It’s official – the final big feature drop for Gauntlet has landed, and it’s packed. Whether you’re chasing top ranks, testing wild comps, or just here to theorycraft, this update changes everything. Let’s dive into the huge additions like the Bonding system, Weapon & Suit Amplifiers, the upgraded Draft Deck, and one of the biggest balance patches we’ve ever seen. Oh, and yeah… Ranked rewards just got a whole lot more accessible.
Table of Contents
Full patch notes:
💫 New Feature: Bonding is Back – and Better Than Ever
Synergy hunters and comp builders, it’s time to rejoice: Bonding is making its grand return. Now, your Ranger can bond with an Illuvial just by holding it over them for a few seconds, unlocking new synergy pathways.
Here’s what makes it awesome:
- Composite Synergies, Simplified: Your bonded Illuvial’s base synergies combine with your Round 4 weapon synergy to unlock composites.
- Mid-Round Flexibility: Change bonds during placement by simply hovering another Illuvial over your Ranger.
- Automatic Unbonding: Sold or benched Illuvials unbond automatically. Don’t forget to re-bond afterward!
- Quick Check: Right-click your Ranger to see which Illuvial they’re bonded with.
💡 Why it matters: Bonding puts synergy mastery right in your hands. Expect wild new comp options and deeper strategic plays.
🔧 Weapon & Suit Amplifiers – No More RNG Shop Rolls
Say goodbye to random suit/weapon hunts in the shop. This new Amplifier System turns gear progression into a consistent, strategic layer.
Weapon System:
- Round 4: Pick 1 of 3 weapons.
- Rounds 11 & 18: Choose Amplifiers that buff your weapon or Ranger stats.
- Each weapon has unique amplifier options, giving you fresh paths every match.
Suit System:
- Round 14: Pick from 3 Suit Amplifiers.
- 15 total to explore, each with strong team or Ranger buffs.
💡 Why it matters: No more praying to the RNG gods. Your strategy, your way.
🃏 Draft Deck – Comeback Mechanic Just Got Real
After last month’s preview, the Draft Deck is now fully in – and improved. Think of it as a second chance for smart players to claw back with bold moves.
How it works:
- Activates on Rounds 8, 15, 22, and 29.
- All players enter a special board where Illuvials rotate around the center.
- Players release one by one (lowest health goes first) and pick from rotating options.
🛠️ Upgrades include:
- Smoother drone control
- Zoomed-out view for better awareness
- Clearer visual guidance and movement mechanics
💡 Pro tip: Plan ahead and use this phase to shift your comp or double down on synergies.
🛠️ Bug Fixes & UI Improvements
This patch knocks out a ton of bugs and polish issues, including:
- Instant credit delivery after winning rounds or beating PvE.
- Crates no longer stuck when your bench is full.
- Augment logic fixes – no more auto-selecting by mistake.
- Improved amplifier selection UI, leaderboard sorting by Raffle Tickets, and chat repositioning for better visibility.
🎧 Audio updates include:
- New Carousel SFX and endscreen music
- Tiktaalik and Elk Omega SFX updates
- Fixed drone blast bugs + reverb issues
🔄 Ranked Reward Overhaul & Reset Schedule
The Ranked Rewards system is being revamped, with a major focus on accessibility:
- ✅ Weekly games needed for rewards reduced from 15 → 5
- 📆 Hard Reset coming June 5th at 00:00 UTC – all ratings reset to 1200
- 🔁 Starting June 12th, Soft Resets weekly to tighten the rating gap
Soft Reset Formula:
New Rating = 1200 + (Current Rating – 1200) × 0.6
Example:
- If you’re at 2500 → reset to 1980
- If you’re at 800 → reset to 960
💡 Why it matters: Keeps the leaderboard competitive without wiping your effort entirely.
⚖️ Huge Balance Patch: Nerfs, Tweaks, System Changes
If you play competitively, read this section twice. This is a meta-shifting balance update.
🔹 Illuvial Nerfs:
- Adorius: Omega healing/damage down
- Fernite: Health dropped
- Cling, Headi, Blotto: Various nerfs to CC and Omega effects
🔹 Augment Pool Reductions:
- Forge Augments: From 60 → 36
- Legendary Augments: From 40 → 20
- Improved fusion odds (now ~50%) and less niche effects overall
🔹 Drone & Synergy Adjustments:
- Drone Augments no longer give composite synergies at Stage 2
- Primary synergies like Nature, Empath, and Air have reduced effects
- Composite synergies like Tempest, Mud, and Magma have toned-down power to match new Bonding system flexibility
Final Thoughts
This is the final major content drop before Gauntlet leaves Beta, and it shows. With Bonding making comp-building more creative, Amplifiers removing RNG pain points, and the Draft Deck giving comeback tools, the entire game just got deeper and fairer.
And with Ranked resets getting more player-friendly, there’s never been a better time to jump back in and push for leaderboard glory.
