Deadpool:
+4th Wall Crisis is now 5+0 on startup; 1 bar; damage reduced to 220,000; throw scaling on follow-up.
4th Wall Crisis is one of the 5 worst level 3 hypers in the game, right down there with Nemesis in terms of likelihood to be a complete waste of 3 bars. The primary problem with the move is that it allows 1 frame of post-cinematic animation from the opponent, which means only opponents who cannot cancel their present attack into a projectile are really likely to be harmed by this move. The list of characters who cannot do this is very small, making the move far too circumstantial. However, even with such a change, 3 bars of meter for a counter is excessive. We have instead made the hyper into a level 1 move, and balanced its effects appropriately.
+Happy-Happy Trigger damage increased slightly.
Trigger Happy L/M into Happy-Happy Trigger feels like a waste of meter unless it kills a character. We would like to make this a more worthwhile way for Deadpool players to expend their meter.
+Ninja Gift (all versions) no longer leaves Deadpool prone until landing.
Right now, these moves are unsafe until landing, and Ninja Gift M is an invitation for a beam punish on the way down. We are leaving the actual recovery of these moves open to discussion, but strongly feel that they need to be safer than they are to provide Deadpool with more safe ranged attack options.
+Teleport Malfunction now causes a soft knockdown.
A hard knockdown is too stringent of a downside to this move. Losing momentum in UMvC3 is two steps away from death in this game, and we would like to encourage character to use their full moveset. A soft knockdown is still highly undesirable, but does not guarantee Deadpools death in the event of a poorly chosen teleportation.
+Taunt Bubble stays out for full animation when canceled.
An aesthetic change. Leaving the taunt bubble on the screen adds to his flare as a character.
+Quick Work into Chimichanga is now easier to perform.
A 2-frame link between specials is rather harsh in a Marvel game. We did not decide on a specific window where the cancelation should be possible, but would like to see it widened. None of us have ever seen a Deadpool player do this in tournament play, and theres no point to a character feature that never gets used.
+Katana-rama! hitstun significantly increased; now -3 on block; -1 on hit.
Katana-rama! has potential as an anti-air and anti-ground move right now, and we would like to see it get used more for this purpose. Katana-rama! canceled into Deadpools teleport should lead to full combos when it connects.
+j.L changed to +10/9 on hit/block.
Presently, j.L works well as a low-to-the-ground overheads, but it is difficult to link off of. Increasing the hitstun/blockstun slightly will improve its usage and help Deadpools offense.
Assists: Trigger Happy L, Katana-rama! H, Ninja Gift M
Presently, Deadpool has no good assists. Quick Work is a weak low that only gets chosen due to a lack of options, and no one ever picks Trigger Happy H because it covers such a small area without producing strong results even on hit. Trigger Happy L would not be stronger than other projectile assists like Iron Mans Unibeam or Chris Gun Fire M, and it would give him a go-to assist for team composition. The L version was chosen over the M version to provide more variation in projectile angle choices among characters, but the M version could be chosen instead. Ninja Gift M would provide interesting setups due to its OTG properties and medium projectile durability, and would primarily be useful on keepaway teams. Katana-rama! was left in because it is an OTG assist that leads into full combos as a crossover counter, and it also resets the ground bounce. These uses make it worth considering as an assist choice for some teams.
Doctor Doom:
+Molecular Shield inputs can now be held to keep the shield active for more frames before releasing the rock; 30 frames max; startup decreased by 2 frames across the board; L version now -3 on block; M version now -1 on block; H version now +1 on block.
Molecular Shield is rarely used outside of combos, and that is because the move is both negative on block and has weak projectiles. A meager 4 projectile hit points are generated by Molecular Shield, meaning even a basic Hadoken beats it. What makes Molecular Shield interesting is its projectile absorption ability. During the wind-up (not startup) period of the move, Molecular Shield absorbs projectiles; the move is intended to turn around firefights. However, the move is never used this way because it is hard to time the move properly for these purposes. As a result, we added the ability for Dr. Doom to hold the input to extend the wind-up period, giving the move added utility as a projectile absorber.
This change creates an added concern surrounding damage. Dr. Doom frequently ends combos with Molecular Shield into Sphere Flame, and holding Molecular Shield for 30 frames could add a lot of damage. This could be handled in a variety of ways, such as ending the wind-up once it hits an opponent, reducing the wind-up damage, or reducing Dr. Dooms minimum damage scaling from specials. We have left this open to discussion.
Finally, Molecular Shield was made safer on block to encourage its usage as a projectile that covers Dr. Dooms approach, and to make it more useful as a blockstring ender.
+Hidden Missiles is now dash and hyper cancelable.
Dr. Doom gets completely slaughtered by keepaway characters. Players like Filipino Champ frequently joke about the Dr. Doom vs. Dormammu matchup, and the problem is not with Dormammu. Dr. Dooms limited mobility options ensure that he must air dash to move about the screen at all, and he cannot block during this time. As a result, he gets continually pelted by projectiles any time he tries to move. By making Hidden Missiles dash cancelable, Doom can call one missile, dash cancel it, and then up-back block a projectile. The opponent will have to take a moment to move to evade the incoming missile, providing Dr. Doom with some space to move about. Additionally, we recognize that Dr. Doom players frequently THC cancel Hidden Missiles when he is the only character left, providing extended lockdown and chip damage. We think it would be useful for him to be able to simply cancel Hidden Missiles into his hypers for interesting damage setups and lockdown.
+j.L hitbox improved so that it can hit small crouching characters while tri-dashing.
Right now, Dooms j.L overhead whiffs against crouching small characters. This helps Dr. Doom have a mix-up option against these characters.
+Recovery after a forward air throw reduced slightly.
Conversions off of forward air throws are inconsistent at best for Dr. Doom. This helps ensure players are able to convert more consistently. It would still be difficult, as Doom players will need to hop across the screen to convert even with this change. It will just be slightly more forgiving.
+j.f+H hitstun increased slightly.
A hitstun increase on j.f+H (Foot Dive H) may seem random, but there is good reasoning here. While corner loops always have enough time for j.f+H to chain into j.S, mid-screen loops require it after two loops. The Buktooth loop (s.S, sj.M, sj.f+H, ADDF, j.M, c.MH) can only be done for two reps due to the hitstun decay on j.f+H, and as a result players must use Dooms mid-screen OTG loops. This loops is boring to watch as it takes a long time, and we would like to encourage players to use Buktooth loops for improved gameplay flow.
-Hidden Missiles (assist): fires two fewer missiles; missiles which have not yet gained their tracking property fail to do so if Doom gets hit.
First, it needs to be said that Hidden Missiles is not a problem as a point move. It is only problematic as an assist, and it is only slightly too good. Many players have suggested that the missiles the move generates should disappear if Doom gets hit, citing Sentinel as an example of why this would not ruin the move. However, this ignores very real differences between Hidden Missiles and Sentinel Force. Sentinel Force only makes Sentinel vulnerable for a moment; the drones provide cover as they move forward, making Sentinel difficult to hit aside from beam hypers. Hidden Missiles, however, has a highly delayed effect on game. The player is sacrificing present playing power for a very strong effect later. The proper way to balance Hidden Missiles is not by making the missiles disappear, but ensuring that there is indeed a sacrifice being made in the game.
Presently, Hidden Missiles quickly appears and fires its missiles. Even if the opponent punishes the assist call, the one or two missiles that were fired off before the player had time to act will come down and hit the player, making assist punishes unattractive. By making the missiles fail to gain tracking if Doom gets hit, there is an additional window where the opposing player can punish Hidden Missiles without fear of retaliation.
The second problem with Hidden Missiles is that it just does too much. It tracks, it is an anti-air, it OTGs, it causes good chip damage, it locks the opponent down, and it is the best combo breaker in the game (but not the only one). We decided to reduce the number of missiles fired by two as a result of this list. While it may not seem like much, two fewer missiles is two fewer missiles to dodge, and two less to block for lockdown. We think these two small changes will keep Hidden Missiles worth using while making it more fair as well.
-Plasma Beam no longer appears behind the point character.
This change is made under the same justification the universal assist nerfs were made with. Assists should provide opportunities for characters, but only when used intelligently. Calling Plasma Beam while dashing forward and using Berserker Slash demonstrates just how silly this move is in its current form. Regardless of what Wolverine does, Plasma Beam covers him, and since the assist appears off-screen it is impossible to punish for most characters. With its current firing place, many characters can simply call Plasma Beam while blocking to gain initiative.
-j.S no longer causes a ground bounce.
j.S is one of the most salt-inducing moves in this game, but we think it is mostly fine. We almost made no changes to it at all. The move is not significantly better than it was in Vanilla aside from one change, and this is the ground bounce. Too many moves trade with Dooms j.S and Doom still gets combos as a result of that trade. We think that removing this feature, and forcing opponents to dash-cancel the move to combo off of a raw hit, increases the skill level needed to make use of it and makes it more fair. The propensity for players to get hit by this move during the neutral illustrates how many people need to work on their blocking.
-Damage on normals reduced by 10% across the board.
Dooms combos do a little too much damage and build more meter than is reasonable. A slight damage reduction on all of his normals fixes this issue. We would have targeted specific normals, but his combos are so flexible that a problem move cannot be pinpointed.
Assists: Plasma Beam M, Molecular Shield H, Hidden Missiles
Plasma Beam M and Hidden Missiles were retained as assists, but Molecular Shield was switched to its H version. We feel that Plasma Beam provides Dr. Doom with an excellent projectile, and what really makes Molecular Shield shine is its windup period and lockdown. Increasing the wind-up period to the H version is an improvement.
Dormammu:
+j.M hit float properties returned to Vanilla status (no knockback).
This was a strange change in Ultimate, and its not clear why it happened. As a result, Dormammu cannot always convert off of a launcher as j.M knocks opponents back. Returning it to its Vanilla knockback status would improve his combo consistency.
+3D0C is now +1 on block.
1D0C and 2D0C are +1 on block. 3D0C is negative on block despite Dormammu having to work for it. With 2D1C and 1D2C becoming more and more prevalent in usage, 3D0C needs a small adjustment to make it more attractive, and improving its frame advantage does that while bringing it in line with its little brothers.
+0D3C now OTGs; projectile invincible; guaranteed on frame 1.
The entire point of Dormammu as a character is to sacrifice short-term gains for long-term ones. Dark Spells make the character what he is. It is thus a betrayal of the characters design that one of his four final Dark Spell combinations is relatively worthless. To illustrate the importance of this change, the current four Dark Spell combinations ought to be compared:
3D0C: hits full screen up to superjump height, negates projectiles, OTGs, links into hyper; excellent against projectile characters as a way to make them think twice about firing
1D2C: covers the area in front and behind of Dormammu with fire, comes out guaranteed after 1 frame, OTGs, links into hyper, deals massive damage when the tip hits; excellent as a reversal, especially against eager rushdown characters
2D1C: covers the mid-screen area all the way up to superjump height, comes out guaranteed after 1 frame, OTGs, links into hypers, deals solid damage, deals massive chip damage, and recovers with enough time to charge two more Dark Spells; excellent against aerial characters and characters with poor ground mobility
0D3C: disallows jumping for 300 frames; excellent against...?
Its not clear what 0D3C is meant for. It does not OTG, it deals no chip damage, it is blockable, it does not come out guaranteed after 1 frame, it does not cover an area above ground level, it does not negate projectiles, and it cannot be combod into without a move like Spencers Slant Shot restand to help. The move never sees play unless a player forgets how many Creation charges he/she has because it is not worth using over the alternatives.
Many suggests were made as to how 0D3C could be made worth using, and what we all agreed upon is that the no jumping effect it has is a unique ability that Dormammu has. For that reason alone, that should be its base effect. Frequently, players suggest that 0D3C should be unblockable, and Seth Killian said that at one time it was. However, this would be far too strong against the characters who already have problems with Dormammu, who lack aerial mobility. First, we decided to give 0D3C an OTG property for flexibility; it feels odd that it does not, since it moves along the ground and his other Dark Spells hit OTG. Still, no player would choose 0D3C over 3D0C with those effects; what all of Dormammus Dark Spells have in common are their utility in the neutral.
While it may seem as though Dormammus Dark Spells cover him against all of his matchups, there is one type of opponent who is not covered: the one who uses full-screen beam hypers to catch Dormammus ranged game. A common example is a Dormammu player facing Ryu, and as Dark Matter is winding up Ryu uses Shinku Hadoken. None of Dormammus Dark Spells can deal with this, especially since 1D2C hits at the screens edge inconsistently and tends to get eaten by beams. By making 0D3C come out on frame 1 and making it projectile invincible, Dormammu now has a viable counter to these opponents if he gives up his other options. 0D3C may not be extraordinary as a result of these changes, but it will finally be worth considering for the first time since the games debut.
+Ground and air throw range extended slightly; air throws no longer occasionally cause opponents to bounce off of a wall.
Characters with poor ground movement ought to have larger throw ranges. Dormammus seems particularly small for his considerable character size, and what would be a throw with many other characters often results in a j.H with him. Improving his throw range would give him a slightly better defensive ability; presently he has the weakest melee defenses in the entire game. The second change is a bug fix.
+c.M returned to Vanilla status; still chains into H inputs.
c.M used to be Dormammus anti-air of choice in Vanilla, but its hitstun was so thoroughly nerfed in tandem with giving him a LMH chain that it became impossible to convert off of. Returning this move to its previous hitstun values would give Dormammu a better anti-air defense, and would also improve his combo options as c.M used to link into Dark Hole L against some characters in Vanilla, and would probably link into Dark Matter now.
+0D1C and 0D2C now hit OTG.
Each of Dormammus Dark Spells should have some use, even if that use is limited. 1D0C and 2D0C have solid hitboxes and are +1 on block, giving him a tool that can force breathing room when needed. However, 0D1C and 0D2C are entirely useless. The spikes create no pushback, are unsafe on block, and their damage is miniscule while scaling combos heavily. Giving them the ability to hit OTG will provide Dormammus combo options slightly while making them useful. They had this trait in his reveal trailer, even!
+s.H frontal hitbox made slightly larger (c.L, s.H always hits).
The entire Marvel gaming community seems to agree that Dormammu gets too much damage off of his ABC combos, and that he should be using Dark Matter into jump loops. This would be a fair expectation, except s.H sometimes whiffs after c.L, and s.H is the only normal that Dormammu can link into Dark Matter. It does not make sense for Dormammu players to risk dropping combos for slightly more damage; increasing s.Hs frontal hitbox would improve his comboability.
+0D0C startup is 10 frames; hitbox increased slightly.
Each of Dormammus Dark Spells should have some use. Right now, 0D0C looks far more powerful than it is. Dormammu has the weakest defense options of any character in the game. By giving 0D0C a slightly larger hitbox and increasing its startup time, Dormammu has an option against opponents who try to teleport behind him or approach him at odd angles.
-Flame Carpet no longer hits low.
Solo unblockables are generally not a good idea. While Flame Carpet technically rarely creates true unblockables, it creates many hard-to-blockables. When Dormammu has been DHCed into, he often also leaves Flame Carpet on the ground and then raw tags out, and characters like Magneto get to use Flame Carpet for setups that are very difficult to avoid.
-Damage on normals reduced by 10% across the board.
This is part two of the response to the idea that Dormammu gets too much damage too easily. Reducing the damage on his normals ensures that Dorammmu players are more inclined to use Dark Spell and Dark Matter combos to maximize his damage output.
Assists: Purification (Tracking), Dark Hole (Tracking), Dark Spell L
Presently, Dormammu has a terrible assist, a mediocre assist, and a circumstantial one. He has the odd role of being the only completely selfish character in the game who also cannot be played on point due to his weak opening options. We have improved all three of his assists to make them usable. While Flame Carpet and Dark Matter are both also solid assist options, we feel it is best to go with the options that provide the most interesting and unique gameplay, and Dormammu has defining moves that set him apart while also being useful as assists.
Purification (Tracking) would work just like Blackhearts assist in MvC2. When MvC3 was announced, Seth Killian said Dormammu was our Blackheart replacement, but he doesnt have Inferno as an assist. Purification would work just like MvC2 Inferno did as an assist. This provides another superjump anti-air assist for the game, and while it may seem too strong as an option, its important to remember that this move is merely a Vajra that knocks opponents up instead of down, and is less safe as well.
Dark Hole (Tracking) would work just like Purification, but it would use Dark Hole instead. Right now, Dark Hole hits at an awkward and uncomfortable point that is rarely useful in the neutral. In corners, it usually whiffs as it goes too far off the screen to hit the opponent. Making Dark Hole track would add another much-needed pinning assist to the game with an interesting property for team composition.
Liberation is an interesting concept for an assist, but in practice it is barely usable because it requires tagging Dormammu in, charging three Dark Spells, tagging Dormammu out, and then you get one use of Liberation. By changing Liberation to Dark Spell L, players who are fond of the Liberation assist can still use it by tagging him in and charging Dark Spells, as Dark Spell L produces Liberation when all spells are stocked. Additionally, in the neutral game players can now call Dark Spell L assist to either get them to their desired Liberation faster or build up to one use of 3D0C every four calls. Needing to call Dormammu four times to produce the Dark Spell balances the power of the assist call. This would only be useful on selective teams, but it would be useful and unique.
