Let's discuss the current meta !

[Mrat13 34]

Just now, Aegis said:

Kind of a protest on how OP Hornet is and the moderators said the Devs are aware of this while no actions or announcements has been taken or given for over a year.

So it's not a specific combo?

[Cleric 1,385]

12 minutes ago, Mrat13 said:

So it's not a specific combo?

I mean, Hornet's Overdrive does 2 things if you are not aware of. For 20 seconds, it

1. Reveals all enemies position
2. Ignores enemies protection.
   This includes every single damage reduction mechanism in the game, including but not limited to
   • Double Armor supply
   • Protection modules
   • Drone's passive protection
   • Drone's active protection (e.g. Defender drone and Crisis drone in max. protection mode)
   • Titan's Overdrive, a.k.a. the dome
   • Spawn protection (What the heck????)

For (1), most players believe it is completely fine. Besides, this is not a unique ability. Some other games have similar or even exactly the same ability (e.g. Widowmaker's ultimate in Overwatch).

(2) is the main issue players complain about. First, it is never seen in other shooting games, and for good reasons. Second, not only it is super effective and allow Hornet to one shot heavy hulls across the map, also there is almost no way to counter it.

 

So no, Hornet, especially the Overdrive is OP regardless the turret used (in my opinion, the hull itself is also too good, given it clearly overshadows Wasp before Overdrive is even a thing. But it is still within acceptable parameters compare to the Overdrive). But usually, when paired with mid to long range turret, it is generally considered even more OP.

Edited September 22, 2020 by Aegis

[Mrat13 34]

3 minutes ago, Aegis said:

I mean, Hornet's Overdrive does 2 things if you are not aware of. For 20 seconds, it

1. Reveals all enemies position
2. Ignores enemies protection.
   This includes every single damage reduction mechanism in the game, including but not limited to
   • Double Armor supply
   • Protection modules
   • Drone's passive protection
   • Drone's active protection (e.g. Defender drone and Crisis drone in max. protection mode)
   • Titan's Overdrive, a.k.a. the dome

For (1), most players believe it is completely fine. Besides, this is not a unique ability. Some other games have similar or even exactly the same ability (e.g. Widowmaker's ultimate in Overwatch).

(2) is the main issue players complain about. Not only it is super effective and allow Hornet to one shot heavy hulls across the map, also there is almost no way to counter it.

Yeah, I had it explained to me. The description is pretty bad at explaining the latter, IMO. But you also aren't going to run Hornet with everything. Like Hammer, as one example, but there are more. Whereas, something like Gauss is already a bit too good (like, what is it's weakness?), then combine with Hornet, and you start to wonder why you'd run anything else.

[E_polypterus 2,374]

21 minutes ago, Mrat13 said:

I keep seeing that phrase pop up on these forums. What does it mean?

The hornets with their OP overdrives only. 

[T879 151]

6 hours ago, Aegis said:

I mean, Hornet's Overdrive does 2 things if you are not aware of. For 20 seconds, it

1. Reveals all enemies position
2. Ignores enemies protection.
   This includes every single damage reduction mechanism in the game, including but not limited to
   • Double Armor supply
   • Protection modules
   • Drone's passive protection
   • Drone's active protection (e.g. Defender drone and Crisis drone in max. protection mode)
   • Titan's Overdrive, a.k.a. the dome
   • Spawn protection (What the heck????)

For (1), most players believe it is completely fine. Besides, this is not a unique ability. Some other games have similar or even exactly the same ability (e.g. Widowmaker's ultimate in Overwatch).

(2) is the main issue players complain about. First, it is never seen in other shooting games, and for good reasons. Second, not only it is super effective and allow Hornet to one shot heavy hulls across the map, also there is almost no way to counter it.

 

So no, Hornet, especially the Overdrive is OP regardless the turret used (in my opinion, the hull itself is also too good, given it clearly overshadows Wasp before Overdrive is even a thing. But it is still within acceptable parameters compare to the Overdrive). But usually, when paired with mid to long range turret, it is generally considered even more OP.

I think if the OD only didn't ignore Modules, it would be way more balanced. Also, this would make Modules more useful again. Maybe that's the only change that needs to be done, who knows

[Mrat13 34]

12 hours ago, T879 said:

I think if the OD only didn't ignore Modules, it would be way more balanced. Also, this would make Modules more useful again. Maybe that's the only change that needs to be done, who knows

I was thinking about it myself, and I think they should swap Hornet OD and Wasp OD. Hornet is a good base hull, and nuke isn't bad, so you'd have a well rounded, balanced package. While Hornet OD is strong, put it on Wasp, and it balances out, as Wasp is very exploitable. If a Wasp pops Hornet OD, they will be focused, and killed, almost instantly. So, the OD becomes more of an ally bonus, than a driver bonus, as the driver can't really get use out of it, with such a fragile hull.

[wolverine848 13,097]

19 hours ago, Mrat13 said:

I keep seeing that phrase pop up on these forums. What does it mean?

I coined that phrase earlier in the year when the giant asian hornet was found on west coast of NA.  That's the nickaname the bug was given and I applied it to the hornet hull since it's OD is so very, very annoying.

[wolverine848 13,097]

19 hours ago, Aegis said:

For (1), most players believe it is completely fine. Besides, this is not a unique ability. Some other games have similar or even exactly the same ability (e.g. Widowmaker's ultimate in Overwatch).

Well... "most players" are fine with it because it IS the most used hull.  People tend to not want to admit the item they use is OP out of fear it will be nerfed.  But regular users of the other 8 huls do have an issue with it.

Widowmaker has more inherent weaknesses.  Charge-up like shaft, can't one-shot everything and mobility issues.

Hornet on the other hand can equip things like drones to mitigate it's one weakness - health.

[Mrat13 34]

3 hours ago, wolverine848 said:

Widowmaker has more inherent weaknesses.  Charge-up like shaft, can't one-shot everything and mobility issues.

Yet Widowmaker is also one of the most powerful heroes in Overwatch.....

[Blutaar 1,904]

Currently, I dont think there is a specific META in the game. Undeniably, Hopper is dominating most matches, but there is not a true fixed equipment combo that outclasses any other in the game. I have not a clear idea, so I'd like to be proven wrong. Any thoughts on this?

[Blutaar 1,904]

1 hour ago, At_Shin said:

hopper isn't that good in non-ctf,rgb,asl battles.

Even so, it does outclass other hulls in the gamemodes you mentioned above. Overall, Hopper performs above average in matchmaking, it does not need to be specifically oriented at the game's objective

[Tanker-Arthur 2,971]

Just now, BloodPressure said:

Currently, I dont think there is a specific META in the game. Undeniably, Hopper is dominating most matches, but there is not a true fixed equipment combo that outclasses any other in the game. I have not a clear idea, so I'd like to be proven wrong. Any thoughts on this?

Vulcan users with Heat Immunity make Twins useless


Gauss is a better Thunder. 


True, there is no "fixed combo", but there are combos that outclass others.

[Tanker-Arthur 2,971]

Just now, At_Shin said:

interesting opinion (that's why I reacted with a hmm). I think I will try out hipper in non-flag/ball modes. I might get to play in interesting games.

Hopper is seriously overpowered with Magnum, in any gamemode. I made a Hopper-Magnum account and its super easy to camp in high points of the maps and siege the enemies below. Your only threats are Railguns, Gausses, and skilled Shafts.

[Blutaar 1,904]

27 minutes ago, Tanker-Arthur said:

Vulcan users with Heat Immunity make Twins useless


Gauss is a better Thunder. 


True, there is no "fixed combo", but there are combos that outclass others.

I should have use a different word than 'outclass', because you are right that some combinations individually can perform better than another combo - what I did mean is that a certain combination performs better in combat than other tanks. Months ago, RGC-Hornet was the meta, it was functional at all ranges and was a threat for most tankers. I was thinking if a similar combination is conquering today's game

[Spy 14,687]

3 hours ago, At_Shin said:

hopper isn't that good in non-ctf,rgb,asl battles.

Honestly, Hopper is good in every format.

[TheCongoSpider 8,942]

After the Hornet nerf (finally) I don't see any turret-hull combination that's inherently breaking the game. It's mainly drones and hull augments. Y'know, the usual, like Booster, Defender, Lifeguard and Crisis. 

Incendiary Band with Heat Immunity is a problem but Reinforced Aiming Transmission can do better than it.

 

As for Overdrives, Hopper and Hornet need to be tuned down. After the Hornet change, Hornet desperarely needs its retention period removed totally. Hopper's retention period needs to be either removed or significantly decreased. 

 

[E_polypterus 2,374]

11 hours ago, TheCongoSpider said:

Incendiary Band with Heat Immunity is a problem but Reinforced Aiming Transmission can do better than it.

 

WhAaT? You must be joking...

[DaringDeer 656]

13 hours ago, TheCongoSpider said:

As for Overdrives, Hopper and Hornet need to be tuned down. After the Hornet change, Hornet desperarely needs its retention period removed totally. Hopper's retention period needs to be either removed or significantly decreased. 

 

Agreed.  I don't think any hull should retain OD charge after using OD and dying.  I don't understand why this exists.  However, whenever I have hornet OD and am close to dying I will use my OD and be at 60%-90% on spawn.  

[alkyng 3,080]

I just want to make an order for turrets from stronger to weaker regardless of their Augments

Gauss

Magnum

 

Smoky

Firebird

Ricochet

Vulcan

Shaft

Twins

Thunder

Hammer

Freeze

Railgun

Striker

Isida

I think it's a hard to create a list of stronger and weaker turrets, the first two are definitely OPs and need to be removed. And the rest are close to each other and Smoky isn't that way stronger than Isida because they're all staying in the circle of balancing and modest turrets. I think it's such a meaningless list as approximately every turret now is used with its Augments, if I considered LCR in Railgun, Railgun will be higher than this

[ThirdOnion 4,898]

I would put Shaft and Vulcan above Smoky.

[LambSauce 1,884]

New meta for Rugby mode - Ares with Trickster/Crisis drone (but can still be good with other drones) and preferably Stun Immunity.

Works well on more open maps. When you have the ball, make sure Speed Boost is active and shoot your OD towards the enemy team's goal. Your speed is enough to keep you healed constantly and virtually indestructible, plus any close-by enemies trying to stop you will be destroyed.

Edited May 13, 2021 by LambSauce
Warning - watch out for Wasp's bomb

[Illusional 5]

The meta is literally scoprion, gauss, or tesla. Scorpion and Gauss dominate is like 70% of my battles. The insane damage from scorpion needs a nerf. On the off chance that I get into a medium small map, Tesla literally beats any short range turret. Linking electricity that literally halves my HP is not fair. It's a cool concept 100% but when 3 turrets are used by the MAJORITY of players in Legend ranks, it shows how OP these turrets are and there's no point in investing in any turret other than these unless you get an OP augment from a container that gives you a little boost to your gameplay. I can't even imagine playing isida against Tesla. My magnum is MK7-20 which I upgraded 4 years ago. It's almost useless now against a turret that can lock onto me from behind cover

Meta is scoprion and if not this, it's Helios on ricochet 

Edited November 16, 2024 by Shot

[rebar619 93]

On 10/28/2022 at 5:43 AM, Illusional said:

The meta is literally scoprion, gauss, or tesla. Scorpion and Gauss dominate is like 70% of my battles. The insane damage from scorpion needs a nerf. On the off chance that I get into a medium small map, Tesla literally beats any short range turret. Linking electricity that literally halves my HP is not fair. It's a cool concept 100% but when 3 turrets are used by the MAJORITY of players in Legend ranks, it shows how OP these turrets are and there's no point in investing in any turret other than these unless you get an OP augment from a container that gives you a little boost to your gameplay. I can't even imagine playing isida against Tesla. My magnum is MK7-20 which I upgraded 4 years ago. It's almost useless now against a turret that can lock onto me FROM BEHIND COVER

Meta is scoprion and if not this, it's Helios on ricochet 

Totally agree. The imbalance of turrets and augs makes the game boring. Helios for example needs to be banned or radically nerfed. Not only to Helios users dominate because it is OP, but it screws every other Rico player without Helios because players have to use their Rico protection to hedge against Helios. The game has become frustratingly boring. All people do is camp, and if you get into a match where they dont players are using Paladin and Helios to float across the map with impunity. 

[Me0w_XP 523]

On 11/20/2022 at 2:09 PM, rebar619 said:

Totally agree. The imbalance of turrets and augs makes the game boring. Helios for example needs to be banned or radically nerfed. Not only to Helios users dominate because it is OP, but it screws every other Rico player without Helios because players have to use their Rico protection to hedge against Helios. The game has become frustratingly boring. All people do is camp, and if you get into a match where they dont players are using Paladin and Helios to float across the map with impunity. 

Big agree. Helios hard powercreeps MFS. There is no reason to use any other Ricochet augment at the moment. It's not even about ricocheting shots and strategy anymore. It's just dumb burst damage.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Me0w_XP

[Alklines 1,751]

I recently got Helios, and I tried using it with Camper drone with heavy weight augment for Wasp, and I've had incredible success with it. It works quite well, if you sneak up on the enemy. Most times they won't even have time to react since the damage boost is so high and you're able to finish them off quickly. Camper works better for me than Crisis or Booster with this combo. I play mostly in Rugby and CTF, but I'm sure it'd do great in most battle modes. I've only seen one other player using this same combo. Has anyone tried? If someone is willing to try, can you give your thoughts?