5 Thoughts About Overwatch Competitive Season One.

Now that season 1 of competitive mode is over for, uh, Overwatch, here are some thoughts.

Here's my rank's for reference:

• 45 at end of placement matches
• 48 my highest
• 32 my lowest
• ended season at 40 

1.  Rank Movement

I know, everybody thinks they are too low, but I actually didn't mind being around 40.  It's the way you move up or down that seems....off.  For one, the system seems too sensitive to streaks.  I dropped out of the 40's, from 46, in one night mostly due to a 6 game losing streak.  Once I started going 50/50 in wins and losses, I hung around 36-37 until I got a 6 game winning streak and made it back to 40, where I stayed for the rest of the season (which was like one week left).  

Going 50% in wins and hanging around a certain rank is peachy, but it felt like the drop was larger during the losing streak than the rise during the winning streak, making the 36-37 purgatory feel wrong.  Like I was slightly lower than where I should be.  It might be something worth looking into.

Also, I've had some pretty big drops after playing half a match or more 5 v 6 and losing badly, even if it was a close match (or even LEADING at first) when it was 6 v 6.  Come on.  That is garbage.

It's so hard to move up and so easy to drop down.

2.  Mei Bae

Depending on the effects of the upcoming Mei buff*, Mei sadly doesn't have a place in competitive.  She's still my highest played hero in Quick Play by two hours, yet I've maybe only played Mei...5 (?!?) matches total in comp.  I've never felt right picking her, even when I'm picking last, because it always felt like another hero would be better for the team.  Likewise, in the rare times I picked Mei quickly, nobody else would pick either a tank or a damn healer, so I would change to play one (and in case you're wondering, yes, I lost those matches).  

*Her buff in the PTR right now is just making her Ult hilariously huge.  That seems crazy pants.  A better buff would be to her normal stats.  A friend recommended just giving her 100 hp more, move her to tank, and be done with it (may have to nerf her icicle shot with that).  I like that idea a lot.  OR, I would like her primary attack to freeze opponents faster since it sometimes feels like it takes a decade unless you catch a slow moving Dva.  Anybody who only plays Quick Play only and might run into multiple Mei's might think that idea is straight up lunacy, but a lone Mei needs a buff.*

Most good team compositions are something like 2 tanks, 2 damage, 2 healers.  Mei is none of those things.  Personal preference but I HATE only having one tank so she shouldn't take that spot.  Having her take a damage spot is playing with fire, so her only really viable spot is one of the healers....but if there isn't a 2nd healer, it's usually (someone else) a Junkrat.  And at least Junkrat is versatile enough he can often be a 3rd damage dealer, Mei...just can't.  Where does she fit?

Adorbs

I only really like Mei on point defense and Control maps.  Hate her on offense and not a fan of payload defense since she's so damn slow.  I also like her with a good Bastion behind her on point defense (which is rare in comp. Not many stay Bastion for long, or switch to him as a last ditch effort) but now you're likely to have 1 tank and unless that tank is a non-aggro Reinhardt, you're screwed.  Likewise, I'm fine with 1 healer on Control maps as long as it's Lucio but you NEED two tanks (not all that opposed to 3 here) so playing Mei here is the most viable as long as you have 2 tanks, Lucio, 2 damage.....but I never get too.  We always need another tank when I want to play Mei here, ALWAYS.  I'm not salty.  No, not.....okay yes.  Very salty. 

3.  Play Your Mains to Move Up....But Learn Who They Are.

Whenever a team needs damage I usually pick Pharah as she is the only one I'm average with.*  Yet, I don't feel like I'm that good at playing damage characters in general because I'm an old man and can't out twitch the kids.  I thought Pharah was one of my mains....she's not.  She's a need pick only now at this point.  

*I'm mediocre with Soldier 76 too but can, not, stand, I repeat, can, not, STAND, playing him on Control maps.  Our team will lose if you let me be damage on Control.  It is my weak point, I don't know why it's only Control maps but it's the truth.**

**I've played a shocking amount of Reaper in Quick Play and even a little in comp but don't remember any of it.  I don't like playing Reaper.  

My mains are healers and tanks, specifically, Mercy, Lucio, Zenyatta, Dva, and Reinhardt.  Winston on Control maps or to counter pesky Genjis too.  I've gotten a lot better at Winston despite used to thinking I suck with him.  Apparently, he's one of my mains and I never knew.  Same with Zenyatta who I used to dread picking cause he's "not a real healer" but people seem to have gotten over it.  Rein....I still kinda suck at (some....times?) but I know it's decision making I need to work on.  I can "play" him fine, it's just knowing when to charge versus holding up shield for allies.  I'm a pretty damn conservative Rein.  I don't charge very much.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  I....dunno.

He's like a German super soldier......wait.

As for the other tanks, I can't aim Roadhogs hook to save my life, and Zarya is hard to play still.  I suck at timing Zarya's shields on allies and even if I get a good charge on the gun, I find a way to die JUST THEN.  And there's Dva......

4.  Dva is an Enigma

Dva is one of my most played heroes in comp and I'm not great at her or I am great at her I dunno wanna fight about it?

I don't really know.  I get a lot of medals with her, but so do some awful Dva's I've played with so.....ehhhhhhhh.

Y U B Sassin?

Here are some general thoughts about Dva.

1. Even with the matrix buff Dva is only a tank-lite.  Fine as a 2nd tank, probably gonna lose if she is the only tank (hence me desperately trying to get better at Reinhardt).
2. She is still much stronger at driving, flanking, fucking up snipers, and overall crowd control as long as her back isn't vulnerable.  
3. Her ult, even with the buff, is still best at clearing people off a point OR stopping them from rushing a point for overtime.  
4. I need to be better at "situational awareness" (that's a term right?).  I don't use her jets to bolt out of danger as often now that the matrix is better.  I need to get back to doing that.  
5. Weirdly, I tend to be better as Aggro-Dva, but as a "tank", I feel wrong for doing so.  This is probably my biggest hangup.  If Dva is 2nd tank, which is usually when I play her unless I'm being an idiot, I need to let go of "always being on point".  If the main tank dies, then go rush back in and try to stay alive until they return.  I know if I abandon my tank duties I'll get some salt though.  Even if it means wins.  

Dva is a weird tank and just weird overall.  I like characters with weird skill sets (see mei bae) so that's why I play her so much.  I'm sort of successful with her....sometimes.  Here is some stats.  

1. 2nd most comp play time (Lucio is first and has a two hour lead)
2. 45% win percentage (My highest is fucking Reinhardt lol)
3. Highest Kill Streak at 16 (Winston is 2nd with 15).
4. 36 medals in 13 games.  17 of which are gold.  

That winning percentage was much lower but at it gets closer to 50% I feel like I'm okay with her. Probably not a great Dva, but strong enough and a good choice if I don't want to play never ending support in comp.  Still though, those medals are a lie.

OH OK.  The sass again?  Fine.  FINE.  I'll just....that hurts you know?

5.  And Some Other Stats

Random stats that don't fit anywhere else.

1. Most healing done in a comp match?  21,229 as Lucio.  That must have been a Control Map that went 5 rounds.  
2. I have almost double the number of wins with Lucio (12) than my second highest hero with Zenyatta (7).  Mercy and Dva are tied at 6.
3. I played 1 game as Reaper....and he has my highest multi-kill at 4.  
4. When?!?!  When did I ever play Mei 5 matches in comp?  I have no memory of this.  Was I drunk?

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All in all, it was a good first season.  I'm glad Blizzard is scrapping Sudden Death because it's garbage.  The new rank system sounds interesting and might feel better, but I don't really know until I've had some time with it.  The PTR projectile buff is going to make me hate Hanzo more than I already do (Fuck Hanzo.  I know arrows "arc" but good Hanzo's always get impossible behind cover headshots and fuck this asshole).  The Genji nerf is whatever.  I see the really annoying Genji players just....still killing it afterwards.  The Mercy buff is unreal.  Un-fucking-real.  She's going to be more mandatory than she already was.  Also, it's going to be hard staying alive as her as EVERY-FUCKING-ONE will be gunning for you.  The balance tweaks will continue.....

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And seriously, what is the range on Roadhog's goddamn hook?  I try a long distance one and ALWAYS miss but if an enemy does it, I'm dead.  Like, on Nepal, with the pit?  Yeah?  That range shouldn't be but some-fucking-how it be.  I try to do it, and it doesn't reach EVERY TIME.....

....I swear I'm not salty.