NOED, totems, SWFs & solos

I'm going to preface this by saying: I don't want this thread to get out of hand. I'm not a survivor/killer main. I play both solo and SWF. I enjoy all modes equally but in different ways.

A short list of my post for the lazy:

• Hexes such as NOED, undying, ruin etc. don't need a nerf.
• SWF provides more information to survivors but it doesn't need a nerf.
• Using perks to bridge the gap between solo queue and SWF is ineffective.
• Let the amount of totems be universal information, just like gens are. This aids both killers and survivors.

Train of thought for the diligent:

Since the introduction of Hex: Undying (wicked perk, btw), Hex totems has become both stronger and weaker. Stronger in the sense that they last longer, weaker in the sense that survivors are more inclined to cleanse totems instead of ignoring them. Hexes are, in my opinion, balanced. They hit hard but can go away in the blink of an eye. Survivors can always opt to do totems.

What I do see as a problem is the wide information gap between SWF and solo queue. When I play with my friends we can coordinate all actions. This is not just a simple transaction of information. We move as a team and give each other tasks to work with. If I'm in a chase I can get information about where to go/not to go, when a gen is going to pop, who is nearby, if there is a pallet up in a certain location. I can also ask my friends to take hits, add a distraction or push through a gen. We adapt to the situation and provide feedback depending on the current state of the teammate/game. It's a fantastic experience, especially when have a highly skilled team with you. When I'm playing solo I have a different experience. Naturally, we still coordinate tasks. We simply use different mechanics that allow for less mistakes. You need to use all of the information given from your surroundings and keep tabs of how the game has progressed. SWFs are not better at the game than solo players. The SWF experience does, however, give an advantage in terms of information and fluidity in playstyle.

So what about the totems, then? Totems are kind of a gray area for me. Some players like to cleanse preemptively while others tend to skip cleansing and focus on gens. In solo queue this disparity becomes very apparent. I do not know how many totems has been cleansed, in what areas, if at all. If I want to prioritize totems I'm essentially forced to go through all the potential totem spots, not only looking for bones, but also the remnants scattered on the floor. This is a huge time sink. If I compare it with my SWF experience the solution is very simple. I ask how many totems each of us has cleansed and do the math. We can also discuss the potential perk loadout based on the common knowledge that we share. We can easily hold off popping the last gen if we want to make sure NOED doesn't proc. We can also make a joint decision to not cleanse bones.

The most common response when discussing SWF vs. solo is band-aid solutions in terms of perks. "Bring kindred if you want to let others know when it's safe to unhook", some say. "Bring small game if you want to find totems quickly", another chimes in. The problem with this strategy is that every perk that is used to bridge a gap, creates another gap in its place. If I bring 3 perks to gain the same information that SWF have, I also remove 3 perks that could, for instance, help me prolong a chase or cut time spent healing.

As totems are becoming more of a significant objective, I think the information should be readily available for all players. We get input regarding generators, health states, active hex totems etc. Why shouldn't we also have some kind of input in terms of totems left in the game? I suggest that we add a counter for all players, much like we have on generators left to power the gates. This would mean that killers can track their precious belongings and get a feel for the survivors' priorities, while survivors can coordinate more easily. 4-man SWF essentially gain nothing and 3/2-man gain very little. Thrill of the hunt could add some extra cleansing time instead of the totem counter.