Sigma on PTR - First Impression

General Discussion
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Note to Mod: Please don’t move this to PTR thread, it doesn’t get the same traction and attention as General, and I want to have a broader discussion of these changes.

So I messed around the PTR with Sigma, and I like the changes. I am going to break down each change and my impression of each one. I will theory craft a bit, so if you disagree please explain. I am eager to get a different pov.

Just to remind everyone, here are the changes lined up for Sigma:

I like the changes to Kinetic grasp. This will provide greater counters to Sigma which is needed in the meta.

The nerf to GF is not that big because the entire ult duration is still rather long. And I’ve read a lot of threads complaining about the slow after being slammed.

However, instead of the duration nerf I would’ve liked the slow effect to be less. Right now, you can barely move after being dropped. It might as well be a root. Lowering slow percentage gives opponents greater chance to counter play GF.

But regardless, Blizz’s decision is reasonable to me.

Now to the biggest change to the mad scientist. In its live iteration, Experimental Shield is very very strong.

The change to regen rate will punish a Sigma who gets shield broken. However, if you have a good grasp of shield management you can survive. I see lots of Sigma that will keep shield in one place for a long time, too long. Focusing shields is so important to countering him.

The cooldown and cast time changed the interaction with Sigma and a few other heroes.

The cast time change is a buff against brawly heroes that try to close the gap on Sigma. Removing the cast time allows him to drop his shield right at his bare feet. The 0.2 second cast time made it really difficult to do that. It would often move 3-6 feet forward before getting it to stop. So if you see a dps trying to engage, you can very easily drop shields and dance around it, like Winston and Orisa do all the time.

The 1 second cooldown is a nerf against medium to long range heroes. That cooldown gives a good Widow a long enough window to get a pick. A soldier can wait for the shield to drop before firing helix rocket. Right now, Sigma can just spam his shield without worrying about anything getting through.

All in all, I really like the changes to Sigma. It balances him out, and allows for greater counter-play, which is important in any competitive atmosphere.

2 Likes
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being glued to the ground is so annoying. really, being suspended in the air then losing most of your health is not enough. they have to add that little extra cc cherry on the top.

4 Likes
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I like the slow at the end though, I just feel it needs to be lessened. I’m not sure how much it slows, but I can’t move very far that it feels more like a root anyways.

Regardless, we’ll see if the 0.3 second nerf will be a big enough opportunity for counter-play.

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Not to mention you’re basically a floating pinata for 2-3 seconds (i.e. a free target) and barriers won’t save you.

It’s one of the very rare cases where McCree ult can shine.

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yeah i think if the cant kill you in that time, when you hit the floor it should be fair game.

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To be fair, nearly every tank ultimate requires follow-up from the team. Sigma is no different.

But I agree, your team should be able to secure kills during the initial rise. The second chance on the ground is a bit much.

I don’t think the slow should be removed though, but lessened so I have a chance to get away if I survived it.

1 Like