Here’s a more simplified approach to solving Tanks by making sure DoubleBarrier is kept in check.
Summary:
Defence Matrix blocks almost all AntiDive
Stronger Barriers
Ranged TankBuster DPS are less of a threat to Tanks
Should make it so that it’s a lot less optimal to run DoubleBarrier at high tier. While also making it so that the other +95% of the playerbase isn’t stuck in “Rein or Lose”.
D.va
Defence Matrix: 60% knockback reduction when using the ability
Sigma
Kinetic Grasp: Range reduced from 3m to 1m
Accretion: Does not stun if it passes through a defence matrix or kinetic grasp.
Barrier: Increased to 1000, with 20% faster regen.
Orisa
Barrier: Increased to 700, with a 7 second cooldown.
Baptiste
Immortality Field: Disabled while defence matrix is on it.
Brigitte
ShieldBash: Blocked by Defence Matrix, the same way it’s blocked by a barrier. Like hitting a brick wall.
Repair Pack: Teammates behind enemy barriers/matrix/grasp are un-targetable.
Inspire: Loses it’s effect when it loses line of sight within 60m. Including a teammate going behind an enemy barrier.
Health: Increased back to 200hp and 50armor.
Mei
Primary Fire: Blocked by Defence Matrix. Classified as a projectile.
Interesting changes; one of my problems would be the inconsistency with Mei primary fire and Brig shield bash (and to a lesser extent, Bap IF) being able to be blocked by DM.
As for more balance-oriented suggestions, I actually would like increased Orisa counterplay to earthshatter at least with the Fortify changes (maybe not the D.Va bomb bit), as long as shatter’s stun was made just a hair longer to compensate a bit. Not a lot of huge issues, just small concerns and misgivings that could probably be easily resolved or tweaked with with some playtesting.
Being able to bodyblock a Shatter would be very valuable. Orisa is usually already dead to a D.Va bomb unless she has most of her health…I’m not sure why you would ever want to try to bodyblock a bomb!
(Still would love it if Fortify was switched to a resource meter, too.)
Fixing Tanks is all about more D.va/Winston/Orisa/Sigma usage
A lot of the “absurdity” wouldn’t really apply except for the top 2% of the playerbase, which is already at the extremes. (And that Top 2% has been desiring a “Full Dive” meta for nearly 3 years. And were very happy when they briefly got one in October.)
By doing it this way it has almost no negative effects on ELOs where coordinated Dives don’t exist. i.e. +90% of the playerbase.
While also offering some good alternatives to mid/low-ELO doublebarrier cheese. (i.e. Run at them with Rein/Lucio/D.va)
“Something” is always going to be the best at high tier, so it might as well be Dive, and not high durability bunker or high durability deathball. If they want real variety up at those ELOs they are going to need some sort of an equivalent to a player selected Hero Ban system. Otherwise, it’s a lost cause to try to convince them to use more than 8-10 heroes after a patch meta has been “solved”.
I do have a “Roster Pick” concept that would solve most of that.
Can’t have heroes bodyguarding for Dive at close range who aren’t offtanks
And ultimately if that means 0.02% of total players represented by high ELO Brig/Bap players quit. That’s hardly even a rounding error worth of players.
Where at a very minimum, not fixing queue times could easily lose more than that many players in a week. And at least 5-10% of the total playerbase over the long run.
Making D.va counter a bunch of things that make no sense is dumb. Removing almost all anti dive counterplay is insane and probably the worse idea on the forums to date
Counter, sure. But all these changes make Dva insane and any Dva lead dives become uncounterable except for… Zarya? I’m all for Dva improvements, but these are not them… I’d rather see her base abilities improved to give her better mobility, more reliable at protecting allies, micro missiles track cursor so they do something other than being melee rockets hell let her repair her mechs armour based on the amount of damage she DMs.
As for double barrier, what about different types of barriers. For example have Orisa’s have a lowish health but make it “hardened” where it can only take a max damage of 10 (for example). That way rapid fire weapons can shred but it can’t be one shot by widow/Hanzo Have Sigma’s be unbreakable, but he can only have it out for a short time making it more an ability than “barrier” if you get me
Agreed. You really don’t for high tier.
But it’s absurd to act like only the top 2% of the playerbase deserves Tank usage variety.
For Plat and below (i.e. +90% of the playerbase), you really do need barrier tanks that can offer a “Poke Damage Counter”, that’s an alternative to Rein.
And you cannot have that as long as DoubleBarrier at high tier can be nearly invincible at medium/long range, and have “AntiDive bodyguards” at close range.
Furthermore, changes like this are needed to make it so they can adjust Tanks to be more desirable overall, to reduce queue times.
hell let her repair her mechs armour based on the amount of damage she DMs.
Have Sigma’s be unbreakable, but he can only have it out for a short time making it more an ability than “barrier” if you get me