Does preventing character switching mid-match really benefit competitive play?

[shippage.1983]

With PoF being released, having a good comp affects the match a lot more. In games with similar-skilled players, the better comp usually determines the winner. If you get locked in a game with a bad comp you tend it tends to be a one-sided battle.

Wouldn't it be a lot more fun and skill-based to be able to swap professions mid-game? If you regret rolling Thief that match, you should be able to quickly swap to your Guard for example. I'm clearly referencing Overwatch with this switching mechanic, and think it would add a lot of depth to this game while making fewer matches one-sided. You should be able to counter the enemy team's comp real time.

I really can't think of any down-sides to this and think it would add a lot of fun to PvP. It promotes players to branch out to create more characters and not just main one class.

[Druitt.7629]

I'm not sure about PvP, but in WvW... Reminds me of Team Fortress where you could respawn -- back at your base -- as any of the five classes. As I remember, you essentially suicided and respawned, but could choose whether Scout, Sniper, Heavy, etc.

[shippage.1983]

@Druitt.7629 said:I'm not sure about PvP, but in WvW... Reminds me of Team Fortress where you could respawn -- back at your base -- as any of the five classes. As I remember, you essentially suicided and respawned, but could choose whether Scout, Sniper, Heavy, etc.

Same idea, when you respawn you can choose to swap classes. It would be useful for WvW too, although you can already swap so it would be mostly a QoL I think. I don't play much WvW however.

I think that's more reason to justify it for PvP. Is Team fortress not a team-based pvp game? You would say swapping classes mid-match benefits that game, right?

[BlaqueFyre.5678]

They just need to implement class specific mmr, limit class stacking further and to lock class upon queueing for match and not to allow swapping in match. Boom most issues/complaints fixed.

[Master Ketsu.4569]

It's mainly only an issue when a certain class becomes overwhelmingly broken when stacked. Lots of people were queuing another class then scourge swapping to have 3+ scourges per team. Fuck that.

[Ithilwen.1529]

@BlaqueFyre.5678 said:They just need to implement class specific mmr, limit class stacking further and to lock class upon queueing for match and not to allow swapping in match. Boom most issues/complaints fixed.

This. ANET needs to lock classes pre-match and stop class stacking.

[shippage.1983]

@Master Ketsu.4569 said:It's mainly only an issue when a certain class becomes overwhelmingly broken when stacked. Lots of people were queuing another class then scourge swapping to have 3+ scourges per team. kitten that.

Class stacking is possible already, and it's not very prevalent. You don't see 5x scourge teams ever. In fact I would say it's far less of a problem then you think it is. Every class has it's strengths and weaknesses, and with class stacking you are multiplying the weakness of that team.

Hypothetically if my suggestion did go through, you could have your team to swap to 5 ranged classes to counter 5 scourges. They would then swap when they rightfully start losing, then comps start to balance out to be a more fair match. Although, limiting the total amount of a class isn't a bad idea either.

The point of this suggestion is to be able to counter enemy comps mid-game, not to add/lessen class diversity.

[BlaqueFyre.5678]

@shippage.1983 said:

@Master Ketsu.4569 said:It's mainly only an issue when a certain class becomes overwhelmingly broken when stacked. Lots of people were queuing another class then scourge swapping to have 3+ scourges per team. kitten that.

Class stacking is possible already, and it's not very prevalent. You don't see 5x scourge teams ever. In fact I would say it's far less of a problem then you think it is. Every class has it's strengths and weaknesses, and with class stacking you are multiplying the weakness of that team.

Hypothetically if my suggestion did go through, you could have your team to swap to 5 ranged classes to counter 5 scourges. They would then swap when they rightfully start losing, then comps start to balance out to be a more fair match. Although, limiting the total amount of a class isn't a bad idea either.

The point of this suggestion is to be able to counter enemy comps mid-game, not to add/lessen class diversity.

I see it constantly in the top 50-100, players swapping to either Scourge or Spellbreaker no matter what after the join he Map.

[Reaper Alim.4176]

@shippage.1983 said:

@"Master Ketsu.4569" said:It's mainly only an issue when a certain class becomes overwhelmingly broken when stacked. Lots of people were queuing another class then scourge swapping to have 3+ scourges per team. kitten that.

Class stacking is possible already, and it's not very prevalent. You don't see 5x scourge teams ever. In fact I would say it's far less of a problem then you think it is. Every class has it's strengths and weaknesses, and with class stacking you are multiplying the weakness of that team.

Hypothetically if my suggestion did go through, you could have your team to swap to 5 ranged classes to counter 5 scourges. They would then swap when they rightfully start losing, then comps start to balance out to be a more fair match. Although, limiting the total amount of a class isn't a bad idea either.

The point of this suggestion is to be able to counter enemy comps mid-game, not to add/lessen class diversity.

But my SSD PC setup, with a 10 secs character reswap. 9 times out 10 will prevent you from being able to follow me. More so if I wait till the 15 second timer mark. Before you know it. You are facing 3 scourges and whatever else, GG. https://imgur.com/L3GJzNc

Honestly all of the other actually competitive eSports titles do it. They do it for very good reasons.

• To allow players to overcome imbalancement of character, class, or build. This make sure that if your team is out-comped that yall can strateically change to suit the situation. Thus not making the match a 85% or more chance of failure for one team. Before the first kill is even secured.
• To allow more indepth plays and tactics to be formed throughout the matches. This helps keeps the matches interesting from start to finish.
• Also to allow class and build diversity. Because if you have to be stuck with one build for the whole match. That pretty much kills build diversity all on it's own. Because now you are supremely limited to one or two builds out of say 10 to 15 per a character. Because you have to absolutely Min-Max in order to be competitive at the higher levels.

[Allarius.5670]

I disagree with this idea. I think it requires more skill and promotes a healthier game in the long term for players to adjust their gameplay based on locked-in tools to counterplay opponents during the match rather than constant relogging for an evershifting counter-pick game (relog to counter, opponents relog to counter, repeat). It promotes versatile builds and mindsets rather than hard counters, the development of flexible awareness over constant countercomping.

There are lots of things I would like to see implemented from other games, but they need to be appropriate to this game and not just added because it works elsewhere. I do not think relogging midmatch is appropriate here.

[Stand The Wall.6987]

class switching is like a game of hot potato, if you could switch mid game then people would continually be doing this. I'm guessing there are connectivity issues and load times anet is worried about as well.

however, I do see your point and it is frustrating to be locked into a losing match. I could get behind being able to switch your build/amulet, but anet would have to seriously consider a renovation in that department to make all classes have all roles available.

[Addiction.9685]

So what you're saying is that you'd enjoy a full 15 minute match of all 10 players constantly relogging to counter comp each other. Sounds fun. I feel bad for the guy who doesn't have an SSD.

[Crinn.7864]

@Addiction.9685 said:So what you're saying is that you'd enjoy a full 15 minute match of all 10 players constantly relogging to counter comp each other. Sounds fun. I feel bad for the guy who doesn't have an SSD.

We used to be able to swap mid-match, and this didn't actually happen