SinceOutriders’ launch last week, players have had to contend with a number of issues, from server connection problems toinventory wipes. But even when players do get into the game and everything is running well, some are finding their experience is hindered. Specifically, players who chose the Devastator class are discovering that they are not as valuable as otherOutridersclasses.
Reports on forums, social media, and theOutriderssubreddit share the frustration that Devastator players are feeling in the endgame Expeditions. Once a Devastator joins an Expedition group throughOutriders’ matchmaking, some find that they are either kicked from the team or the other players leave.
Devastators Don’t Mix Well With Expeditions
Devastators as a class inOutridersare best compared to Tanks in MMOs. They can withstand a lot of damage, but their focus is not on dealing damage. Plenty ofDevastator buildscan still pack a punch, but those are not the most popular builds and players have to get lucky with mods in order to bring everything together. Still, the best things about Devastators is that they rarely will go down.
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For Expeditions, however, the only goal is speed. Getting through the endgame encounter as fast as possible is all that matters if the team wants to get a Gold rating and the best rewards. As a result, the need for being tanky or survivability trumps pure damage. Pyromancers, Tricksters, and Technomancers have it a lot easier when it comes to dealing damage with a basic build, even afterOutridersnerfed some damage perksand abilities.
The community’s sentiment around Devastators and some in-game teams' treatment of the class have called to mind similar situations in games thatOutridersseeks to emulate. BothDestinyandTom Clancy’s The Divisionhave had to contend with situations where the community devalued certain players and some were even kicked from groups.
Destiny and Division Players Have Faced Similar Elitism
When Bungie first announced thatDestinywould not support matchmakingfor its endgame, players knew that they would need to rely on either their friend groups or outside sites in order to put together raid teams. LFG sites appeared that were focused exclusively on Destiny, and many players were able to get raid completions with total strangers.
At the same time, the lack of matchmaking fostered anelitism within theDestinycommunitythat the game has struggled with even to this day. For Vault of Glass, raid teams ranked the three classes based on their utility, with Hunters sitting at the bottom of the totem pole. There were plenty of LFG posts that would say the group was looking for a Warlock or Titan, without any mention of Hunters. The same happened for players without the Gjallarhorn; they were seen as less valuable to the endgame team.
To Bungie’s credit, the developer did help curb the elitism. The Crota’s End raid made Hunters essential and future systems gave players paths to high-powered DPS weapons. Nightstalker Hunters then become a pivotal subclass for endgame content thanks to itsShadowshot Superdebuff. But most remember the early days when it was hard for certain players to find a team.
Tom Clancy’s The Divisionplayers experienced a similar elitism, despite the fact that its endgame supported matchmaking. In fact, the treatment of players inThe Divisionfeels a lot like what Devastators are experiencing inOutriders. Players would matchmake into a group for anIncursion,Division’s endgame encounters, and if they were not high enough gear score they would either be kicked out of the group or teammates would leave.
How Can Outriders Fix This
Now Outriders are facing the same situation thatDestinyandDivisionplayers know all too well. ForDestinyandDivision, the solution was a little more complex, butOutridershas a few easy possibilities. One is to eliminate the timer on the endgame Expeditions, as those prioritize killing fast and nothing else. If the Gold level rewards were tied to deaths, fails, or something that favors Devastator’s survivability then the class would be just as essential (if not more essential) than any other class.
The other solution is to buff Devastators in a way that gives them more utility when it comes to dealing damage. Yes, Devastator players are capable of packing a punch, but only with a highly curated build. While Technomancers andTricksters can deal high damagewith minimal customization, Devastators need to spec a very specific way.
When People Can Fly announced thefirst round ofOutridersbalance changes, players were hopeful that Devastators would get some love. That was not the case, but hopefully, the developers have seen the forum messages and will do something to improve Devastators’ utility on an endgame team. Balance is tough in any game likeOutriders, but finding it is the key to community health.
Outridersis available now on PC, PS4, Ps5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series.
