Enjoy Sadako while you can, because if the nerf survives nobody will play this Killer anymore
Let's call this "rework" what it is - it's a direct nerf, one that's targeted at the Onryo's most powerful, and most enjoyable, playstyle - using her power effectively to reach max condemn stacks and mori the survivors. The entire character has been taken out back and put down just because the devs didn't like that someone figured out a way to play Onryo in a unique way.
Condemn Onyro isn't even excessively strong - there is tons of counterplay (doing tapes, dodging TV teleports) that made the build exciting and full of skill expression for both sides. It only rose to popularity because it was the only way to play Onryo with a chance of winning, as the killer is notoriously weak in every aspect otherwise. Condemn is her power.
The nerf on the PTB has done worse than completely kneecapping one of the most interesting killer builds, it has dramatically reduced the skill ceiling of Onryo matches for both killer and survivors. You can't use her teleport for information, because now everyone gets a measly 3/4 of a condemn stack on teleport. You can't use her teleport in chase, because she has a 15 second cooldown (making her power significantly more clunky). You can't use her teleport to protect generators, because TVs still have a long cooldown. Survivors now have a reason to pick up tapes - the reason being that there is practically zero downside, as it shuts down her teleport completely and doesn't even pose a risk of killing the survivor. So what if they get condemn stacks on hit or hook? She is still an M1 killer with bad stealth, and tapes can be returned to any TV and almost completely wipe away Condemned.
The demanifestation changes are insultingly pathetic. She doesn't get stunned while demanifested - so what? She can't walk through pallets, so she is still shoved to one side and has to demanifest and break the pallet if she wants to get the hit. Stuns in demanifest were almost never a thing to begin with.
This isn't even getting into the add-on changes, which are so bad that I am genuinely convinced Behaviour has never actually played Onryo and simply got mad watching OnePumpWillie play the game in a different way that they expected, rather than embracing a unique playstyle for a killer.
The PTB's changes undoubtedly take Sadako from being around the weakest killers in the game with one moderately powerful build to being the worst killer with no ways for either side to show their skill at the game or the Killer. They took a fun, unique playstyle and gutted it while making one of the weakest killers even worse. I have long wanted some much needed improvements to our ghost girl, but now I'd rather that they had never touched her at all.
Comments
“made the build exciting and full of skill expression for both sides” - 😂 this is a joke right? Where did you gather the feedback that anyone finds being slugged over and over again exciting? This was one of the most boring strategies in the game. And it certainly wasn’t an expression of skill because it was almost a guaranteed win if done correctly. Glad to see this flowcart strategy get the nerf it deserved.
"the Onryo's most powerful, and most enjoyable, playstyle - using her power effectively to reach max condemn stacks and mori the survivors"
This basically tells me you're trolling here, because its not her most powerful playstyle (its only usable against solo survs), and as for enjoyable, I mean, if it relies on solo survs to work, there isnt really a challenge is there?
Besides, now there is an actual playstyle to force people in condemned that SWF cant counter without screwing solo Q. Is it weaker than the current style? I dont think so. It's very different for sure. Demanifestation is a lot more powerful now than it was before and is definitely nice to use.
She definitely needs some slight tweaks in addons and timings, but that's pretty much it. If a killer is heavily reliant on 1 playstyle, then there is a bit of an issue with that killer (either too good at something or too bad at something else). Sadako is on average a stronger killer than she was before.
As for her pallet stuns, thats actually hugely beneficial, the only thing missing IMO is her being able to break pallets while demanifested. Pretty much all killers that have a secondary state in their power(wraith, legion, oni) can interact with dropped pallets and generators, so its odd that Sadako cannot. That to me is the only thing they truly missed with this change.
Pyramid Head would like some words
I think the one change that would fix her PTB version is tapes do not prevent teleport condemn. It’s pure risk (of condemn on hit) to reduce the stacks. Voila.
BHVR: gets SADAKO YAMAMURA in their horror crossover
yay we have such an iconic license that everyone will love!
Also BHVR: Makes her completely dog and the worst killer in the game
Why does nobody want to play her???
Also also BHVR: Buffs (nerfs) her
WHY DOES NOBODY WANT TO PLAY HER??
I thought Sadako was like Hillbilly and trapper ... there still "mains" for them around?