Update 12-2021
By Kitty · Official · 12/2021Back to releases
Hello Stormbounders! A new version of Stormbound is coming early December bringing balance changes, a new card, some generous offers and various bonuses!
While I have your attention, please remember the pandemic is not over, even if you have been vaccinated. You can still carry the disease and make people sick.
So wear a mask and avoid unnecessary travels—especially if you live in an area with rampant COVID-19 cases. It takes everyone’s effort to slow down this pandemic. Do the right thing. 🙏
Disclaimer
The team is currently focusing most of its efforts onto the development of the upcoming Draft mode. We hope to be able to wrap it up in January!
We are also finalizing the new authentication system to let people sign in with their Google account or Apple ID. It will be possible to merge your Kongregate account to your new account (and vice versa). As a result, new players will no longer have to create a Kongregate account.
Balance changes
This release, just like any other, will bring some balance changes.
- Victors of the Melee’s strength is now 4/5/6/7/8 (up from 3/4/4/6/7).
- Greenwood Ancients’ ability now grants 2/2/3/3/4 (up from 1/1/2/2/3).
- Wetland Deceivers’ strength is now 3/4/5/6/7 (up from 3/4/4/5/6).
- Scrapped Planners’ ability now sets strength back to 2/3/4/5/6 strength (down from 3/4/5/6/7).
- Rain of Frogs now costs 2 mana at level 1 (down from 3) and its ability spawns 3 toads (down from 4).
As usual, some compensation in the form of coins and fusion stones will be provided to owners of Scrapped Planners, proportional to the level and rarity of the card. Find below the compensation values for each rarity and level.
Rare card: 
15 coins and 
2 fusion stones at level 2, 30 coins and 3 fusion stones at level 3, 90 coins and 7 fusion stones at level 4, 190 coins and 10 fusion stones at level 5.
New card
The day before Christmas (December 23rd), a new card will be released. It will join the few common cards with the ability to do chip damage!
On play, deal 1 damage to a random friendly non‑Hero unit on the side, then deal the same damage to the first enemy in front
On play, deal 2 damage to a random friendly non‑Hero unit on the side, then deal the same damage to the first enemy in front
On play, deal 2 damage to a random friendly non‑Hero unit on the side, then deal the same damage to the first enemy in front
On play, deal 3 damage to a random friendly non‑Hero unit on the side, then deal the same damage to the first enemy in front
On play, deal 3 damage to a random friendly non‑Hero unit on the side, then deal the same damage to the first enemy in front
As usual, there will be an exclusive pack to collect early copies of the new card. It will cost $9.99 and bring 10 copies of the card + 5 fusion stones + 750 coins. It will be available between December 23rd and January 1st.
Card upgrading tutorial
Upgrading card is essential to the Stormbound experience. However, it is not necessarily too obvious for new players how it works.
We are introducing a card upgrading tutorial for new players who have never upgraded any cards. The tutorial will guide them through the upgrading system, and will make each player have a level 2 Gifted Recruits card at the end of it.
There is a second part of the tutorial that gives out 6 fusion stones, so players can decide themselves if they want to level up another common card right away or keep them for later.
Card level cap
A lot has been done to improve matchmaking over the last year, from algorithmic changes to base health caps. We are finally introducing a level cap based on the player’s league, the same way the fortress level cap works.
- Starters League: Card level capped to 2
- Iron League: Card level capped to 2
- Bronze League: Card level capped to 2
- Silver League: Card level capped to 3
- Gold League: Card level capped to 3
- Platinum League: Card level capped to 5
- Diamond League: Card level capped to 5
- Heroes League: Card level capped to 5
We hope this helps solving the matchmaking difficulties by leveling the play field on a per league basis.
Friendly battle notification
A small quality of life change is coming up: there will now be a small notification banner when a friend invites you for a match.
Christmas offers
Like most holiday events, there will be some one-time only special offers for people willing to put some money into the game. The Christmas exclusive packs will be available from December 20th (9AM CET) until the end of the next Brawl!
The 3 packs from last year will come again this year!
- Christmas Tree Pack ($9.99): 3 Mythic Tomes + 2 Heroic Tomes + 1 Classic Tome + 500 coins
- Helpful Elf pack ($19.99): 20 rare cards +
15 epic cards + 
10 legendary cards - Santa Edrik pack ($49.99): 6,500 coins +
650 rubies
And two new exclusive packs will be introduced!
- Christmas pack ($19.99): 15 copies of Minion Launchers + a special avatar + 200 rubies + 10 fusion stones
- Sapphire Bundle ($6.99): 1 book of Temples + 25 fusion stones. This one pack can be bought as many times as desired!
The special avatar from the Christmas Pack will be this Christmas Minion, which will be unavailable past the event. If you want it or desire to flaunt your swag in front of your friends, this is now or never!
On top of that, all books (including Noble, but not the Humble book) will yield an extra card until the end of the Christmas event. Similarly, the paid bundles yielding coins and rubies will grant +30% more resources for the duration of the Christmas event.
Last but not least, matches will yield twice as many coins, and the coin cap will be raised to 800 coins ( 1,400 coins for Premium Pass holders) for the duration of the event.
Cheapened and special Brawl
Similar to previous events, the Brawl starting on Christmas 23rd (and only that one) is going to be cheaper. All fights will be 50% off. Owners of the Premium Pass will also have their usual discount applied, leading to a 60% reduction.
Something quite unique about this Brawl will be the introduction of a new modifier (in all difficulties). A 0-mana cost level 1 (unless owned and leveled) Minion Launchers card will be added to everyone’s deck (thus causing all decks to have 13 cards).
Here are the adjusted values for every milestone:
| Required crowns | Cost per match | Reward once reached |
|---|---|---|
 7 crowns | 0 coins (0) | 10 coins |
| 20 crowns | 5 coins (0) | 1 Humble Book |
| 35 crowns | 5 coins (-5) | 5 rubies |
| 50 crowns | 10 coins (-10) | 1 fusion stone |
| 70 crowns | 15 coins (-15) | 15 rubies |
| 95 crowns | 20 coins (-20) | 1 rare card |
| 125 crowns | 25 coins (-25) | 7 fusion stones |
| 160 crowns | 35 coins (-30) | 60 rubies |
| 200 crowns | 40 coins (-40) | 5 rare cards |
| 250 crowns | 50 coins (-50) | 200 rubies |
| Required crowns | Cost per match | Reward once reached |
|---|---|---|
| 7 crowns | 0 coins (0) | 20 coins |
| 20 crowns | 5 coins (-5) | 1 Humble Book |
| 35 crowns | 15 coins (-10) | 1 Noble Book |
| 50 crowns | 25 coins (-25) | 4 fusion stones |
| 70 crowns | 40 coins (-35) | 1 Heroic Tome |
| 95 crowns | 50 coins (-50) | 2 epic cards |
| 125 crowns | 65 coins (-60) | 20 fusion stones |
| 160 crowns | 75 coins (-75) | 125 rubies |
| 200 crowns | 100 coins (-100) | 7 epic cards |
| 250 crowns | 125 coins (-125) | 500 rubies |
| Required crowns | Cost per match | Reward once reached |
|---|---|---|
| 7 crowns | 0 coins (0) | 1 Humble Book |
| 20 crowns | 10 coins (-10) | 5 rubies |
| 35 crowns | 25 coins (-25) | 1 Classic Tome |
| 50 crowns | 50 coins (-50) | 10 fusion stones |
| 70 crowns | 75 coins (-75) | 1 Mythic Tome |
| 95 crowns | 100 coins (-100) | 1 legendary card |
| 125 crowns | 125 coins (-125) | 50 fusion stones |
| 160 crowns | 150 coins (-150) | 250 rubies |
| 200 crowns | 200 coins (-200) | 5 legendary cards |
| 250 crowns | 250 coins (-250) | 200 fusion stones |
To calculate how far you can go with a given amount of coins, or how much it will cost you to reach a certain milestone, be sure to use the Brawl calculator. It makes it possible to define a certain Brawl discount as well.
FAQ
- When is the update going to be released?
The balance changes will be deployed with the season reset as usual. The Christmas event itself (on which all the exclusive offers and bonuses are bound) will start on December 20th and end with the next Brawl, on the following Sunday.