http://dbd.game/killswitch
In defense of fog vials
There's been a lot of initial complaints about fog vials. I'm not talking about the accessibility issues, which are a seperate matter. I'm talking about people who think they're annoying or disengaging.
So far, I've found them to be mostly useless. As killer, I still maintain chase. It's easy to see someone who panic-pops it in your face. The only chase I've lost so far was when a team rushed in to cover a teammate, and that's a valid use of the item and doesnt make me mad. But, so far, that's the exception and not the rule.
As survivor, I've been experimenting with them. I've tried to cut off my own chases and other people's. I've tried to set it off as the killer picks someone up to obscure hooks. I've tried to conceal auras while healing or working on gens. But nothing has really worked. I've yet to really find a good use for them as a soloq item.
But my God do I love them. Hear me out.
I switched from playing only killer to playing both because I thought survivor was more light-hearted and less intense, but ever since the introduction of the last-kill mori, I've had a miserable time. Slugging and tunneling have become constant. Sweaty playing is required. Playfulness and mercy from killers disappeared. I stopped being silly, took of my meme perks, and became a gen jockey, using a build that tore through gens, often doing two or three just by myself in every match.
But now there are fog vials. Stupid, silly fog vials. I love that there's a much needed new element. I love the chaos. I love the uncorking sound. And I love putting Scene Partner back on and being a clown again.
I was blessed with a lobby yesterday with two other fog vial users with silly names and knew I'd found my people. One died, but, thanks to the cleverly comical antics of the other when I was about to go on death hook, the match's energy did a total 180 and we had a fun time with the killer. I can not tell you how refreshing it was after losing like seven matches in a row. Those playful matches are such a breath of fresh air after grueling ones, and they have become so scarce. But even if fog vials have no other great use, they can bring back some of the silliness, and that's enough for me.
Comments
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I do have to say I love them as a Survivor, and they don't feel particularly obnoxious as a killer. I've played plenty of both this patch, and the item seems balanced overall.
I'm also just really glad to have some fog back in the game. It's been stripped away slowly with the graphical reworks, so having some more fog to spice up the trials is a welcome addition.
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If you only care about using fog vials for silly comical fun, then it’s fine to nerf them.
Fog vials will still be able to have playful antics after they are nerfed.
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There's a whole paragraph up there about me trying to use them practically. It's possible to have fun AND do well.
Tell me your nerf idea though.
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I wouldn't nerf the effect, but they should have either limited charges (2-3), or make survivor do something to recharge it.
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It's easy to see someone who panic-pops it in your face.
I mean, if you play against this type of use, then they would definetly seem weak.
Issue is if you have survivors pop it basically while you are like 15 +/- meters away them when you try to approach gen, then it's definetly not easy to find them.
For many dash killers it's quite pain to deal with it even during chase. Simply because you often lose LoS on survivor.
I hate to play against them as Deathslinger, kinda annoying when I am not able to use my range and if I don't guess correctly where they are running, then I can as well drop the chase…0 -
Fog vials shouldn’t block an audio at all.
Arguably they shouldn’t block auras either. But these are an unlimited use item, and should be balanced as an unlimited use item. Completely shutting off 3 entire killer tracking method, is not well balanced for an unlimited use item.
Dance With Me is unlimited, and the entire thing blocks scratchmarks for 3 seconds. That is how unlimited use balancing works.
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I wouldn't mind the limited charges. Three could be adjusted to work with Built to Last maybe. I can't say I'm using it more than maybe 5 times a match anyway.
If you have to do something to recharge it and it's even kinda time consuming, than I'd argue they need an effect buff because they're already not great, and I imagine that's why they recharge themselves. You had to craft void crystals during the Halloween event and those were crazy powerful. I wouldn't want to see them get that strong. That would make them top tier instead of mid.
But if they're both difficult to regain as well as not amazing, then they'd probably join the key and the map in the pit of low usage.
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In my experience they're mildly useful in some situations. Sure, a well placed Vial from a teammate can help you lose the killer if on death hook. But the issue is a lot of fog vial users are worse those flashlight players who chase the killer the whole match and accomplish nothing. They run around throwing smoke bombs when before at least they would do a gen with a toolbox or heal you instead of just wasting time. That behavior should settle down after people are done experimenting with their new toy.
Plus, now when you open chests you have a lower chance of getting a med kit than before since there is an additional item at random. They're very balanced and certainly not better than toolboxes, med kits and flashlights. If anything they need a buff.
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If they want to nerf it, let them, make them learn how busted medkits and toolboxes are,
If they dont want vatriety, give it to them and see the tears of "toolboxes/medkits every match" 🤣
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You don't want them to block auras, sound, or scratch marks? So they'll only create an ambient mist for survivors to get downed in? As it is, they only seem to block the marks around the center point, which would be the equivalent of a second or two. It's also not as though the killers power is blocked the whole match. It's for a matter of seconds. In that way, it's like a perk.
You realize they also block auras for survivors too right? Which makes them an occasional hindrance to my own survivor builds. If I'm using Emapthy and I'm sprinting over to take a protection hit for someone when they pop the vial, I can no longer find them.
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They shouldn’t be blocking 3 entire killer tracking methods.
If they want to block scratchmarks, and have a partial visual obscuring effect (that doesn’t block line of sight), that’s fine.
But having a partial visual obscuring effect, AND blocks scratchmarks, AND blocks survivor noises, AND blocks auras, is way too much.
And no, I don’t care if it blocks auras on both sides.
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I would also put them at number four on the item list. I've yet to be in a match where people are doing what you're describing but I think you're right, that they're just playing with a new toy. I've been trying to argue for giving them time to find their place but some people can only say NERF three seconds after anything new makes an appearance. The fog vials are hardly the biggest thing that needs addressing in this game right now anyway.
I don't think the item itself neccessarily needs a buff but I'd like to see some better options with the add-ons.
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I like them. The only change should be that they come with one charge and refills are tied to generator progress. The same way flashbangs work. No other item is a passive infinite.
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They're a fun addition. Just needs a bit of retuning in areas, such as audio and charges.
As a killer, it hasn't been hard to find survivors in them (except Spirit, which is much harder), and oftentimes survivors decide to pop it when I'm close to them which does absolutely nothing for them. They're best used upon seeing the killer coming in your direction and use it as a wall.
Personally, I like the new item. Hope it stays, but also hope it's adjusted so it doesn't heavily nerf one or two killers, yet does little for the rest.
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it's made survivor fun again for sure
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Totally agree with your sentiments. I hope the Devs pay attention to positive feedback for the vials, because they've been a breath of fresh air for a lot of Survivor players (myself included).
I've long believed that if you want players to queue up for the role that's most likely to lose (and is often expected to lose repeatedly), then you've got to make losing a fun experience. The fog vials go at least some way to achieving that goal and for that reason I'm glad they're in the game.
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They are definitely a welcome item, something different, I personally didn't like using them very much, I t get me lost easily, just like nightfall.
They can be a little meh because of pre-run,but has it uses,break Los with it againts a nurse for exemple is a great use,and block singularity lock-on for some reason.
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Haven't tried them as survivor and likely wont, but as killer I also am fine with them. IF the devs did decide to change them up, then my vote would be on changing the way they charge or simply the period of time they charge. The effects (imo) are fine, and can also be a detriment to survivors.
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I do agree that it should have limited charges. 3 or 4 imo.
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Yeah I've previously said I thought they were too strong, but after having played against them a couple times I think they're not as oppressive as I initially thought. I think they could do with increasing the cooldown a little bit, or maybe making the cooldown not progress/progress slower while in chase or something, but not to the 2-3 minute range I initially said.
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Tracking issue, that's on you, I recommend improving your orientation sense.
When I play Killer, I have no problems and I almost never lose sight of the survivors, If I can do it, why can't you?1 -
Because the survivors in your games are using the fog vials incorrectly.
Survivors aren't supposed to use fog vials while the killer is in direct line of sight with them. They are supposed to use fog vials when the killer can't see them, so it becomes a guessing game of where they are, and a guessing game of where they are going.
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