Post ALGS we all assumed that Valk would be the number one picked legend and they gave away Valk for free last season during the anniversary event. Not only that, Seer has been climbing up the pick rate ladder and has overtaken Lifeline for the first time since his super OP introduction back in season 10. The other top picked ALGS legends also had a minor increase in pick rates (especially in higher ranks) after the ALGS like Caustic, Wattson, and Gibby except for Newcastle. Every fight now in Gold+ has a Seer. Latest updates from the lead balance dev, John Larson.Scan meta and the idea of an anti-scan legend.Valk nerf update.

@KelRiever "People forget that Horizon was the height meta right before Valk made height meta even easier. And Horizon was nerfed."I don't think they can make the height meta any easier rn even if they tried. That says a lot about the direction Respawn wants to take the game in.Also, Wraith was nerfed too for being even less OP than Valk, same with Caustic and Lifeline who IMO was never OP to begin with. It blows my mind to stand by and see Respawn's decisions.....absolutely amazing.

@Cheese9Man wrote:Even with Newcastle’s high pickrate in the ALGS, 9th overall above Wraith, he’s now the lowest picked legend in the game even in the high ranked lobbies. Ok, look, the mobility legends are most popular in a mobility shooter BR game... I am Jack's (Cooper) lack of Surprise.

@Anjunakrokus No one is arguing for less diversity but unfortunately it isn't as easy as people imply. The pro stage is a copy cat stage. When 100T(then kungarna) won algs 1 they were the team using valk and going OB when most other teams were not. They won, every other team copied and respawn had to make OB rules. Now valk is still meta due to the scan and fly to zone.Now in algs 2 hiswattson showed everyone how good Seer could be in the playoffs and guess what, his pick rate went through the roof. And he didn't have any buffs. A month before that streamers all believed he was useless.

@Cheese9Man I'm not sure he knows the definition of diversity.

@DankTolietIt is actually more diverse than its ever been. Balancing the game to the point every character is used at the highest level will never ever happen. There will always be a believed in meta. Early apex every team was path, wraith, wattson. 100% of teams were that comp. Look at valk. She wasn't meta on release. It took 100 thieves winning algs with their OB strat to make her meta. Now last tourney they ran Newcastle when no one else did and almost won. Seer went from that's a crappy character to sudden meta with no changes just because one cracked player performed really well with him. The thing is what will balance valk for algs will not balance her for pubs lobbies and the devs know that.

The ALGS effect | EA Forums

50 Replies

hayhor
Hero
4 years ago
@Cheese9Man I figured Seer would be rising. Curious to see how that continues. Even after the nerfs I always said he was the best scan legend when the seer communicates. So premade teams he is really good. Solos he's just meh.
DankToliet
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
@Cheese9Man I'm not sure he knows the definition of diversity.
Cro_Pittt
4 years ago
@DankToliet What's yours?
hayhor
Hero
4 years ago
@DankTolietIt is actually more diverse than its ever been. Balancing the game to the point every character is used at the highest level will never ever happen. There will always be a believed in meta. Early apex every team was path, wraith, wattson. 100% of teams were that comp. Look at valk. She wasn't meta on release. It took 100 thieves winning algs with their OB strat to make her meta. Now last tourney they ran Newcastle when no one else did and almost won. Seer went from that's a crappy character to sudden meta with no changes just because one cracked player performed really well with him. The thing is what will balance valk for algs will not balance her for pubs lobbies and the devs know that.
BigMacAttack8u
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
@hayhor To agree with your point, from an ALGS perspective caustic might be balanced, but we in pubs know his abilities are trash right now, it is the unspoken truth that he was better than he is now, even in season 8.
reconzero
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
@hayhor

"The thing is what will balance valk for algs will not balance her for pubs lobbies and the devs know that."

That's okay. Tail wags the dog, same as it ever was.
asukojo
4 years ago
Respawn like to rotate the popular legends so they can sell their skin better. Simply buff the not favorite legends, then they will start playing it and drop popular one.
For example:
1. Make crypto great. Drone release over his head and follow wherever ever he is looking at, basically agile drone and non stop scanning during close combat, super OP.
2. Drop Gibby and make Maggie popular in competition: Make her tactical break Gibbby dome after few seconds, well, Gibby become scary fat boy in the open now.
Good player always make any legends looks good, just check Faide, "X Legends but with MOVEMENT"
BigMacAttack8u
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
@asukojo My point is the indecision surrounding caustic it was a nerf, then a buff, then a nerf! Why keep messing with a character!!
Kyldenar
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
@asukojo I mean, this is pretty much it. Look at the top 6 legends. They are all Movement Legends (one only gets his movement boost in his Ult, but it also gives near unlimited Wallhacks at the same time). The 7th place is Wallhacks but with no movement boosts, but he pairs well with any of the other top 6 that are not already Bloodhound.

I have long ago said the movement based characters will always be king in a movement based shooter, and the one with the best movement will be shouted down by the players that main the others.

Same as it ever was.
BigMacAttack8u
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
@Kyldenar Then buff the defensive, Gibby dome is now an ability free area, Newcastle wall is now a full castle, and caustic is put back to where he was anytime before season 12