Smite Patch 8.5 Highlights

During Smites Update Show on April 28, Hi-Rez gave us an insight into what to expect come Smite Patch 8.5 releasing on May 18. Here are the highlights.

The Persephone rework aimed to make her more fluid to play with and against.

Passive – Pomegranate Seeds

When she dies, she goes to another realm to plant six seeds that sprout when she spawns. When a plant withers, she gets a seed and can buy more from the shop.

Bone Rush

Persephone calls for a skeleton from the underworld. It charges forward, damaging and slows gods for 2.5 seconds. When the Skeleton falls over, it leaves behind a skull.

Harvest

Persephone causes an explosion in an area, leaving behind three skulls. When skulls are activated, she can heal from them. After four seconds, those skulls turn into a Flower, which charges forward when activated. Their charges bite those who get too close, with damage settling lowered every time to a max of three stacks.

Flourish

She propels forwards or backwards, depending on her movement. Plants in those areas become Flowers, which charge in the direction she is facing.

Grasp of Death

She summons vines in a line, trapping those caught in it/. Enemies then become crippled, rooted and have reduced attack speed. However, Enemy Gods can destroy her Vines with five auto-attacks or three if the vines hit a wall. Thankfully, this is the less stressful experience Hi-Rez was talking about.

The Monstercat Battlepass is the Smite’s new battle pass coming with Patch 8.5. The game will get links to some of Monstercat’s best independent artists, along with themed skins around them and their music. Here is the full list of content included in the Battle Pass, both paid and free.

 

Paid Track Items:

• Sullivan King Gilgamesh Skin
• Slushii Hades Skin
• Koven Chang’e Skin
• Crab Rave Khepri Skin
• Khepri Crab Avatar
• Monstercat Loading Frame
• Crab Rave Music Theme
• Koven Loading Screen
• Slushii Recall Skin
• Monstercat Global Emote
• Monolith Ward Skin
• Koven Level Up Skin
• Crab Rave Jump Stamp
• Sullivan King Music Theme

Free Track Items:

• Monstercat Growl Avatar
• Sullivan King Announcer Pack
• Slushii Music Theme
• Monstercat Death Stamp
• Koven Music Theme
• Monstercat Player Title

 

We must have Dispersed right over Anhur on the Update Show – sorry about that!

Here's a look at The Impaler Anhur, coming with the Monstercat Update on May 18th through the Antihero Chest or by Direct Purchase! Check out a voiceline in the Notes! pic.twitter.com/oJCoJ0MAOt

— SMITE (@SMITEGame) April 28, 2021

Lots of the upcoming content for Smite Patch 8.5 aims to balance Jungle Items. Some of the balance changes are going through in the 8.4 Bonus Patch. But, due to deadlines, and Smite Pro League, there is more information on OP and weak items.

One of them is Wind Demon due to it accelerating the crit build meta for ADC Gods. The item is getting decreased movement speed from 20% to 10%, along with a 5% nerf to its attack speed.

For the defensive playstyle, Magic Shell was a little too good. Now, Upgraded Shell no longer provides block stacks. Instead, buffed gods take 50% less damage from basic attacks for long as the shield persists.

Some more notable item changes include the Book of Thoth, helping scaling mages to get to that point quicker. In addition, Spear of the Magus is getting 12% life steal to differentiate from desolation.

Mages rejoice; the Alternate Timeline is getting a buff, with its magical power up to 70. Along with Archamge’s gem getting a bonus of 200 mana. Furthermore, Gem of Focus is up, getting 100 Magical Power instead of 90.

 

Jungler Items

As for Junglers, Bumba’s Spear is looking more attractive, especially since Hammer is nerfed. To differentiate the two items into different niches, Hi-Rez has removed 200 Mana and changes the passives. Spear’s passive now provides a 10% Power buff for 10s duration after Jungle Camps, Structures, and Jungle Bosses. Also, it no longer provides bonus gold on Jungle Camps, Structures, and Jungle Bosses.

Manikin Hidden Blade struggled to fit in amongst the crowd. Likewise, it too is getting changes to make it more attractive. Hi-Rez has removed the basic Attack Power instead of providing 60 Physical Power and 90 Magical Power. Moreso, it has Increased Bonus Damage on the passive from 15% of the target’s current health to 20%. It should make it a nice fit to any burst Jungler regardless of scalings.

Finally, Seer of the Jungle is shaping up. Its Attack speed is up by 15%, followed by a ward buff duration from 10 to 15 seconds.

 

God Nerfs

Even with nerfs in the 8.4 Bonus, Gilgamesh and Tiamat get some more in 8.5. Gilga’s second ability does less damage, and the stun is slightly lowered at the end game but buffed early. Tiamat’s Basilisks life-stealing ability is also nerfed, with their count lowered to four.

There are plenty of other buffs and nerfs, with the likes of Bellona getting some extra damage on Bludgeon and increased stun length on her ultimate. Furthermore, Athena is getting an amazing visual upgrade.

There’s many more to look forward to, so click this link for the full patch details ahead of Smite Patch 8.5 release date of May 18.