EA Staff (Retired)No i don't think that buffing the plants will be the solution. Simply because it worked in the Original GW and now primarily the new classes are causing issues.
If anything i think the Chomper could use 25 more HP, and maybe the nuts from the cactus get a buff in HP. It's more of the "zombies have too much power" right now.
This is not only proven by the original GW and its balance (despite the OP Super Commando and Agent Pea), but also by enough Turf Takeover matches that had no Super Brains or masses of Mechs. Because as soon as the tanking and twistering stops it becomes a lot more even. Be it on the offense or defense, a zombie team without that spam has to work a lot harder to win.
Then nerf the Pirate and his "master of all trades" role and address the Scientist issue.
But i am not sure what would be a good step to address the Scientist. Maybe lowering the HP of the heavy hitters to 75. But from my experience, well places Potato Mines and a competent Chomper can frustrate the Scientists pretty quick.
But give the Chomper a break. He cannot be the one that sneaks up behind the camping Pirates, stops the backstabbing Scientist, traps the barrels with Spikeweed and eats all the twisters in between.
Okay well I agree with your balancing ideas, but after they destroyed Rose I don't wish to comment about any more nerfs, I'm happy with buffs, and after one side is too strong, zombies can be buffed.
Whether you buff one side, or Nerf the other - the outcome should be the same if done correctly. Since there is no way that anyone can stop Imp Mechs, or spam by them, something has to be done about them too. A possible counter by increasing the EMPeavh stun duration of even a complete overhaul of the Mech by lowering its health to 150. I don't see why Imp should have 2 lives, one with 75 and another with 400. That gives the damn class almost 500 health, and with the Drake he has a shield which puts him way over 500. Now don't try and tell me that is fair or balanced man...
Chomper needs fixing, broken mechanics make him even virtually unplayable. Yes he should be capable of doing all those things, zombies have an ace card that you may not know about yet but I'm not going to say it.
@Zaheen1337 wrote:
Whether you buff one side, or Nerf the other - the outcome should be the same if done correctly.
No. No because of the likelihood of new elements breaking the game. No because of the experience i have in GW2 so far supporting that. And no because of the experience we have with the original GW.
I give you an example:
Back then the Camo Cactus was an issue. With the damage the Camo could do on critical hits they could 3-shot an All-Star. That has been addressed by increasing the amount of critical hits needed to 4, lowering the critical hit damage from 88 to 66. Now the Camo in GW2 can also deal 66 damage per critical hit just like in GW. And if we buff all plants that 3-shot problem comes back.
Also the Mechs are completely fine. It's the people that cried for an HP buff for the Imp that are now playing all the masses that cause one of the current problems. Because as soon as they are getting destroyed and can no longer spam their Impkata they will switch to other classes. The 0-aim and armor skills (Impkata, Twister, Barrel) are to be found a lot as of now simply because they bear low risk. But as soon as the risk is increased the behaviour of people with change.
Rose is also an example. Rose has been nerfed because she was too powerful. And Chompers are generally fine. The Gravity Grenades are annoying and the marking duration could be reduced.
And now once again something concerning that little maggot called the Imp:
I've already mentioned that his HP needs to be reduced back to 50 and that his Gravity Grenade causes way too many problems. People have already suggested to reduce it's duration.
But there is some specific mechanical flaw that hits the plants way too hard: it pulls rooted plants out of the ground. And that is where the plants have their damage reduction bonus, but the Imp simply nullifies that with a grenade. Or should i say 5 Imps nullify that with 5000 grenades the instant a Pea Shooter puts on his helmet.
Before the Imp it was the Soldiers job with the ZPG to counter rooted plants, but now with the masses of Imps rooted plants constantly fly through the air because of that grenade. This is a perfect example of imbalance and needs to change.
And i am not done with the little maggot. That Gravity Grenade is broken beyond repair and literally the worst idea in the entire game.
The maps are designed to allow more movement and cover. Positioning, movement and taking cover is important. But the Gravity Grenade makes even cover useless. Let alone elevated positions or any other strategic movement. This is a shooter. A Shooter is defined by the use of aim and movement. Being able to predict enemy movement and factor in projectile speed is the biggest part.
But not for the Imp. As the Gravity Grenade makes even movement and aim useless. I've now been in countless situations where that grenade was the decisive factor. 150 HP does not matter as i cannot move and an Z7 Imp dished that out in less than a second. Cover does not matter as i cannot use cover. Elevated positions do not matter as i cannot move. Rooted position does not matter as i cannot use it.
And all the imp needs to do is throw the grenade from behind cover, aim at one spot and get a guaranteed vanquish. And if someone should for whatever reason survive a Gravity Grenade, a quickly followed ~90 dmg no-aim-needed Impkata will do the rest. Which of course also hits plants on elevated positions such as roofs, as it does not simply emit bullets around the Imp, but in a complete sphere. Or as i had it multiple times as well: Just a second Gravity Grenade from yet another maggot.
It is hard to put in words how much this simple mechanic breaks the entire game and its foundation. I am now for the Imp HP reduction to 25 HP and a DRASTIC NERF to the Gravity Grenade. But the wisest decision would be to remove it completely from the game.
And i am dumbfounded how that thing made it through even alpha testing of a competitive multiplayer shooter. Some things should stay on paper.
