My thoughts on Merchant changes
As someone who’s mained merchant since her release I felt like I should post my thoughts about her changes
Firstly is the Claw traps. This change is pretty good overall and gives some actually threat in disarming a drone. Extra haste per claw trap is going to be very strong in a chase especially combined with the pallet add-on becoming base kit. Merchant will now have decent chase potential and a way to somewhat mitigate holding W if enough traps are active
Her drones being disabled until claw traps run out is another good change. It nerfs her 3 gen potential while leaving her chase since you’ll be recalling the same 1-2 drones during chase each time they leave a loop. Never liked her 3 gen ability and this will allow survivors breathing room when they hack drones
My only complaint is that her stealth is still pretty weak. The lingering undetectable should be buffed a bit more I’d say. Otherwise these are great changes that’ll make her much more fun to play as
Comments
These changes are indeed amazing, but my only concern is that Survivors now lose Traps automatically, which can make it harder to gain value during a chase since now there's a timer to get value from them.
But... hmm, maybe it won't matter.
I might give her another shot. I really hope this can tone down her 3 gen potential but make her stronger in other aspects. Seems like they will, I like the changes.
Drones reset the batteries so if you can keep them in a loop you can easily keep the trap on until they are forced to vault giving you a free hit in most cases
If I understood correctly, it's not 3% Haste per Claw Trap but 3% Haste per tracked Survivor, meaning Survivors in active zones also count
She’ll be mediocre at 3 genning now I bet. As I’ve said before the perks are the main issue and how she synergise with them but now she can’t always have drones up for info
Knight on the other hand….
That’s true and makes her drones even better anti loop tools. It’ll stack with her geographical readout and prototype rotor (which is now purple) as well
She’ll actually be like clown and Freddy in a way now when using the right add-ons
Drones no longer reset the batteries in the update.
It's not 3% per, it's 3% then 5% then 6% then 7%, a gradual progression. But yes, survivors in active drone zones make Skully faster too.
My bad I missed that part. Either way the traps last quite awhile and there is even an add-on to make it longer so she’ll still be a threat in chase
Ah, my bad. Either way a stacking bonus per Survivor tracked.
You mention that her stealth is still pretty weak.
Something to note, her stealth add ons got some pretty meaty buffs. The one that makes it last longer got buffed to 50% and the add on that got made base kit now cuts undetectable's activation time in half. Run both and it turns on in 1s and lasts 3 outside an active zone.
You do need to spec into it, but that sounds pretty strong to me.
She will still be oppressive in a 3 gen, just different execution.
You put down 1 or 2 drones. Replace when they're hacked. The claw traps need to w key away, otherwise they render nearby drones unhackable (yeah, I bet someone at BHVR didn't thonk that one through). The haste effect makes patrolling the 3 gen and hit'n'running even easier. I'd say sloppy becomes meta on her now.
I'm positively surprised by the announcement today - though I'll reserve judgement until her new version has been around for a week or two at least. It's just too many variables that impact synergies to make any predictions.
~~And I'm trying really hard to not get my hopes up - because y'know how that usually goes....~~I like using Skully to find people to chase. This incentivizes that. She is the bane of immersed Survivors. These changes will result in a constant sense of being watched and if you will be the one she comes after.
Ehh she’s no more oppressive than a knight or plague tbh.
It’s really a perk issue now as it always was
I’m actually pretty excited to try her out with these changes. I just had no interest in the camp 3 gens thing with her.
drones do not reset battery. the battery lasts for 45 seconds and expires if a survivor vaults a pallet or the 45 second elapse.
I cannot believe I am saying this... but I am excited to play an m1 killer. I remember one of requests that people will often meme about is what would it be like for a killer to have no ability, but move at 120% speed for entire game? Skull merchant is just that. Killer's dreams came true.
If you only have 1 or 2 drones at gens your leaving 1 or 2 unprotected and the survivors won't bother messing with the drones because you can do the other gens for free. Sure you can patrol them yourself but then your a m1 killer with no power at base speed. Remember survivors have to have a reason to break the drones and if there's a free gen they will always go to that one so you might not even get the haste the majority of the time your trying to patrol gen and most of the time you'll only have 1 or two survivors with a claw trap so you won't be getting the max stacks anyway.
I am looking forward to Skull Merchant builds focused around making her as fast as possible. Play With Your Food, Devour Hope, that add-on she has that boosts her speed while in a drone's range, her own perk Game Afoot, anything else that can make her faster?
Her perk, Game Afoot.
I'm pretty optimistic. My sole gripe with her was her ability to drag games on beyond a reasonable time. The update will strengthen her chase ability and provide incentive. And while I imagine some players will still stick to their 3 gen slowdown strat, the update should make it so survivors are able to gain progress, however slowly, rather than the game just standing at a stalemate. We'll see anyway.
No they changed that now they only last 40% from the 120% duration time. The batteries don't last that long now hence why they made the one battery add-on purple rarity....from what the Dev Update said I don't think the Haste buff will last all that long but we will have to see when it goes live.
I have my doubts
I don't understand your argument at all. Of course, you're patrolling the 3 gen. That is already the case. You can't hold the gens if you leave the area and commit to a chase. That's what SMs do right now and is tbe source of the complaints. That will not change.
And you get haste also from active drones, not just traps. The cycle will be hack drones--> deploy drones. You'll keep stack fairly easilg and you're staying in a relatively small are where you hit'n'run.
Debatable on the first statement.
Hard agree on the second one.
Survivors already have that sense. Being watched while being 3 genned. How you use SM =/= how the majority does. Giving her more chase potential doesn't mean players won't default to 3 genning. Look at 6.1. All the killer buffs didn't discourage tunneling in the slightest.
I'd like it if a survivor that has a claw trap is oblivious until its removed