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Deathslinger rework [detailed]
This thread will discuss in detail (and directly) possible changes to the killer Deathslinger to make him viable.
1) New feature — Guaranteed down on Survivors after 3 shots without mending
Explanation and justification: we all know that Deathslinger is a very sensitive killer to pallets. If a Survivor pre-drops a pallet in a chase, they basically guarantee a win in that chase. So I'm proposing this new feature to be added to his base kit.
While in a chase, if the Deathslinger grabs and hits a survivor with his harpoon, a indicator circle (like the Trickster's knives circle) will be shown on the HUD, and it will only be visible to the killer. This circle consists of three shots/stages. If the Survivor doesn't mend and if the Deathslinger grabs the same survivor with his rappon two more times while in a chase, even without hitting them and therefore getting stuned from letting them escape, the Survivor will be put in the dying state.
The circle's effect doesn't expire until the chase ends. If the chase ends, the circle will be held for 10 seconds (so if a Survivor drops the chase they don't immediately cancel this effect) and if the Killer doesn't start a new chase on the same survivor for more than 10 seconds, then the circle's effect resets and the Survivor goes back to a "clean" (no chase) state.
2) Perk — Gearhead (full rework)
Justification: the perk is currently useless, so I am reworking it to make it more interesting. The counters to this perk are simple: not being close to the killer and also not be repairing a generator when the killer hooks someone.
3) Terror Radius — 32 meters to 24 meters
Justification: this killer is a ranged killer, which moves at 4.4m/s per second. The Terror Radius nerf was acceptable, but it became no longer needed since the developers added a delay to enter and exit aim. At the very least, we should reward slower killers with smaller Terror Radius (like Trickster and Hag).
4) Reduce the delay of the enter and exit aim animations by 0.05 seconds
Justification: I understand that the Deathslinger was once a killer that wasn't fun to play against. But the delay nerfs they did to him are very robust, so my suggestion is to reduce both the enter and exit aim animations delays by 0.05 seconds. That is:
Aim Down Sights (0.40s) -> 0.35s
Exit Aim (0.60s) -> 0.55s
5) Some addon reworks
Please visit the DBD fanmade wiki to see the current stats of the addons: https://deadbydaylight.fandom.com/wiki/Caleb_Quinn
Jaw Smasher (Yellow addon) - +1% -> +2.5%
Wanted Poster (Green addon) - +2.5% -> +5%
Justification: these addons are pretty bad. They make the Deathslinger move faster when he's aiming, but the current percentages make the addons pretty useless. So I'm suggesting an increase so these addons can be put to some good use.
Rusted Spike (Yellow addon) - change the effect from Mangled to Oblivious (and keep the "until fully healed" effect).
Honey Locust Thorn (Green addon) - change to: if a Survivor breaks free, the Deathslinger gains the Undetectable status effect for 10 seconds (removing the "until fully healed" effect).
Justification: these are ok addons, but they are not used that much and can be replaced by perks (like Sloppy Butcher). So, I'm suggesting new effects so that they can be put into practice and become very interesting.
Hellshire Iron (Pink addon) - change to: the Deathslinger moves at 4.6m/s when his gun isn't loaded (empty on ammo), but it takes an extra 0.5 seconds to reload the gun.
Justification: this Pink addon is pretty useless too, to the point that the brown addon that makes the Deathslinger reload 0.25 seconds faster is better than it. So, I'm suggesting a entirely new effect to make it more interesting.
That's all what I want to suggest for a rework on the Deathslinger to make it more viable and interesting.
Please, leave your feedback so I can improve this topic as much as possible. Thanks!
Comments
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Bumping because the thread bugged.
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I updated the Gearhead's rework.
Post edited by Tiagoquix on0 -
Slinger main here since he came out :
- This feature would honestly be useless, slinger isn't a killer sensitive to pallets at all. If you think so, you're probably playing him wrong. On top of that, if it only works while the survivor are afflicted by deep wound, it will take longer to get a down that way than playing correctly in the first place. Overall not needed.
- Sounds cool, but would be a very niche perk. I like the idea though.
- I think 24m is too short. The problem is that we either give him something else, or a lullaby like trickster and huntress along this change so that he cannot get hits with MnA while the survivor isn't even aware of his presence. You could argue that since he needs to aim for longer now, survivors would be alerted by the ringing noise, but the ringing noise on its own should be changed as it shouldn't trigger when you can't even shoot (it's currently the case and it's stupid, a survivor doesn't even need to check if slinger is aiming). I'm not for giving him a lullaby and neither for keeping the current ringing noise, so I'd say 28m seems more reasonable. 32m is too much though.
- I really got used to it and I'd say I don't really care if they never change it, but yeah I think it's reasonable to lower at least the aiming delay. It currently feels very slow and I'd prefer if it was shorter. I was more thinking about 0.3s/0.7s (a longer exit time to encourage zoning less), but 0.35s is fine as well.
- Movement speed addons : I think they should just have brand new effects. They don't serve any purpose, since slinger is already at 85% speed when aiming (which is a bit too fast imo) so I'd go with more original addons. I also disagree for Rusted Spike, I think its current effect is great. It gives you Sloppy Butcher on successful hits so that's great. I do agree with the Honey Locust Thorn change, the current effect of this addon doesn't allow for many plays (its yellow counterpart is way better). And finally, for Hellshire Iron, just no. I would never play a 4.6m/s slinger that reload slower than he currently does. It's a straight nerf to the killer.
I'd like to finish by saying that he is already viable and kinda underrated (surprisingly). I think his biggest problem are that his basekit could benefit from QoL changes (faster reload speed just because it feels better and doesn't really give him any advantage, tweaks on the ringing noise, terror radius buff) and an overhaul for his addons which are pretty mediocre, but that's it.
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I am maining deathslinger at the moment, but I am not an uberleet player so take this with a grain of salt.
Fundamentally I agree deathslinger needs some changes for the better however I believe most of what you have said overkill and shouldn't be implemented. A sledgehammer vs scapel situation as an analogy. I think the deathslingers kit should remain mostly the same.
For point 1; Some kind of benefit for multiple shots against survivors is absolutely a good idea, but a "pity down" after x amount of hits seems a bad idea. Balance around that would be fairly binary, either you can reliably proc it and it will be oppressive or the conditions are too harsh making it near useless in a chase. A better idea I believe would be the implementations of debuffs until healed. Ie,
-first shot against a healthy target but the chain breaks remains they get damaged as per normal.,
-first shot against an injured target but the chain breaks causes mangled.,
-a shot against an injured and mangled target but the chain breaks, a longer base healing time debuff on top of mangled.,
-potentially more effects for more hits.
Basically add two of the slingers addons into the kit but rather than a global every shot mechanic, a multishot stacking mechanic. I think this is better because it keeps the status quo of a survivor making good calls or getting help and breaking the chain stops them from getting downed as it should be rewarding to break the chain. And by the same token implements a reward for the deathslinger having good aim instead of having time held hostage for no benefit against an injured survivor. Furthermore I believe some change here IS necessary because if you cannot get a reeled strike, shooting an injured survivor is purely detrimental despite being successful skill execution.
For point 2; I'm abstaining from an opinion. It's a cool idea but I don't mind the current gearhead even if its weak.
For point 3; oh god please no. I mean yes a lower terror radius would be cool if people used it alone, but monitor and abuse is a thing and these MUST NOT EXIST TOGETHER!
For point 4; I sit on a fence for this but lean towards it shouldn't be changed. A change I would rather see implemented is the removal of the aiming audio cue. A survivor should dodge a shot by being observant not by following a "dodge now" cue. That and staring down the barrel of a gun should be just that.
For point 5; My only real criticism of the add-ons is that they are boring. Balance wise I think they are solid if only that the mangled and healing time penalty add-ons are qualitatively more useful.
I would like this conversation to get bigger because I think deathslinger needs something more.
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