Shadow Step Rework Idea

General Discussion
1

So I was thinking about Reaper and how much better he’s gotten, but I still feel shadow step is a lackluster ability. There’s loads of cool ways to improve it but this is mine.

Things I’d keep the same:

  • Cast time
  • Sounds upon moving

Shadow step is a very long teleport, so it makes sense it should have some inheret disadvantages. However there’s a few things I’d be changing with the ability that would completely change how shadow step was used.

Ultimately Reaper works as a flanker. Shadow step should be used as a flanking ability and should have the flexibility of tools like Sombra’s translocator and Tracer’s blink.

Things I’d change:

  • Instead of standing still and teleporting, Reaper dissapates into gas, leaving a smoke trail in his wake while he travels to his destination. The travel time replaces the cast time as the minimum travel time, and travel time can take longer depending on how far Reaper can go.
  • Reaper is invulnerable while traveling as smoke. He transforms to and from his physical body much faster meaning enemies need to react faster to Reaper reaching his destination, as he won’t be stationary as long.
  • Shadow step can be cast while in the air
  • When selecting a location to travel to, you can hold down the teleport button to choose the height at which you land, up to 10 meters above the ground, allowing you to ambush with the ability and more flexibly travel.

Shadow step gains a lot more flexibility and versitility in the ways it can be used and also feels a lot less clunky. The trade off is the smoke trail is a tell to the enemy team which punishes you for using the ability in direct line of sight.

Even better, this is already an ability in the shorts that Reaper has used on several occassions. Most notably sneaking through the door in Infiltration, so Reaper can already canonically do this.

1 Like
2

I can see them going this route, it is very annoying and complicated making a character able to sneak around without making people mad or the character inherently bad, so ya.

Some feedback would be, welp thats pretty much Wraith Form… instead its like… Smoke Trail Form… wich i can dig, many people say they would like Wraith Form and Shadow Step fused, but that kinda leaves Reaper without a way in/way out unless he gets some sort cooldown reset mechanics , so i’d prefer this route too…

Tho one major gripe i have is that Reaper would be “less” sneaky with that change, anyone would know where he is most of the time and completely delets his SPOOKY playstyle…

In conclusion i like the idea, would make him better ofc, viable ya, tho i’d prefer they try to make him sneakier with his current Shadow Step, tho i can see how they dont want to…

3

If I could buff it I would do this:

  • When preparing/aiming ShadowStep, Reaper crosses his arms. This cuts out the first animation half
  • Reaper sinks into the ground and rises at his destination
4

Thats prolly not enough :sweat_smile: , still “1.5” seconds to react to and punish his bootay, he would still be really loud and edgy… specially when hes dropping from stuff, if it also muffled his fakin drop-sighs and footsteps a little i’d be down…