Defensive Adjustments Needed

billyk66 wrote:

it seems like the poke check and stick lift need a little buff to help particularly when playing defense. 

I agree on the stick lift but disagree on poke check. It seems we've returned to the NHL 20 era where users instantly smash poke check the second they swap defenders and the accuracy at which the pokes execute makes it so these users get away with blindly smashing the button. There needs to be accountability there.

billyk66 wrote:

I’ve only seen a handful of stick lifts in the games I’ve played.

Agreed. This may have to do with the uptick in incidental stick lifts, which are small minor incidental stick battles that seem to be occurring when a puck carrier moves the puck directly into the stick check area of a defender. I know that I will try to obtain possession via incidental stick lift rather than execute the move itself. This may be the conditioning we underwent when it was always called a penalty. It's interesting to watch that META evolve.

billyk66 wrote:

I believe that’s why a lot of players are using truculence at the moment. A lot of builds are running around with 97 speed and wheels / elite edges. 

In my opinion, the return of magnet hitting is inspiring the surge of Truculence use. Last year, abusers of the hit mechanic would be met with a well-timed reverse hit and/or the skater could simply skate out of the way. 

Due to the constant stream of complaints from users who depend on the game to automatically aim body checks for them and want to pay zero price for abusing it, EA catered and brought back the assistance on hit aiming. 

I sincerely hope this is adjusted to not feel so locked-into a body check animation because right now, we've returned to that feeling of "I can't do anything at all because I'm being tractor beamed into this body check". Feels cumbersome and frustrating when highly skilled players abuse this. 

Less locked in for sure and less jarring the sticks loose every play. This feels way too much of an arcade perk than simulation at the moment. 

I disagree with the comments on stick checking. Even if you don't spam it and try to use it sparingly,  there is a good chance you make contact with the puck just enough to move it 2-3 i inches and have the guy pick it right back up again.. and since you have to close the distance to make that contact..he now has burned you with wheels and is gone.

Even attempting to swipe at the puck, usually you make contact, but the opposing player moving forward makes contact with your stick lifting it up slightly.. and then they just pick the pick back up.

Sure it was overpowered,  it should 100% cost more stamina but right now at least in WoC it's almost completely useless.

Monopolized1 wrote:

in WoC it's almost completely useless

This makes sense. I've only played a handful of WoC games, so this likely went under my radar. 

But in OVP - there's definitely an old META coming back where players can blindly poke check and get some success from it. 

I've certainly had more success with stick checking in the versus modes (hut specifically) but in WoC and especially in 3s .. it's just not impactful enough, there is too much space and the offense have way too many options.