http://dbd.game/killswitch
Fixing some of the problems with Dredge's power and add-ons
Dredge is in a fairly good place right now as a killer. But it still suffers from a few issues that this post aims to fix.
I will be going over each change to their base power as well as their add-ons. And explaining my reasoning behind each change.
Basekit changes -
Time for survivors to lock lockers increased to 2 seconds.
Currently survivors are able to lock lockers faster than the Dredge can break them. This can lead to survivors being able to place locks mid-chase and barely lose any distance.
This changes makes placing a lock a riskier decision that survivors have to make ahead of time. Rather than when Dredge has already started chasing them.
Time for Dredge to exit a locked locker decreased from 3s to 2.5s.
Exiting a locked locker is currently a bit too punishing. And makes Dredge feel frustrating to play when teleporting to locked lockers without using Haddie's calendar.
This change lets Dredge break free of a locker faster by default to make them feel a bit smoother to play.
When teleporting to a remnant, the Dredge now faces the direction they were facing before teleporting. Rather than the direction they were facing when placing the remnant.
It is very common for new players to get disoriented when teleporting to a remnant during a chase. This change helps Dredge be a bit more beginner friendly and helps players to be less confused when teleporting to their remnant.
Nightfall charges gained each second per injured survivor increased from 0.75/s to 0.95/s.
For context, nightfall requires 300 charges to activate.
This led to the most effective way of getting Nightfall charges being to injure multiple survivors while using the add-on Malthinker's Skull. This was such an effective way at getting nightfall faster that not using this add-on can often feel like a detriment.
This change makes Dredge no longer reliant on this add-on to effectively gain nightfall charge.
Dredge's power no longer starts on cooldown at the beginning of a match.
Currently, Dredge has to wait 12 seconds before teleporting at the start of a match. This is not a fair restriction to Dredge's power considering that other killers with high mobility, such as Blight and the recently released Xenomorph, are able to use their powers to quickly traverse the map the moment the game starts.
This change makes Dredge's power up to par with other killers that can cover ground quickly at the start of a match.
Add-on changes -
Wooden Plank - Extra Nightfall charges gained from hooking survivors increased from 25 to 60.
This add-on currently struggles to compete with other add-ons that increase the amount of nightfall charges Dredge gains since hooking survivors is more difficult than simply injuring them.
This change now makes hooking survivors a significantly better way of getting nightfall charges and worth considering over the other nightfall charge add-ons.
Mortar and Pestle - Movement speed while channelling power increased from 3.68 m/s to 4 m/s.
Since the previous effect of this add-on has been made basekit, it needed a new effect. It now lets the Dredge continue chasing a survivor after placing a remnant without losing distance.
Follower's Cowl - In addition to triggering killer instinct when teleporting to a remnant, killer instinct will also be triggered after teleporting to a locker during daytime.
This add-on was previously outclassed by other add-ons that offer better information. This change helps this add-on compete by giving information at all times after teleporting to a locker.
Malthinker's Skull - Extra Nightfall charges gained each second per injured survivor decreased from 66% to 30%.
Now that Dredge gains more nightfall charges by default, this add-on needed to be nerfed as to not be overbearing. It still offers almost the exact same amount of nightfall it did before.
But no longer needs to be equipped every game to gain nightfall in the most efficient way.
Haddie's Calandar - Reduced time to exit locked locker decreased from 1s to 0.5s.
Now that Dredge exits locked lockers a bit faster by default, this add-on has been adjusted accordingly. It still offers the same amount of time reduced as it did before when exiting a locked locker.
Fallen Shingle - Increases amount of Nightfall charges gained when teleporting to the remnant from 10 to 30.
Previously this add-on increased the amount of nightfall charges gained when teleporting or hiding inside a locker. But this was a very inefficient way of gaining nightfall most of the time as you had to linger inside the locker for a while to get any tangible benefit from this add-on. Which meant you weren't actively doing anything in the game.
It now increases the amount of nightfall charge gained when teleporting to your remnant to encourage frequent use of it during chases. Which is a much more efficient and engaging way of getting nightfall charges.
Burnt Letters - Extra Nightfall charges gained when injuring survivors increased from 25 to 30. Dredge now gains Nightfall charges when downing survivors.
This add-on wasn't very useful as Dredge was only able to get value from it by hitting healthy survivors. And even then the extra nightfall charges were fairly low.
Now that it offers more charges each time a survivor is injured, and makes downing survivors give charges, it has far more utility and lets Dredge focus on getting downs whilst still gaining nightfall. "
Air Freshener - Time for Dredge to manually enter lockers reduced by 50%. After manually entering a locker, your next teleport will be 40% faster.
Previously this add-on gave Dredge an extra teleport charge. This was completely useless as 3 tokens is already enough for gathering intel by teleporting around the map, or simply going directly to your desired locker and exiting it.
It now boosts a relatively weak part of Dredge's kit and lets you decide if you want to teleport immediately to your destination, or find a locker manually to make your teleport much faster.
War Helmet - In addition to increasing the killer instinct duration by 1.5s, killer instinct is now triggered if the Dredge goes within 16 meters of survivors while teleporting to lockers during nightfall.
Previously this add-on was extremely weak as increasing the duration of killer instinct rarely give you any more information that it would have otherwise.
This add-on now gives information as you travel between lockers, massively increasing the amount of info Dredge can gather as they teleport around the map during nightfall.
Tilling Blade - Hitting survivors during Nightfall inflicts Mangled, Haemorrhage, and Blindness for 60 seconds.
This is a very simple QoL change that makes this add-on work against any survivor you hit. Rather than only healthy ones. As it shouldn't need another condition to activate beyond hitting a survivor in nightfall.
Field Recorder - "Survivors becoming Exhaustion for 15 seconds when touching remnant" swapped to Boat Key.
Boat Key - "All active locks are broken once the final generator is repaired" swapped to Field Recorder.
These 2 add-ons have had some of their effects swapped to better suit what each add-on does.
The Field Recorder's main effect is triggering Nightfall at the start and near the end of a match, so breaking all active locks once the final gen has been repaired makes significantly more sense for an add-on that activates during the end-game.
The Boat Key's extra teleport speed allows Dredge to be played more aggressively with a chase-oriented playstyle. Being to exhaust survivors who touch your remnant is more relevant for an add-on that encourages you to chase survivors more.
Sacrificial Knife - Teleporting to a locker during Nightfall blocks all windows within 16 meters for 15 seconds.
This add-on was previously too situational. As blocking windows for only 5 seconds after exiting a locker wasn't very useful except against specific loops.
By making the blocking effect activate the moment Dredge arrives in a locker after a teleport, and extending the blocking duration to 15 seconds, this add-on is now able to be useful in more scenarios.
Iridescent Wooden Plank - When Nightfall triggers, all survivors scream and reveal their location for 4 seconds. During Nightfall, both exit gates are blocked.
Previously this add-on had a highly situational effect that exposed survivors within the last 12 seconds of nightfall. Not only did this effect have a very short amount of time to capitalize on it, but being in a position to actually hit a survivor during those 12 seconds was very unlikely most of the time.
It now gives information each time nightfall is triggered and acts as a trump card during the end-game. Potentially leading to some fun and horrifying scenarios for survivors as nightfall descends and they find themselves unable to escape!
That's all of the changes I would like to be made to Dredge. Thank you to anyone who bothered reading this!
Comments
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I agree with a fair majority of these... though... that is a lot of buffs with no compromises :D
- 2s to lock a locker might be overkill imo, not sure needed along with all the other changes?
- Wooden Plank add-on at 60 is a hefty buff, might be a little too far?
- Mortar and Pestle making channeling at 4m/s is pretty damned strong... I'd be tempted reign that in a tad to say 3.8 or 3.85.
Pretty solid set of suggestions though.
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Thanks for reading my post!
I'm happy that out of all the changes I listed you only had an issue with 3. That's a pretty solid good-to-bad-idea ratio.
Although I'm certain that being able to block the exits during nightfall would be fine. Most games are already over by the time survivors reach the gates.
So having more opportunities to the killer to catch people can only make the end-game more engaging.
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I did think about that, and add-on no way our seems pretty busted at a glance... but a lot of things have to go your way at the right time to get value from it, ot can just as easily do nothing for you... so I'd say it has that risk/reward iri add-on thing just fine. 😁
Keep looking at the scream and reveal though... maybe have it the first time they enter your terror radius (im assuming UW will chamge)? Since survivors are Oblivious in NF, them screaming suddenly warns them you're close, but can just as easily send them running right into you... again... iri risk/reward.
And I'm all I'm favour of removing exposed from iri add-ons. It's not very interesting
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Considering Dredge already has an add-on the reveals everyone's aura on demand I don't think giving some info after nightfall pops is too powerful.
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