Arena of Valor (AoV) - Arena of Valor Patch 14 preview!

Tencent released a teaser for upcoming patch 14 for Arena of Valor. We go over the different features and changes they announced in the video.

Overview

Tencent today released a video teasing the next patch to be released for Arena of Valor. This patch will go live on the 24th of May and offers a number of new gameplay features.

Death Battle

A new game mode will be added to Arena of Valor, the long-awaited Death Battle mode. Players will compete for kills in teams of two. Heroes will not be assisted by either minions or towers, having to rely completely on their hero’s kit and their ability as a player. This game mode will take place on a pentagonal map designed specifically for the game mode.

From the video, we can see that what would be the useless talent recall has been replaced with another talent called “Snipe”, though its function is currently unknown. The game mode seems to be timed rather than aiming for a particular kill count, the team with the most kills at the end of the time limit being the winner.

Interface Redesign

Arena of Valor’s Main Menu will be receiving a facelift this patch, the many cells of the current version replaced with a single large image overlain with a number of smaller buttons. A shortcut to the most popular 5v5 Grand Battle has been added to the menu and placed prominently in the center of the screen. A new Valor TV section has been added as well, allowing players to watch tournaments and pro games right in the application.

Rewards

American and European servers are getting a token system similar to the hero and skin shard system available on Garena servers. Players will be able to receive either tokens for a specific skin or hero or “universal tokens” which can be exchanged for the former. These, in turn, can be used to purchase skins and heroes. Players will be able to earn these tokens by various means including chests or log-in events.

Speaking of log-in events, a monthly log-in system is being added as well. Rewards for each day of a month that a player logs in. Rather than players getting rewards based on the number of days they log in, each day has a specific reward to receive. This is in addition to current rewards, such as the prize wheel currently enjoy, rather than taking the place of anything.

Active equipment

Three new items are being added to the game with the upcoming patch offering a new mechanic previously unavailable in Arena of Valor. Players who purchase these items will be able to use them for an additional ability in game. The abilities teased seem to include a normal attack steroid, a preserving shield similar to the talent Endure, and a damage blocking shield similar to items like Medallion of Troy or Hercules’ Madness. When purchased, the player is given an additional button above their abilities for the item’s use.

The additional of active items can be what several heroes who have fallen out of favor in the current meta to find some new footing and move their way up the tier list. The system looks to add a lot to the kits of various heroes as well as shake up some hero strategies.

Hero Redesigns

Alice and Jinnar are getting visual updates this patch. Alice’s changes are rather minor, her face now rounder and the colors of her model more distinct. The update brings her appearance to be more in line with her character splash art, so fans of the puffball princess shouldn’t worry about too much change.

Meanwhile, Jinnar is receiving a rather dramatic change, his entire outfit exchanged. Tencent seems to have grown tired of the mage running around without a shirt on and have thrown him a large, angular poncho. So impressed by this angular aesthetic, Jinnar exchanged his circular beads for a number of diamonds reminiscent of the Ghost from Destiny. Inspired by the sudden shake-up in wardrobe, the mage then continued his makeover with a number of jewelry accessories.

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  1. I find it interesting that they called it “tokens” in the NA/EU patch. In SEA (Valiant), it’s called Shards. We’ve had them since the Gacha system was introduced. So we could buy a Gacha Crystal using 150 gems, or earn them via in-game rewards, then use it on the Gacha. We could win the Shards there. I’ve claimed a few heroes and skins thanks to that system. 🙂