Viper feels really good in massive-scale PvP gamemodes, such as RW and FL, where its strength truly shines, but I believe that the job still needs slight improvements towards its survivability and some QoL changes for damage application delays.
The general problem with survivability of the job comes from how clunky Snake Scales work. The idea of the mitigation is really good, but it feels really bad pressing it and being essentially locked in place for almost 2-3 seconds. I believe that it has potential to be much better at least in some aspects, and here are my proposed adjustments (choose all or at least one of them):
1. Make Snake Scales mitigation buff (the 50% damage reduction) linger for 1 second after leaving it and executing Backlash action.
The problem of current situation is that you almost never get to Backlash safely and restore the lost amount of HP. During the animation of Backlash (jumping up), you stop having 50% damage reduction and enemies just damage your HP (or even kill you) for way more than you can possibly restore with lifesteal. That pretty much makes the ability usually completely useless during later stages of fighting in FL/RW, since everyone has Battle High and Soaring High to damage you during that little window enough to kill you. If the damage reduction at least lingered for 1 second during the execution of Backlash, that would make it so much better.
2. Make Backlash executable right after entering Snake Scales.
Currently once you enter Snake Scales, you're locked out of executing Backlash for almost 2-3 seconds. This makes the possibility of using Snake Scales as reactionary mitigation (see Stun/damage flying your way > enter Snake Scales > soak Stun/Damage > leave Scales immediately) pretty much impossible, since no matter what, you will be unable to leave it for almost 3 seconds. Making Backlash executable right after entering Snake Scales will make the mitigation button much more skill expressive, since there would be a way for a skilled players to press it just for one second to soak any potential burst or crowd control ability and leave it immediately.
3. Remove the root effect from Snake Scales, instead reduce the movement speed for 50% as old Guard did.
This is self-explanatory. Being stuck in one place and unable to move just sucks overall and causes this mitigation button to fail at what it tries to do - protect you. Outside of Snake Scales > Guard > Snake Scales trick, in most situations you're just there for the enemy team to beat you up without any chance to get out. Being rooted in place from the ability that is supposed to protect you just feels bad.
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The general problem with survivability of the job comes from how clunky Snake Scales work. The idea of the mitigation is really good, but it feels really bad pressing it and being essentially locked in place for almost 2-3 seconds. I believe that it has potential to be much better at least in some aspects, and here are my proposed adjustments (choose all or at least one of them):
1. Make Snake Scales mitigation buff (the 50% damage reduction) linger for 1 second after leaving it and executing Backlash action.
The problem of current situation is that you almost never get to Backlash safely and restore the lost amount of HP. During the animation of Backlash (jumping up), you stop having 50% damage reduction and enemies just damage your HP (or even kill you) for way more than you can possibly restore with lifesteal. That pretty much makes the ability usually completely useless during later stages of fighting in FL/RW, since everyone has Battle High and Soaring High to damage you during that little window enough to kill you. If the damage reduction at least lingered for 1 second during the execution of Backlash, that would make it so much better.
2. Make Backlash executable right after entering Snake Scales.
Currently once you enter Snake Scales, you're locked out of executing Backlash for almost 2-3 seconds. This makes the possibility of using Snake Scales as reactionary mitigation (see Stun/damage flying your way > enter Snake Scales > soak Stun/Damage > leave Scales immediately) pretty much impossible, since no matter what, you will be unable to leave it for almost 3 seconds. Making Backlash executable right after entering Snake Scales will make the mitigation button much more skill expressive, since there would be a way for a skilled players to press it just for one second to soak any potential burst or crowd control ability and leave it immediately.
3. Remove the root effect from Snake Scales, instead reduce the movement speed for 50% as old Guard did.
This is self-explanatory. Being stuck in one place and unable to move just sucks overall and causes this mitigation button to fail at what it tries to do - protect you. Outside of Snake Scales > Guard > Snake Scales trick, in most situations you're just there for the enemy team to beat you up without any chance to get out. Being rooted in place from the ability that is supposed to protect you just feels bad.
Continue reading...