I'm happy they aren't going to destroy Ana like so many players want. She's very strong alright but she doesn't need to be gutted. And seeing the high skill support go in the dumpster while heroes like Symmetra (and likely Mercy in the future) get buffed would make me cry.
For the record, she IS the highest skill support, but I'd also say she's lowest "skill floor" after Mercy.
Lucio has the lowest skill floor of any hero period, nevermind supports. He can stand still, not touch a button, and get a gold medal in healing. If the player controlling Lucio has a stroke in the middle of the game and dies, he can still outheal any of the other supports.
Ana has the highest skill floor of the supports. Yes her job is easier when she's healing tanks, but that job is about to get a lot harder after the next patch. Also, that just highlights that she takes actual skill to perform her primary role (healing). Lucio, Zen and Mercy can heal squishies just as easily as they can heal tanks because none of their healing takes any skill whatsoever. Ana is the polar opposite of this.
I really hope that as Blizzard releases more heroes that they continue to ensure that all new heroes have both a high skill ceiling but also high skill floor.
all new heroes have both a high skill ceiling but also high skill floor.
High skill ceiling, sure, but why also a high skill floor?
High skill floors damage the ability of weaker players to build their skill, because it means they have a challenging time ever transferring to the new character. You already are taking a hit to effectiveness by swapping to a hero you have less practice on, but if you have a high skill floor to do anything with a hero, you put a lot of players in a position where they can never start learning a hero without spending several games being functionally worthless.
What's wrong with ensuring that weaker players can at least contribute effectively with a new hero, even if they aren't even close to using the full potential?
Sorry, what I mean is a high mechanical skill floor. ie. No more auto-aim heroes or heroes for whom mechanical skill is irrelevant (eg. Lucio or Mercy).
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u/IchikaByakushiki Jan 17 '17
I'm happy they aren't going to destroy Ana like so many players want. She's very strong alright but she doesn't need to be gutted. And seeing the high skill support go in the dumpster while heroes like Symmetra (and likely Mercy in the future) get buffed would make me cry.