The last patch for Smite was a while ago, as compensation the guys and gals from HiRez have really pulled out all the stops to fill the latest expansion of the game with many skins and also introduce a new god: A bringer of gossip, Ratatoskr!
Ratatoskr, the cunning newsbearer
What at first glance looks like an oversized squirrel (or optionally a Pokemon) quickly turns out to be an interesting character. Mythologically speaking, Ratatoskr lives in the world tree Yggdrasil and delivers messages between the inhabitants of the tree – which he enriches with all sorts of nonsense to create exciting conflicts or to better present himself.
In the game, he takes on the role of an Assassin and even competes with Mercury in terms of speed.
- “Dart” allows the little creature to sprint forward and deal minor damage. If he hits a god with the ability that he hasn’t hit in the last 10 seconds, the cooldown is immediately reset, which can greatly increase the distance covered.
- With “Flurry of Acorns“, 12 acorns are shot in all directions, returning to Ratatoskr after a short delay. Damage is dealt both on the way out and back.
- “Acorn Blast” shoots 4 acorns in a cone area forward, each dealing moderate damage.
- His Ultimate “Through the Cosmos” grants him the ability to cover huge distances by “flying” over the map from branch to branch. After the 3rd jump at the latest, he must return to the ground and deals heavy damage upon impact.
Particularly noteworthy is also his passive ability “Acorn of Yggdrasil”. From the beginning of the game, Ratatoskr has a unique item in his inventory that he can upgrade for gold – and that anywhere on the map. Depending on which upgrade level you choose for “Acorn of Yggdrasil”, the god’s abilities change, so shot acorns can explode or heal. This is reminiscent in principle of talent points!
New skins: Summer fun with Aphrodite
Summer is approaching, and how better to make money than with beach skins that show a lot of bare skin? Kicking things off are Beachbabe-Aphrodite and “Hunkules” Hercules, who are throwing themselves into the bright sun just for you.
At least Aphrodite’s voice pack has also become amusing again, although I fear that her squeaky “girly” voice will bring me a few “mutes”.
The ghost hunter Zhong Kui also gets a new skin, but he seems to be heading into battle: G.I. Zhong has packed his brush and prefers to shoot with a minigun, trading the scroll for a mini-helicopter. Sobek goes from being hunted to hunter himself and will now dive with his “Crikeydile Sobek” to show people the advantages of the Nile and a good hat.
Balancing changes: No mercy for Ah Puch
It was to be expected: Ah Puch has been nerfed. His ultimate “Empty the Crypts” now lasts only 6 seconds (instead of 8) and his “Fleeting Breath” deals less damage at all levels. Since his other abilities remained untouched, his burst potential should remain largely the same. Awilix receives a significant buff to her ultimate: The duration of “Gravity Surge” has been increased to 6 seconds and makes her immune to knockups, roots, and slows.
The other changes are hardly noticeable: Freya and Osiris receive a minimal buff in their base attributes, making them a bit more resilient.
New “Summer in Smite” event
Similar to the Odyssey, certain bonuses can now be unlocked through purchases with gems. Anyone who buys different items from the “Summer in Smite” line being released over the next few weeks will unlock additional skins and chests with random rewards. The new Aphrodite skin, for example, is only available if you have already purchased 2 items; namely the Hercules skin and a new player portrait. Since more items will be presented, you can vary what you want and are not forced to buy everything – unless you really want every bonus. It remains to be seen what else will be released.
All changes in full can be read as usual in the Smite forum.
Giveaway: Ratatoskr and G.I.Zhong
