Dear Akash, the Game-Balancing Conductor Extraordinaire,

I trust this message finds you at your coding desk, fortified by the strongest coffee, surrounded by crumpled papers filled with algorithms and complicated doodles of terrifying Odins laying waste to helpless armies.

I write to you today to speak of Odin, the Brawny Behemoth, the Terror of the Early Game, the Achilles of the Late Game turned into Hercules post-update. This muscular machine, previously the balance to the marine arena, now seems to have raided the gym, drunk all the protein shakes, and has started to look like an overzealous bodybuilder on steroids.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about a pumped-up Odin - who doesn't like a good late game rumble? But isn't Odin's current state like serving a full roast turkey with all the trimmings for breakfast and expecting us to enjoy a light lunch of grilled chicken? Dear Akash, even the Spartans had a more balanced diet.

The Ultimate Odin Upgrade - where do I start?

The Ultimate Starstreak Barrage is like a 5-year-old at a birthday party on a sugar high - energetic, destructive, and equally dangerous to everything on the ground and in the air. While I applaud the unbiased destruction, maybe we can have it just slightly less ruinous? And don't even get me started on the upgraded anti-ground attack and Psionic Boost. Our Heroic Units used to be Arnold Schwarzenegger; now they seem like Danny DeVito in the face of this mighty Odin.

And oh, about the Starstreak Barrage ability cast time... Imagine Usain Bolt, but on a skateboard, going downhill, on a windy day. Yep, that's how fast it seems now. I get it, Odin was never a fan of ‘waiting around’, but with the current 0.4 sec cast time, it feels like a rabbit on caffeine.

In this balancing ballet, we're all just trying to do our best pirouettes without falling flat on our faces. The fun is in the dance, in the art of the counter, and the thrill of the escape. But when you have a ballerina in combat boots and Kevlar (a.k.a. The Odin) performing Swan Lake, it kind of takes the magic away.

Therefore, as a humble follower and an enthusiast of your cosmic code, I kindly propose some tweaking. How about we turn down the volume on Odin's boombox a bit? Maybe we could increase the Starstreak Barrage's ability cast time, say from 0.4 to a fair 0.81? Maybe the ultimate ability doesn't have to wipe out an army faster than I can say, 'Oh Odin, you mighty...oh, nevermind.'

In conclusion, dear Akash, Odin's new form is like bringing a tank to a water gun fight. The drenched competitors salute you for your creativity but kindly request a downgrade from a water cannon to a super soaker.

Yours in balance (and a smidgen of desperation),

Balance

P.S. Remember, in the words of the great Thanos, "Perfectly balanced, as all things should be". Maybe he could share some tips with Odin.

On a more serious note, here are my suggestions;

Starstreak Barrage Ability Adjustment: Restore the Starstreak Barrage ability cast time from 0.4 seconds back to 0.81 seconds and/or remove the ability cancelling capability of it and revert the stun to a slow, similarly to mini thors. This would allow a more ample window for other players to react and strategically counter the ability. This will allow for strategic positioning, escape mechanics and counter play to have a more significant impact.

General Rebalancing: Consider a comprehensive rebalancing of Odin's late game power. The intent is to retain Odin's strength in early game but avoid a scenario where it dominates both early and late game.

In essence, the objective of these suggestions is to restore strategic counter-play, maintain the integrity of Odin's design as an early-game powerhouse, and ensure a balanced game experience for all players.

Its an ultimate morph.... its supposed to be good . This whole suggestion scream to make the unit unusable compared to other morphs. Its not like you cant cancel the odin barrage several different ways, almost every hero has a way to stop the barrage. Not to mention if you time it you can just blink marines on it and kill the odin. This whole suggestion is a troll post honestly in competetive scrims Odin will be unused except in the right situation with air on the map.

Currently colo rag can stop odin beam, nix can stop it with lift, hb can even stampede and stop it, dt can void stop it, specter has numerous ways to stop it, the only heroes that cant just stop the barrage are Queen and Hta and they are spellcasters which makes sense that they wouldnt be able to. There is 0 reason to nerf odin especially when there has only been about 3 scrims so far on the new patch.

If anything is OP its nix and queen and when more scrims happen I am almost positive that those two will be spammed the most. I would suggest a specter buff tho, give its emp a bit more range, or make it so emp disables lifting the hero.

No these new ultimates are a breath of fresh air,

they help balance the game

Queen needs a bit of nerf

Spectre needs to be a bit less effective againts mercenaries, maybe lower his attack per second or half his normal attack

Lurker, lower his movement speed when he's underground.
Right now, he's fast, does high DPS, crazy range, does AA, need to be scanned. <---- something's got to give. Whats his weakness?

Did you read the thread? You disagree that Odin needs a nerf?

I 100% read it and it makes no sense to nerf it.

Because it can get killed by Mando/spectre. Its got a big frame hard to miss it. It remains one of the easiest hero to kill in the game.

Lurker/Queen need a nerf if anything.

Hey Darkness,

I've just been through your response, and wow, it looks like we've taken different flights and landed in entirely different airports.

Your belief that the Odin's Ultimate Morph is in the "supposed-to-be-good" territory is a bit like saying that a tiger at a petting zoo is supposed to be 'friendly.' Sure, it's fascinating and a draw, but let's face it, when it gets the munchies, those fluffy bunnies don't stand a chance.

I get that almost every hero has a way to stop the barrage - just like how every mortal has a way to tickle a dragon - theoretically possible, but practically disastrous. I appreciate your faith in the mighty powers of Colo Rag, Nix, and their pals, but buddy, remember Odin's ability to cancel abilities? It's like inviting a magician to a poker game; it just nullifies the competition.

And about that blinking marines strategy - it sounds like you're suggesting we ask a choir boy to out-sing Pavarotti. The idea is as appealing as eating soup with a fork. Yes, you'll get there eventually, but it'll take an eon and half your sanity.

Look, Darkness, it seems we're currently in a heated game of chess, and you're asking me to checkmate with a lone pawn against a fully decked queen. So here's a suggestion - let's play the same game. Let's put on our Odin helmets, step onto the battlefield, and see if our perspectives change when we're the ones staring down the barrel of an Ultimate Starstreak Barrage.

And, by the way, your call for a Specter buff? I'll give you that one, buddy. An EMP with more range could spice things up. But, until then, let's deal with our musclebound friend Odin, shall we?

Keep the laughs coming,