I don’t really mean from a balance standpoint, but fun and hero fantasy factor. New Sombra is undoubtably better in terms of usability in different scenarios, but I can’t help but miss how old Sombra played. I enjoyed being that support/dps hybrid that was on the sidelines, sneaking around, hacking key targets to secure my team kills and stuff like that. It felt like it fit into more of the hero fantasy. The only thing that’s more fun for me in her new kit is the translocater, which is how I used to use it anyway, instead of just chucking it on a healthpack. Hack hardly feels like it does much now depending on the hero, sometimes I go whole games without even using it once since it’s not usually worth giving away your position for the faster virus damage and the ability lockout is only a second and a half. Infinite stealth is fine I guess, but even the devs said themselves that her having that makes her harder to balance. I liked having it on demand instead of having to wait for it to come back up. It kinda feels awkward sometimes to just sit there and wait for it (Unless you use translocater oc) and I enjoyed the skill that came with moving around the map as quick as possible before the invis ran out. If getting rid of the infinite invis would allow more power in other aspects in her kit, I’d give it up in a heartbeat. As for virus, it’s fine as well. It gives her more dps and a skill shot, which is nice, but it doesn’t feel like a particularly exciting ability either. Overall, while Sombra isn’t considered a throw pick anymore, she also is kinda less exciting and has lost some of her identity in my opinion.
I can almost completely agree with everything you said.
There are only two points where I have a slightly different opinion:
-
The Translocator used to be more fun for me. I had the choice to use it defensively or offensively. If Blizzard had already increased the throw speed back then, a lot more players would have probably used it that way.
-
Permanent stealth was indeed a problem and would be the first thing I’d give up. However, the change in stealth made it possible to play more tactically. The time pressure was removed from her kit, allowing me to be at the right place at the right time to set up the right hack. This enabled me to play Sombra for control, which was the main reason I played and liked her so much.
As for the hack, I agree 100%.
… Hack + Virus deals 50 damage, and the enemy already knows I’m attacking and is ready for a fight! That’s 308 damage per 4.5 seconds until reloading.
… Directly using Virus + weapon deals 91 damage. Before I need to reload, it’s another 2 seconds, and I would average 278.5 damage every 3 seconds.
These calculations are made from the enemy’s perspective. This means we use the times from the moment we actually interact with the enemy and they know we’re there. This is more realistic.
Regarding the hack, I agree 100%. 1.5 seconds for 0.6 seconds of preparation and then another 0.4 seconds delay before you could cause damage is simply not a good trade. With Virus, I cause 25 damage + 22.5 damage per second. Attacking directly almost guarantees a hit, and I have the element of surprise on my side. Additionally, I can attack freely after using Virus, causing about 60 damage per second with the weapon.
I could create the same post about OG Bastion with headshots in sentry form, OG Mercy who was worse but felt better with mass rez and Torb with the level 3 turret and armor packs.
All three are better and more flexible, but all have lost something in the process.
All they had to do to fix sombra was to put translocator and invis back on a timer. The recent rework was just weird.
Back in the day invis only lasted 5 seconds before going on cooldown, and translocator only laster 20 seconds before it despawned on its own. Going back to something like that, instead of perma-invis and virus would have solved her issues.
End of Overwatch 1 Sombra did not need nerfs. The entire reason she got reworked is because she was the worst hero in the game but they couldn’t do much to buff her without upsetting people. So, they reworked her using primarily the feedback of people who complained about Sombra. She is basically what they insisted they’d rather play against.
The people who wanted her nerf are the ones they listened to for the rework. They couldn’t be objective about a hero with abysmal performance, which indicated to the devs that she was too unfun to play against and needed a rework.
The invisibility used to last 6 seconds, not 5 seconds. And putting a timer on the translocator was the biggest mistake. If I was good enough as Sombra to survive longer than 20 seconds, there was always the problem that I had to teleport or survive 6 seconds without an escape option.
Especially since Sombra functioned with a permanent teleport for years. The invisibility is currently only a problem because Sombra is now damage-based and not, like before, support-based.
Naw. Nawnawnaw.
Naw.
Well, for the Sombra player themselves maybe. But the whole point of the rework was that this fantasy was destructive to the game. Not saying they fixed it because current Sombra is still destructive, but it was why so many people were asking for a rework.
IMO if it was 6v6 and she had her original hack duration I think this would still work, but in 5v5 she needs killing potential which Virus provides.
It’s still fun following a junkrat and canceling his tire lol. It’s actually easier now that hack cast time is a bit faster.