Rework NOED to not be a hex, and not be OP at the same time
TL;DR at the bottom...
NOED, as it stands, is one of, if not the most controversial perk in DBD and has been for years.
Survivors argue saying "it's OP" and "it rewards the killer for being bad".
Killers argue saying "just do bones" and "don't 'genrush' then".
Both are somewhat valid arguments. Giving the killer a free one shot time period (endgame) because they didn't defend the gens well enough does seem to reward the killer for not doing their job well enough. But, totems do exist as an objective and do count towards the survivors emblems. So they should be breaking them when they are found and not only focusing on gens.
There are a few problems with NOED considering how the game is moving forward.
Maps are being reworked... While this is mostly good, we are noticing that totem spawns are changing. Don't get me wrong. In the past, we've had some AWFUL totem spawns (looking at you, asylum...). So this is a needed change. However, if newer maps (Lery's, Midwich, Hawkins, Dead Dawg) and map reworks are anything to go by, some of the new totem spawns are kind of ridiculous. Being tucked away in a corner is fine. But having that corner be in a dead end of the map, inside a small crate on the floor, facing a wall, just is too much.
Totems should be spawning in tucked away corners AWAY FROM GENERATORS. Simple as that.
Another issue is with the new HUD. I'm sure a lot of people who are either players of both sides or survivor mains were hoping that we would finally get a totem counter. Something to help bridge the gap between solos and SWF so we can work on balance from that point on. But, NOPE. We didn't. And now that we have the new HUD in place, I can't see it being added anytime soon.
There should be a totem counter on the HUD for both killers and survivors. The killer shouldn't have to run Thrill of the Hunt to see the totem counter. And survivors shouldn't have to just rely on blind hope that because they can't find the last totem after breaking four, that someone else broke it for them.
Lastly, the amount of power that NOED gives. Complain all you want. But NOED giving a period of one shot downs until either the game ends or someone finds that tucked away totem hidden in a box underground somewhere, is a bit too much for someone who failed to protect the generators. The perk needs to be reworked.
NOED should not be a Hex perk... BUT! It should still revolve around totems. NOED should be based on how many totems are left at the start of endgame. Make it so that if no totems get broken during the match, hex or not, then the killer has 5 1-shot down NOED stacks. Give the killer 1 stack of NOED per totem left at the start of endgame. AND, make it so that any totems that get broken during endgame, DO NOT make the killer lose anymore stacks. Endgame has started already. Survivors had their chance to lessen the killer's stacks. It's too late now.
Most killers don't even need 5 hits to take out a team in endgame with NOED. And this way, if the survivors missed that one totem somewhere, the killer still gets a free one shot and the survivors aren't completely screwed because they only broke 4/5 totems.
TL;DR
Make totems spawn away from gens. Give both sides a totem counter. And make NOED have stacks of 1-shots based on how many totems are left in the match (hex or not) at the start of endgame. Without NOED being a hex perk anymore.
Comments
Cleansing totems is a hail mary and a half, because you need to hope that you get totem #5 before the last gen is finished. And by definition, totem #5 is the best hidden one.
Which also means if you did any other dull totems, those can't slurp up NOED anymore, and NOED goes to the one totem you can't find.
It's very counterintuitive, which is why NOED is such a pain in the neck. It's just a heavily flawed design. And there's no way to un-hex it without making the part that renders it relevant completely busted OP. Exposed is the strongest status effect a killer can inflict and having it on 24/7 is an awful idea.
EDIT: One idea I liked that someone mentioned is a totem counter mechanism in the form of a shrine in the basement with lit candles on it, with every totem that gets cleansed snuffing out a candle. A mini-nerf for NOED with such a mechanism would be to have active hexes show as different candleflames, and have NOED show up as an active hex there.
Lol toolboxes are utterly garbage. And keys only reward useless survivors. So sure, I'm down.
First off, no. Totems should NOT be respawning.
Second, I advise you to look at the totem locations on Indoor maps and Dead Dawg
Just have a sound effect go off for every full totem done so survivors have to try and keep track and the killer knows too how many are left. It'll encourage ppl to pay attention and do them on soloQ