Play-test a Sombra idea

General Discussion
1

Credit to SchWiniX for implementing it. Play -> Game Browser -> Create -> Settings -> Import Code -> enter one of the provided codes -> Back -> Lobby. You can also save the code as a preset.

What

  • Machine Pistol damage reduced
  • 4-5 seconds after being out of Stealth damage is doubled (Akimbo) and movement speed is increased

Edit - Somehow people might have been getting confused by the following descriptions so I’ve clarified them.

Akimbo:

  1. ~9% higher movement speed with 50% higher damage (single Machine Pistol damage reduced by 25%) - CODE - 2FZKW
  2. ~18% higher movement speed with 50% higher damage (single Machine Pistol damage reduced by 25%) - CODE - RRMVG
  3. ~9% higher movement speed with 32% higher damage (single Machine Pistol damage reduced by 34%) - CODE - QR2BB
  4. ~18% higher movement speed with 32% higher damage (single Machine Pistol damage reduced by 34%) - CODE - NSWMN

I suggest starting with the second code to experience her at her best. The slower speed may be ultimately more balanced. You can play with AI but the most useful experiences will be with people.

There is another knob to turn here. Let’s say a 1:2 damage ratio is not desirable for Machine Pistol -> Akimbo. This can be altered through tightening her spread with the lone Machine Pistol and increasing it with Akimbo, perhaps through an animation that shows her arms not being as stable.

"Flavor"

Sombra gets tired entering Stealth and running at such a high pace. Four to five seconds after being out of Stealth she recovers her high energy (she’s a good runner… the cartels would chase her around as a child and teen) and begins to move faster along with feeling comfortable wielding a second Machine Pistol.

Why

People can apparently argue about whether Sombra is fun to play or not but the fact is her playstyle puts her in a predicament. Because of her “kit” she plays a low form of hit and run. Invisibility accompanied with high speed allows her to approach targets unaware of her presence. Teleportation allows her to vanish to safety at the press of a button. Presently she isn’t very good as her inability to kill renders her a glorified ult farming bot. You buff her, even by reducing the downtime or the intervals between her hit and runs, and the cheapness of her playstyle becomes especially toxic to her opponents.

I nerfed her cheap aspect to give her a practical aspect. You can still do what she has been doing but you will do less damage doing it. Given she is already intentionally balanced not to kill heroes on her hit and runs it’s unclear what effect this nerf will have - i.e. it’s probably not very important. The practical aspect she gains with the dramatically increased damage (up to 50% of her current damage) is mid-fight presence. Her higher movement speed to some extent compensates for the close range nature of her guns and the use of Translocator enables her to reposition without losing the damage, including aggressively.

I think Sombra will become more fun to play and relevant. The play-testing allows players to judge the effect and see what playstyle options they may think of.

PS

I think the people who want to make Sombra a support are out of their minds. An ability steal in Overwatch would be neat but hard to implement, and if you actually try to make her a worthwhile support you’ll definitely need to get ambitious.

4 Likes
2

No thanks
Horrible changes

15 Likes
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Seems like people think Sombra is currently in a horrible spot. She might be stuck there, but I’m sure in your period and reasoning omitting wisdom you have passed accurate judgment. I legit wondered if maybe I should’ve labeled the code list differently. You never know with some people.

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I’d take some permanently increased movement speed without the akimbo nonsense.

4 Likes
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Deffently not lol and the hit and run playstyles is so old that its isnt her playstyle at all since the timer got removed with the 15second timer gone the translocator is such a versatile ability that If used correctly its brilliant.

Translocator is actually one of my favourite abilities and one of the most misunderstood I love it because of the options it gives me in the mid fight. I love using it on battle. Widowmaker being a pain ill contest her. Rein charging at me I’ll translocator behind him hack him then make his life a liven hell lol I use my translocator very aggressive only afew situations I do the run back playstyle and want to be extremely defensive with it and thats not alot of situations if they have a sombra and I want to counter initate with emp my translocator is in a spot where it’s close the fight behind cover so I dont get caught but close enough for me to go back and EMP.

2 Likes
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Seems pretty cool, OP, although I’ve only tried it against bots. I hopped into the Training Room afterwards and Live Sombra feels pretty sluggish in comparison. If nothing else, I hope they increase her running speed in stealth.

1 Like
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If widow is on he high ground can you put a translator near a health pack and get back to finish her off in time?

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Sounds like you’ll love Akimbo because it empowers Translocator.

By the way, note how no one has expressed what’s wrong with the idea.

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Just translocate up to her and contest her in a close range fight it’s in sombra favour to win if you got good movement and aim
Heres a match where you see me use it to contest widowmaker afew times. And comes out on top. Also on defense you see how defensive I use it and the reason why is in the description

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My problem with it is the changes arnt needed whats so ever. The run and translocate out playstyle is so out dated that it’s really a disadvantage to the sombra if she does that if you cant return back to the fight under 5seconds you doing it wrong

1 Like
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It’s like the content of what you’re writing is agreeing but then like your first utterance is disagreeing. Very confusing.

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I respect your idears but 1 fun is subjective you only making her fun for you. I love how she plays currently and she more useful and powerful than you think. I dont think she underpowered at all I’d argue the opposite unfortunately hack and emp are such broken abilities that if the sombra is good she destroy the fact that she can say no to anyone using their abilities is mega strong.

So the perception what people got is sombra weak. It’s a load of BS in my opinion

1 Like
13

The counter to that is you’re in a very small minority of people playing her, she’s not good, and she’s problematic to be buffed.

So the few Sombra mains are the only ones who can see straight. Interesting.

1 Like
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If a small amount of people arnt playing her is that a sombra problem or the player problem. Because I think no one plays her is because they dont know how to play her.

They havent got a clue you watch mojority of low ranked sombras who arnt ranking up fast they havent got a clue how to use her kit and their desision making is crazy.
These are the common problems I see.

  1. Translocator out the fight.
  2. Going for the supports when thats not your best option tanks. Is mojority of the time.
  3. Emps are terrible.
    4 no ult tracking or looking to silent ultimates.

I can go on and on as to why I believe people dont understand how to use her kit.
Now I think alot people have picked her up and they never felt that sombra had no impact in the fight that’s why they turn of and the reason they feel like that.
I felt like it when I first picked her up. Its becuase sombra is a pure gamesense reliant hero weather you carry games or not is solely on your desision making and EMP usage. Hack and translocator are abilities where the player needs to get creative and think oh they got reaper ult shatter and bob. And I can only stop one your desision their in who you hack is a game changer. People dont like gamesense reliant heros why dont people play tanks because they need a certain level of overwatch gamesense to carry.

Same with lucio who perception in the low ranks is that his a weak hero but he isnt actually. He same as sombra your desisions will change the fight

15

Yea, she’s the most complex hero in the game. If people could only spend some time doing the same thing over and over again mostly without firing their gun they will realize the glory of Sombra.

Yes, her pick rates and win rates are because low ranking Sombras ruin her for everyone. lol

The implied superiority is fascinating.

Where are you from?

rubs forehead

1 Like
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I’m from the UK lol I am a person who loves sombra and determined to master this complex misunderstood hero.

The implied superiority lol funny I dont think I’m superior I just hate the poor misconceptions from people who has never put time into playing her

And yes lucio machanical skill couple with the gamesense needed can change a game. He doesn’t do as consistent dps but speed is such a good ability and boop. Its again so underrated and not on maps where you boop people of

1 Like
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Off-topic a bit, but Lucio’s not that uncommon at lower ranks and he’s got a respectable win rate. It’s Zen and Brig who are rarer sights - Zen requires accuracy to get real value, while Brig is bad times if your co-support is running into walls and shooting the sky. With Lucio, you can get some value as just an aura bot, especially since there’s a lot of trash damage you probably don’t see higher up.

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This isnt about the win rate and pick rates I dont think that’s a fair assessment and rely on overbuff witch is so inaccurate.
The thing is the winrate and pick rates are changing all the time player perception plays a big role because everyone wants to play meta to try to win but they dont play the meta correctly.

What’s viable and what’s not is heavily influenced by the overwatch youtubers and streamers and people run with it. And disregard everything else that’s not meta. Its mad.

So when people come up and say. " well this hero got low pickrate and low winrate"
In like seriously what the hell are you talking about you determine what you can play or cant based on that. Its mad

Instead of saying oh not many people are playing with that’s hero I would like to test that hero out to find out why

19

Nope. The whole “People just don’t know to play Sombra yet” myth has been argued for 3 years by now and it has never been true. People know how to play Sombra, she just isn’t very good (outside extremely situational comps in high-competitive). Even the top one-trick Sombra player of the world are struggling to make her work on ladder.

Also if your argument really is “Well people just don’t know to play her” ask yourself this: If people still don’t know how to play a hero after 3 years…
Is that really signs of a functional hero?

2 Likes
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Have you seen how mojority of the people play her watch that then tell me it isnt a myth lol its actually quite funny you said that lol