Developer Update: Balance Changes and Space Wolves Season

Moving from the machinations of the Thousand Sons, we find ourselves face to face with their arch rivals the Space Wolves. A conflict as bitter as the winter of Fenris. While the forces of the Astartes and their fallen kin clash, we also have some time to reflect on the changes to the battlefield. 

It’s been a few seasons now since the Ranked mode changes were introduced—new arenas, an adjusted trophy system, and ranked modifiers. With enough data collected, we’re ready to share some analysis and give you a clearer picture of the current state of play.

Across the new top arenas, the average win rate has dropped by about 6% compared to where it was in Terra, now sitting at 75% in the Dark Cells arena. That’s still a high win rate, but it represents a meaningful increase in difficulty. This shift brings a healthier level of challenge and better distinguishes player skill, without feeling overly punishing.

This impact has been consistent across all Ranks, with a uniform drop in win rate. That’s exactly what we were aiming for—changes that proportionally affect all players, regardless of their level.

The one goal that hasn’t quite landed is card variety. With players able to freely switch factions at the start of each season, and with added pressure at the top, we hoped to see a more noticeable shift in the meta—whether through experimentation or new deck builds. While there has been some movement, it hasn’t been significant.

Overall, Ranked mode is in a solid place. These changes will remain in place for now, though we do have some new features Coming Soon™ (which we’re excited to share in the weeks ahead!) that might shake things up again. We’ve achieved the core goal: raising the difficulty in top-tier Ranked without making it unreasonably tough, and doing so in a way that treats all players fairly.

That said, this is still an evolving system. We’re not locked into a fixed path, and future adjustments are always on the table. But for now, the changes are working as intended – and that’s a good place to be.

With the discussion on Rank Mode changes covered lets dive into this month’s changes in full!

Balance Changes:

Space Wolves

Brother Brand – Space Wolves Blood Claw

+8 Melee

Space Marines have very few options for cheaper cards and those few that are available are staples. Unfortunately despite Brand’s price point he’s fairly low on pickrate for Melee decks, and with his Deathblow trait this increase to Melee should make a significant difference.

Cogfang – Fenrisian Cyberwolf

+4 Melee

A much more popular lower point cost option for the Space Wolves, Cogfang still could benefit from a small buff. As a high impact one off card, upping the Melee is the obvious choice for most impact.

Skarin the Reaper – Space Wolves Thunderwolf Cavalry

+15 Wounds

We’ve been examining a lot of lower/mid cost Berserker options and Skarin definitely falls into that camp, but we don’t want to remove them from the game entirely, so rather than a trait swap we are looking at a decent increase in Wounds to support this role.

Malek Rageborn – Space Wolves Wulfen

-1 Cost

+5 Melee

A bit expensive for a throwaway Deathblow card, Malek could do with being higher impact at a lower cost, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.

Sven Ironfist – Space Wolves Redemptor Dreadnought

-2 Cost

-30 Wounds

+15 Melee

The biggest non legendary cards always struggle to make the line up, so the formidable Sven sees a small drop in points, as well as rebalancing stats to maximise their offensive output and make the most of his trait.

Ragnar Blackmane – The Black Wolf

-2 Cost

Ragnar straddles that tricky spot at 40pts of being in BGH range without being able to be so far above it to have stats to compensate. So taking him down 2 points, and out of the threat range of those cards immediately boost his viability across all melee rosters as well as freeing up precious room in a Space Marine roster.

Aeldari

Alithir Quicksilver – Drukhari Hellion

-10 Wounds

+10 Melee

An older and easy to overlook option for melee builds. Much like the changes to Cogfang were looking to boost up that first turn impact, and by disproportionately increasing the attack over the Wounds lost Alithir fits much better into the overall glass-cannon Aeldari theme.

Klaivaulch – Craftworld Saim-Hann Wraithblade

+5 Melee

Beyond the utility of Kalivaulch’s Shield, a rare trait in the Aeldari line up, they have an underwhelming stat line. With the increase in damage output they should offer a bit more than just a roadblock.

Ardyelle – Craftworld Saim-Hann Warlock

+5 Range

+5 Psychic

+5 Melee

Illanor the Augur – Craftworld Ulthwé Farseer Skyrunner

+5 Range

+5 Psychic

+5 Melee

Both of these triple attack Psykers are getting an all round attack buff. Triple attack cards are always hard to get the correct level of balance, but of the psychic decks out there these two are lower on the list and it would make sense that the need to spread their attacks does a disservice in a more offensive weighted Psychic deck build.

Servants of the Emperor

Pydanoris Bastoris – Adeptus Custodes Vexilius Praetor

+5 Range

+5 Melee

While a good mid range Inspiring option, the Vexillius Praetor doesn’t bring much offence to the table. An all rounder buff should help make him more threatening in his own right in a faction spoiled for Inspiring options.

Sergeant ‘Stonetooth’ Harker – Catachan Sergeant

+10 Wounds

+5 Range

A classic model with a classic card, Harker has been outstripped somewhat in quality over the years so this should bring him much more in line with other more recent options.

Jarran Kell – Right Hand of Creed

+20 Wounds

Despite Creed’s popularity Kell doesn’t get much of a look in which is a shame. The increase in Wounds should help him do his role for longer, and make him more likely to stick around for the redeploys if paired with the other half of the infamous duo.

Omicron 99-Scythe – Adeptus Mechanicus Kastelan Robot

+10 Range

A bulky mid cost barrage card needs to deliver one thing more than any other, and that’s damage output. With lots of high value Barrage options for Servants, the Kastelan needs a little help in damage performance to justify them in a midcost slot position.

Tyranids

Supreme Commander Ghosar – Genestealer Cults Patriarch

Ascension Day: Buff per card deployed: 10 -> 5%

It’s been called for for a while now, and with the concrete data we have from the last few seasons, it’s finally time for a Ghosar adjustment. They are now notably prevalent in win rate, and most of all as an opponent. More clearly, he’s proving very hard to beat, especially with the arena modifiers.

This nerf is a considerable one in that it halves the stat bonus, but since that’s only one half of the two part rule, he should still be a potent Warlord.

We’ll be keeping an eye on their performance but for now this is the correct thing to do.

The Hive Herald – Harridan

-3 Cost

We’ve been progressively reviewing Lord of War performances and as one of the older ones, the Harridan is now in a position for adjustment and while stats and traits are in a good place, the cost could come down, so here’s the change!

Hisser – Genestealer Cults Aberrant

-20 Wounds

+10 Melee

Trait Change: Berserk -> Regen

While we don’t want to change around all the Berserker cards, this one makes sense as Detswit is too popular and close an analogue buffing Hisser too much will get them in too similar a position, and is a competition Hisser can’t win. So a bit of a restructure to give Hisser a slightly different role is in order and this should do the trick.

With that covered that’s all the balance changes for this Season, and as always here is the list of cards being added to the general pool:

Cards added to the general pool:

Necrons

Necron Warrior
Szarekhan Warrior with Gauss Reaper

T’au

Kor’vesa #5816257
Vior’la Sept MV84 Shielded Missile Drone

Servants of the Emperor

Amelia Lucinias
Adepta Sororitas Retributor Superior

Ephrael Stern
Daemonifuge

Kyganil of the Bloody Tears
Shadow Knight

Helenica Caritas
Adepta Sororitas Dialogus

Sister Sacristus
Adepta Sororitas Dominion

Sister Bellicos
Adepta Sororitas Battle Sister

Sister Serenitas
Adepta Sororitas Retributor

Hyldeth Khazentia
Mortifier

Bomber Fenwick
Ratling Bomber

‘Hardhead’ Jackson
Ratling Hardbit

Fixer Hurk
Ratling Fixer

Pavlo
Ratling Battlemutt

‘Shifty’ Vandien
Ratling Sneak

Space Marines

Brother Zarion
Dark Angel Terminator Chaplain

Orks

Da Red Gobbo
‘A-bomb-inable Snowman

Grodd da Hammer
Breaka Boy Fighter

Gorgrok Ripblade
Tankbusta Gunner

Krogskull Spleenrippa
Breaka Boy Demolisha

Snikrat Madeye
Breaka Boy Krusha

Urzog Steelbootz
Tankbusta Boss Nob

Tyranids

Specimen: LV-010-AD-Ψ
Hive Fleet Leviathan Spore Mine