- Hunter Suppression: This update targeted the pervasive “Hunter in Mid” meta by nerfing Devourer’s Gauntlet and high-performing ADC kits like Cupid and Cernunnos.
- SPL Meta Shift: Significant nerfs to Fae Blessed Hoops and Da Ji were implemented to disrupt professional-level dominance, specifically targeting Yemoja’s utility.
- Legacy Context: As a 2022 historical milestone, these changes represent the final balance philosophies of the Unreal Engine 3 era before the transition to SMITE 2.
Before the dawn of the Unreal Engine 5 era and the tactical evolution seen in the Marathon Update 1.025 meta analysis, the original SMITE ecosystem faced a pivotal identity crisis in late 2022. The release of SMITE Update 12.36 (internally recognized as the 9.11 Bonus Update) arrived on November 29, 2022, serving as a tactical strike against a stagnant professional meta. At a time when Hunters were encroaching on the Mid Lane and Junglers like Da Ji held an iron grip on the SMITE Pro League (SPL), Titan Forge Games deployed a surgical set of nerfs to restore the traditional class hierarchy.
Historical Meta Analysis: The Hunter Hegemony
The primary objective of the 12.36 patch was the “de-Huntersizing” of the Mid Lane. In late 2022, the itemization efficiency of physical carries had reached a tipping point where Mages were being pushed out of their traditional home. By targeting core sustain items and specific god scalings, the developers aimed to reclaim the Mid Lane for magical burst dealers.
Itemization Adjustments
Two critical items defined the high-level playstyle of this era. Their nerfs in this update were designed to ripple through both the ADC and Support roles:
- Devourer’s Gauntlet: A reduction from 70 to 65 Physical Power at full stacks significantly hampered the early-to-mid game “power spike” that allowed Hunters to out-clear Mages.
- Fae Blessed Hoops: This item was the backbone of the “Yemoja Problem.” By slashing the Health, Magical Protection, and the passive shield percentage, the developers sought to lower the priority of sustain-heavy Support compositions in the SPL.
God Balances: Clipping the Wings of Top Tiers
The 12.36 update wasn’t just about items; it was an aggressive pruning of the top of the tier list. The focus was on three gods that had become mandatory picks or bans in competitive play: Da Ji, Cernunnos, and Cupid.
Da Ji: The Jungle Queen’s Descent
In 2022, Da Ji’s late-game burst combined with her “Paolao” ultimate offered too much team-fight control for her damage output. This patch specifically targeted her scaling:
- Horrible Burns: Physical Power Scaling reduced from 35% to 25%.
- Paolao: Scaling per shot reduced from 60% to 50%.
Cernunnos and Cupid: The ADC Correction
Cernunnos had transitioned from an underdog to a dominant objective-shredder. The 12.36 update reduced his bonus basic attack damage from 35% to 30%, forcing players to rely more on positioning than raw stat-checking. Similarly, Cupid—who had enjoyed a long tenure at the top of the meta—saw his Flutter attack speed buff reduced and the mesmerize duration on Fields of Love shortened, giving opponents more room to counter-play his massive area-of-effect crowd control.
| God/Item | Key Change | Meta Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Devourer’s Gauntlet | -5 Physical Power (Stacks) | Slowed Hunter snowball potential |
| Fae Blessed Hoops | Shield HP halved (6% to 3%) | Nerfed Support “heal-bot” strategies |
| Cupid | Mesmerize duration nerf | Reduced team-fight lockdown |
Bridging the Gap to SMITE 2
Looking back from 2026, the SMITE Update 12.36 represents a masterclass in “Bonus Balance.” Unlike major version shifts, such as the Nioh 3 Update v1.050, these adjustments were focused on fine-tuning a legacy engine. In the modern SMITE 2 landscape, many of these kits have been rebuilt from the ground up to utilize physics-based interactions, yet the core philosophy of “Class Identity” remains the same. The 2022 patch notes provide a blueprint for how Titan Forge handles power creep—a lesson they have carried into the sequel’s current season.
“Bonus Updates are smaller and thus the goals are simpler: keep the SPL meta fluctuating while ensuring the casual experience remains balanced.”
For players revisiting this era of SMITE, the November 29 update serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between professional play and the general player base. While the technical infrastructure has evolved significantly in the years since, the data-driven approach to meta-analysis established here continues to inform the franchise’s direction today.
