Still waiting on the valeera changes

General Discussion
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From one of the previous AMAs, in response to a question about Valeera getting balance changes, we got this:

So what I understand from “we haven’t been able to get changes out in a timely manor” is “we are not happy with her current state.”

So if that’s the case, why are balance changes for her taking so long?
She has had awful talent diversity, low winrates, and minimal meta presence for a long time. The last balance changes to her were over a year ago. Surely there has been enough time to confirm she is not in an ideal spot, and the developers seem to even agree with this.

I understand they are trying to be careful so as not to make her too strong. But I am getting the impression they aren’t even working on changes for her, given how long she has gone without them.

They admitted they had failed to get out changes in a timely manor more than two months ago now. It is frustrating to just wait and wait with no info except “SoonTM.”

Just throw valeera players a bone please. Buff some underpreforming talents. Something is better than nothing. Just show you do care and you are still looking at ways to help her out. Because it feels as if she has been abandoned by developers.

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Until then I’ll be really happy to keep picking her for fun as a hardcounter to Butcher and hypercarry tracer. She may be niche but it’s a deep groove she carves

it’s really awesome when you see actual drafts where she looks good though. It just takes some serious valeera-awareness to know when they pop up

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I assume they’re working harder on Tassadar, D.Va, TLV, and Chen, which are far more pressing. More people want those heroes to be made viable.

Also, unlike Tassadar, D.Va, TLV, and Chen, Valeera actually has a small niche.

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Hey, those heroes also have a small niche! Tass’ niche is actually quite large!

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Butcher yes. Imo tracer has outplay potential for her, though valeera can certainly restrict how aggressive tracer can get.

TLV are fine, they are viable they just arent particularly fun to play for most people, and require a team who understands how to play around them.

Tass is still strong in double support setups. That is a niche.

D.Va is strong, she is just hard to fit into a comp because shes a bruiser who struggles to solo lane. Self destruct is a really good ability, and DM creates a lot of space for her team against immobile damage dealers who can’t easily move out of it.

Chen harasses pretty well, especially after his recent buffs he really is not nearly as bad as people make him out to be. Ive been playing him more recently. He is very mobile and has pretty strong damage. He is a nightmare to a team without good peel.

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Well, they also suck at what they do which at least Valeera doesn’t.

But my first point is more important, which is that those heroes are popular requests and people seem more content to let Valeera be. I mean, I literally only see Hail requesting she get changed, while there’s a new thread about one of those four almost every day. Blizzard said that community feedback is a large part of who they choose to work on.

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More like “we decided to do other things first”…

… “like Chen, Tassadar or Dva reworks”, which, I think we can all agree, are bigger priority.

Maybe y’all shouldnt ask for nerfs right after rework.

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I want her in a state where she is reasonably viable at all levels of play, and skilled valeeras can really shine. Kind of like alarak.

She was super silence bot back then which I didn’t like. Her nerfs tried to make her want to use her other openers too, but Garrote is still too dominant

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I am not really that familiar with the matchup tbh besides wait around, then run at tracer and d—>e. I know she can avoid your approach but I feel like depending on your positioning (and being or choosing not to be in stealth) you can probably nullify her presence in fights more than she does anything to anyone else. I guess if the tracer player doesn’t get flustered when they get opened on they could keep autoing and sidestep your Qs

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Now that Anduin is in the Nexus she can be a support. When they’re both in the same match he firmly plants his feet on her back and gets 10% movement speed.

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Well they did just have a massive downsizing in staff, and queue of backlog work that was “close” when they were full staff so I would say its a matter of priority.

So if we asked the community what the priorities would be they would pick:
(in no particular order)

  • Chen/Tassadar rework
  • Better matchmaking
  • New hero
  • anything else

Here is HailFails priority list:

  • Valeera
  • Valeera
  • Maybe Valla
  • MUCH MORE VALEERA, cause 1 trick

My only response is if you find valeera playable Tassadar, Nova and Malfurion would remind you be careful what you wish for. A rework may make you long for her current build… “I remember when Valeera used to be good”