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Tidal Traveler is a water variant with access to IMMUNITY, ARMOR BREAK, and a attack boost to BUBBLE attacks, provided that players can utilise Umbrella's PUDDLES and BUBBLE attacks with one another. This is a unique playstyle among the Umbrella's, encouraging players to get creative with these aspects of her kit in order to gain the best results out of her abillities. Those results however... are more underwhelming than what they should be, mainly as a result of how they've been implemented. To specify, here are a few key problems:
• While IMMUNITY is easy to gain, having to stay near PUDDLES makes it difficult to maintain during general gameplay, as players can often push themselves away from or lose their PUDDLES during a combo, frequently exposing them to DEBUFFS at potentially inopportune times (even with frequent PUDDLE spawns).
° While her IMMUNITY is a unique aspect among the Umbrella's, she's generally outclassed by other IMMUNITY users whom have other aspects going for them, such as DEBUFFS removal or added sustainability.
° Even IMMUNITY TAUNTS outclass her due to both being on demand and on timer.
• This also effects her secondary abillity, as it can be tricky to incorporate BUBBLE attacks while having to stay near PUDDLES simultaneously, with the overall results being underwhelming for the effort put in.
° ARMOR BREAK is readily available in her kit with Slurp n' Slide. This isn't a bad an issue (as running said move can be detrimental when trying to maintain PUDDLES), however it does mean that any Umbrella can perform this aspect of her ability just fine, making her somewhat redundant.
° Only gaining a 50% damage boost to BUBBLE attacks (70% if you count ARMOR BREAK) is limiting (especially) in conjunction with the abillities activation requirements. In terms of general offence, you're better off investing in other variants whom can dish out more for less.
She underperforms with what she provides compared to the overall effort put in, with her only worthwhile trait being her unique access to IMMUNITY for an Umbrella. If she were to get a rework, i feel a good solution would be to either make the outcome of the abillities more worthwhile, or to change the activation requirements somewhat to make things less of a hassle. In general, the player should be able to maintain IMMUNITY more consistently, and gain a better offence boost when managing to pull off her abillities. If changing the activation requirements, focusing on other aspects of Umbrella's kit, such as balancing HUNGER meter or revovling around prominent BUFFS/DEBUFFS she gains/inflicts, would make for interesting alternatives to maintain a unique playstyle (this rework by timboo is a good example, revolving around spawning PUDDLES and maintaining BLESSING for UNBLOCKABLE BUBBLE attacks. Keeps her core traits, while also replacing the need of staying near PUDDLES with having to maintain BLESSING, a BUFF Umbrella can readily gain through her TAUNT). Adding some defensive utility to her abillities can also work, as it could make up for the fact that none of the Gold Tier Umbrella's fulfil that role as of yet.
Rework Ideas:
Rework #1
• Gain IMMUNITY and inflict SLIME for 10/12/15 seconds each when spawning a PUDDLE.
• While benefiting from IMMUNITY and near a PUDDLE, BUBBLE attacks inflict ARMOR BREAK and deal 25%/35%/50% bonus damage for each stack SLIME on the opponent (also applies on blocked hits).
Keeps the core premise of the abillity, however makes the overall effect more worthwhile with both long lasting IMMUNITY, and a potentially devastating damage boost provided that the player can consistently inflict SLIME.
Rework #2
• Gain IMMUNITY and ARMOR every 3/2/1 second(s) near a PUDDLE. Both effects are removed when knocked down.
• While benefiting from ARMOR, BUBBLE attacks inflict SLOW for 15 seconds and deal bonus damage equal to 3%/4%/5% of the opponents max HEALTH (also applies on blocked hits).
This approach makes her more of a hybrid variant, granting her easy access to IMMUNITY and ARMOR (which won't be removed when leaving a PUDDLE), along with potentially pressuring the opponent with BUBBLE attacks. Also completely removes the need to stay near PUDDLES for her secondary abillity, giving her more freedom with her BUBBLE attacks.
Rework #3
• Gain IMMUNITY and 5 stacks of AUTO-BLOCK after 3/2/1 second(s) while near a PUDDLE. Both effects are removed when hitting the opponent with a BUBBLE attack while not near a PUDDLE.
• 25%/35%/50% chance to gain BARRIER and inflict GUARD BREAK for 10 seconds when blocking a hit.
Goes full throttle with being a defensive variant, granting access to AUTO-BLOCK, BARRIER, and GUARD BREAK through PUDDLES and blocked hits. The removal proc on the first abillity provides similar incentive to her old abillities, as players will have to utilise BUBBLE attacks only while near PUDDLES in order to maintain both IMMUNITY and AUTO-BLOCK.
Other options:
• REGEN or HEAVY REGEN can help her on both offence and defence, and works as a reference to the Heart of Tafiti. Somewhat redundant however due to it already being prevalent in Candy Crusher's abillities.
• Applying a DPS offensive abillity can make for a unique addition, since it's a trait only shared with Salty (with BLEED) and Death Wish (with MIASMA). Can also reference the lack of air-like nutrients experienced within water.
• Having BUBBLE attacks be UNBLOCKABLE makes for an interesting inclusion, potentially making up for Umbrella's lack of intercepting tools and allowing her to combo more freely. Timboo's take on this is (again) a good example of how this can be implemented.
• Self DEBUFF removal would put her somewhat on par with other IMMUNITY users, also helping against CURSE.
• INVERSE POLARITY would be an interesting inclusion, referencing SALT water contamination, however with the newly introduced Psykid, said niche is now already taken within the Umbrella lineup.
Edit: Grammar fixes, trimming, mentioning adding defensive utility in the changes section.
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