SW Nerf— let’s all take a breath.
The point of this discussion is not to shame anyone who has issues with the announced nerf to Spider-Woman, nor to defend the nerf to begin with. This discussion is also not going to be a senseless rant, a rushed call for a boycott, or a flat-out barrage of insults towards Kabam as a company. I think there are valid points on both sides, and I’d like us all to take a step back to consider them.
On the side of the players:
1. This nerf is a strongly offensive nerf, arguably more than a defensive one. Ensnare is an extremely useful offensive ability, and having a science champion who can reliably utilize it is a powerful tool. As such, it’s entirely valid from a player’s standpoint to be upset with this ability being removed from SW’s kit.
2. The wording of the nerf announcement did leave a lot to be desired. The irony of Kabam stating they want to release less busted defenders in such a short window directly contradicts recent releases, in which most champions were at least competent defenders, and many were flat out overpowered. Removing ensnare is a solid move to make SW a more feasible defender, and moving away from constantly releasing broken defenders is absolutely a good move. A common point made by players, however, is one that I’ll cite here: why not just remove the ensnare when SW is defending? I’m sure Kabam has considered (or is considering) that route, and time will tell.
3. The ethics of making jarring changes to champions months after their release is dubious. Players have had time to rank , awaken, and raise the signature level of SW in the months since her release. Yes, we were aware the rebalance program was in effect, but the lingering threat of a nerf was definitely not on anyone’s mind. Balance is a tricky process, and one has to give Kabam credit for making a proactive effort to keep the game balanced (a point I’ll elaborate on later). However, such a thorough process still results in these changes seemingly coming out of nowhere, and backlash immediately rising to a boiling point.
On the side of Kabam:
1. This change is not going to render SW useless. She will still be an incredible science champion, with an incredible spread of utility and powerful damage to boot. Removing ensnare sucks, but she still has more than enough going for her to justify investment.
2. Balance is an important part of any game with live servers. Look at any other game that makes regular updates and changes. The nerfs suck, but no other community (as far as I’ve seen) meets every change with such intense backlash. Development and balance are incredibly tricky processes, and Kabam has entire team dedicated to making the game run smoothly. They didn’t pull this change out of thin air— they looked at statistics and made what they estimated to be the most fair change to SW’s kit. Let’s stop acting like the entirety of Kabam is incompetent, and accept that it boils down to the fact that they made a change, and we don’t like it.
Discussion:
I think just about everyone here can agree that the most fair route for Kabam here, if they do proceed with this change, is to offer rank-down tickets to players. This is an incredibly pro-player move, and one they’ve used in the past (cull, namor, she-hulk, mole man nerfs). I would venture as far as to say that for any major negative change made as a result of the rebalance program, rank-down tickets should be a staple. I say this because of my earlier point— these changes are announced months after a champion release, after players have invested in and become used to a champion. This seems like a perfectly fair solution while also leaving that time period of review/rebalance unchanged.
Now, lots of heated points have been made in relation to the specific wording of the post regarding the changes to SW. I mentioned this earlier in my points, and I think the simple solution is for… better wording on Kabam’s part. Not too crazy! Sincerely, I do understand where Kabam is coming from, and if they’re truly aiming to slow the release of high-powered defenders, I’m all for it. We could all use a break from the Yelenas and Serpents of the game. However, that notion has to be verified with action. Again, time will tell.
I think as mature people, we should all take a breath, try to understand all perspectives, and stop rushing to heated argument when these changes are made. I understand many people are passionate about this game, and about their favorite champions. If Superior IM got a nerf, you can bet your top dollar I’d be upset. But what matters in terms of addressing/affecting change is civil discussion, not rants and tantrums. I don’t like this change for Spider-Woman. I made an effort to see all perspectives, offered alternatives, and am opening the floor to all my fellow players for feedback and discussion. I’m just one guy, and I truly want to know whether I’m close to the mark or WAYYYYYY off. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with me, understand that I made this post for the sake of all parties, because I enjoy this game and want it to be healthy. That in mind, let’s be civil and have some great discussion!
