Please reconsider the Frost Nova range reduction. The Nova change will create asymmetry between Coil’s casting range and Nova’s, causing a disruption of the kit’s coherence
Coil Nova is the only fun thing about Undead.
Nerfing the range of a core Undead spell like Frost Nova is the harshest change Undead can receive and will create asymmetry with Coil’s casting range which is also 800. It directly affects both usability and tactical viability and is hated by every undead player I spoke to. This decision feels especially unfair, considering you reverted the range changes to Mana Burn, which the majority of the community widely regards as one of the most toxic abilities (even after giving NE gamebreaking buffs).
Just a reminder: we have heroes like Blademaster with 300+ crits, Tauren Chieftain, Shadow Hunter’s Hex (also 800 range, instant), Paladin’s Holy Light (also 800 range and instant), Staff of Sanctuary with infinite charges and carriable by 3 heroes, and Mana Burn, whose range was reverted. Night Elf received gigantic buffs, Orc has received gamebreaking buffs across all modes with virtually no nerfs, and Humans—despite being the second most nerfed race after Undead—have kept most of their strongest tools. One might expect a that nearly broke 1v1 to face harsher nerfs, but Holy Light retains its range and cost and Siphon now only has its Area of effect nerfed. The latter feels justifiable due to its toxic nature, but it doesn’t seem fair that Nova receives an equally harsh punishment out of nowehere without meriting it. Why is Frost Nova, a core mechanic of Undead receiving such gigantic nerf that will create a core imbalance and a mechanical dissonance in Undead’s kit which will create an asymmetry between Coil and Nova and will change the dynamics of every single interaction that Undead has. It’s odd that Mana Burn gets treated favourably but not Nova. Lich first doesn’t even see plays anymore vs the other 3 races. Moreover humans with their siphon nerf, are compensated with major buffs and a potentially game-breaking undispellable Orb able to be carried by 3 heroes. I don’t mind these buffs per se, but I just don’t appreciate the inconsistencies and the harsh treatments Undead always gets every patch with Nova range breaking the last straw.
Undead players have watched the Lich receive one nerf after another over the years. This latest one could be the final blow. In 1v1, the Lich is already no longer picked as a first hero—and in FFA, this change will be devastating.
Even FFA players who don’t main Undead have voiced concern. They point out that Frost Nova, along with Death Coil, are the only truly viable tools available to Undead. To quote one player:
“chasing armies/hero killing is Undead’s primary identity in FFA.”
Here’s a video as well as a thread with detailed community feedback from the FFA perspective:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrw8CyRWgUo&t=110s
PTR Patch Notes - FFA Perspective - Warcraft III: Reforged Forums
On a side note, the Frost Wyrm changes are appreciated—they have been underwhelming even in FFA. But if further Undead balancing is your goal, please consider alternative adjustments—such as reducing the charges on the Ritual Dagger—instead of touching Frost Nova. You have already drastically nerfed Anti-Magic Shield (which already can be dispelled), and increased the cast range of Priests—which will impact the UD vs Hu matchup. With the reduced Nova range, Lich will be even more vulnerable to Orc ensnare and hero lockdown. Currently, the Undead vs. Orc matchup in FFA is completely broken. To reiterate, this is emphasized by well known FFA pros who don’t even main Undead. Check the link above for more detailed info.
The Lich has already paid his dues in previous patches—don’t take away the only thing he still has. It will only further reduce Undead’s popularity and make them even less fun to play in every game mode. Coil-Nova is the only truly enjoyable thing Undead has—by design. They are an iconic duo of spells that should always remain with a symmetrical casting range, otherwise it will disrupt the kit’s coherence and create a mechanical dissonance. Please don’t treat the UD fanbase like this and don’t ruin the core component that makes people play Undead. I will remain hopeful.
That said, here are some bugs:
- Kel’Thuzad’s skin still lacks his campaign voice lines and instead incorrectly uses the generic Lich voice.
- The female Demon Hunter skin has the default male portrait.
- The Classic Death Knight Arthas skin remains unavailable in multiplayer. Every other Classic skin is available—except the most iconic one: Classic DK Arthas, the main protagonist of TFT. Currently, players are forced to use Reforged mode just to play as King Arthas—a similar skin that’s locked behind Reforged graphics. It’s unfortunate that every other campaign skin is available in Classic mode, while Undead is stuck with a generic female DK and a bugged Kel’Thuzad with incorrect voice lines. Hopefully, this won’t remain the case much longer.
For reference regarding the Classic DK Arthas model:
https://imgur.com/95KYuIU
And finally, the campaign still suffers from a bug where some units become invisible—even after reloading the save file. Many popular streamers have encountered this while playing the campaign. Also, you still can’t save in custom games, and trying to do so results in a blank UI.