Octane Perk Rework – Give Him Real Build Choices
I think Octane’s EVO perk tree could be much better if every upgrade represented a real playstyle choice instead of having options that feel clearly weaker than the alternative.
My proposed tree would be:
Blue EVO
Triple Jump
Move Triple Jump from purple to blue.
Squad Rush
Keep Squad Rush as the other blue upgrade.
Remove Thick Skin.
This would make blue EVO entirely about how you want to use Jump Pad:
Triple Jump = stronger personal mobility
Squad Rush = stronger team mobility
That feels like a much more natural choice than Squad Rush competing with Thick Skin.
Purple EVO
Daredevil
Keep Daredevil exactly as the Stim-focused option.
Assault Specialist
The other option would allow Octane to gain the Assault-class perks for the rest of the match.
Octane would still fundamentally be a Skirmisher. This would simply be an optional specialization that costs him the opportunity to take Daredevil.
The choice becomes:
Daredevil = maximize Octane’s speed and Stim Surge
or
Assault Specialist = sacrifice the stronger Stim Surge for better combat momentum
That is a much more meaningful purple upgrade decision.
Why Assault Fits Octane
I’m not suggesting this just because Octane is an aggressive character.
His kit is genuinely built around creating pressure.
Octane can Stim into an opening, take an angle before the enemy expects it, use Jump Pad to collapse on a cracked player, force enemies out of positions, and bring his entire team into a fight before the other squad gets a chance to reset.
A lot of Octane players effectively play him as an entry fragger.
That means Assault perks would complement a real part of his existing playstyle without replacing his Skirmisher identity.
An aggressive Octane fight can look like:
Stim/Pad in → get a crack → push the advantage → get the knock → shield swap → immediately pressure the next player.
Assault perks would reward that style.
Daredevil, meanwhile, would reward the player who cares more about maximizing Octane’s unique movement.
This Would Create Four Legitimate Builds
Triple Jump + Daredevil
Pure movement Octane. Maximum personal mobility and Stim specialization.
Squad Rush + Daredevil
Aggressive team mobility while keeping the stronger Stim Surge.
Triple Jump + Assault Specialist
Independent flanker and entry fragger.
Squad Rush + Assault Specialist
Team-oriented entry fragger. Octane creates the opening and gives his teammates the speed to immediately follow the push.
That last build would personally fit how I play Octane.
I usually use him as a fragger: get into someone’s face, create the first knock, finish when appropriate, shield swap, and immediately move onto the next enemy or fight.
For that playstyle, I would seriously consider giving up Daredevil for Assault perks.
And that is exactly what I think an EVO upgrade should do: make me stop and actually think about which one I want.
Why I Think This Is Better Than Simply Buffing Octane
This would not give Octane everything at once.
If you choose Assault Specialist, you lose Daredevil.
If you choose Squad Rush, you lose Triple Jump.
Every option has an opportunity cost.
The tree would have a clear structure:
Blue EVO: How do you want to use your Jump Pad?
Personal mobility vs. team mobility.
Purple EVO: What kind of aggressive Octane do you want to be?
Stim/speed specialist vs. entry-fragger/combat specialist.
Octane is supposed to be about speed, aggression, momentum, and constantly moving from one opportunity to the next.
I think this perk tree would reinforce that identity while also giving different types of Octane players meaningful build choices instead of obvious picks.
