DVA: "Nerf This!" - small change

What if hitting Q allowed DVA to pop out of her MEKA (same mechanic as now) without triggering her bomb?

  • If she stands near it and hits Q, she can hop back in.
  • If she holds Q, she says “NERF THIS!” and the MEKA self destructs wherever it is shortly after. (Queue wristwatch pushing animation) The timing before the blast should be faster since her holding Q is already a delay.
  • Popping out while flying still allows the MEKA to continue in its chosen direction for a while. Destroying it means DVA needs to farm her ‘Call MEKA’ ult again like normal.
  • Pilot DVA buffs would be ideal but maybe a speed buff after vaulting could be a cool and small change. If not, then maybe the MEKA could give shields to allies within its aura (MEKA disappears when she dies)

Why?

Scenario 1

  • Imagine you are on Volskaya, defending B and suddenly hear “NERF THIS!”. – You raise your barrier, looking for the bomb only to realize that it is behind you, parked on that moving platform. (Map mechanics need a buff too, btw)

Scenario 2

  • Imagine you are Rein defending El Dorado, enemy DVA blasts her MEKA past your team’s defenses but no ult call. Your team tries to hold their position with a nuclear bomb cooking behind you, ready to go off at any moment. You must divide your attention between trying to destroy it and holding the line – most likely, your team moves its position to safer corners in anticipation of the bomb threat, allowing DVA’s team to push in and secure ground.

Scenario 3

  • Imagine you are DVA on Volskaya defense, coming back from spawn to point A. Your team is fighting and you decide to hail mary the bomb to the point, You eject while flying, allowing it to continue moving in its direction full-blast and trigger the bomb when it is in position

This change just seems like it would raise the ceiling for what you could do with bomb while also making pilot dva more of a choice rather than just a punishment. Drop defenses to set up bomb elsewhere? Or for more projectile fire? Or to give your team more shields? Or teamwipe the enemy defense and then park your Bomb on the ledge above Eichenwalde’s second door behind them as they tunnel vision rush to stop your team.

Sounds like it could be a neat change. (fun thought: What happens if you send it boosting straight up to the skybox?)

It would need to be a different key than Q because Dva players are used to the instant Dva bomb activation after hitting Q. Holding down Q would compromise this. I like the idea, but make it a different key than Q because that should always be her instant Dva bomb.

2 Likes

True, muscle memory would definitely be a thing to consider!

Maybe just holding it outright could lead straight into something closer to the normal self destruct? Or Torb/Mercy’s “swap gun” button could be better