Problems with Zhasma
So I dropped down to 13th overnight in my shard and saw this nice Zhasma team at 12th (No one but Phasma zeta'd currently). This was kinda interesting to see as the only guy on my shard that has a Zhasma and Zylo usually runs Rex lead to combat all the Zauls (like me) that are constantly in the top 1/5/10. After playing the team (and recording it to see what happened) I realized there are still a couple of problems with Zhasma. Sure they start with Advantage, and can't be critically hit while they have Advantage, but that doesn't help them all that much. Kylo, Phasma and FOST are all pretty tanky, and those crits aren't taking them out immediately anyways, FOTP and FOO are the two squishy characters in the FOO team, and even with advantage, they're still squishy. The largest problem with the FOO squad is their lack of an efficient start. They're like a huge motor that once you start up the wheels keep turning, but it requires a pretty good spark to start a motor like that. If FOO isn't the fastest character on the battle field (or at least isn't the fastest control character on the battlefield) the FOO team is pretty much doomed to fail. Without FOO they can't spark the motor and become very vulnerable to ability blocks (or in this case cooldown increases) and many other control mechanics. This match was very easy for me (despite EP getting 0 stuns off from the first AOE) because the FOO team had no control over what was happening. I really like the FO synergy, but they need a tiny oomf to get them to where they would be able to compete regularly in arena. While I think that having all of the FO squad Zeta'd would be nice, I don't think that's what they truly need, sure FOST's Zeta probably would've helped them a bit in this match, but I think FOO needs a unique ability to bring the FO team together. I think this would be perfect for them:
Systematic Reinforcements: FOO gains +4 speed for each First Order ally that currently has Advantage, and has a 50% chance to remove 15% TM from an enemy when he damages them out of turn.
That would bring FOO's base speed up to 165 at the start of a match with Zhasma, and also give him periodic speed boosts depending on how many allies have Advantage at the time. Advantage doesn't last too long as characters usually use it up when they attack, but it would be very useful to them. It also gives him a little more TM manipulation when being called to assist, which would mostly only benefit him in a full FO squad. I don't think it would make him too OP at all, but give him some nice balance for the squad of FO. (Also if you don't want to give this generic character a unique, may as well rename him General Hux because it looks just like him lol).
Anyways, heres the video, feel free to comment on what you think the FO squad might need, how the teams are arranged, what the video is like, etc.
https://youtu.be/cGQQd0z895o
Systematic Reinforcements: FOO gains +4 speed for each First Order ally that currently has Advantage, and has a 50% chance to remove 15% TM from an enemy when he damages them out of turn.
That would bring FOO's base speed up to 165 at the start of a match with Zhasma, and also give him periodic speed boosts depending on how many allies have Advantage at the time. Advantage doesn't last too long as characters usually use it up when they attack, but it would be very useful to them. It also gives him a little more TM manipulation when being called to assist, which would mostly only benefit him in a full FO squad. I don't think it would make him too OP at all, but give him some nice balance for the squad of FO. (Also if you don't want to give this generic character a unique, may as well rename him General Hux because it looks just like him lol).
Anyways, heres the video, feel free to comment on what you think the FO squad might need, how the teams are arranged, what the video is like, etc.
https://youtu.be/cGQQd0z895o 0
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Yeah, it almost seems like they didn't have the correct amount of speed mods for viability. FO are about as fast as Empire/sith team.
They're fairly slow:
FOO 199, FOTP 152, Phasma 158, Kylo 163, FOST 151.
Mine (with Zaul speed boosts added in)
EP 261, Vader 236, 231, STH 209, Zaul 208.
The other guy who has a Zhasma on my shard (but runs the Rex lead) can get his FOO up to 261, but my EP's speed is really 261.25 so my EP would still go before his FOO.
That team in the video is rather slow, but I'm trying to consider a team with better mods (I didn't know how to record when I faced the other Zhasma team). Also my Zaul team's mods are by far not the best on the shard (hence why I drop to 13th overnight whereas the better ones stay in the top 10). I'm not saying that this team I faced is a perfect example, but I think those small changes to FOO would make them a true threat. FOO is what they need to get the ball rolling, and it's too easy to outspeed him. Giving him a slight boost in speed for advantage allies would allow him to have a chance to go before some of the sith in a Zaul team, before TFP if he's modded better against a Zader squad, and allow FOST to get his taunt off earlier.
They aren't though, FOO base speed is 145, Sith with Zaul are all easily to surpass FOO, and TFP can and will go before FOO pretty much every match.
FO teams rely a lot on TM gain skills, and if FOO is ability blocked/stunned/cooldown increased before he can go, the whole team is crawling out of the blocks until something can happen.
That'd be cool and all, but FOO is a very useful character for the FO squad, Hux would have to essentially just do everything he does and more, which isn't likely considering they just buffed the FO squad with reworks and Zetas.