Almost unnoticed, Epic has made a change with Patch 6.21 to Fortnite: Battle Royale that is currently causing controversial discussions in the community. This is because explosive damage now affects players even when they are behind cover. This is what Epic says about it!
What exactly happened with Patch 6.21? Explosive weapons now deal damage since the latest update even if the opponent has built a shelter and is located directly behind the structure that was hit.
This mechanic affects both rocket launchers and grenade launchers.
Since you are behind a wall, at least you do not take the full damage, but “only” 25%. When facing an opponent who fires rocket after rocket at you, it can quickly become frustrating.
What does this mean for players? For defensive specialists and builders, the difficulty level has increased. It is almost impossible to avoid explosive damage if your opponent knows what they are doing. You are thus forced to leave your fortress or flee.
This is what players say about this change: The community is upset. A corresponding post on Reddit received so many comments in a short time that a new one had to be opened. The main criticisms from the players:
- The building function is further weakened. Besides the Quadramme, items for vertical play, and the already increased radius of explosive weapons, they now also deal damage even if one is behind a safe cover.
- Rocket launchers were already too strong before the update (explosion radius + damage). Now they are even stronger.
- There is no way to effectively counter explosive weapons. Thus, the game becomes even more determined by chance (advantages for players who have found a rocket launcher)
Many players also criticize that Epic implemented the change directly into the live game without testing it in a separate mode beforehand. The outcry was so loud that Epic has now issued a statement in a Reddit thread.
Epic says: The balance between aggressive play and defensive tactics is not right!
What does Epic say about the topic? Essentially, an Epic employee writes on Reddit:
“We did not do a good job explaining the changes to you and why they occurred. Fundamentally, we feel there is an imbalance between aggressive play and defensive tactics.
We have seen your feedback and want to encourage you to continue discussing this topic. We are big fans of trying things out (like with the reintroduction of gliders) and are therefore curious about your feedback on the following points:
- Is 25% damage behind cover too much / just right / too low?
- Should all materials allow the same damage from explosive weapons? Or should the damage behind a metal wall be lower than behind a wooden wall?
- Is the balance between offense and defense currently existing? What else can be done to restore balance?”
According to Epic, defenders who have built a fortress are currently significantly advantaged. Attackers have few opportunities to crack a well-built fortress. For this reason, explosive damage is intended to force defenders to play differently.
Many players now argue that it has become significantly easier for attackers. Because a rocket launcher can be fired from 200 meters away without getting hit yourself. This has nothing to do with skill, but with luck (rocket launcher found).
At least we now know why Epic removed the remote-controlled rocket from the game. It would have made the new system absurd (fire at opponents from a safe cover and hit every time).
Update: Meanwhile, Epic has announced that it will reverse the controversial explosive rules.
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What do you think about the change? Are you also angry or do you find the change reasonable?
