Dead Hard needs a Rework
Dead Hard, the perk that will more than likely put you Exhausted on Ground because you decided to run it. It's definitely one of, if not the single best Exhaustion Perks in the entire game, when it actually functions.
But it doesn't always function. The reason why is simple; it's an outdated perk.
This is why I'm introducing to the community a reworked version of the Perk that is meant to properly work under all circumstances, along with being a significantly more fluid and functional Perk to run in the long run.
Introducing...
Dead Hard
An activatable Perk.
While moving, tap into your adrenaline bank and dash quickly to avoid damage.
- Press the Active ability button while inputting a direction to dash in that direction and avoid any damage during the Dash animation.
- When you are repairing, healing, unhooking, sabotaging or cleansing, press the Active ability button to quickly dash backward and avoid any damage during the back Dash animation.
Dead Hard causes the Exhausted Status Effect for 80/70/60 seconds.
Fixes Related to Dead Hard
- In order for Dead Hard to properly function, it is now given a special rollback function that ensures it travels the full distance, or until it collides with a proper walled object.
- Dead Hard now removes the lowest quarter of the Survivor's collision hitbox on walled objects for 0.3 seconds after it is initially activated, just to properly ensure that Survivors don't trip on a pebble.
- This only applies to walled objects and nothing that can be interacted with by the Survivor or the Killer.
- Dead Hard can no longer move on top of the trash bags on Haddonfield, as well as on top of other objects that lead to unintended areas.
Animation Changes to Dead Hard
- Dead Hard now has an animation for when a Survivor hits a wall, causing the Survivor to bump into it, grunt and quickly push back against the wall to start running again.
- The ability has a few special animations depending on directional inputs:
- When moving forward, a new version of the original animation will play, this time having a more fluid movement to it.
- When moving forward-to-back (i.e. turning), the Survivor will perform a backwards dash and turn around to start running the opposite direction.
- When moving to the left or right and the camera is facing forward, the Survivor will perform a strafe dodge instead of the normal Dead Hard animation.
- When performing it from a crouch, the Survivor will perform a roll in the direction of where they are going.
- When performing it while standing or walking, the Survivor will perform a dodge on the spot, and is granted a very brief window of a speed increase to compensate for using it while standing.
Balance Changes to Dead Hard
- Buff: Dead Hard can now be activated when Healthy.
- Buff: Dead Hard can now be activated while repairing, healing, cleansing, sabotaging or unhooking.
- Buff: Dead Hard can now be activated while stationary, walking or crouching.
- Nerf: Performing Dead Hard on an interactable object such as a window, pallet, Generator or Locker will cause the wall crash animation, and will prevent the Survivor from interacting with it for 0.5 seconds.
- Change: Due to this, Dead Harding into a window will allow the Survivor to perform a fast vault to compensate.
- Nerf: The Exhausted cooldown for Dead Hard has been increased from 60/50/40 seconds to 80/70/60 seconds.
- Nerf: Due to Dead Hard being able to be used while Healthy, if you are hit while Dead Hard is active or for 0.5 seconds after it finishes up, the amount of speed you gain from being hit is reduced to 125%, from 150%.
- Additionally, Dead Hard does not stack with any on-hit sprint burst.
Why?
The main question I assume everyone on here will ask is, "Why are you buffing Dead Hard?"
Well, for starters, I want to fix most of the things Dead Hard has on it; that was one simple thing I wanted to conceive of here. The second thing is that I think Dead Hard is outdated in every facet of its being, and would be a lot more fun to play around with if Survivors were given just a little more freedom to actually using it. But since this would be very powerful, especially given what you see here, I toned down a lot about it just in order to make it a feasibly and understandably balanced move.
While yes, you can use it under basically any circumstance now, it now has a few things that hinder it and counterbalance the buffs, such as the brief inability to vault if you collide with a wall, the increased Exhaustion and the reduced sprint burst when being hit during or slightly after using Dead Hard. This all ensures that it doesn't get too out-of-hand. The ability to use it under any circumstance is also a double-edged sword, since now you'll end up Exhausted under more circumstances. Sure, you dodge that initial hit, but will it keep you safe for long?
Dead Hard is, in my opinion, a perk that should be explored more from the development side of things. It's a dodge maneuver for the Survivor, and is ultimately something that can be fun for both sides (granted it's not abused). I believe my changes would be good for the health of the move and inspire more awareness from both sides; the Killer now has to know if there's anything around the Survivor that can be used against them, and the Survivor now needs to know the same thing.
The perk would be more engaging and fulfilling to use, in my honest opinion. And I also think this concept fleshes the perk out into something more unique and fun.
I know this will be a very controversial post, but, I'm ready for your thoughts. What are they? I want to know.
Comments
I really feel the aggravation when it doesn't function but honestly it's a really strong perk that does 2 things for the survivor in one perk. It gives you distance and immunity to damage. Playing your cards right you can restart whole chases and gens fly. I think it needs a kick like ds honestly
Overrate perk. Just make it so people can't dh through traps, and when directly hit by hatchets/deathsliner weapon that should damage survivors.