Buff against SWF
Last month I started to play Killer more than just for the rituals and I had a pretty good time with Doc, Wraith and Myers. Most games are fun and even though I lose some rounds where everyone escapes I'm still enjoying it.
But every now and than I get a SWF group with players that are much better than I. Because of the lack of a real ranking system that's something that happens and I have to admit, that I also enjoy it to face much better/worse Killer/Survivors every 13th-16th in the month.
However, some group really make me feel like #########. If a killer has to face a group of survivors with multiple flashlights, desicive stikes or brand new parts this game goes from fun to a feeling which I would describe as just #########, noob (name of that emotion was taken from some after game chats).
I try not to be like remove flashlights, fix d-strike bla bla bla because I know that flashlights can be dealt with. SWF group that play in a much lower rank then where they belong are the problem. They just stop respecting the killer and see them as their dog to play with.
So I tried to figure out what is the unfair part about the games where I can do nothing about which can be fixed to prevent the killer from being a useless victim but keep the counter mechanics for the survivors up.
And now after a way too long introduction comes my first buff idea:
Entity blocking the exit also for survivors
As the Killer approaches the exit gates the entity blocks it, so that he can not escape. If this barrier would also come up for survivors it would be a counter for the unhooking and then blocking behind a survivor giving the killer no chance to get them. Now after the gates are opened killer mostly just stay with the hooked survivor if there is one and camp them. With this changes killer could chase another survivor, knowing that as long as he is behind them in the exit area, they can't escape. The killer gets the chance to get another survivor hooked and the others can unhook the person.
This would lead in my opinion to a more exciting end game because as a survivor you have to make sure you have enought distance between you and the killer to escape the trial and killer don't have to camp as soon as one gate is open. Saving someone from the hook at team also needs a strategy instead of just blocking behind the injured survivors.
Also survivors do not just run towards the exit line, self care, and then go back just to save another person. In order to not get trapped in the exit they have to leave or try to escape and then heal themself.
You get also a punishment for cocky survivors which refuse to leave in order to taunt the killer in the end.Make the short ranged killer M1 a AoE strike
SWF group tend to just bodyblock the killer in order to make it impossible to hook someone. I don't think that this should be removed, but it's way to easy. If the short ranged M1 attack deals damage in a small cone in front of the killer it would be possible to hit two survivors at the same time. That espacially helps if you get blocked by more than one person in a corner so you have to hit twice in order to move again.
For bodyblocking you would have to alternately block the path of the killer and not just run there and sneak in front of the hook. So it's still possible, but you have to respect the killer as a threat and be careful of what you are doing.
I think that my ideas are pretty simple which I think is good because noone wants to overly complex mechanics to balance the game. They also do not affect every game you play, they are situational and should make the killer more threatening against SWF groups.
I read a lot about people complaining about that SWF is to powerful. So what do you guys think about it? Could my ideas make these matchups more balanced? Or am I not having the right approach to this topic?
I'm looking forward to get some feedback and hear about other ideas from you.
Comments
Nerfing SWF or buffing the killer in the games current state is impossible because it will always affect the randoms in the game.
Ive seen some people make replies about giving a VoIP in the game for all survivors and then buff killers or nerf survivors. Its the closest thing to fairness against SWF I can think off.
My sister appears to believe that we're going to be getting a kill with friends option in the future, but this is only stipulation, and not something that I would put a lot of faith in, all things considered. Could you imagine 2 killers wrecking everyone? The battle would be legendary!
If they do anything, it should not be Perk related. SWF is a base game mechanic, anything to provide a more balanced game for Killers against them should also be a base game mechanic. Having to waste a Perk slot just to counter a "free" mechanic for Survivors is unacceptable. While Enduring helps with loops, it also helps with things like DS and wiggles. That is an acceptable tradeoff for a Perk imo.
There should be increased rewards and/or giving the Killer an extra Perk slot for 3-man, and 2 for 4-man, SWF groups. Those slots would only activate when SWF groups entered the lobby. Might make it a bit more fair, but doesn't really hurt the solo players as much. I think anything you do to balance SWF is going to hurt solo players a lot.
Keep dreaming^^
@Master
I know, right? Haha.
While this is an interesting take, and something that I would be all for if there were drastic ramifications to campers, there is the issue of just that. Campers. Those extra perk slots could be used for beyond nefarious purposes, such as a camper using Insidious. While I do agree that this is the best of a sticky situation, the devs already have taken measures to assist killers in these types of matches.
1.) Flashlights are no longer instant blinds. The only way a player can blind you is if you continue to stare directly at the bulb.
2.) I'm not 100% certain on this one, but I believe that the survivor hit boxes became a bit bigger. I used to be able to do all kinds of crazy moves that I can't now.
3.) Disconnects. I know you're thinking this sounds crazy, but if you don't have many points anyway, you can disconnect from the game. The survivors get no points for this anymore, unless one of the exit gates are open. While this really really angers me, it is a tactic if the game is being sour to you.
One of the biggest reasons that the SWF option is so broken is because they try to match the players with killers who are similar to the lowest rank. In my opinion, were they to start matching survivors with killers of a similar rank to the highest, this would be less of a problem. I completely agree that the system is broken, and this is one of the reasons why. It is unfair for a player to ride the coattails of their high ranking friend. It is also unfair for the killer to have to endure a rank that is higher than him for any reason other than the rank resets.
While yes, lower level survivors would complain that this is supposedly unfair, they have the assistance of their friend(s). The killer has no one and has to rely upon their cunning wit and perks to allow them to survive SWF groups. I hope that this is a reasonable suggestion. I understand that higher level killers would have the same issues, but they are better equipped to deal with individuals of their own rank. This would force the lower levels to either get better at playing the game, or become fodder for the Entity.
1) yeah no instant blind, just a guaranteed blind after every pallet and if animationlocked during pickup
2) didnt notice anything
3) it would be sth, but SWF in general is broken and there is nothing a high rank killer can do about it
In fact I watched a streamer today trying to exercise for the tournament with his 4 man squad. The amout of dodging killers was spectacular, I was kidna surprised but I guess almost all killres dodge 4mans now (I do too)