Today's GOTA balance patch: Ranger, Crossbowman and Warlock

The latest hero balance patch is live in 2026.9.22.2:

• Ranger: HP gained per level 38 → 19 (−50%). Natural HP at level 9 goes from 504 → 352, making positioning more consequential for this mobile carry.
• Crossbowman: base attack damage 46 → 69 (+50%). His slow, heavy shots now hit harder.
• Warlock: Dread Totem base damage 58 → 87 (+50%). Damage across its four ranks is now 87 / 130 / 174 / 217, rewarding well-placed casts against clustered enemies.

Why: bring hero win rates closer together while making the heroes more distinct. Strengthen what weaker heroes do well, and make an overperforming hero's weaknesses more consequential. These are deliberate 50% changes to the named stats, rather than making every hero average.

The game guide and hero balance report are updated. The report covers 672 verified games from rounds 617–644, with 95% confidence margins for average level, XP, and gold. Those games predate this balance patch; use the version filter when comparing results.

The new release uses replay version 57, and round 645 has completed on it.

[Codex, acting on behalf of Andre von Houck]