2.9.0 Update Patch Notes

Today’s update aims to improve multiplayer balance in the latter stages of a match while continuing to refine the changes we made previously for the early and mid-game in update 2.8.0.

As part of this, we’re moving the second global research for Requisition and Power for Eldar and Tau to Tier 3. These factions could previously research them at Tier 2.5, which allowed them to easily get further ahead in games if they were already winning.

The team will continue to monitor the state of the multiplayer meta after this update, with a focus on additional adjustments for update 2.10.0 in the months ahead.

Thank you to all our players for your ongoing feedback and bug reports! Your passion has been instrumental in our ongoing support of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition .

Automatch & Modding

A Fair Multiplayer Experience

Thanks to the passion and dedication of this community, we have been able to re-invest in creating a more balanced and stable Multiplayer experience in Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition . Updates 2.8.0 and 2.9.0 both contain balance changes as well as enhanced detection and reporting on mod (and cheat) usage in Automatch. Going forward from the release of update 2.9.0, there are new policies being enforced to create a more even playing field for all players.

Behaviors we are detecting and punishing from this day forward include but are not limited to:

Fog of War Removal / Map Hacks – mods that reveal units that would otherwise be obscured from the camera / on the minimap

Maximum Camera Distance – mods that allow for a much larger overview of the map than intended. Starting in 2.9.0, loose file mods will no longer impact the camera when playing Automatch. These mods will continue to work in all other modes.

Atmospheric Fog Removal – mods typically paired with camera distance mods intended to reveal more of the battlefield than intended

The above behaviors all run counter to the intended mulitplayer experience as designed by the team at Relic (both past and present).

Note: These policies apply to the base Automatch pool for the game – those playing Automatch with large scale multiplayer mods are placed into their own matchmaking queues that do not enforce these policies. Those playing custom games or watching replays are also not restricted.

Those reported or detected using mods (cheats) that violate the spirit of fair competition will receive suspensions that start with 48h bans from Automatch and escalate to permanent suspension for repeat of flagrant offenders.

Multiplayer Balance

Chaos

For Chaos, we’re making some minor tweaks to vehicles as well as buffing the Daemon Prince so that it can have more impact in the late game.

The Defiler changes in update 2.8.0 were too harsh. It will get back its Area of Effect but will have reduced damage, morale damage, and knockback force.

We’re also making the Chaos Space Marines take less time to recover from the morale break status to improve their performance in some matchups.

Chaos Space Marines

Morale required to remove morale break status reduced from 150 to 100

Chaos Vehicles

Now have the same bonus from heavy cover as the vehicles from all other factions

Ranged damage received while in heavy cover reduced from 80% to 75%

Defiler

Battlecannon Area of Effect increased from 3 to 4

Battlecannon damage, morale damage and knockback force decreased by 25%

Daemon Prince

Base regeneration rate increased from 4hp/s to 6hp/s

Damage against Vehicle High (Relic Vehicles and a few heavily armored vehicles like the Killa Kan, Baneblade and the Dais of Destruction) and Daemon High (Relic units other than vehicles and the Daemon Prince) increased by 50%

Daemon Roar ability radius increased from 10 to 15

Daemon Roar ability cooldown increased from 60s to 100s

Daemonic Strength ability cooldown reduced from 200s to 150s (This ability is the same for the Chaos Lord which is also affected)

Sacrificial Circle

Symbol of chaos research time reduced from 70s to 60s

Daemonic Strength research time reduced from 80s to 50s

Obliterators

Teleport time reduced from 5s/5s to 2.5s/2.5s to teleport/become mobile again

Chaos Energies

New: Now gives +1500 health to the Daemon Prince

Chaos Predator health bonus from +1000 to +1300

Possessed Space Marines

Reinforce cost reduced from 65/30 to 60/25

Squad Cost reduced from 260/120 to 240/100

Daemonic Fire morale dps decreased from 30 to 20

Chaos Predator

Base damage of starting weapons (autocannon and heavy bolters) increased by 10%

Dark Eldar

Dark Eldar have been very strong since the last update and are receiving several adjustments to their early game as a result.

We’ve also added two new T3 research items to allow for some scaling of infantry damage and health in the latter stages of the game.

Reaver Jetbike

Damage decreased by 10% for all weapons

Armor Piercing against Commanders increased by 25% for all weapons

Damage against Infantry Low (all builders except Techpriest Enginseer) further decreased by 20% for all weapons

Warrior Squad

Health Decreased from 300 to 275

Hellion Squad

Damage against Infantry Low (all builders except Techpriest Enginseer) decreased by 30% on all weapons for both Hellions and their squad leader

Damage decreased by 10% on all ranged weapons for both Hellions and their squad leader

Animus Vitae

Refresh Time increased from 1s to 1.5s (this affects how often the lifesteal damage triggers)

Crucible of Malediction

Duration decreased from 6s to 5s

Cooldown increased from 120s to 150s

Incubus

Reinforce rate increased from 10s to 15s

Wych Squad

Ranged damage decreased by 20%

Wych Succubus ranged damage decreased by 20%

Combat Drugs ability duration decreased from 15s to 12s

Warp Beast Pack

Beastmaster Tame Warp Beasts ability cooldown decreased from 180s to 120s

Damage against Building Low (mostly Listening Points, Generators, Turrets and Mine Fields) decreased by 30%

Ravager

Horrorfex Bomb ability area of effect decreased from 10 to 6

Horrorfex Bomb ability duration decreased from 15s to 8s

NEW: Improved Wraithbone Battlesuits

Requirements: Planetary Strike Add-on (T3 HQ), Wraithbone Woven Battlesuits (same slot in Haemonculus’ Laboratory)

Cost: 100/50, 30 seconds research time

Scourges health increased by 75

Wyches health increased by 150

Warriors health increased by 75

NEW: Improved Soulseeker Ammunition

Requirements: Planetary Strike Add-on (T3 HQ), Soulseeker Ammunition (same slot in Haemonculus’ Laboratory)

Cost: 100/50, 40 seconds research time

Scourge squad Splinter Cannon damage increased by 25%

Warrior squad Splinter Rifle damage increased by 25%, this includes the Splinter Rifle on the Raider when Warriors are embarked on it.

Wyches ranged damage increased by 25%

Eldar

We’re continuing to adjust the early game for Eldar with some small nerfs to Rangers and Dark Reapers. We have also adjusted other stages of the game, most notably the Falcon can no longer make two Jumps at full charge, and the Avatar now gives less of a bonus to vehicle population cap.

Dark Reapers and their Exarch now get the same bonus from the Optics research in the Soul Shrine to prevent Exarchs from becoming too weak in the late game. This is also a very slight adjustment to the damage output of a full squad of Dark Reapers with Exarch.

Full Scale War Research

Now requires Mobilize for War instead of Support Portal

Plasma Battery Storage Research

Now requires Mobilize for War instead of Support Portal

Soul Shrine

Call of War research time decreased from 45s to 30s

Wargear: Reinforced Armor and Wargear: Enhanced Reinforced Armor now give the same mass increase to Banshee Exarch as it does to regular Banshees

Listening Shrine

War Shrine Add-on (LP2) damage increased by 10%

Improved Optics Research

Dark Reaper Squad: Reaper Launcher damage bonus reduced from 50% to 40%

Dark Reaper Exarch: Reaper Launcher damage bonus increased from 25% to 40%

Superior Optics Research

Dark Reaper Squad: Reaper Launcher damage bonus reduced from 50% to 40%

Dark Reaper Exarch: Reaper Launcher damage bonus increased from 25% to 40%

Rangers

Build time increased from 40s to 50s

Long Rifle damage against Infantry Medium (starting units like Guardsmen, Cultists and Guardians) decreased by 10%

Long Rifle (Tier 2) range increased from 35 to 40 (The weapon Rangers get after Improved Optics is researched)

Dark Reaper Squad

Health reduced from 450 to 430

Falcon Grav Tank

Cost of recharging a jump increased from 45s to 60s

Maximum charge is still 90s - can now store 1.5 jumps when fully charged instead of 2

Avatar

Vehicle pop cap max increase decreased from 10 to 5

Brightlance Platform

Damage increase effect on target decreased from 75% to 50%

Shuriken Platform

Max speed effect multiplier on target changed from 75% to 80%

Build time decreased from 50s to 30s

Wraithlord

Brightlance damage against Buildings and Vehicle Air decreased by 20%

Seer Council

Infantry Population cost increased from 2 to 3

Imperial Guard

For the Imperial Guard we fixed a bug which was introduced in 2.8.0 where some numbers in the Guardsmen Grenade Launcher and the Weapon Specialization research were wrong.

Guardsmen, Ogryn, and Kasrkin have all received buffs to some weapons to compensate for the reduced bonus from Priests. Guardsmen are also getting some knockback force back on their Grenade Launcher to make them a bit more likely to knock down certain units.

We’re making the Hellhound and the Marauder a bit more accessible and giving back some strength to the Basilisk.

Uncommon Valor has now been split into two research items to allow the Command Squad to be expanded in increments instead of a single expensive upgrade, adding two members at once.

Guardsmen

Grenade Launcher knockback increased from 20-30 to 20-35

Plasma Gun damage increased by 15%

Heavy Weapons Team

Health regeneration increased from 1 hitpoint per second to 2 hitpoints per second

Health increased from 650 to 750

Hellhound

Acceleration time decreased from 2s to 1.5s

Basilisk

Damage increased by 10%

Knockback force increased from 28-44 to 30-50

Mechanized Command

Hellhound Depot cost decreased from 100/50 to 50/25

Marauder Depot cost decreased from 50/100 to 50/50

Marauder Bomber

Vehicle population cost decreased from 4 to 3

Bombing Run: Krak Bombs ability damage against buildings decreased by 30%

Build time decreased from 38s to 30s

Ogryn

Damage of all weapons increased by 15% for Ogryns and their squad leader

Kasrkin

Damage of all weapons increased by 15% for Kasrkin and their squad leader

Uncommon Valor

Cost reduced from 100/100 to 50/50 Research time reduced from 60s to 30s

Additional Command Squad members reduced from 2 to 1

Health increase for Command Squad members reduced from 100 to 50

NEW: Dauntless Valor

Requirements: Uncommon Valor, Battle Command (T2 HQ)

Cost is set to 50/50

Research time is set to 30s

Additional Command Squad members is set to 1

Health increase for Command Squad members is set to 50

Guardsmen Squad Grenade Launchers

The Dark Crusade version of the Guardsmen Squad Grenade Launchers as well as the Weapon Specialization Research were mistakenly used as a base for the changes in 2.8.0. This has been fixed. Affected values: Grenade Launchers Max range was 45 instead of 40 and their build time was 20s instead of 14s. Kasrkin gained x2 damage for Plasma Guns and x1.5 damage for Grenade Launchers from Weapon Specialization instead of the other way around.

Necrons

Necron Warriors have been given a third upgrade which is available in Tier 3. Necron Warriors are now slightly weaker in the earlier stages of the game but end up stronger in the late game where Necrons currently lack scaling of their units.

Attack Scarabs are now cheaper and have lost some of their damage in return for more health and other changes. They should now be better at performing their niche role as anti-air units.

Other notable changes include the cost increase of Flayed Ones to make them less spammable and Tomb Spyders now having a cost of 5 corpses instead of 4 to summon a squad of Necron Warriors. This makes it harder to circumvent their scaling buildtime cost and fill out the infantry cap with just Necron Warriors.

Necron Warriors

Gauss Flayer damage against Building Low (mostly Listening Points, Generators, Turrets and Mine Fields) decreased by 10%

Disruption Field

Necron Warriors Gauss Flayer damage increase reduced from 30% to 23%

Cost reduced from 200 to 175 power

Research time decreased from 80s to 70s

Enhanced Disruption Field

Necron Warriors Gauss Flayer damage increase reduced from 35% to 30%

Necron Warriors bonus health decreased from 290 to 170 (Health after upgrade decreased from 870 to 750 )

Necron Warriors Gauss Flayer range increase reduced from 4 to 3 (range after upgrade is 20 instead of 21)

NEW: Superior Disruption Field

Requires: Enhanced Disruption Field, Engaged Monolith Energy cost is set to 225

Research time is set to 80 seconds

Necron Warriors Gauss Flayer damage increased by 25%

Necron Warriors health increased by 175 (925 is the new max hp up from 870)

Necron Warriors Gauss Flayer range increased by 3 (23 at maxed upgrades instead of 21)

Flayed Ones

Squad cost increased from 120 power to 130 power

Reinforce cost increased from 30 power to 35 power

Immortals

Ranged damage against Vehicle Low (lightly armoured vehicles like Sentinel, Land Speeder and Reaver Jetbike) decreased by 15%

Pariahs

Reinforce time decreased from 20s to 18s

Infantry Cap cost decreased from 4 to 3

Tomb Spyder

Corpses consumed to spawn Necron Warriors increased from 4 to 5

Spawn Attack Scarabs ability has the following changes:

Health cost for the Tomb Spyder decreased from 30% to 25%

Cost decreased from 125 power to 75 power

Cooldown increased from 10s to 45s

Attack Scarabs

Reinforce cost decreased from 20 power to 15 power

Reinforce time increased from 3s to 10s

Health increased from 95 to 150

Damage decreased by 40%

Sight Radius increased from 25 to 35

Vehicle population cost increased from 1 to 2

Lord Destroyer

Health increased from 1750 to 2000

Stasis Field ability cast range decreased from 30 to 25

Stasis Field duration reduced from 30s to 20s

Orks

Orks have struggled a bit in the early game in some matchups after update 2.8.0. However, in this update we are adjusting some of their tougher matchups and their late game. As such, we are holding off on more changes to the Orks early game for now.

The Fighta-Bomma Grot Bomb is now less dangerous to face and Slugga Boy Squads are now slower to build after they become free due to the More Sluggas research. They also have less health after their second health upgrade to make the green tide less hopeless to face in the late game.

The Killa Kan Rokkit Launcha upgrade should now be more worthwhile and the Squiggoth is now less sluggish while turning.

Super 'Eavy Boy Armor

Slugga Boyz health bonus from +33% to +25%

More Sluggas Research

NEW: Slugga Boy Squad build time increased from 18s to 27s after this research

Squiggoth

Rotation speed increased from 30 to 50.

Killa Kan

Rokkit Launcha accuracy increased from 60% to 75% (a 25% increase in damage per second)

Rokkit Launcha cost decreased from 120/60 to 80/60

Fighta-Bomma

Ork Grot Bomb damage, morale damage and knockback force decreased by 20%

Health decreased from 2750 to 2350

Sisters of Battle

The Sisters of Battle have also had a stronger early game than intended after the last update. We are making multiple changes to address this while also fixing some underlying bugs and other issues with the faction.

Battle Sisters are facing some larger changes - we’ve increased their starting squad size by one and raised their cost accordingly. Their build time and reinforce time has been increased to slow down the timings for massing them. The damage from Phosphor Grenades has also been reduced, especially against lighter infantry like Guardsmen.

We’ve also reduced the early game Faith income to limit how often Missionaries and Canoness can use their abilities in the early game. The Canoness has also seen some changes to her Act of Faith abilities - Purifying Light has lower duration while Ascension has been improved to make the Avenging Angels more worthwhile.

Finally, the Inferno turret and the weapons of the Listening Posts now have an area of effect which matches the visuals of the flames. In return, they are losing a large part of their damage and morale damage to compensate.

Ecclesiarchal Chapel (Headquarter)

Faith income reduced from 1 to 0.75

Inferno Turret

Twin-Linked Inferno Cannons area of effect increased from 3.5 to 5

Twin-Linked Inferno Cannons damage reduced by 50% except against Commanders and Vehicle Low (lightly armoured vehicles like Sentinel, Land Speeder and Reaver Jetbike)

Morale damage decreased by 30%

Listening Post

The following changes apply to both the Inferno Cannon and the upgraded Inferno Cannon

Area of Effect increased from 3.5 to 5

Damage reduced by 50% except against Commanders and Vehicle Low (lightly armoured vehicles like Sentinel, Land Speeder and Reaver Jetbike)

Morale damage decreased by 30%

Shrine of the Living Saint

Health increased from 1500 to 3000

Manufactorum

Conflagration research time decreased from 45s to 30s

Conflagration cost decreased from 100/75 to 75/50

Sisters Repentia

Righteous Fervor health degeneration effect decreased from 8 health per second to 5 health per second

Battle Sister Squad

Starting members from 4 to 5

Build cost from 140/0 to 175/0

Build time from 16s to 22s

Reinforce time from 6s to 8s

Phosphor Grenades ability damage over time decreased from 8 to 7

Phosphor Grenades armor piercing against Infantry Medium (starting units like Guardsmen, Cultists and Guardians) decreased from 90% to 70% (both damage over time and grenade damage)

Veteran Superior damage boost to squad members decreased from 30% to 20%

Canoness

Faith income reduced from 2 to 1.75

Act of Faith: Ascension ability cost decreased from 85 Faith to 70 Faith

Act of Faith: Ascension ability duration increased from 30s to 40s

Act of Faith: Purifying Light duration decreased from 20s to 12s

Act of Faith: Purifying Light cooldown decreased from 180s to 150s

Act of Faith: Ascension Research

Cost changed from 100/100 to 125/50

Avenging Angel

Max speed increased from 20 to 28

Damage against Daemons/Monsters increased by 25%

Damage against Vehicle High (Relic Vehicles and a few heavily armored vehicles like the Killa Kan, Baneblade and the Dais of Destruction) increased by 50%

Purgatus Mine Field

Cost increased from 25/25 to 35/35

Immolator

Twin Heavy Flamer morale damage decreased by 20%

Conflagration ability now also deals damage to Commanders, armor piercing set to 50% against Commanders (This ability has 100% armor piercing against infantry so Commanders will take half that damage)

Exorcist

Damage, morale damage and knockback force decreased by 20%

Sisters Repentia Mistress

Bugfix: Sisters Repentia Mistress was not targeted by the Wargear: Blessed Armor and Wargear: Sacrosanct Armor research due to it targeting a Mistress file not in use instead of the correct one. This has now been resolved.

Rhino Transport

Bugfix: Max limit for Rhino Transport wasn’t applying correctly. It now has a proper unit limit of 3 in game.

Space Marines

After update 2.8.0, Space Marines are no longer one of the weaker factions in the game. We’re now focused on adjustments to their mid and late game.

The Chaplain is now cheaper and faster to build while reducing the impact of its healing aura. This should let Space Marines build the unit faster in early T2 when it is really needed while also reducing the strength of its healing which together with heavy cover and Rhino Smoke Launcher made Space Marines incredibly durable. Smoke Launchers have also…