Daydreaming about Subcategories

General Discussion
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The more I keep thinking about it, the more I want to see blizzard define each role into 2 subcategories and finally rework/balance certain characters into a better role. We can even fine tune and balance heroes in their subcategories better within a role.

It would help rid us of issues we currently have and help make better balance changes for the future. It would allow characters to thrive in a role that is more suited to their nature.

Why doesn’t blizzard go this route for subcategories within roles? Is it because they feel it would limit creativity?

I’d envision this… it’s a dream but nothing but a silly day dream- so don’t bite my head off please.

Main/Anchor Barrier Tank- Sigma, Rein, Orisa, Winston, Mei.

Bruiser Off Tank- D.Va, Zarya, Roadhog, Hammond, Doomfist.

Pure DPS- Tracer, Ashe, Widowmaker, Solider76, Bastion, Reaper.

Utility DPS- Torbjorn, Junkrat, Mccree, Hanzo, Echo, Genji, Pharah.

Primary Support- Mercy, Ana, Baptiste, Lucio, Moira.

Secondary Support- Zen, Brig, Symmetra, Sombra.

The only issue i can predict is wait times. I assume the main tank role would be the least picked.

Bad idea? Good idea?

If you like the idea of subcategories-what would you change? If you don’t like the idea of subcategories-why not?

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There is one huge flaw in the subcategories idea as a whole - it eliminates a ton of variety in team compositions. 2-2-2 Role Queue already eliminated quite a bit of creative compositions, but subcategories would make the problem worse.

It sounds like a good idea until you get into specifics.

I just wish we could have a balanced game where every hero is good and viable

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Hey thanks for reading. I understand maybe it’s good it just stays as a dream.

It would have pros but yeah that would be a con. :pleading_face:

Edit: now when I think about it I’d prob keep sombra as a utility dps and move lucio to secondary support… idk :rofl:

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You should say it’s something we could try in Experimental. Nothing works (or doesn’t work) until you try it

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That would be a wild experimental for sure. I’d love this over some of the experimentals we had in the past or even the one right now.

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I think certain categories would definitely help the overall experience of the game, but it would skyrocket the queues.

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Question comes down to why ? Why would they make more queues without enough heroes to make it remotely viable ?
If your dream is to see longer queues for more roles then this would allow that but for now what we have works, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

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This is mostly true in higher ranks at the moment, and will literally never be true in lower ranks.

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The issue is that reducing heroes to even more situational uses is only an excuse in waiting to not put effort into balancing them correctly.

Moving Sym to a ‘‘sub support’’ category is nothing but temping Blizz to balance her around being a taxibot.

Not to mention that ‘‘off tank’’ is at the end of the day just code for fat dps. I prefer to kill off the fat flanker degenerative gameplay and make them all team players that to ‘‘canonize’’ the fat dps role.

So no. If anything the defense and offense categories should come back, not unnecessary subcategories.

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e w-
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wait lucio main support? w h y😭

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I’d had second thoughts. :upside_down_face: I put a comment with an edit because I was like nah… hack is a great utility.

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So what if these were defined but not limited and still only 3 roles and queues still.

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Sigma isn’t a main tank just cuz he has a shield, every main tank should be a shield tank, but not every shield tank is a main tank. And if we split the tanks into 2 subcategories it should be main tank and off tank, and just call them off tanks, as some of your “Bruisers” are dive tanks, but having winston in main and dive would mess stuff up, so it’s just off tank. Also just out of curiosity what is the difference between pure dps and utility dps, them being more ability based? Anyway Like others have said I think It would limit creativity, but should instead be more of a guide line for newer players on what a well rounded comp is. Sorry if anything sounded rude as that was not my intention, and forgive my bad grammar. Thank you.

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14

Yeah, I think the subcategories don’t exist because they would really not work with some of the hero designs. Sigma and Hammond are the best examples of this. Sigma can act as a small shield to help create some space, but he’s also often run with an Orisa/other main tank, and that helps him out most because a lot of his power is in grasp/accretion. Hammond is kinda the converse of this, but the same idea carries forth: he can be used as an off tank, but he has bad peel, and fireball + slam can create ton of space via disruption, so he’s often run as a main tank with either another dive tank or Zarya/Hog if they decide to communicate.

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The tanks and supports are this way already essentially with the way that the meta has been working.

I don’t see DPS working this way - most utility heroes are unfortunately niches and unpopular. Plus the DPS roster itself has such a large variety - such as flankers, Hitscans, Tank busters and etc.

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I don’t dream longer queues just a better way to balance. Just ideas and playing ping pong with my idea with other people.

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No not offensive. You aren’t being rude I love feedback.

Sigma is a gray area. He can be main of off depending on what the other tank picks.

I placed Sigma in main tank with the intent of reworking, ditch one of his abilities-strengthen shield. He was released with the intent to add variety to the main barrier tank role so I’m leaving him there. Additionally my thought process was to eliminate the issue of double barrier. Winston is a main tank already. In the spirit of dive comps I’d want Winston there.

Pure dps vs utility was a bit hard but open to ideas since I don’t play as much damage. I did separate based more on abilities/utilities that have a moba team like feel. I would of actually felt sombra there I think in the utility dps. As much as I hate hack it’s part of her and I think she’d make a crappy support in second thought.

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Ok. I thought you were talking about current sigma.

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Nah I also daydream reworks and balances. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: thanks for reading though.

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Communism

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