Surge should have a shorter cooldown and apply to survivor downs via powers
There are not many choices when it comes to generator regression perks. You have pop, you have ruin, and then you have surge. The former two are meta, surge is a more modest perk, but there are many killers it is not good to run on as many/most of their downs are from their powers. Killers such as Blight, Plague, Demo, Trapper, so on.
Surge should apply to not only basic attacks, but powers. And it should be 30 seconds instead of 40. Considering how there are many large maps like Mother's Dwelling where Surge can't even be used well many times because of how spread out the generators are, I think the cooldown should be reduced by ten seconds to make it be useable more throughout a match, especially considering it only has 8% regression.
Comments
I think it would be neat if it applied to two random generators with progress at least, instead of all the current restrictions (cool-down, basic attacks only, AND only gens within the downing radius).
I kinda like that different perks synergise with certain killers.
Being that it works best on M1 killers, which are usually the killers who don't have the time to be kicking gens, Surge seems to fit that niche quite well.
I do hate that I'm often not in range of any gens though. I think it could do with a buff in that it always pops the nearest gen, regardless of whether or not it's within range. Also they could change the range to be the terror radius, so that it could synergise with TR changing perks like M&A and Distressing. This wouldn't strictly be a buff or a nerf, but it would probably be a net detriment to most killers (TR smaller than 32m or stealthy so they don't have a TR) so it would act as a balance to the 1 guaranteed gen pop buff.
I am mostly thinking with my Doctor head on though. Distressing, Surge and Unnerving Presence.
Yes on removing basic attack requirements, no to lowering the cooldown.
I feel like if you lower the cooldown in addition to removing basic attack requirements, most killers would run it as it's passive gen defense. It would also muscle in on Oppression's niche since it would have a lower cooldown as well as 8% regression.
I'm a big fan of the special attack part of this. The fact that it's a Demogorgon perk and it doesn't work with Shred is such a bummer.
I also like the idea of tying the range to terror radius, but that's also just a Doctor wish thing, since he's my main when I play killer, and I like fun builds for him.
I don't think the cooldown needs to be reduced too much. Leaving it with the cooldown encourages better killer behavior: down, pick up, carry to hook, start next chase. Reducing the cooldown too much could encourage slugging. But yeah, special attack all the way.