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Why is Bishop so hindered by Class Disadvantage?
Ebbtide
Member Posts: 292 ★★
When attacked by Energy Damage, Bishop gains additional Power and Prowess from each attack. He can also gain this from Well Timed Blocks. But this only occurs for every Class but Tech. Techs give 0 bonus, dramatically limiting Bishop's power gain, healing and special damage potential.
While other classes have limitations and bonuses from class advantage and disadvantages, none are this severe. Black Widow's signature goes down when fighting Mutants, but is not obsolete. The same is true with Crossbones. Even Sentinels continue to gain Target Analysis from Cosmic fighters, just at a slower rate.
There's even oddities like Red Hulk, who can gain Heat Charges from blocked Mystic attacks, yet suffers no penalty from Skill fighters. Korg gains no benefit against Sciences, but loses some Rock Hard Thorns damage to Mutants (but only some, not all).
Bishop is so reliant on his Power Gains and Prowesses, and many Tech champions use energy attacks, but under the limitation it shuts down his unique ability. He and the Sentinel should be an intense matchup for this reason. Bishop requires blocking to build his specials and damage, but the Sentinel would rapidly build Target Analysis from that Mutant bonus gained from repeated moves (like Blocking Specials 1 and 2).
Even the artwork posted when Bishop was released seemed to imply he would be useful against Tech's:
Bishop's Tech Disadvantage just seems greatly off when compared to other designs. Maybe reworked to give only one Prowess across all classes on Well Timed Blocks, and two on energy attacks (with three from Well Timed Blocks), and six from energy Special Attacks (boosted to nine if hitting a Well Timed Block). This would make him gain much less from a strictly Physical Fight, which should be his limitation, but rapidly jump him in an Energy Heavy Fight.
Keeping his class ups and downs more in line with other fighters would make him a better appreciated fighter.
While other classes have limitations and bonuses from class advantage and disadvantages, none are this severe. Black Widow's signature goes down when fighting Mutants, but is not obsolete. The same is true with Crossbones. Even Sentinels continue to gain Target Analysis from Cosmic fighters, just at a slower rate.
There's even oddities like Red Hulk, who can gain Heat Charges from blocked Mystic attacks, yet suffers no penalty from Skill fighters. Korg gains no benefit against Sciences, but loses some Rock Hard Thorns damage to Mutants (but only some, not all).
Bishop is so reliant on his Power Gains and Prowesses, and many Tech champions use energy attacks, but under the limitation it shuts down his unique ability. He and the Sentinel should be an intense matchup for this reason. Bishop requires blocking to build his specials and damage, but the Sentinel would rapidly build Target Analysis from that Mutant bonus gained from repeated moves (like Blocking Specials 1 and 2).
Even the artwork posted when Bishop was released seemed to imply he would be useful against Tech's:
Bishop's Tech Disadvantage just seems greatly off when compared to other designs. Maybe reworked to give only one Prowess across all classes on Well Timed Blocks, and two on energy attacks (with three from Well Timed Blocks), and six from energy Special Attacks (boosted to nine if hitting a Well Timed Block). This would make him gain much less from a strictly Physical Fight, which should be his limitation, but rapidly jump him in an Energy Heavy Fight.
Keeping his class ups and downs more in line with other fighters would make him a better appreciated fighter.
He also needs his Synergies reevaluated. The only outside synergy available to him is the Nova one, and the others he has are too similar, except Chronal Anchor...which is underwhelming.
Storm is his protective grandmother in the future, his team leader in the past, they should have some special Synergy that's more than power/prowess to start and some energy shielding.
Gambit is also involved in his different timed lives, yet neither have a connection in the game.
Cable and Bishop are both time travelers who seek to change the world from horrifying futures - there should be some connection.
Cyclops' connection could be reference to the Summers Rebellion, which worked to free Mutants from enslavement from Sentinels, and even the Sentinel and Bishop could share Synergies that reflect the Subjugation and Liberty each represents in that future.
Chronal Anchor would be better if both he and Psylocke also gained the Percentage of Power and Health they prevented on their opponent in that lockdown.
It's also worth noting Bishop was part of the XSE, the Mutant police force of the future. It might be useful if he gained some bonus when fighting Mutants, since he's experienced in having to police them.
Storm is his protective grandmother in the future, his team leader in the past, they should have some special Synergy that's more than power/prowess to start and some energy shielding.
Gambit is also involved in his different timed lives, yet neither have a connection in the game.
Cable and Bishop are both time travelers who seek to change the world from horrifying futures - there should be some connection.
Cyclops' connection could be reference to the Summers Rebellion, which worked to free Mutants from enslavement from Sentinels, and even the Sentinel and Bishop could share Synergies that reflect the Subjugation and Liberty each represents in that future.
Chronal Anchor would be better if both he and Psylocke also gained the Percentage of Power and Health they prevented on their opponent in that lockdown.
It's also worth noting Bishop was part of the XSE, the Mutant police force of the future. It might be useful if he gained some bonus when fighting Mutants, since he's experienced in having to police them.
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Comments
I could easily see bishop becoming one of my favorite champs if he were to go through a logical rework.
He has the high damage potential, decent utility with his ability to shrug off bleeds, great energy champion counter that mirrors blade against mystic or villains, he just need better regen.
Better regen or major reduction in self damage from overload. It’s not like his high damage isn’t justifiable without the sacrificed health considering other champions do way more damage without sacrificing anything, completely unjustified imo.
right now
- great energy resistant but virtually no uses since many more do what he does n more even jane foster has energy resistance
- regen you cant really utilize ,block damage 5x higher then what he regens from prowess charges unlike blade
- either put hard limit on prowess and remove degen n definitly remove degen on full power bar or rebalance the mechanic
- no real need for double charges on skill n no charges on tech
- just defender overall due to sp1 animation n mechanics like p2099
Sadly, he's not just hindered by class advantage. You can use Bishop's own powers to melt him away:
At the moment I use 6* and 5*r2 only in master EQ with his full synergy, so that I can free up my other teams... The tech disadvantage doesn't allow him to be viable in uncollected..
However, I did take him in the squirrel master event a number of times to take on annoying people like arkus.
He's an odd character, so much potential, such a great character backstory that a lot of people playing this game will be fond of from the 80s and 90s, should have brilliant synergy and should, b like magneto, have advantages over tech despite the class disadvantage.
A tiny tweak, even just removing the tech hobbling, would make a world of difference.
I made a thread on this very subject over a year ago. Feel free to check it out. A lot of people agreed, but no response from Kabam. Bishop has a lot of potential, but he is completely neutered by a class disadvantage...more so than any other champ in the game. Check it out.
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/119642/bishops-disadvantage#latest
It was really disappointing to see no Kabam response in there. You made great points, but it's like he's a forgotten fighter.