[Gaming] Overwatch (#boycottblizz)

GasBandit

Staff member
Every night, it becomes more apparent to me that there is no counter to a good tracer. The only counter to tracer is the person playing her not being good.
 
Every night, it becomes more apparent to me that there is no counter to a good tracer. The only counter to tracer is the person playing her not being good.
I'm sure enough research will show that Tracer's counter is actually Mei, but Gas will stubbornly refuse to admit Mei is good for anything that's actually useful.

--Patrick
 

GasBandit

Staff member
I'm sure enough research will show that Tracer's counter is actually Mei, but Gas will stubbornly refuse to admit Mei is good for anything that's actually useful.

--Patrick
She almost sounds like she could be, but tapping left shift a couple times gets tracer away from mei's freeze.
 
It's already known that Tracer has the highest skill ceiling of all the heroes. She is difficult to master, but if you get REALLY good with her and are a great twitch player, she becomes almost unstoppable.
 
Junkrat's a decent counter, if you're good with traps and bomb ricochets. Roadhog too, if you hold lclick while she gets hooked towards you. Absolute top-tier Tracers, though, yeah, like trying to swat a fly.
 
Junkrat's a decent counter, if you're good with traps and bomb ricochets. Roadhog too, if you hold lclick while she gets hooked towards you. Absolute top-tier Tracers, though, yeah, like trying to swat a fly.
Roadhog is actually the absolute WORST on a good Tracer. Landing a hook on her is just as difficult as landing a bullet on her (she can also recall before you get the shot off 90% of the time if you do get a miracle hook), and due to his high health and hit box, all of her gun spread hits him, which charges up her sticky bomb ult like nothing else. Basically if you have a Roadhog on your team versus a good tracer, you might as well just accept the fact you will be sticky bombed every 15-20 seconds.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
Terrik and Dei pointed out (in varying amounts of decibels) last night that as we play more and more competitive, the other team is having less and less of a problem dealing with my Torbjorn's turret when we're on defense, which I guess makes sense to me as I've never really had problems dealing with turrets as 76, and it occurred to me that all my big "plays" lately have been ones where I abandoned my turret and started flanking/tankhunting with my rivet gun - which, while nifty, could be better accomplished by another character in all likelihood. And I'd just gotten in the habit of going Torb on defense because nobody else was (seriously, I was waiting until the last second to lock in), and "It's defense, you gotta have a Torbjorn."

They also tried out a new power duo in Terrik playing Roadhog and Dei playing Zaria, so to hitch my wagon to the new idea, I started playing Lucio. Seemed to work pretty well, with Dei using her barriers whenever either of them got targeted and me providing some healing and speed while shooting through them from behind in hopes of hitting something. Seemed to work out reasonably well.
 
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Terrik and Dei pointed out (in varying amounts of decibels) last night that as we play more and more competitive, the other team is having less and less of a problem dealing with my Torbjorn's turret when we're on defense, which I guess makes sense to me as I've never really had problems dealing with turrets as 76, and it occurred to me that all my big "plays" lately have been ones where I abandoned my turret and started flanking/tankhunting with my rivet gun - which, while nifty, could be better accomplished by another character in all likelihood. And I'd just gotten in the habit of going Torb on defense because nobody else was (seriously, I was waiting until the last second to lock in), and "It's defense, you gotta have a Torbjorn."

They also tried out a new power duo in Terrik playing Roadhog and Dei playing Zaria, so to hitch my wagon to the new idea, I started playing Lucio. Seemed to work pretty well, with Dei using her barriers whenever either of them got targeted and me providing some healing and speed while shooting through them from behind in hopes of hitting something. Seemed to work out reasonably well.

Right. It's not really a question of your competency with Torb, because, as you said, your POTG actually involves you doing something somewhere that isn't your turret, but the turrets have become annoyances at best. Consider that most team comps involve a Rein or a shielded Zarya which nullifies any damage (save for the molten core ult). Heck, as an unhealed Pharah, I can mow down a T2 turret + the torb trying to heal it in 3 rocket shots more often than not. If I have a mercy on me, the turret's going down. On payload maps Torb is in an even worse position cause the cart moves and what might have been a good turret location suddenly becomes totally useless. We've made the turret thing work a few times on things like Point A of King's Row, but as I noted last night, teams just seem to ignore static defense. It's one of the reasons you rarely see Bastion in comp anymore. Too many counters to a stationary target. It might surprise you once when you initially run into it, but once you know it's there, it becomes a non-factor.

Besides I agree that our Zarya/Roadhog/Lucio combo works out well. Lucio generally sucks when I'm playing Pharah because I don't get the benefit of heals while I'm in the place I'm supposed to be---the air. As Roadhog, Lucio's heals + my own self heal + shields is a pretty solid wall of hurt.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
Heh, was just coming here to post that.

Seems like the Sombra fan theory was, in fact, correct.. only unlike Morrison, Ana has taken off her mask and goes by her real name.

Primary weapon is a sniper rifle that damages enemies and heals allies.

Other abilities are a biotic grenade, which works like the medic grenades in Killing Floor (area of effect heals allies and hurts enemies), and a sleep dart which seems functionally similar to flashbang but single target and sends the enemy prone as well.

Ultimate is called "Nano boost," she shoots an ally which makes them do more damage, take less damage, and move faster.

I hope they added more banter for her as well, for the "sixty seconds until match start" stuff.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
While I'll miss Platoon 76, I look forward to the snarling between edgelords as to who gets to play Reaper.

Maybe not though if "give me reaper or I feed" becomes a thing.

Seems fair enough that it only applies to competitive and quickplay can still roflcopter it up.[DOUBLEPOST=1468346471,1468346346][/DOUBLEPOST]Also also: they're implementing tie games instead of sudden death? Huh. Well, I guess if that means you don't lose exp in a tie but you don't gain, I could accept that.

And the change to D.Va's defense shield makes her a lot more interesting. Possibly a poor man's Reinhardt with a little more range?
 
The tie game thing was something they decided on doing, but didn't want to delay the patch for, so they are getting it ready for season 2. They did a lot of tweaks AFTER the PTR.
 
Went on the PTR. The D.Va change is... weird. I don't' know if it's intentional, but her front shield doesn't have a button... so she just reduces damage until she doesn't anymore, and I didn't see a bar for it.

Apparently the toggle is default turned off in options (WHY?!?!?!!), but even when I turn it on, I don't see a button control. 0_o Also still no indicator of matrix strength.[DOUBLEPOST=1468349583,1468349060][/DOUBLEPOST]Figured it out, it's right click.

Probably should have figured that out faster, but it used to be E. :/
 
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How much does it block before breaking? The thing about the old version was that it took whatever you threw at it until the duration ended, but if it's more like a Reinhardt-style shield, I feel that might feel a bit like a nerf instead, at least in my opinion. It can't be as strong as Reinhardt shield, as Reinhardt loses speed while it's up, but if it dies within a split second of some focus fire, it won't be as good for that big team rush D.Va was good at.
 
How much does it block before breaking? The thing about the old version was that it took whatever you threw at it until the duration ended, but if it's more like a Reinhardt-style shield, I feel that might feel a bit like a nerf instead, at least in my opinion. It can't be as strong as Reinhardt shield, as Reinhardt loses speed while it's up, but if it dies within a split second of some focus fire, it won't be as good for that big team rush D.Va was good at.
It's a timed shield that refreshes while it's not up. 5 total seconds, maybe less?
 

GasBandit

Staff member
It's a timed shield that refreshes while it's not up. 5 total seconds, maybe less?
Is there a delay once you let go of right click before it starts refilling, like Reinhardt, or does it immediately start refilling like Pharah's fuel?
 
It's a timed shield that refreshes while it's not up. 5 total seconds, maybe less?
That does not seem like it changed much then other then moving to the RMB? What is this I hear about it having "health"? Patch Notes are not anywhere right now.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
That does not seem like it changed much then other then moving to the RMB? What is this I hear about it having "health"? Patch Notes are not anywhere right now.
From what I am gathering, it still absorbs unlimited attacks while up, but unlike before where it was fired for a specific duration and then on a long cooldown, it's now only up as long as you hold down right click, and it expends/refuels like Pharah's hoverjets.
 
From what I am gathering, it still absorbs unlimited attacks while up, but unlike before where it was fired for a specific duration and then on a long cooldown, it's now only up as long as you hold down right click, and it expends/refuels like Pharah's hoverjets.
Ah, so the duration is based on the fuel levels? So I could, technically, use it, stop to fire, and then if I see like a Rip-Tire come at me I can pop use it again as long as I have some charge? Okay that makes more sense as a buff.
 
I think it started refreshing right away, but it has a 1.5/2 second CD to go back up after you drop it.[DOUBLEPOST=1468352893,1468352331][/DOUBLEPOST]I'd check again, but there's a huge queue to login to the PTR now, and I am not feeling it. ;)
 
Aww. I was kind of hoping this wouldn't be nerfed quite this hard, maybe only limit to 2 of each character, max.
See, I can get how they wouldn't want a team to pick 5 D.Vas or 5 Tracers or something, but if you limit a team to having, say, a max of only 1 Mercy, then that's a tactical thing the opposing team can use to their advantage. I.e., if they see a Mercy, they know it's the only Mercy your team is going to have, whereas if the limit is 2 of each char, seeing a Mercy is no guarantee you don't have another Mercy somewhere. If two Mercy players use the same skin, there's even uncertainty as to whether the Mercy in front of them is a new Mercy or the Mercy they just eliminated being rushed back through a teleporter.

--Patrick
 
Aww. I was kind of hoping this wouldn't be nerfed quite this hard, maybe only limit to 2 of each character, max.
See, I can get how they wouldn't want a team to pick 5 D.Vas or 5 Tracers or something, but if you limit a team to having, say, a max of only 1 Mercy, then that's a tactical thing the opposing team can use to their advantage. I.e., if they see a Mercy, they know it's the only Mercy your team is going to have, whereas if the limit is 2 of each char, seeing a Mercy is no guarantee you don't have another Mercy somewhere. If two Mercy players use the same skin, there's even uncertainty as to whether the Mercy in front of them is a new Mercy or the Mercy they just eliminated being rushed back through a teleporter.

--Patrick
Probably because something like 2 tracers is already super toxic.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
If they're any good, sure. But if they're really good at their char then they're probably going to win anyway, no matter which char it is.

--Patrick
Just because someone's good at Tracer doesn't mean they're good at someone else. - Or, at least, good enough to not have any effective counter. I'd expect a really good Tracer to also make a good S76, but, he can't get out of jail free.
 
Just because someone's good at Tracer doesn't mean they're good at someone else.
100% true, but what I was getting at by "their char" was that even dual Bastion can skew a team to victory, so long as those players are pros at playing Bastion (even if they suck at Tracer).

--Patrick
 
Probably because something like 2 tracers is already super toxic.
Yeah, most of the high end comps that are rolling the higher ranks are double comps, like two tracer, two genji, two winston, two zarya, etc. If they knock it down to two of each then it ends up not fixing the problem they are trying to correct here. It sucks, I loved stacking, but I still have it in QP, so I guess I can't complain too much.
 
Yeah, most of the high end comps that are rolling the higher ranks are double comps, like two tracer, two genji, two winston, two zarya, etc. If they knock it down to two of each then it ends up not fixing the problem they are trying to correct here. It sucks, I loved stacking, but I still have it in QP, so I guess I can't complain too much.
If they're trying to fix stacking FIVE of the same hero, then it will.
However, if having even two of anyone is that disruptive then I completely get it. I'm not a pro player (still don't even own it yet, still have to adult) so I don't know what's going on in the top-level meta.

--Patrick
 
If they're trying to fix stacking FIVE of the same hero, then it will.
However, if having even two of anyone is that disruptive then I completely get it. I'm not a pro player (still don't even own it yet, still have to adult) so I don't know what's going on in the top-level meta.
They are not worried about five, since any of that amount will likely make themselves completely weak in one area that can be exploited hard (like a huge Genji team can get eaten by a single Winston)
The issue is most top comps go doubles of a hero, usually Tracer and Zarya, so you will see one team made up of 2XTracer, 2XZarya, A lucio, and one filler. Almost all of them do the double comp, with very few using a single hero or multiple over 2.
 
They are not worried about five, since any of that amount will likely make themselves completely weak in one area that can be exploited hard (like a huge Genji team can get eaten by a single Winston)
The issue is most top comps go doubles of a hero, usually Tracer and Zarya, so you will see one team made up of 2XTracer, 2XZarya, A lucio, and one filler. Almost all of them do the double comp, with very few using a single hero or multiple over 2.
I'm so happy this is gone. Team comp will require a little more thought and counter picking will be more required.
 
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