The latest patch of Paladins introduces a new hero that players of SMITE may already know – the tree Grover takes up the lumberjack axe!
Paladins “borrows” from SMITE
Since February 12, the latest patch of Paladins is available. This significantly reshuffles the card system once again, but can also boast a new hero. Grover joins the zany shooting fun, a tree giant who is also fond of using an axe. We have summarized the most important changes from the “Closed Beta 14 Patch” for you.
Grover, the Wild
After Evie, the frosty sorceress with a big ego, now comes “Grover the Wild” as the new hero in the group. Players of SMITE will now be surprised, as they already know the tree giant. In the god MOBA, Grover is part of the god Sylvanus. Apparently, that was not enough fame for him, so now he rampages through the cards in Paladins (and simultaneously saves development costs for a new hero design). Let’s take a look at his abilities:
- In close combat, he ironically uses a lumberjack axe that deals massive damage.
- The alternative fire mode (right-click) throws the axe and cripples the first enemy hit.
- Briars and Blossoms are two auras that can be switched by pressing a button. “Briars” creates a harmful aura that damages enemies in the nearby vicinity, and “Blossoms” creates a friendly aura that slowly heals allies.
- With Vine, Grover sends out a vine that attaches to the first target or surface it hits. The tree giant then pulls himself in that direction (yes, it works upwards too)!
- The ultimate Whirlwind lets Grover spin quickly, causing high area damage around him.
Grover is, in summary, a very mobile support character with high burst damage.
The Card System – Back to the Drawing Board
There are also major changes to the game’s card system. Almost all heroes have had comprehensive revisions of their cards, but new is also how cards are “leveled” during a match. Instead of selecting a new card upon leveling up, players already have their 5 cards at the start.
During the match, “talent points” can then be invested into individual cards to enhance their effects further. For instance, Skye’s “Backstab” card ensures that the first attack from stealth deals 500 extra damage. This amount can be increased further in several levels.
The random factor in card selection is now a thing of the past since the “deck” is constructed already in the lobby. After all 10 players have selected their heroes, these become visible for both teams, and afterwards, the cards are chosen. This gives you more opportunities to respond to a specific composition of the opponents and to choose cards that work particularly well against multiple tanks.
You can find more information about the game on our Paladins topic page.
