Shoulder the Burden rework idea
Shoulder the Burden is currently an odd perk.
Mechanically, it has the following problems:
- It's simultaneously overpowered and underpowered. Overpowered in SWFs who can use it well and do not need the help, underpowered in solo/duo queue where it's almost unusable.
- It's supposed to be an anti-tunnel perk, but it's not actually very good at that due to the fact tunneling killers usually don't stray far from the hook, and it's too hazardous to be used in that situation compared to something like Babysitter or Borrowed Time. However, it is extremely good at punishing normal killer gameplay if they're doing anything but trying to 12 hook the entire team, which is unrealistic.
Thematically, it also has an issue, which is that it's attached to Taurie Cain, who is a cultist who is clearly to some degree loyal to the Entity, while the Entity seems to dislike her/be trying to punish her for her hesitation in offering someone as a sacrifice to it. It's basically the highest altruism perk in the game but it's on a survivor who is the least likely to be altruistic.
I suggest the following rework:
Whenever a single survivor would be hooked twice in a row (as in, no other survivors were hooked after they were hooked, and they're the next survivor to be placed on the hook), Shoulder the Burden activates and gives the user a hook stage instead of that survivor if the user has an extra hook state to spare. The user then screams, becomes injured and Broken until the next time they are unhooked, and the killer sees their aura for 10 seconds.
If multiple survivors are using Shoulder the Burden, it prioritizes the survivor with the least number of hook states, or otherwise selects randomly.
This would allow the perk to function as intended as an altruistic anti-tunnel perk. Due to the fact it happens remotely, it's now actually usable in solo queue. It can no longer be abused by SWFs who are just using it to shuffle hook states around to keep anyone off death hook.
It also fixes the thematic issue of being attached to Taurie. It more accurately reflects the Entity's displeasure with her, punishing her by forcing her to shoulder the pain of other survivors in situations where she might be trying to be selfish.
Comments
I think shoulder to burden is fine as is and that nerf is way too much, Scream, injured and broken until they are hooked is super unbalanced.
I don't understand what situations it hurts "normal killer gameplay" just chase the person that is now exposed with no anti tunnel active because they took the hook state.
STB is also much more usable now that solo q can see team mates perks, people will slowly learn to check.
The way Shoulder is used right now is not as anti-tunnel but instead mainly by coordinated SWFs who are trying to shuffle hook states around.
It usually can't be used for anti-tunnel because tunneling killers try to stay nearby the hook so that they can actually tunnel. If you are trying to help a survivor who is being tunneled, you're better off using Babysitter or Borrowed Time, which are much safer.
What it can be used for is situations like this:
Survivor A gets hooked, Survivor B gets hooked. Survivor A gets hooked again, Survivor C uses Shoulder the Burden to take their hook state. Survivor A, B, or C gets hooked, Survivor D uses Shoulder the Burden to take their hook state.
No survivors are being tunneled in this situation but it is the situation in which the perk is the most effective and most often used. This is what I mean by "punishing normal killer gameplay"
it also can only be realistically done by SWFs who are coordinated and sweating, and groups like that do not need the help of such a powerful effect.
The reason I changed it to Broken/Injured is because Exposed would have a time limit which would be difficult to capitalize on, giving the killer little incentive to do so if the survivor is far away. The idea behind Shoulder is to draw killer aggro off of someone being tunneled by making yourself a target. Being injured and broken is definitely the way to do that.
What if instead of injured/broken until hooked it was made into more of a reverse Make your choice,
"when the killer hooks someone this perk activates until the killer moves at least x meters away at which point perk deactives after x seconds until killer re-enters range" then hook shuffling could be avoided by the killer by not loitering around the hook, but survivors can still find use in the perk and not have it relegated to being as useless as invocations.
I just think Broken/ injured until hook ruins the fun of the perk
side note main reason I personally could not get it to work a lot in solo is because no comms combined with no seeing each other perks (which is kinda helped now by perk screen). if there was pre made messages solo could take advantage of it more but that's another topic
The fact that u want the perk to be changed the way it is to be broken/injured til unhooked is crazy because u go against swf and ur mad because they shoulder the burden. I use the perm and think it shouldn’t be like that because it makes the perk useless, thats like deliverance but gaining a hook state as well