Melee Blocking Nerf

[Deidaku]

Just strolling on reddit

 

and then I see this...what the hell DE. As if blocking wasn't weak as it was you do this! 

 

• Melee blocking no longer protects you from knockdown attacks like the heavy gunner.

[DCypherThis13]

Hmmm.. I missed that in the patch notes. It explains a lot, though. I was thinking it was just my reflexes being sluggish. I agree, it's BS.

[se05239]

I guess they aim for the game to be more challenging, since that is what people shout for.

The fun-factor keep getting lower as a result though.

[Maou]

I used too love blocking those shockwave things.

 

key word *used too*

[Kontrollo]

I'm going to have to test that now, it would be really problematic for melee gameplay.

 

I really don't want to be forced to equip Handspring on all my builds. :(

[Deidaku]

What's the point of blocking then??????

[Liljeman]

Yea, so no instead of using a mechanic called blocking I'll use abilities in the right time so I don't get knocked down, sounds legit huh?

[Deidaku]

Yea, so no instead of using a mechanic called blocking I'll use abilities in the right time so I don't get knocked down, sounds legit huh?

we should be able t block the shockwave dammit

 

Blocking is literraly usless against heavies now

[Kontrollo]

Yea, so no instead of using a mechanic called blocking I'll use abilities in the right time so I don't get knocked down, sounds legit huh?

 

Just tested it and yeah, blocking their ground blast doesn't work anymore. Rolling and other animation locks from abilities are still possible, though. That really doesn't make much sense.

[Grulos]

This is just bullS#&$. Why would they do this? This is a horrible nerf and should be reverted ASAP.

 

Let me cite DE:

 

"We want to make melee a viable choice"

 

 

Lies. Over and over again. Every Update you ruin the game more and more with such (stealth) nerfs, despite telling you wouldn't.

[[DE]Momaw]

Agree. Melee should block knockdown attacks.  Knockdowns are simply too prevalent and too devastating for a sword-alone player to not be able to protect themself. Sword-alone is already wildly disadvantaged in damage, range, and defensive options. I see no reason for this to have been removed.

[Rorgal_Sina]

Melee actually counters knockdowns if you're in the middle of an animation.

[yles9056]

Melee actually counters knockdowns if you're in the middle of an animation.

 

Not every melee animation will prevent you from being knock downed.

[StinkyPygmy]

If this is true rolling is all we have left to avoid knockdowns. 

So on the upside people might actually realise how useful rolling is, that being said I'm not even slightly ok with blocking being made useless against knockdowns.

 

I see no logical reason to nerf it.

[KirukaChan]

Because blocking was totally OP, right? When you're busy blocking that one Seismic Shockwave, the other Grineer just wait patiently, and totally don't shoot you in the back a whole bunch of times and laugh about it.

[HandsomeSorcerer]

Agree. Melee should block knockdown attacks.  Knockdowns are simply too prevalent and too devastating for a sword-alone player to not be able to protect themself. Sword-alone is already wildly disadvantaged in damage, range, and defensive options. I see no reason for this to have been removed.

The thing is, they probably want you to use the knock down resistance mods,

[yles9056]

The thing is, they probably want you to use the knock down resistance mods,

 

Knock down resistance mods give you a chance to automatically "block" knock down attack. I wonder if they are affected, too.

[[DE]Momaw]

Not every melee animation will prevent you from being knock downed.

 

Exactly. It's extremely unreliable to rely on melee animations to resist knockdown. Being in the middle of casting most powers will prevent knockdowns, the same as it does for the enemy, but that feels more like unintended cheese than an actual intended defensive counter.

 

The thing is, they probably want you to use the knock down resistance mods,

 

Those mods are bad, and should feel bad. Giving up 2 warframe slots for a chance to resist knockdown is.... yeah. That's not going to happen.

Edited March 22, 2015 by Momaw

[(PSN)LoneWolf_001]

Blocking should block everything they can dish out so long as you have the stamina to do so. Why not add a stamina penalty to blocking bigger effects instead of just smashing the viability of melee? Why not have some variability in the blocking capacity of weapons? Silva and Aegis having a lower stamina penalty on block perhaps?

[megazomb]

As background, I play melee-only about 50% of the time (even in t4) - just to clarify, for me, that means no rifle, sidearm, sentinel and very little to no power spamming. And so:

 

Why, DE? Blocking too OP? Really?

 

Going sword alone used to be a viable option in higher level content because of our ability to block those knockdowns. And it was glory. We had the option to trade a WF powers build for a WF melee build. It made sense and it worked well. It was a solid defensive mechanic melee-only had in its favor.

 

And now? Heavies completely own the void if you are sword alone. Not cool. Also not cool that its not even mentioned in the patch notes. Sigh.

 

Here's some feedback: DE, don't remove a key feature of melee-only. And please restore to what we had.

[seth]

Blocking is useless mechanic:

1.) You use stamina to run because you want to close that gap between you and enemy.

2.) You use stamina to block.

3.) You use stamina to perform attacks with melee.

 

Stamina is drained instantly on 1 and 2, and you are dead; this was my experience in most cases.

[megazomb]

Blocking is useless mechanic:

1.) You use stamina to run because you want to close that gap between you and enemy.

2.) You use stamina to block.

3.) You use stamina to perform attacks with melee.

 

Stamina is drained instantly on 1 and 2, and you are dead; this was my experience in most cases.

 

This is a common misconception. I mention building a WF melee build above, and that's what a melee build is - a stamina build. 

[[DE]Momaw]

This is a common misconception. I mention building a WF melee build above, and that's what a melee build is - a stamina build. 

 

I would be fascinated to know how you managed to get so much stamina that your defensive block isn't instantly broken at high levels. And Reflex Guard doesn't count, because that doesn't require stamina.

[megazomb]

I would be fascinated to know how you managed to get so much stamina that your defensive block isn't instantly broken at high levels. And Reflex Guard doesn't count, because that doesn't require stamina.

 

Works with all WF's. All maxed:

 

Steel Charge, Marathon, Reflection, Quick Rest and Rush to help keep mobility high. As mentioned, I forgo WF powers (for the most part) and use the movement mechanics to stay a moving target. Only stopping to block the heavies when needed, etc.

[seth]

This is a common misconception. I mention building a WF melee build above, and that's what a melee build is - a stamina build. 

 

It's a fact, not a misconception.

Can you provide that stamina build?

 

Any frame should be able to go "sword alone", but they can't.

Just now I went to Merrow melee only, I've taken Rhino and Serro. On my way trough map a wild bombard appears; he shots rockets, Rhino deflects one rocket (no Iron Skin, stamina down); another rocket comes and Rhino gets blast proc (he falls down), meanwhile sentinel's shields are blasted away; third rocket is on it's way, Rhino deflects it (stamina down), sentinel dead. Iron Skin ON, Charge!!! Serros his @ss to Grineer heaven!

 

What bothers me is that you can't block/reflect things while having IS on, damage still affects IS; blocking is not helping sentinel he receives damage and dies.