'Cruel Limits' Perk needs to change.

'Cruel Limits' is a killer perk belonging to The Demogorgon. Each time a Generator is repaired, all Windows and Vault Locations within a radius of 24 meters from the completed Generator are blocked for all Survivors for the next 20/25/30 seconds.

Cruel Limits is a unique concept in of itself, a perk which reacts to the Survivors completing their objectives rather than hindering their progress. Though the idea has been implemented in other perks, examples being Fire Up, Hex: No One Escapes Death, and Blood Warden, Cruel Limits offers its own response in blocking half of a Survivors defenses. A default Survivor stripped of perks and items is offered two means of defending themselves against the Killer, a Vault Location/Window and a Pallet to drop/vault over.

Unfortunately, Cruel Limits suffers from several flaws based on my experience.

The numbers.

By itself, Cruel Limits sounds appealing when you leave out the numbers detailing its range and lasting effect. One can argue that 24 meters is a wide enough range, close to the terror radius of an average Killer, and should remain in that form. However, maps such as The Game, Rotten Fields, and the Yamaoka Estate are a few examples of realms that offer very low numbers of windows and vault locations, therefore Cruel Limits may rarely come into effect at all. On the other side, maps like Lampkin Lane and Léry's Memorial Institute offer a high number of windows and vault locations, so Cruel Limits will provide an outstanding effect on those maps as well, correct?

Well, in theory yes. That is when we come across the second flaw, it's usage.

Even if Cruel Limits were to block nearly a dozen windows/vault locations for 30 seconds, the Survivor(s) is still offered plenty of space to escape. A pallet if utilized correctly can postpone the Killer for close to or around 30 seconds, thus after the first attack the Survivor may use their increased speed effect from being damaged to escape the confined space and seek shelter elsewhere, where the perk has no effect. That is to say the Killer would be present at the completed Generator to savor the full 30 seconds of Cruel Limits, which again would only function in theory.

The awful truth I have learned from usage/experience from this perk is that Cruel Limits can only partially guarantee the promise of one hit attack to a Survivor, and that is strengthened when the perk is supported by Tinkerer so that you may utilize all 30 seconds of its blocking effect. Even then, the realm you have been given might not be in your favor, the selected Generator spawned in may not have windows/vault locations nearby, and the effect can only do so much to halfway promise you one hit on a Survivor or two.

In short, Cruel Limits does not offer much to promote its usage. So how do we fix this?

I have wondered if buffing its effects would be the correct solution to this, simply increasing the effect and range of the perk would not be enough in my opinion. A rework would be needed. A quick overview of The Demogorgon shows that it focuses on impacting both the environment and its inhabitants in unexpected ways, damaging nearby Generators through its attack in Surge and exhausting Survivors repairing Generators through Mindbreaker.

So, let's offer new ideas for Cruel Limits which affect either the environment or the Survivors.

My idea would be this.

Cruel Limits: Cruel Limits starts with 3 Tokens. When a Survivor uses a Vault Location during a chase, Cruel Limits activates and a Token is consumed. The Vault Location will be blocked off for survivors for 10/15/20 seconds. Auras of Blocked Vault Locations will be revealed to you in a Yellow Aura. Once the area is no longer blocked, the Token is returned to you.

This would allow Cruel Limits to be much more reliable for chases and offer it better perk synergy, while in theory remaining true to the Demogorgon's focus on impacting the environment and the Survivors in unexpected ways. The idea is that this perk lives up to its name, limiting the Survivor(s) from using the same vault twice while in a chase, forcing them to be on the move or make better use of any pallets nearby. To keep Cruel Limits from being too much, Tokens will be consumed which will take some time to retrieve passively. This way the perk would be balanced, at least in my opinion it would.

Do you agree or disagree with my proposed change for Cruel Limits? Support your thoughts and if you have other changes in mind, feel free to share your thoughts and share this idea in case the developers were to notice.

Edit: Credit for the Token system and Cruel Limits perk description goes to Dreamnomad, thank you for the improved description/ explanation! 👍️