Why do the developers favor survivors so hard at the high ranks?

themirrortwin

I am a low red ranks killer (4), trying to get the achievement to reach rank 1. At the red ranks, it becomes obvious that survivors are heavily favored in the current state of the game (at least at the high tiers when they've learned what to do) by the developers.

I will be against sets of them all with adren, DS, or borrowed time (and who know how to use those perks well) on and off comms. My favorite killer is the clown, but sure, I down a my first person (if I'm lucky 2) and 2 gens are done by then (with ruin on of course - they don't bother to cleanse it unless it is obvious). Survivors can hit the skill checks and typically group on the gens even if I chase one off (and done em) so as to still finish. Sure, I stall them with pop goes the weasel and typically can get one kill at least to safety pip, but the effort it takes is crazy!

Then I go spirit, and the game feels fair. Normal loops which slow clown and waste time become possible to mind game and win quickly. You can speed across the big maps and have map pressure. Then, after the match, the survivors complain (sometimes DC) saying Spirit isn't "fair." I feel a little bad because I want everyone to have fun, but at the high ranks some of the killers just can't pressure enough against good (op in my opinion) survivors.

All in all, this seems like a big problem. I even sometimes hear the streamers complain about it too, and the community polls. So why do the developers favor the survivors?

My theory is that they pander to survivors because at the end of the day, there are always more survivors playing then killers (4 per 1 each match!). Then, the focus on "balancing" the middle ranks (theoretically where the majority of the players are).

I just wonder what of the game when they nerf nurse or spirit? If they never balance the high ranks, then what?

Sorry for the long post. It's just I had survivors rage at me post-game saying the spirit is so unfair (I wasn't even running beads). I barely got the 4 kill with only 1 gen remaining. It's mind blowing.

themirrortwin

Great news guys! By Abandoning the Clown (Thanks for ranks 20ish-4, ye served meh well) and embracing the Spirit, I earned the achievement in a few days! From 4 to 1! I even earned rank 1 with a perfect match! :D

This thread also got a little heated. Can we be a bit more civil, folks?

themirrortwin

My thoughts after reaching rank 1:

Spirit is overpowered in the sense that even some red rank survivors do not know how to mind game her. That being said, there were still teams and red ranks who did very well with all 4 escaping. Also, Iron Will wrecks her tracking as sound is key. But all in all, as people have already said, I agree she tips the scales towards the killer but only because survivors are not used to her shenanigans.

What I enjoyed most about Spirit is that DS and instant heals didn't extremely hurt her (as they do clown for instance). I could easily just track the DS person/Instant heal person down or just go elsewhere. Also, She can travel between the gens so FAST! I realized that killer movement is honestly what Nurse, (new) Freddy, Billy, and Spirit have in common, and why I personally thing they are all upper tier killers. Fast movement is what allows juggling. I actually think I might open another thread on this topic.

All in all, overpowered survivor perks and items (DS, borrow time, instant heals) simply do not hurt the meta killers (Spirit, Nurse, Billy, maybe (new) Freddy) as much as the others. Additionally, distance does not hurt the meta killers either as they all have flexible movement abilities (flexible in the sense that they get you to where you want to go without conditions such as triggering a trap or a portal).

slingshotsurvivor

@Richter_Cade said:

Short answer is they don't.

Long answer is that while it might seem that way it's obvious from changes that happen at all levels that they are trying to make it less stifling against survivors at high ranks without making it even harder for them at low ranks. The nature of the game is that at rank 20, you get dumpstered as a fresh survivor. You don't know how to loop, where gens are, how to evade a killer and what perks to look for. As killer in those ranks just basic m1 play will get you consistent 4k's, gens take forever because new survivors can't do skill checks and will abandon a gen the moment they hear a heartbeat and hooking one will make the other three crouch in the grass wondering what to do.

At high ranks they know what to do, don't waste time and make chases last longer with looping. It's strong, it makes it hard as killer but it's difficult to nerf rank 1 survivors without nerfing rank 20s even worse so next time you want to throw shade at the devs try putting thought into how you think they would actually do that. I'm sure good suggestions would be appreciated.

This! And I play both and main Freddy (even before the re-work) so I get it.

Great response all around.

joan

@themirrortwin said:

Great news guys! By Abandoning the Clown (Thanks for ranks 20ish-4, ye served meh well) and embracing the Spirit, I earned the achievement in a few days! From 4 to 1! I even earned rank 1 with a perfect match! :D

https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/622/4L5919UZDGYX.jpg

https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/631/00VVRAV6QBNK.jpg

This thread also got a little heated. Can we be a bit more civil, folks?

And why you don't create now a discussion: "Why the developers favor spirit so hard at any rank?"

slingshotsurvivor

@MegsAreEvil said:

How did you get the Trusted Tag with being so much biased and poor understanding of game balance?

OP didn't get the tag for the post; if a "trusted member" comments on any post then the post gets the tag - not OP.

It's not supposed to be a reflection on the content but tbh it's confusing the way it has been implemented.

They definitely need to rework it.