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Flashlights are very overrated

I know getting flashlight saves are very satisfying to get but, I think a lot of survivors overestimate flashlights and constantly go for saves. I can’t deny that flashlights are the most busted survivor item against a new killer but decent killers can easily counter flashlight saves just by looking at a wall. I’m not saying flashlights are bad or anything, because it definitely has its moments, especially if you’re in a swf but I think it’s overhyped because of content creators.

Comments

  • Metronix
    Metronix Member Posts: 226

    I would agree, before the last weekend I had the same opinion, but I came to realise that sometimes (sometimes!) the carried survivor gets more time, as the killer becomes slower, while trying to look away, so the survivor actually escapes.

  • Devil_hit11
    Devil_hit11 Member Posts: 8,758

    strength of flashlight is not their ability save a survivor. its their ability to stall the killer from doing his hooking objective. its threat of saving another survivor.that makes flashlights strong. it forces killer to slug. for example if you stall killer for 20 seconds where they cannot pick up the survivor under a pallet because your threatening to flashlight save/pallet save, it gives your team more time to do generators.

    flashlights are a lot stronger in swf because swf can use power struggle+flip flop. with 4 power struggle flip flop flashlights, the killer will force to slug the survivor, but if he slug survivor for too long under a pallet, he cannot pick them up. if he does, you put pallet down preventing an entire hook-state. in solo, there's no perk synergy or any teamplay so relevance of stalling a killer under a pallet/flashlight save holds little weight.

  • mischiefmanaged
    mischiefmanaged Member, Alpha Surveyor Posts: 374

    I like flashlights both on the killer and survivor side. As killer, survivors who use flashlights are also usually going for riskier/more altruistic plays which is fun. And most times that someone gets a flashlight save or a blind I'm thinking, "Wow that was a good one. Congrats." It can be a bit frustrating if you're already having a frustrating game, but what PvP game doesn't end up frustrating when you're losing or playing badly?

    Except for double lockers or lockers that are very close to each other. It's never happened to me, but I've seen it happen to streamers and that seems miserable. Mostly because you remove any of the counterplay/interactivity for near invincibility until they run out of flashlight juice.

    But yea Medkits are way stronger and easier to use. Flashlights are just more interactive.

  • VikingDragonXii
    VikingDragonXii Member Posts: 2,885

    Ok I'll be that guy in a flashlight post......I BRING LIGHTBORN MUWHAHAHAHAHA. I don't care if only 1 has it all my builds leave a free slot for Lightborn.

    Ok now that's out of the way ahem.....Sometimes it's not as easy to "look away". Shack is a prime example of this not working. There are walls and windows that allow the flashlight to shine through and the Killer can still get blinded. I even got blinded at angles that SHOULDN'T of worked ie at a 180 degree angle from the blind zone and no I don't use Shadowborne just because of that reason.

  • JamnJelly
    JamnJelly Member Posts: 139
    edited August 2022

    Honestly I get blinded staring at a wall lately. It's not fully visible but I'll still get the effect of being fully blinded, and idk if there's something I missed.

    Also I don't use Shadowborn, but does it actually give that as a disadvantage with the added FOV?

  • StarLost
    StarLost Member Posts: 8,077

    Flashlights require a lot of skill to use effectively, but they are absolutely not overrated.

    Some of the tricks you can do are evil, sometimes to the point of being completely broken.

    • Double locker saves make a duo literally invulnerable.
    • You can blind/burn a killer in a variety of animation locked states, such as vaulting or between Nurse blinks.
    • Wraith can be burned out of stealth pretty easily.

    I hate them. People love to clicky macro and it gives me a headache.

  • NomiNomad
    NomiNomad Member Posts: 3,181

    Against bad killers, they work wonders. When Iron Will was a thing, I think they were more affective. I had trouble tracking foot steps when a surv blinded at a pallet.

    If a survivor blinds at a pallet while Injured, it's basically a free down. A powerful med-kit is far more powerful. I only use flashlights for challenges now tbh.

  • Sally_S_gay_son
    Sally_S_gay_son Member Posts: 285

    They are the most fun item in the game though, the simple reason it's the thing you use against the killer, not on a gen/yourself/other survivors


    The only other fun usage you get out of items is using toolbox to sabo the hook in the killers face while your teammate is wiggling

  • RatbasterdJr
    RatbasterdJr Member Posts: 702

    I love when the survivors bring beamers. Especially the kind that always go for the saves. They are so so easy to counter, but the best part is the two survivors not doing gens because they are following me around while chasing the 3rd survivor. Gives me lots of passive pressure. ❤️

  • Pyrosorc
    Pyrosorc Member Posts: 202

    Very overrated, but very fun - opposite of medkits. Would love to see flashlight rarity reduced by 1 step and medkit rarity increased by one step to reflect this.

  • VikingDragonXii
    VikingDragonXii Member Posts: 2,885

    Yes the wider FoV also widens the blind area of killers. So don't use it if you see clickers in the group

  • burt0r
    burt0r Member Posts: 4,160

    All hail our lord and saviour Lightborn 😎.

  • neb
    neb Member Posts: 790

    shhhh keep making them use flashlights, I'd rather people use them instead of toolboxes and medkits

  • VikingDragonXii
    VikingDragonXii Member Posts: 2,885

    Praise be for our lord gave us the permanent deal with it sunglasses.

  • Carth
    Carth Member Posts: 1,182

    I think it's a problem of relative power. Like you said they work great vs new killers but vs someone experienced what's better? An 8 second heal by yourself or maybe the chance to get a save assuming the killer just blindly picks up and doesn't face a wall or scan around? The 8 second heal is almost always a better idea short of the thrill of getting a save

  • Deathstroke
    Deathstroke Member Posts: 3,514

    That wasted perk slot 90% of time at least. I never run lightborn but can't remember when I last time someone flaslight saved agains't me. If there is 3 or 4 flaslight then I may consider lightborn or if I just meme around not going for win.

  • VikingDragonXii
    VikingDragonXii Member Posts: 2,885

    Like I said I build around a 3 perk build and use the 4th as a as needed perk depending on items or the gut feeling I have. I find doing that gives me more flexibility to work around 2, 3, or 4 man SWFs

  • Ghoste
    Ghoste Member Posts: 2,135

    I think people run flashlights just to annoy the Killer lol. They’re not powerful by any means, but you can get a Killer’s attention with them, if that’s what you want.