Utility Heroes have no damage item options (proposal for 3 Damage Actives)

[sevenflags57]

One of the things that makes Deadlock so appealing is that you can take any character, and through itemization, play them in dozens of different ways. This is possible in part because most character abilities exist as a buyable item, which allows for a ton of variety in building and play-style, not just for the specific character, but for other characters to fill in gaps in their kits. Characters who have lots of abilities that can deal damage have the option to spec into utility: Abrams' Siphon Life in Scourge, Seven's Static Charge in Knockdown, Dynamo's Rejuv Aura in Health Nova, etc. Characters with good guns have many options such as Holliday's Crackshot in Headhunter, Infernus' Afterburn in Toxic Bullets, Seven's Power Surge in Tesla Bullets, etc.

However; Characters with a lot of utility in their kits, (both already existing, and potential kit designs in the future), have very little options in the way of items that just deal damage. That list starts with Cold Front, and ends with Cold Front. If you want to play spirit on a character better suited for gun or utility (such as Haze, Wraith, Dynamo, Grey Talon, The Doorman, etc), you tend to need to lean really hard on their one token damage ability, which really limits the options these characters have, and isn't very fun to play as or against. Just getting hit repeatedly by the same ability is kinda dull, until you buy a counter item, at which point that character stops existing.

I've looked through all the released abilities in the game, and have found 3 gaps; categories where no equivalent active item exists. I've listed them below, alongside an example item. These items are partially balanced by the need to purchase the Tier 4 Transcendent Cooldown to use them more frequently, and the truth that juggling more buttons is just harder, so they won't necessarily become a staple to every build.

	Example Item
By far the most common unrepresented ability category is a Burst-Damage Grenade. There are more than a dozen abilities in the game that fit this, but no item exists that can fill a similar niche. Some examples of abilities: Calico: Gloom Bombs The Doorman: Call Bell Dynamo: Kinetic Pulse Holliday: Powder Keg Seven: Lightning Ball
A less common but still noteworthy category is the Burst-Damage Skill-Shot. A few examples of abilities: Grey Talon: Charged Shot Sinclair: Vexing Bolt
There is also an increasingly large number of melee abilities in the game, but no offensive items for dealing melee damage. Examples of abilities: Bebop: Exploding Uppercut Billy: Bashdown Calico: Leaping Slash Drifter: Rend	oops ignore that component lol

The exact nature of these items (stats/behavior/components) will probably be the result of actual testing, but I feel the addition of items at least similar to these three would help the game a lot, as it would open up a lot more variety in build styles, and make it possible to play characters in a greater variety of roles.

 

[AleksiyFlek$$iy]

I like this idea. I agree, that there's some gaps in functionality that items provide, especially regarding damage. Your reasoning is understandable, but I'd like to know, what in your opinion, could the suggested items do?

 

[sevenflags57]

These should Ideally be either a Tier 3 or a Tier 4 with a component.

Item	Explanation
	This item would be useful as a zoning/farming tool, or could be the center of a build/playstyle. Players who have fallen behind could use it on heroes with weak lane clear to help them protect a walker while they farm. The debuff is more an example, idk what would actually be a good pick. Ideally something that nerfs weapon so the item can be used to farm (eg reducing the amount of damage you take from jungle).
	This item would help characters with a lack of long range poke/damage contend with pushing objectives. It would be viable as a counter to Seven/Lash ult. Would pair well with knockdown/arctic blast, or any hero with a built in stun/immobilize. I would love to run this item on The Doorman and build around his portals to snipe people from odd angles. The delay to damage gives players a chance to dodge it, requiring leading the target despite it technically being a hitscan. Spectral Lance, like the other 2 items mentioned, would be a core item you would design a build or playstyle around.
	This item would be primarily useful at making a melee build viable on characters with no built in melee abilites. You would be able to proc items like Spirit Strike without getting parried. Granting a sustain would also help for front line heroes, or dive assassins.

Exact numbers and behavior would need to be subject to testing.

 

[AleksiyFlek$$iy]

These should Ideally be either a Tier 3 or a Tier 4 with a component.

Item	Explanation
View attachment 59383	This item would be useful as a zoning/farming tool, or could be the center of a build/playstyle. Players who have fallen behind could use it on heroes with weak lane clear to help them protect a walker while they farm. The debuff is more an example, idk what would actually be a good pick. Ideally something that nerfs weapon so the item can be used to farm (eg reducing the amount of damage you take from jungle).
View attachment 59381	This item would help characters with a lack of long range poke/damage contend with pushing objectives. It would be viable as a counter to Seven/Lash ult. Would pair well with knockdown/arctic blast, or any hero with a built in stun/immobilize. I would love to run this item on The Doorman and build around his portals to snipe people from odd angles. The delay to damage gives players a chance to dodge it, requiring leading the target despite it technically being a hitscan. Spectral Lance, like the other 2 items mentioned, would be a core item you would design a build or playstyle around.
View attachment 59384	This item would be primarily useful at making a melee build viable on characters with no built in melee abilites. You would be able to proc items like Spirit Strike without getting parried. Granting a sustain would also help for front line heroes, or dive assassins.

Exact numbers and behavior would need to be subject to testing.

I think that the items should be easily affordable, but depend on your stats through scaling. This would let to use them early game and won't make them useless in late game.

 

[sevenflags57]

I worry that making them Tier 2 would make them must buys in lane. Cold Front is already over used in lane, though I suppose if nothing else these options would add some variety. eg Get the melee item on vin in lane to punish the abrams from jumping you.

If they had low base stats and good scaling though I think tier 2 could work, just don't want them to be so easy to get that you just buy all of them.
Imagine pocket buying these 3 and cold front as their first four items lol.