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Exploding Penguin -> Tier List w/ Brief Explanations 10/25 (10/26/2014 2:38:26)
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Another tier list because it's been a really long time since my last one. I'm just gonna go over rationale and comments briefly and probably not do it as in-depth as before.
Here are some important things to note before reading the tier list:
-This is subjective and based on opinion. There's reasoning behind it and hopefully my comments will convince you to think the way I did when writing this post, but the tier list is still based on personal experience and thoughts.
-This is mostly based off of levels 35-39 because once you hit 40 balance doesn't matter that much since there's such a variety of players at different ranks. Ranks also skew the balancing system because they aren't equivalent to levels at all but still matter in determining who wins a fight.
-This tier list considers the current meta and FotM picks, meaning classes which go well against the most common builds will naturally be placed higher in the tier list
-Classes in the same tier are about the same. Just because BM is listed before merc, doesn't mean it's better than merc.
Tier list:
God Tier:
Blood Mage
Mercenary
Top Tier:
Cyber Hunter
Mid Tier:
Bounty Hunter
Tech Mage
Plastic Tier:
Tactical Mercenary
Reasoning and Comments:
Blood Mage:
Everyone probably saw this coming. It's no surprise BM is one of the strongest classes right now due to its movepool versatility and the fact that energy parasite by default shuts down tons of builds that would otherwise be counters to BM. Not only does BM have a really good skillset in the current meta which consists mostly of focus builds and builds that have low support, but it also has a high skillcap which opens up possibilities for outplaying many other classes that have low skillcaps, such as BH and TM.
Here are some overview comments:
-Intimidate is a ridiculous skill right now. It deals decent damage, builds rage, costs little energy, and cripples an essential stat. You lose out on almost nothing when using intimidate. It's important to note that strength affects so many skills it's ridiculous. 3 energy drains are affected by it, as well as parasite and debuff on-hit damage, and many cores' damage. Also, strength is without a doubt the most reliable way of dealing consistent damage, which is needed to shred through another popular build in the meta: heal-looping tankier focus builds.
-BM not only has intimidate, it also has 2 skills which gives it really strong coverage against debuffs. Debuffs aren't used as much these days, but it's still nice to have these skills.
-Energy parasite is the whole reason why BM is a god right now. One of the most viable builds for countering BM's lack of instant massive defensive buffs (energy shield costs more energy than matrix, isn't as strong, and lasts a short 3 turns) are high-energy caster builds such as very strong poison abuse builds, caster builds, and high massacre builds, ALL rely on very large energy pools. Just so happens energy parasite decimates these builds. Energy parasite also gives way more energy than any other energy drain (aside from battery backup which is very predictable and has a huge cooldown), zones enemies into consuming their energy quickly or risk losing it and giving tons to the BM, and is very easy to use. With it, you can normally out-sustain many other builds with the same amount of bulk.
Basically, BM stomps the current meta because it can easily deal with most popular builds, and its hardest counter is denied by energy parasite being %-based. It's also not too difficult to use but has a high skillcap so that you can easily outplay others that have the same class/build but are weaker than you skill-based.
Mercenary:
Another really obvious class that everyone knows is super strong right now. With access to one of the best defensive buffs in the game, as well as an amazing strength-based movepool including intimidate and a strength-scaling energy drain with a good conversion %, this class can easily out-damage other offensive-based builds, especially with blood commander. Blood commander is borderline OP. It gives a long-lasting damage steroid which scales nicely with most of merc's skills, AND grants lifesteal to add to the class's already innate bulk. With blood commander active, you can easily out-sustain enemies while shredding them to pieces with consistently high damage. Static smash also drains a good chunk while restoring a decent amount of energy and scales with our favorite stat in the current meta aside from HP: strength.
Comments:
-Intimidate is a god. I don't need to go in-depth about this again.
-Static smash is really strong if you don't get blocked. It's an assimilation on steroids that can easily turn around a fight by taking away half of your opponent's max energy pool and giving you enough to use field medic or another blood commander.
-Blood commander is ridiculous. With it, you out-damage and out-sustain many classes at the same time. This skill is one of the best focus build-shredders in the game. It also doesn't cost too much energy so a single static smash that's well-timed can bring you back into the game.
-Hybrid armor immediately relinquishes any worries about debuffs, and overcompensates very well to cancel out bot skills like necrosis and armor annihilator.
Right now mercenary is extremely strong in the meta because it has access to a kit where, when a player has good energy management, can destroy every other class with good bulk and consistently high damage output. The skillcap isn't quite as high as some other classes, but the base statistics of this class and its movepool is enough to bring it into god tier in the current meta, which focuses on mostly low-support builds and focus builds.
Cyber Hunter
Some of you might be surprised by this. After fiddling with CH a lot recently I confidently put it into top tier, just under the god tier because of two major things:
-EMP grenade
-Low energy costs on essential skills
In a meta that focuses a lot on controlling energy flow in a fight, a class with an energy drain capable of removing 450+ energy in one turn is by default already quite strong. A high-leveled, EMP, which should be run on any focus build CH (where else would you put your skill points in? Shadow arts?), immediately shuts down any class reliant on battery backup, and, if you go first, will disrupt many opponents' routine plans of action. Also, many of your essential skills such as plasma armor, defense matrix, plasma grenade (yes, this is essential because its base damage is actually semi-relevant and pulling off a clutch stun can win games more often than one would think), EMP, and cheap shot. The new static charge which improves with support makes focus builds relevant again, and it's very important to note that it will actually restore really reliable amounts of energy.
Comments:
-I've actually fiddled around mainly with 2 build types, one being glass cannon strength-support (more support than strength) with a massive energy pool and max massacre. With high shadow arts (which is unbelievably viable for once), you can tank out enough hits to stall for max massacre which easily destroys every single focus build, and, when combined with previous attacks, guarantee a kill against 90% of all opponents. This build is unbelievably strong, and you will wreck everybody... except BMs. As stated before, energy parasite ruins that 900-1000 energy pool and, even with static charge (with high support) and a +250 EP from generator/piston punch. Even against regular bulky focus builds, your massacre will do upwards 500 damage.
-The other build I've tried many variants of is focus. It's a no-brainer focus is one of the most viable builds on CH given its ability to heal-loop well and the fact that EMP Grenade is a very effective skill. Out of all the focus builds I've tried, I'd have to say that a wrist-blade moderate cheap shot build is the best. In the current meta, no one will actually debuff you, so 2-4 levels in plasma armor are all that's needed (mainly to counter caster TMs which aren't even that common anymore, and you can deal with them anyways with EMP grenade). This cheap shot build is one of the best focus build killers in ED. With access to a ridiculously strong energy drain which shuts down everyone but *sigh* BMs (and somewhat mercs) and a skill which crits very reliably while not even costing that much energy, as well as more heal-looping capabilities than most other focus builds, you will almost always win. Problem with this build is you get hard-countered by consistent-damage classes with no debuffs, which is pretty much strength-based BM and Merc. Hmm, I wonder why they're god tier now?
-CH has one of the higher skill caps in the game, probably on par with BM if not higher. Timing your EMP grenade and static charge are essential, and keeping control of energy flow is what will win you games with CH.
Conclusively, CH is really strong right now because it has amazing control of the energy flow in a battle. It also does what most other focus builds do, but better. Your base stats will outclass pretty much every build type save for your hard counters. The only problem is if you play against a hard counter you have almost a 0% chance of winning unless your opponent doesn't know how to play at all.
Bounty Hunter
Some people would have expected this to be higher than CH, but I have my reasons for sticking this class into the mid-lower tier. Right now BH has really poor energy flow control and its strategy is very easy to read. The only thing it really has going for it is that smokescreen innately increases the BH's block rate, which is really helpful in a meta full of strength-based builds. The class also has consistent damage output with lifesteal, but aside from that it really isn't that great overall, mainly because static grenade is weak...very weak.
Comments:
-Focus BH is probably one of the most viable builds as of now. However, your energy control is one of the worst as while your drain is very effective and reliable, your energy regain is complete trash. Once you run out of energy you're probably done using any skills unless you have generator or piston punch. This makes focus BH very predictable and easy to zone into sticky situations; all you have to do is survive the smokescreen and/or mark of blood burst damage that happens in the first 3-4 turns, then you by default should win the fight if you aren't too low by then
-Damage-focused BH is another build which is kinda used often in the current meta. However, you just get intimidated and shielded against which shuts down smokescreen and mark of blood, and you're stuck in the same position as with focus builds; You don't deal particularly ridiculous damage and you don't have any sustain.
-Max EMP from CH = insta-gg over 3/4 of the time.
BH isn't that strong right now because its energy control is very poor, is easily predictable, and the class itself gets shut down if it doesn't do anything in the first few turns while smoke/mark of blood are active. If BH gets a really strong start you can't do much about it, but this is easily prevented with cautionary defensive buffs and premature heals as well as well-placed energy drains. Viable BH builds are outclassed by other class's parallel build types winning with a BH is mostly based off of being higher level or playing against bad players.
Tech Mage
In the current meta, this class doesn't do much. It can be annoying if you don't know how to play against it or make a really bad build with lots of vulnerabilities to exploit, but a solid build will be able to beat any TM consistently. The problem with TM is that after the cooldown nerf on battery backup, the class itself just isn't viable anymore. Your energy control isn't that strong because your drain is weak, and even though you regain tons of energy parasite, EMP grenade, and even static smash (to an extent) shuts you down almost instantly after you recharge your energy pool. TM also has a really bad skill tree in the current meta because it revolves heavily around consuming energy, which is easily stopped by a smart opponent who times their drains correctly. Additionally, TM can't even reliably deal with meta focus builds because it lacks built-in sustain. It has really good defensive buffs, but these don't do anything in a meta where debuffs are useless.
-Your caster skill tree can do one of two things: Stomp really bad builds or get destroyed by good ones. If your opponent makes a build with really easy holes to exploit, then a caster skill tree will destroy them. Any good player with a good build knows how to deal with this and will wreck you, though.
-Your dex caster build is heavily reliant on blocks to win in fights against consistent-damage strength builds like merc. Relying on luck is never a good idea IMO.
-Your defensive buffs don't do much in the current meta. Mixed damage focus BHs will just work around your matrix if you use it to counter their smoke.
-Your main damage skills, malfunction and bludgeon, are only decent at best. Bludgeon isn't that reliable because it only deals a small amount of bonus damage but has a moderate cooldown, and malfunction is a debuff which has already been stated to be useless.
-Battery backup is really predictable. With energy flow being in the meta and cooldown counting being an essential strategy to correspond with this, any TM is easy to read and is extremely vulnerable to high degrees of counterplay by classes with strong drains such as CH and BM.
Battery backup's cooldown nerf ruined this class. It used to be able to do something by just forcing tons of energy regeneration to the point where not even energy drains could stop it, but that period of time is over. Now TM is just a predictable class that loses to most builds and players who know what they're doing. However, TM is still a decent class at exploiting weaknesses, and offers up some room for outplaying bad or less-skilled opponents.
Tactical Mercenary
The plastic tier civilian. We all saw this coming. TLM offers NOTHING noteworthy in the current meta aside from poison damage that shreds through focus builds. However, current focus builds rely heavily on spamming heal looping which alleviates poison damage and innately counters TLM, not to mention that energy drains shut down battery backup. Compared to TM, TLM is even weaker in terms of energy regain and overall control because you don't even have a reliable drain, and your energy regain is absolutely horrid. Unless you're good at cooldown counting and reading opponents, you're better off not even using battery backup because all it will do is give your opponent energy. Here are some things TLM does that makes it so bad:
Comments:
-TLM has no damage
-TLM has bad defensive buffs in the current meta. Blood shield is somewhat reliable but since it costs health it can often be played around easily
-TLM has weak sustain
-TLM has the worst energy flow control in the game as of now
-Even really bad players can counterplay and exploit TLM's weaknesses because they're so obvious: Most energy drains are on 3-4 turn cooldowns but battery backup is on a 5-turn one.
-Even worse, TLM is heavily energy-reliant for any damage that it could actually deal, and having battery backup as its only way of regaining energy doesn't help this case
-I almost forgot static smash existed
Before TLM was really good at tanking and being the most ridiculous heal-looping god in the game, with a reliable escape heal in rage frenzy if you got caught in an unpredictable sticky situation. However, the fact that it deals no damage so lifesteals negate anything TLMs do, as well as its poor control over energy flow and the class's overall predictability make it completely useless.
Feel free to leave comments, questions, your own ideas, etc... but please keep in mind that, as stated before, this is completely subjective and based off of personal experience and opinion.
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