[Rework] Bastion

General Discussion
1

Hey folks. Just here to suggest a few changes to Bastion.

Reason: Stagnant playstyle, one dimensional, pretty boring. Could be better, considering his concept of a transformer.

TLDR:
-Recon [Standard Form] - No changes.
-Sentry [Left Shift] - Reduced damage, but increased damage to shields/barriers.
-Tank [E] - Reduced damage, increased damage to units with armour.
-Bastion [Q, New Ultimate] - Energy weapon with a shield infront of him. Energy weapon replicates Sentry/Tank weapons.
-Self Repair [Right Click] - Allows limited movement when healing while transformed.
-Reconfigure [Passive] - Reduced time for transforming.
-Ironclad [Passive] - Overall damage reduction reduced when transformed. Increased when transforming.

Background

Been playing OW since it was released. Always been a fan of Bastion. The concept was cool, as a transformer. Played a lot of him at the start. But always found his playstyle, even now, to be very repetitive and one dimensional.

Bastion's Current Playstyle

His playstyle is rather stagnant and has been for a long time. It has depended upon him shifting into his Sentry mode and, generally, staying in a particular spot with a spot healer (typically Mercy) and protected by a tank (typically Reinhardt).

This has slightly changed over the last few years, with slight changes to his healing, Recon mode and Sentry mode. To encourage him to move around and go into Sentry mode in varying locations.

In my opinion, these slight changes have failed to make him into a dynamic character, like some others are. This inherent design flaw limits Bastion’s true capabilities and creates a very singular, one dimensional playstyle.

New Concept

I really love the fact that Bastion is an Omnic who transforms. He is a remnant, potentially a War survivor, of a bygone period of Humanity; The Omnic War.

I would like to build upon that slightly and put forward a true Omnic transformer. A character who can shift into Sentry and Tank forms at will; a character who can combat both Shields and Armour in these modes.

Lastly, a character who has an ultimate true to his name; Bastion.

Configuration: Recon

This will stay exactly as it currently is.

Configuration: Sentry (Left Shift)

-Damage reduced by 10%. (6.8-13.5 damage, down from 7.5-15 damage)
-Damage dealt to Shields/Barriers increased by 20%. (8.2-16.2 damage)
Reason: To encourage Bastion to shift between Configuration modes, each mode must bring something unique. The decrease in his overall damage means that he is still lethal, but it allows a larger increase to Shields/Barriers so that Sentry mode can be used to break through choke points and to challenge a Reinhardt or an Orisa.

Configuration: Tank (E)

-Direct hit damage reduced by 22% (159.9 damage, down from 205)
-Splash damage reduced by 22% (54.6-113.1, down from 70-145)
-Can no longer move while in Configuration: Tank
-Damage dealt to Armour increased by 10% (Direct: 175.89. Splash: 60-124.41)
Reason: Trying to turn an Ultimate ability (which are generally overpowered) into a standard ability is fairly difficult to balance properly. But I’ve tried to reduce his damage in the knowledge that its not constant and it’s location based; players can always move away. Again, the increase in damage dealt to Armour is to increase his overall flexibility.

Configuration: Bastion (Q, New Ultimate)

-Transforms into a sturdy ‘Block’; his Blue ‘power core’ is now his weapon which is also powering a shield infront of him. Similar to Orisa’s shield.
-His shield has 300hp, but continuously regenerates at 5hp per second.
-Left Click: Releases a flurry of energy bolts at the target. Dealing standard Sentry damage + 10% (7.5-15 damage)
-Right Click: Releases a burst of energy at the target. Dealing standard Tank damage + 10% (Direct: 179.9. Splash: 66-136.9)
-Deals a flat 5% bonus damage to Armour/Shields/Barriers.
-Can move at 50% reduced Recon speed.
Reason: The playstyle won’t be too far from his original Configuration modes, but it will empower him while providing a shield to protect his allies. Letting him move while in this form will allow him to move his shield forward and to encourage his allies to push. He cannot self-repair while in this form, but he has a fairly strong shield infront of him.

Self-Repair (Right Click)

-Allows movement at 60% reduced speed when healing while transformed.
-Cannot Self-Repair while in Configuration: Bastion.
Reason: This will give Bastion increased survivability while in Configuration forms without forcing him into Recon. But this survivability will come at the cost of attacking.

Reconfigure (Passive)

-Transformation time reduced to 0.4 seconds.
Reason: To encourage Bastion transforming.

Ironclad (Passive)

-Damage reduction reduced to 10%. (Was 20%).
-Damage reduction while transforming increased by 20%.
Reason: To encourage Bastion to shift out of the Sentry/Tank modes and back into his Recon mode, while providing limited damage reduction when transforming.

2

sounds interesting and i like the shield damage mechanism but the new ultimate and tank as an ability makes him far too OP, maybe making him less overpowered but still more interesting to play is the way to go

3

Yeah would agree. I wasn’t sure how far to reduce the damage in Tank form. Especially in relation to the Sentry mode. But definitely need to make him more interesting.

4

I’d like to see the transformation from recon-sentry/sentry-recon be faster and his healing to go from 75hp/ s to 80hp /s he would start being independent and could flank, by himself or with symetra, it would destroy goats so hard if he could just appear with a teleporter on a unreachable position and just mow down the whole comp.
his semi-independence would make him a more usual pick for people because whats hard with bastion now is that he needs all the comp to support him, otherwise he doesn’t work out.
But after, there will always be low pick rate heroes, its just u need to make it cycle. i think the next one who could have a low pick rate would be reaper because roadhog is just a better reaper, and reaper can do dmg at close range but it can be out healed or out damaged very easily, he would need a auto critcal shot anywhere he hits the enemy and penetrates shields OR armor, then he could really do 300dps at close range, now u need to hit the head with all pallets, thats really hard because the targets move fast when close, the gape closing is the teleport it would just need to be silent

5

how about doing something really bizzar and giving him a fighter jet mode X3
that would be funny…

bastion minigun would be less of a pain if it was a strafing type attack and then it could even be allowed to do more damage…

but then maybe he would be too much of a transformer… question is… is a autobot or decepticon?:rofl:

Incidentally would it be possible to get a bastion voice line where it wistles a few notes from transformers theme?

I would love that lol :grin:
(assuming all it’s not going to get all blizzard laywyers to go into a hickup fit… i dont think it should be an issue to make the reference… considering Moira has that whole “this was a triumf” voice line )

6

Heres how I envisioned Bastion rework:
Switch places with sentry and tank.
Sentry should be the ultimate. Locks you in place, lasts maybe 8 seconds, infinite ammo, bonus armor on use (100-150 maybe).
Tank would complement Recon. Damage similiar to Pharah. Slightly lower move speed. Ability to rocket jump. You need single target dmg? Recon. AoE? Tank.
Thats it, nothing else is needed.
Current Bastion is just bad at everything. Before you can aim properly with the ulti the time is already out and you cant even shoot every shot one by one so you’re just spamming blindly in general area.
Grenade does no dmage and bounces randomly (something that was already problematic with Hanzo).
Basic fire nerfed for no reason.
No heal, no survivabilty.
Sentry is hard countered by Dva and Rein or interrupted by Orisa and the timer runs out.