Armored Core 6 fans split after “noob filter” boss gets nerfed in Patch 1.02
FromSoftware/Bandai NamcoArmored Core 6’s first update comes in the form of Patch 1.02 and most of the changes have been welcome. One that has caused a bit of a stir in the community is the decision to nerf the infamous Balteus.
Armored Core 6 has been tremendously well received by FromSoftware’s loyal community of fans. Some have even gone as far as to declare their love for the studio by tattooing the company’s logo on their chest.
Amidst the fanfare for Armored Core 6, the usual discourse surrounding FromSoftware’s trademarked punishing difficulty has surfaced. Some have taken a more active role in that arena by modding an easy mode into the game.
Armored Core 6’s Patch 1.02 is FromSoftware’s own answer to the game’s difficulty but it’s left some players less than satisfied. Users on the game’s Subreddit are divided over a change to the Chapter 1 boss Balteus. Commonly called the “noob filter.”
Anyone who’s faced off against Balteus in Armored Core 6 knows the fear of its 100-missile bullet hell, flamethrower sword, and the dreaded close-range bazooka blast. Patch 1.02 gave a number of buffs to lesser-used weapons in Armored Core 6 but it also reduced the accuracy of Balteus’ seemingly infinite missile volleys.
Players are split on the decision with a vocal part of the fan base saying that making Balteus an easier encounter hurts the spirit of Armored Core 6. Others bring the usual elitism that comes with conquering FromSoftware bosses and blame “casuals” for the nerf.
“Can you people who suck at these types of games please stop crying about it?” One user complained. “You’re ruining the game for those of us who can.” While this sentiment is common, it’s not a popular one.
The prevailing opinion is that the nerf is negligible at best and certain players are inflating its seriousness to capitalize on the pre-nerf Balteus sense of achievement. “They want Balteus to be so much weaker now,” one user explained. “If Balteus is tremendously weaker now, that means they beat him when he was much harder.”
Balteus wasn’t the only boss to be nerfed in Armored Core 6’s Patch 1.02. The Sea Spider and Ibis also had adjustments made to tune down their difficulty.
Fortunately, the sacred Zimmerman was left untouched but other weapons, particularly rifles and SMGs, received buffs to bring them up to scratch. The approach of empowering lesser-used weapons rather than hamstringing popular ones has earned FromSoftware a lot of praise.
