#The very last thing Wuthering Waves wants is one other Phoebe – Destructoid

Phoebe, the newest 5-star character in Wuthering Waves Model 2.1, depends closely on the Spectro Frazzle debuff, making her unviable with out it. This design flaw limits teambuilding choices, threatening the sport’s long-term character design philosophy, and it should be addressed earlier than it’s too late.

The Spectro Frazzle dilemma

Phoebe’s package revolves fully round Spectro Frazzle, to the purpose of absurdity. It’s a debuff that should be utilized to enemies for her to operate successfully. Solely Spectro Rover, one particular character, can apply this debuff persistently. With out it, Phoebe turns into dramatically weaker, bordering on ineffective. This inflexible dependency forces gamers right into a slim, restrictive staff composition.

However let’s break this down even additional. Most characters in Wuthering Waves have a stage of flexibility constructed into their kits. They’ll operate decently on their very own however shine when positioned in the fitting staff composition or with the right set of buffs. Phoebe, nonetheless, is a wholly totally different story. If the enemy doesn’t have Spectro Frazzle utilized, her skills could as nicely not exist. She will’t deal harm, she will be able to’t contribute meaningfully, and she or he turns into useless weight in a combat. That is the type of design that kills pleasure for a brand new character. Nobody desires to tug for a five-star unit solely to comprehend they should have one other very particular character to make them work in any respect.

Creating the issue, promoting the answer

This feeds right into a troubling monetization technique usually seen in reside service and gacha video games: “Create the issue, promote the answer.”

By introducing a personality virtually fully depending on a single mechanic, builders create synthetic demand for future items that can “repair” the problem. If a future 5-star character is launched with Spectro Frazzle utility constructed into their package, it could be simple to see how this was a deliberate transfer somewhat than an unintended oversight.

This can be a slippery slope. If each future limited-time character is shackled to a single mechanic or unit, it is going to stifle the sport’s variety and alienate gamers who take pleasure in flexibility of their gameplay expertise. The great thing about Wuthering Waves has all the time been its mix-and-match potential. Phoebe’s design works instantly towards that. To be clear, all gamers get Spectro Rover free of charge, they usually apply Spectro Frazzle for Phoebe, however this isn’t about that reality. That is about what this form of design represents.

repair Phoebe (as a result of she wants it)

Two clear options can repair Phoebe’s overreliance on Specto Frazzle:

• Cut back her stance swap cooldown

If Phoebe may swap between her Absolution and Confession stances a lot sooner than the 24-second cooldown she presently has constructed into her package, this subject would virtually disappear. By letting her apply her personal Spectro Frazzle extra ceaselessly, she would now not be compelled to depend on particular teammates simply to operate, whereas sustaining the staff side of getting a teammate apply it for her if desired (lowering her have to stance swap). As a substitute, she may generate her personal alternatives and truly really feel like a self-sufficient character. This is able to make her gameplay loop way more fulfilling whereas preserving the distinctive mechanics of her package.

Proper now, her lengthy cooldown locks her right into a irritating and clunky playstyle the place she spends extra time ready than really doing something significant. Decreasing that cooldown would permit her to shine with out breaking the sport, holding her enjoyable whereas avoiding the pitfall of restrictive staff compositions.

• Cut back her reliance on Spectro Frazzle

If adjusting her cooldown isn’t an possibility, one other method to repair Phoebe is by making her fully much less reliant on Spectro Frazzle. Proper now, the harm distinction between hitting a goal with or with out it being utilized is astronomical. With out it, she offers negligible harm, successfully making her unplayable with out Spectro Rover.

She ought to nonetheless achieve a bonus towards Spectro Frazzled enemies, however to not the extent that she is totally nugatory with out it. By shrinking this harm spectrum, Phoebe may stay useful even when Spectro Frazzle just isn’t current, permitting her to work in additional staff compositions with out being totally depending on a single debuff.

Why this can not change into the norm

Phoebe’s launch represents a harmful shift in character design philosophy that shouldn’t be allowed to proceed. If future characters are designed with such inflexible, singular dependencies, Wuthering Waves will undergo long-term. Gamers will really feel boxed in and compelled into particular, restrictive staff compositions to make a personality viable. That type of sport design is the alternative of enjoyable.

Thankfully, Kuro Video games has a status for listening to its participant base. By elevating consciousness of this subject now, the group can voice considerations earlier than this turns into an accepted norm.

A tough no to future Phoebes

Phoebe is enjoyable, however her design philosophy is flawed. This isn’t about minor balancing points; it’s about sustaining the integrity of Wuthering Waves and guaranteeing that future characters are constructed on a basis of sturdy, impartial design. Kuro Video games listens, however provided that we, the gamers, make ourselves heard.

This totally can not change into the usual. When you care about team-building flexibility, character versatility, and honest design, now could be the time to make your voice heard. When future surveys come out, take the time to fill them out and decry this design flaw. Make it crystal clear that one of these intentionally detrimental character-balancing is unacceptable. When you keep silent, you threat letting this subject fester and unfold into future banners. That is the time to push again earlier than the issue infests and infects.

Kuro Video games can do higher. And we must always anticipate higher. Communicate up, take the surveys, and ensure this drawback begins and stops with Phoebe.