Crypto Doesn't Need a Buff. Here's Why.
Everyone cries about Crypto needing a buff, but are those players really investing the time into mastering the ins and outs of the legend?Or are they just giving shallow feedback on thier initial experiences?
Why Crypto seems lackluster to many
I personally, think the reason people think Crypto needs a buff, and his pick rate may be on the low end, is because his playstyle only favors a small portion of the player base.
Let's say a third (1/3) of the player base prefer a more strategic and calculated approach to gameplay (hence how Crypto should be played). Half of those players may not have committed friends for Apex gameplay and/or may prefer solo play (which doesn't work for Crypto because his strength heavily lies in cooperation unlike other legends. This is because of the nature of his abilities). So half of that third (1/3) results in a sixth (1/6) of the player base. And finally, even if the 'Crypto Player' manages to find committed friends to play on his team, those friends may not suit his slower, calculated playstyle. Based on the first statement, only a third of players enjoy the slow, strategic playstyle, meaning there's a 66% chance that each friend of the 'Crypto player' may not favor his playstyle, only a 33% chance to find allies that favour this playstyle so, a third (1/3) of the sixth (1/6) results in one-eighteenth (1/18).
So finally, Crypto as a legend only serves 1/18 of the player base as only a third of players enjoy slower, strategic playstyle, only half of those players have a committed premade team or prefer solo play (Crypto shines in premade) and only a third of the strategic 'Crypto players' in a committed premade have friends who actually favor their slow, strategic playstyle. Now this calculation is assumptive in scope, and purely for fun, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were nearer to the truth than not.
In defence of Crypto's capability, I just want to say that he has some of the best utility in game. And he has way more utility than any other legend.
Crypto's skills:
1. He grants vision of enemies through structures to his allies reaching a far and relatively safe distance.
2. He has a decently-wide AoE blast on ult that does 50 shield damage and slows targets!
3. His drone emp destroys traps and enemy drones.
4. He can use survey beacons.
5. He can pick up ally banners with the safety of drone and also respawn them with drone safety, instantly.
6. Last but not least, Crypto's drone can tell him how many enemy squads are in drone flight-range by having the drone look at the champion/kill leader banners through out the map. This is one of Crypto's most important abilities and ironically, often the most overlooked, especially by casual players. Hell, my brother has been playing the game consistently since S1, first week, and I had to tell him about this Crypto feature during a ranked match about a few weeks ago. Theres a little strategy you can do with this feature I'll tell at the end of post.
Elaborating on the last feature (#6). Being able to know how many squads are in drone flight-range (before he even goes searching for them) gives Crypto and his team incredible safety and fight picking potential. They can choose who and when to fight because of it. Because they get all this information from a scanning Crypto crouching behind a supply bin. Crypto's team can decide to fight or travel the enemy-free path. When they learn how many squads are in the area (e.g. 1 or 2 squads) They can make an assessment of thier loot, the enemy position in comparison to thier own, and the likelihood of them getting 3rd partied for taking such a fight. A likelihood that should be very low if Crypto only saw one squad in drone range and the fight is not needlessly prolonged.
Bonus: The afformentioned Crypto strategy play. I call it the "Instigator Drone."
Strat: Instigator Drone
What you do is see how many squads are in the area and if they are (2 enemy squads) you find one with the drone and hover around them, harassing them (but not using ult), causing them to shoot at the drone as long as you can (none can resist the temptation). The other enemy squad will hear the shots assuming the enemy shooting the drone are fighting another team and try to third party. That's how the drone starts a fight between two enemy squads and you and your team can decide when to commit the 'real' 3rd party. This strat should work provided Crypto's allies stay put and hidden until the signal to fight.
What I think Crypto Does Need
The only thing Crypto needs is a 'real' passive that is thematic to his character and has some use in game (even if it's just a little). His current passive allows allies to see what the drone sees. But there really is no need for that to be the Passive because Bloodhound reveals enemy location with his scan as well and thathe feature of allies seeing scanned targets is attached to Bloodhound's tactical and not separate in a passive. So why is Crypto any different?
