The Black Banquet is Anti-Fun and miserable
I have been grinding DBD during the anniversary and playing the Black Banquet only because there are more bloodpoints to be had in the event mode. However, it gets so miserable. The little I played on killer I had a very difficult time getting kills with the all the event powers. When I used the poison a bunch it was somewhat manageable, but there was still a noticeable difference in balance. Whether on the survivor or killer side, I also noticed that with certain RNG, the matches can be more survivor sided than others depending on how close the trays spawn to the tables. I play more survivor though anyways, so especially after seeing how it was day 1, I have been playing almost solely survivor. And after day 1 of the event it has been absolutely miserable on survivor as well.
Understandably, killers don't want to deal with the survivor event powers because they're so strong, and so almost every single game has consisted of a killer player trying to get around the powers, and it results in the most braindead mind numbing matches I've ever had. The amount of people playing Bubba or another insta-down killer even though they probably don't play them much is insane, because if you just spam the poison enough, the survivor is guaranteed to go down within 30 seconds if they don't have 6 pallets within reach.
The amount of Jasons and Legions I've seen is insane, and I think this is a good time to bring up that some things about how the event powers work. The pallet power is worthless. It wouldn't be if it were normal games obviously, but again (understandably) killers are playing to counter the event. Usually this would be to play Plague (which I've seen a lot of) or an insta-down killer like Bubba to counter the instant health function of a table set. In the case of the pallet power though, there are so many killer powers and addons that counter it within these top picked killers for the event that it's basically useless. Jason's spike, along with pretty much every ranged killer power in the game, goes straight through the invulnerability. Even the "unbreakable pallets" are very breakable as long as you bring the right killer power or addon, the amount of iri button legions I've seen is insane, and things like the Wesker iri work as well. Spirit fury also goes straight through it as well. Not to mention that the automatically spawned in pallets are super buggy and half the time they physically cannot be dropped, faking the survivor out thinking that they have a resource left.
So what I've experienced in about half of my games is either a legion (who can again, break even "invincible pallets") or Bubba (who can eat through regular pallets and definitely WILL because you're poisoned and can't go anywhere) spamming the poison so that either 1. you die or 2. you drop a pallet and die after or 3. you pallet stun, spirit fury breaks it, then you die.
The event is so survivor sided at first look that killers have found so many ways to make up for the difference that it's become an impossible lose-lose for the survivors. Killers don't get to play the way they want to otherwise they get stomped, and survivors have to pray that one of their games they won't go up against the same killer, perks, and addons from every other match that they got stomped in because it's impossible to last more than a minute in chase. I feel like this event saps the fun from both sides of the table.
Comments
I played a handful of matches as survivor at the beginning of the event and it was all tunneling Jasons so I dropped it. I've been playing killer since and yeah, no matter how survivor sided it appears, I think I've lost maybe 10 out of about 75 matches. I don't even throw the poison. I just poison the carts.
Honestly glad to hear I didn't miss anything as survivor. I don't think I could have tolerated endless Legions.
Ive had some fun matches but it seems to have lower lows for both sides, with the added fun usually being zero sum and coming at the expense of the other side.
Playing Pinhead I just get embarrassed and feel lucky with 1k then I switch to Bubba and then it flips around to me having everybody death hook at 5 gens.
Personally I've been enjoying the banquet. I've been absolutely caning my killer games too. It just requires a different playstyle.
The poison really suits one shot killers. I've been having some really solid ghostface games. Stalk, mark, fartbottle insta down. Oni benefits from this. And I've even been skanking as trapper. While survs are faffing around with dining plates I'm seeding every trap I can and late game getting a lot of trap catches. Reqlly any exposed tactic work. Clown with the redheads pinky finger would work great on a walking poisoned surv.
Countering the food buffs does require a bit of counter play. The invisibility is busted and honestly shouldn't have been added, but you can see the grass move where survs run. And they'll often go for a portal so blimd swinging at it can help. The speed feet food does blast them forward but they don't have full directional control so you can shortcut them. And the invincibity pasta is pretty naff to be honest, I've seen people use it well for bodyblocks or unhook plays, and to force a pallet, but always remember it only protects against basic attacks.
Regression and hex perks often work very well because with people looking for plates and setting tables you already have passive slowdown then regression pushes that advantage further.
On the surv side it's a bit rougher now killers are getting wise. Or just hard tunneling/camping. But those tactics are counterable as well.
I haven't been enjoying the event. I feel like I can't have fun playing anything but Legion and that's getting old. I am adding more cakes to my stockpile that am likely to never burn.
yeah honestly ive lost so many matches as survivor, its only a survivor sided event if the killer is playing normally. if the killer chooses to player certain killers and uses a ton of poison (and ESPECIALLY if they tunnel, which there has been a ton of) the event's balance gets flipped on its head and its borderline impossible for the survivors to win, especially if theyre not all in comms or using meta perks
@100PercentBPMain First game on killer I played was Springtrap and I just got clowned on, but the amount of bubbas and insta down killers that easily win every game I play on survivor is crazy. it just makes me not want to play killer because if i play anything regularly ill probably lose, and if i choose killers or addons or tunneling specifically for the event i just know im making 4 people miserable
@HoodedWildKard But half the original post was about how terrible it is to go up against that exact thing as survivor. Going against an insta down killer like bubba or anything else is borderline impossible to survive for a decent chase against because of the poison providing pretty much a guaranteed hit. I understand that maybe being able to absolutely smash through survivors as killer would be fun, but its absolute misery to go against, especially with how much tunneling theres been. the amount of teammates ive had DC and the amount of times i myself have DCed are both way higher than normal
@ForTheEntity Yeah I haven't really been enjoying myself either. I've tried to change up my play style to have a bit of a more fun build rather than the very challenge-oriented builds i usually run, but the bit of fun i get from like window teching a killer gets damped when they hit me with three poisons and down me in one shot after 20 seconds of me burning through pallets. If it wasnt for the cakes or the event points i wouldnt be playing
Sad to hear it's all Bubbas, Legions, and Plagues. I'm not sure why they don't consider that people will use the most exploitable killers when they design these things. It always seems to be Legion ruining every event too. I've been playing as Dracula and Clown and mostly just treating it like 1v4. I still don't even have the poisoning survivors quest done 80 matches in. I've found that survivors are so eager for saves in this mode that they're giving me lots of opportunities and also wasting time on their toys. The ones who win are the ones sitting on gens with gen speed perks.
My only real complaint as killer is that the portals made playing my main too difficult.
Your quotes didn't work in those replies btw. You might want to edit in a tag for the intended posters.
Yeah honestly I noticed that as killer, some teams will just waste more time on the event than it's worth and throw the game, and some teams will waste the event in the worst time. It's another thing that makes this event so bad: it benefits the SWFs that are already more of a threat way more than a solo queue survivor. Also sad to say one of the only two clowns I can remember going against in maybe 300(?) event matches was using poison to inevitably slow down survivors to throw pinky finger on them. Funny part though was that I still got him to miss twice, so he obviously didn't actually play clown.
Also thanks for the heads up, fixed it!
My advice for oneshot killers is run stealth builds. I've had a few surv games where we've successfully pingponged killers between distant gens and just hidden to waste their time. Not easily done in soloq but sometimes ppl cotton on.
I've just been bringing ultra genrush timmy build as surv to buy everyone else time to do tables etc:
-Hyperfocus
-Stake out
-Scavenger
-Leader
Yeah I mean that's totally understandable, it just goes to show that the survivor side being too strong normally will make the killer players go ultra hardcore mode (min maxing their killer power, addon perks, and tunneling), which makes it so if the survivors actually want to win they need to go ultra hardcore (gen rush builds galore, sprint burst, deli, DS, etc). it just ends up being an unfun spiral
That has nothing to do with the event though I feel, it's the current Hex Jason bs so it's the same in standard 1v4 too.
If anything I find the event just takes up survivor time they could be on gens, sometimes it pays off, most of the time it throws the match waiting at the table, especially since everyones running counters to it.
But the points are good so I am happy gen rushing to get the 2.5k from the payoffs while someoen else does it.
I tried pinhead too and well one 4k and then I didnt faced potatoe soloq team and get cooked two times but what should be expected from m1 killer which power doesnt work with poison.
Now I play only billy,bubba,jason,mayers,wesker,legion,vecna,henry,dracula,plague and they can deal with it with poison.
Still there are games where survivors get invisibility or pallets and good rng and arent bad so I loose but I have less of them then on m1 based killers and vecna can deal with it his abilities outplay or can outplay anything there especialy with poison.
When I finally force myself to play survivor to do the quests this is probably what I'm going to do. SO, HF, Built to Last and a stacked commodious. That's the only thing that been beating me as killer so screw it, I'll gen rush.
Idk whats your problem but there are tables too far from cakes.
This distance is unacceptable, hope they bring the carts closer to the tables so survivors arent so hindered by this nonsence.
Anyone who still pretends that this event is soo survivor sided has absolutely no game sense.
lmao yeah i mean the RNG is insane. the closest tray to a table could be miles away so setting the table is a complete waste of time, or the closest tray could practically be on top of the damn table lol
@Yamalive yeah i mean i think the people who still say that (especially the killers in my end game chats whether they win or lose) are just riding that first day impression of the game, whereas in reality 90% of killers have shifted to running killers and builds that counter the event to some extent, and with poison the balance of the event has flipped the other way around
What is this? xD
Yeah this is by far the worst part of the event LOL
You basically HAVE to keep visiting to poison when you can as killer, its a pain
I mean i disagree with the statement "because killers are running X killer with X build the balance of the event has been flipped" but the sentiment is true. I play 50/50 killer survivor (queue up killer then queue as you wait survivor for a game) and my games as survivor have been what most people have seen, legion/jason/plague/bubba, and it has made it certainly more diffcult, definitely still favouring survivors.
When Im playing as killer, as others have mentioned with their pinhead comments ect, I play huntress/deathslinger/jason (I don't run hex build on principle, its not needed) and a bit of ghostface. I struggle a lot more with ghostface/huntress/deathslinger than I do with Jason, its not even close. I've yet to try bubba/hillbilly but I'm assuming id find them easier than the ones I main normally anyway. Im usually having to sweat somewhat as killer, and yes I've tunneled my fair share of times, because if I don't pressure can get removed at a press of a button by the banquet. This event is incredibly survivor sided, as shown by the queue difference only being 1.25x on survivors rather than the usual 2x.
I don't think killers are solely to blame for the horrendous mess this event has came up with (unless you run hex jason, in which case disregard this comment, you are a problem) because the huge divide between killers that can pressure constantly, and killers who can't. The difference between Jason/Bubba/legion/hillbilly and ofc nurse vs Ghostface, plague, Myers, deathslinger and the majority of the killer cast is so wide that it feels horrible playing anything other than the Stronger killers if your metric for having fun is winning (I like winning, but I also like a challenge personally so for me I'd prefer a satisfying loss than a sweep for example)
Longest I have seen was like 40 meters distence or something like that like 1/4 of the map nearly but fact is you cant see auras of the carts so there can be some around closer but no one sees it.
Thing is here one survivor can do it in like 40 seconds or two survivors can do table in 15 seconds which is nuts cosidering this was portals and invisibility on one of still largest maps.
What it should be?
Perfecly balanced as all things should be.
Tbh (if I got it right) poisoning tables is kinda worthless because true power of poison comes when survivors have to run and considering the cooldown of poison its much smarter to poison key pallets like shack one or use it just in the chase to hit survivors directly or points like windows and pallets on loops they currently run to get poison to work for maximum effiency.
I had some not great table spawns too but considering the power of the effects and this was portals and invisibility which makes with bonus from table all items recharge charges and some survivors gain items (like I got many times toolbox with BNP from this bonus no jokes) and makes portals basicaly guarantee escape from chase or killer (unless survivor makes huge mistake) yeah its busted kida this fits for it
edit: kinda funy how many people downvote it when this pic clearly shows how this set up is busted beyond.
Depends like all on rng and who is facing who.
One thing is clear and thats survivors has more effects and keep them longer then killers, some effects are so powerfull that make some m1 based killers totaly unplayable.
Poison is strong but on killer which powers works with it becuase m1 killer like pinhead will get very small value from poison compare to bubba or legion which are kilelrs that have powers and even addons that work well with poison making their chases faster which is something that they lack in normal 1v4 where pinhead is better then them.
Another huge fact is that carts usualy spawn to so far from tables and i have scrren shot above your post I react too where its just few meters away but still 20 meters isnt that far either, carts spawn in clusters which with effects like invisibility basicaly makes survivors super hard to get because they can regain them again and again wasting lot of time from the killer.
Anyone who has some game sence knows survivors are clearly more favored in this event then killers and sees that if they rush 4 gens asap they make killer loose poison but they keep cakes for themself if they had one in hand before 4th gen poped which makes them hold more power plus following effects from carts and tables are 20 seconds of elusive and endurence which are by far strongest survivors effects and deffinitely way stronger then what killers get which is 20 seconds of lightborn or undetecteable which are effects that arent that great compare to survivors ones.
I'm averaging about 4 hooks spread across at least 2 Survivors per match as Killer, it's so horribly depressing and humiliating to be rendered so powerless as the supposed power role. The only times I do better are when I'm both playing a Killer who has ways of countering certain effects like you mentioned, I've played like a total scumbag and tunneled, slugged and campedto the max AND when Survivors don't use the event powers right or trip over their own shoelaces in some other way. Even on strong Killers I play well there's only so much you can do against instant heals, invisibility and unbreakable pallets on god loops. I've also seen on Survivor how nasty you have to be as Killer to get things done and it's really encouraging a lot of bad feeling amongst the community.
I strongly encourage everyone to fil out the survey BHVR sent out and let them know exactly how you feel about the Black Banquet so hopefully they don't repeat the mistakes they've made this year in future events.
Yeah trying to have fun on either side sucks and the poison can be really annoying but so can survivor abilties so I think it just kinda sucks for everyone only perk is the BP
Hope they scrap this entire event
I originally planned to target the Ascended Banner, but then realized three things: I don't see myself ever using it; DbD will probably issue a global code in a year, handing it out to everyone anyway; and, more importantly, the tasks are boring and way too grindy. That's an issue with "events": it's never clear what is exclusive and never returns, so the motivation and incentive to grind it out aren't there. I remember the anniversary crowns. Back then, it wasn't easy to escape with every Survivor to get their crowns with the way perks worked. And it was a long grind doing every single Survivor and Killer! Then they issued a free code that granted every crown to anyone. What's the point of creating anniversary exclusive events and rewards when you will hand them out later?
I enjoyed the event quite a lot, even as killer. Survivors had a second objective, so they didn't just slam gens like there is no tomorrow. But I would say the experience depends on the killer you play. I personally only played Jason and the Oni during the event. Jason can ignore many of the effects, like invincibilty and also unbreakable pallets did not bother him too much. Oftentimes, Survivors felt a bit too safe after eating their morsel, running into my face thinking they are unvincible just to eat a spear.
The Oni suffered way more with invincibility, invisibility, unbreakable pallets and insta-heals. So I did not play him too much during the event. Fart bottles helped with his weak early game. Still, the games I had where still most of the times 2-3Ks, with some sporadic 0Ks against organized teams, which I am fine with.
On the Survivor side, it was a lot of fun messing with the different banquet effects, insta healing the team, escaping a chase invisible through a portal and prolonging chases by eating the morse justl in the right second of chase (which I messed up more often than not). However, I felt for the weaker M1 killers I faced. Even though I only play Solo Q, especially Wraiths got demolished. But for other killers, I did not have the impression that they suffered too much.Only the fart bottles were annoying as hell on the Survivor side.
Honestly most of the people I have seen on the forums that talk about how they actually enjoyed the Black Banquet were playing killer (particularly certain killers that use poison way better or counter the event effects), there's even a popular thread where several of the top comments are just people saying how they enjoyed winning almost all their killer matches. The only time I have really seen survivor players (including myself) talk about the event being fun is when they have friends to play with so they can actually make use of it effectively for their teammates. Basically the event is great for killers bullying solo or casual survivors and it's great for SWFs bullying the killers
I am of the camp that less FOMO is good I'm never upset to see new people get what used to be exclusive to me like I'm happy rift outfits come back my buddy missed Bill from Tome 7 and I always felt guilty so I never used it. I also gave him my Moth Jeff from Amazon because that was so dumb to lock. But grinding things like those crowns kinda bothered me because what was the point of trying? Those crowns and Gnome Chomsky were not easy especially since killers knew survivors were trying to get it.
It makes no difference to me whether to bring it back or not (exception: time milestones like the 10th), but what DOES matter is communication. Be clear, like other games are about items. XYZ Event items are recurring items and will return with next year's version, etc. Make it clear; let players know so they can decide, but they want the best of both worlds. They want the FOMO to drive engagement and participation, but then want to bring everything back.
On the anniversary items, those should've stayed exclusive. I don't see why people would want things celebrating an anniversary they weren't a part of. They could make generic anniversary items that return every year, but items that say 5th, 10th, etc should stay exclusive to those years.