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An idea for stopping Skull Merchant 3-genning

Gress
Gress Member Posts: 31
in General Discussions

I don't think Skull Merchant and the concept of 3-genning and how good she is at it needs any introduction. The way her kit is right now sort of advocates for that playstyle, and even as someone who really dislikes playing like that when I play as her, it becomes a bit difficult not to do that. It also is very unfun to go against this SM playstyle since games can last much longer than they should sometimes. I'm not going to say I solved the issue, but it's something for consideration maybe.

Currently, survivors have a five button prompt to hack/remove the drone and get a claw trap that tracks you. After the timer on the trap expires, the trap destroys itself automatically. Wasn't always like that though. Do you remember when she was first released after the PTB there was an interaction with survivors where after the timer expires you do another five button prompt to take it off? And if you fail it starts up again? Give that mechanic back.

"But the survivors will take the drones hostage! How will I get them back?" Oh, that's easy. Go get a survivor.

The shift in her kit where she gains haste per survivor being traced will help quite a lot with that. If you are still worried about generator defense, you can bring another perk or two dedicated to that if you are so concerned about it. Either make them vault a pallet or down (possibly rework this to hooking to prevent slugging) and behold, you get a drone back. Sure, you can put it back, but if survivors don't want to work on that generator since they cannot hack it, go get another survivor.

I'm curious as to your thoughts on this idea. I know people really dislike Skull Merchant as she is now, but I don't think she's a lost cause.

Comments

  • Xendritch
    Xendritch Member Posts: 1,842

    I'm all for nerfing the drones if the claw traps get buffed. Make the haste buff 5/6/8/10 and make the traps last a full minute and make the drones active for 15 seconds possibly even 10 down from 20 and I think that's a pretty fair trade and makes the drones worse at protecting targets while encouraging SM to chase with such a high initial haste buff because you still get exposed if you don't deal with them so they'll still be hacked.

  • Zokenay
    Zokenay Member Posts: 1,158
    edited July 2023

    The main problem is the Exposed effect, committing is basically suicide, and if you take her drones, she places a new one instantly.

    Replacing the exposed and emphasizing more on her role of a "hunter" would work better, for example, instead of exposed, its a hinder effect, which makes it worth using even against injured survivors, or other effects, who knows.

    Could replace Undetectable for hiding inside the drones to instead causing Oblivious to Survivors inside it, this makes it so if you commit to a gen without taking the drone, you have a really high chance of getting ambushed, even more if youre hindered by the drone, to make it more fair, the Hinder would get removed after getting hit, but Lock On from the drones is faster.

    She could potentially get an addon pass as well.

    Idk just some ideas, cause shes really hard to tweak without making significant changes.