Schism considered buffed compared to Patch #7.

Hive buff aimed at making the faction less painful to play in Single Hero mode. These include stronger early units, better growth, better laws, cheaper high-tier progression, and improved starting skills for several heroes.

Dungeon considered buffed as it receives missing Pandora’s Box changes and Arena mode buffs

The reworked Summon Avatar skill is slightly nerfed after becoming stronger and more useful than expected.

What Patch #9 change to the Meta

The likely meta impact:

• Schism becomes less oppressive in Single Hero mode.
• Hive becomes more playable and less punishing in early fights.
• Summon Avatar remains relevant, but with lower scaling.
• Dungeon gets compensation in Arena and proper Pandora’s Box tuning.
• Patch #8 template and hero bugs are cleaned up.

Patch #8 Context

Patch #8 was a large systems update. It touched many parts of Olden Era’s balance: skills, spells, hero specializations, creature stats, artifacts, templates, and matchmaking.

The most important Patch #8 direction was the rework of several magical and faction systems, including the full rework of Summon Avatar into a more purely magical skill. Patch #8 also attempted to improve Schism’s standing in Classic mode.

Balance Change: Summon Avatar Nerfed Slightly

After the update, the skill became effective in more situations, including Arena mode. Patch #9 slightly reduces its damage scaling from Spell Power:

Damage scaling from Spell Power: 12–12 / 18–18 / 24–24 → 12–12 / 16–16 / 20–20

Balance Change: Hive Hero Starting Skills Reworked

The overall direction is clear: Hive should become more functional and less awkward in the early game.

Changes include:

• Pauper: Luck → Battlecraft
• Maelstrom: Insight → Luck
• Nor: Battlecraft → Insight
• Zoran, the Self-Founded: Nightshade Magic → Defense
• Lo: Defense → Recruitment
• Leira: Battle Magic → Nightshade Magic
• Oriax: Recruitment → Battle Magic
• Tavi: Fire Larvae summon bonus changed from 4% + 1% per every two hero levels to 4% + 2% per every three hero levels.

Balance Change: Schism Nerfed After Patch #8

Patch #8 aimed to strengthen Schism in Classic mode, where the faction was considered weak. But those changes had too much impact in Single Hero mode. Patch #9 reduces Schism’s tempo and early pressure in several ways.

Schism Tier 1 Nerfs

• Ra'Shoth: Initiative 5 → 4
• Stinging Ra'Shoth: Initiative 5 → 4
• Ferocious Ra'Shoth: Initiative 6 → 5

This directly slows down Schism’s early combat flow.

Schism Tier 2 Nerfs

Cultist

• Speed 4 → 3
• Glance of the Abyss effect power: 15 + 3 × Stack Size → 12 + 2 × Stack Size

Binder

• Attack 6 → 5
• Speed 6 → 5
• Glance of the Abyss effect power: 15 + 3 × Stack Size → 12 + 2 × Stack Size

Votary

• Speed 5 → 4

These are meaningful early-game nerfs. They reduce mobility, damage pressure, and the strength of Schism’s stack-scaling effects.

Schism High-Tier Adjustments

Rift Arbitrator

• Attack 24 → 26
• Defense 26 → 28
• Initiative 12 → 10

This is a mixed change: better stats, but slower action economy.

Abyssal Envoy

• Initiative 9 → 8

Abyssal Overseer

• Initiative 10 → 9

Abyssal Executor

• Initiative 11 → 10

Again, the theme is clear: Schism becomes less explosive and less tempo-dominant.

Schism Progression Reverted

Two important Schism progression changes were also made:

• Involuntary Summons once again requires Mage Guild III.
• The World is Ours law tier was reverted from 3 back to 5.

This is one of the most important Patch #9 corrections. It slows down Schism’s access to key power spikes and partially reverts the Patch #8 acceleration.

Balance Change: Hive Buffed Across the Board

Hive receives the broadest set of buffs in Patch #9.

The developers noted that Hive performs well in Arena and Classic modes, but struggles in Single Hero mode. Patch #9 moves some planned Hive improvements forward.

Hive Growth Buffs

• Tier 1 base weekly growth increased: 21 → 22
• Tier 2 base weekly growth increased: 13 → 14

All hero starting armies were adjusted accordingly.

Hive Tier 1 Buffs

Parasite

• Damage 2–3 → 2–4
• Speed 3 → 4

Warden Parasite

• Damage 2–3 → 2–4
• Speed 4 → 5

Ravager Parasite

• Damage 2–3 → 2–4
• Speed 5 → 6

These changes make Hive’s earliest fights less slow and less punishing.

Hive Tier 2 Buffs

Locust

• Damage 3–4 → 3–5

Overgrown Locust

• Damage 3–4 → 3–5

Harvester Locust

• Damage 4–4 → 4–5

Hive Tier 3 Buffs

Hornet / Chanter / Stinger

• Damage 4–7 → 4–9

This is a significant damage ceiling increase for Hive’s mid-early army.

Hive Tier 4 Buffs

Scorpion

• Attack 11 → 12
• Defense 11 → 12

Volcanic Scorpion

• Attack 11 → 12

Spelaean Scorpion

• Defense 11 → 12
• Damage 11–14 → 12–14

Hive Tier 6 and Tier 7 Buffs

• Corpse Eater healing increased: 65 → 120
• Hive Queen initiative increased: 7 → 8

These changes improve Hive’s sustain and late-game responsiveness.

Balance Change: Hive Building Costs and Laws Changed

Early dwellings become more expensive, but some later buildings become cheaper:

• Tier 1 and Tier 2 dwelling chains are more expensive.
• Tier 4 dwelling chain is cheaper.
• Tier 7 dwelling chain is much cheaper.
• Tower of Love II now requires 5 Wood and 5 Ore.

Hive laws were also reshuffled:

• Hidden Desires: Tier 1 → 2
• Focus Reserves: Tier 2 → 1
• Natural Selection: Tier 4 → 3
• Evolve, Adapt, Overcome: Tier 4 → 5
• Prosper and Flourish: Tier 5 → 4

Balance Change: Dungeon Gets Missing Pandora’s Box and Arena Buffs

Dungeon Pandora’s Box numbers were adjusted across multiple tiers:

• Troglodyte: 60/45 → 50/35
• Infiltrator: 35/25 → 40/30
• Onyx Dancer: 34/24 → 34/25
• Minotaur: 20/14 → 23/16
• Medusa: 21/15 → 23/16
• Hydra: 11/7 → 12/8

Dungeon also receives Arena mode buffs, with larger offered stacks for several creatures, including Troglodytes, Infiltrators, Minotaurs, Medusas, Hydras, and Cave Dragons.

Balance Change: Other Notable Changes

Necropolis

Necropolis receives small buffs:

• Graverobber Pandora’s Box count slightly increased.
• Vampire Lord Defense increased: 25 → 26.
• Vampire Scholar Attack increased: 26 → 27.
• Bone Exchange I and II are cheaper to build.

Grove

Grove receives small early-game and economy buffs:

• Faun damage increased.
• Faun Archer damage increased.
• Faun Warrior damage increased.
• Shroomwood Shack I is cheaper to build.

Day Magic

Riposte can now be cast on Magical creatures. This is a small but important usability change, especially for builds that rely on Magical creature stacks.

Fixed in Patch #9: Map Template

Several random map templates had issues after Patch #8: Jebus Cross: Taverns and Mage Guilds were still being built in central area cities despite the intended Patch #8 changes. Sand Clover: some guards were not generating correctly. Exodus: the template could still generate too many dwellings of a specific tier.

Fixed in Patch #9: Creature and Hero

• Upgraded Cultists had inconsistent hiring costs.
• Death Merchant’s Ensnare Memories ability displayed an incorrect casting cost.
• Tavi and Pauper had issues related to their class changes, including wrong models and Heroic Strike behavior.
• Temple’s Strong Faith sub-skill showed an incorrect number of bonus attributes.

Fixed in Patch #9: Multiplayer ALT+F4 abuse

It also fixes an exploit where force-closing the game with Alt+F4 during the pick-and-ban phase could incorrectly assign match results.