Buffing vs Nerfing

I know people talk a lot about buffing champs and nerfing others, but this isn't for that. It's more about the process about which this happens. I am just interested in seeing what other people think.

When a champ is buffed, there is a lot of time that goes into it - think OML and Colossus and their better, but when a champ is nerfed - think She-hulk or 12.0, it happens instantly. There is usually about 20 second notice on some forum thread that most people won't read unless someone tells them it will happen.

What do people think? Should there be nerf betas or something similar? Or is it just what we have come to expect?

Comments

Mauled

In theory she-hulk should be the exception to the rule as a 3 week beta stage with feedback, all the YouTube content etc. Should be more than enough time to highlight any ‘exploits’ a Champion has. We all know Kabam should have decided that if she hulk’s heavy was going to be such a major issue then they should have either tested 6.2 properly or made a concrete decision when people like KT1 and the whole of MCOC community were doing MLLH combos and ramping her up like a beast.

With luck, this debacle will result in more care and attention so that there won’t be any nerfs of this scale in the future

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Aleor

Well, Kabam doesn't consider them nerfs, so there's that.

They don't call them nerfs, but deep in their hearts I bet everybody knows the truth

GroundedWisdom

The Shulk issue wasn't a buff or a nerf, it was a fix. When things like these happen, they're usually sudden because some kind of issue is presented that requires them to identify the cause of it. Buffs such as Colossus or OML are quite planned. They're the result of examining the data and working on updating Champs that score on the lower end of the findings. Then there are the new minor balances that will occur sometimes after 3 months of reviewing new Champs, as in the case of HT and Annihilus. The difference between the two latter, aside from the fact that the first is a bug fix, is that they're planned changes.

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LegoBatman3m

Ya I agree I think there should be nerf betas

GroundedWisdom

The Shulk issue wasn't a buff or a nerf, it was a fix. When things like these happen, they're usually sudden because some kind of issue is presented that requires them to identify the cause of it. Buffs such as Colossus or OML are quite planned. They're the result of examining the data and working on updating Champs that score on the lower end of the findings. Then there are the new minor balances that will occur sometimes after 3 months of reviewing new Champs, as in the case of HT and Annihilus. The difference between the two latter, aside from the fact that the first is a bug fix, is that they're planned changes.
It was handled poorly. Most people are more upset with that than anything else. Everyone understands how champs are measured and will be buffed...

They acknowledged that it was sudden, and indicated they would work on communicating these things earlier in the process. That's also part of why it was a unique case for RDTs.

Fred_Joeity

You know if there’s a nerf beta, they won’t learn anything since pretty much everyone will automatically veto it

CoatHang3r

Lol wut?

Can you tell us how much time went in to the following champs who were buffed with the notice being the patch notes and without a beta? Magik, Groot (yes he was actually buffed), Gamora, Sentry, Civil Warrior, Yellowjacket, Hulk, Black Bolt, Rhino, Juggernaut etc. And that’s not mentioning the bugged buffs of Kamala Kahn and Gambit from 12.0, which TMK have never been mentioned nor acknowledged. Then the She-Hulk beta didn’t even uncover her combo into heavy chain, it took The Champion to bring light to it.

If something unintended pops up that breaks the game, that is all the testing needed before correcting it, they can’t leave the game broken. I expect them to fix the bugs but as mentioned previously (gambit n kk) they are not all fixed for reasons unknown.

Bear3

No it wasn’t a fix, it was a nerf. Don’t care what they wanna call it, it was a nerf. A fix doesn’t alter something that’s over 3 years old. Sorry you’re wrong. You wanna change a mechanic that’s over 3 years old? Expect to give rank down tickets. Doesn’t matter if it doesn’t say that in Her abilities, there’s plenty of game mechanics that aren’t SPECIFICALLY listed in champs abilities. If this mechanic was losing them cash on 6.2 they wouldn’t have changed it... just like they didn’t for the last 3 years +. You wait that long and it’s a nerf plain and simple. The cull damage change? THAT was a fix. She hulk was a nerf, nerfing an ability over 3 years old. Sorry, you’re just wrong. They’re not gonna hire you for kissing up.

🐻

Magrailothos

Lol wut?

Can you tell us how much time went in to the following champs who were buffed with the notice being the patch notes and without a beta? Magik, Groot (yes he was actually buffed), Gamora, Sentry, Civil Warrior, Yellowjacket, Hulk, Black Bolt, Rhino, Juggernaut etc...

Hmm I remember most of those; although would also have chosen to highlight Winter Soldier and Punisher buffs, which were both solid.

But Yellowjacket? Can't remember what changed with him. What was that one about?

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