A "fire based" weapon has since long been suggested and requested by the community and now that it is finally here, we at the Workshop Team have put it to the test!
So, what are we looking at here?
The Molotov is obtainable via the Battlepass (Elite) and it is a grenade class special weapon that will shatter and ignite on impact with either a surface or an enemy, spreading fire thus dealing area damage.
The Molotov is obtainable via the Battlepass (Elite) and it is a grenade class special weapon that will shatter and ignite on impact with either a surface or an enemy, spreading fire thus dealing area damage.
- Class: Throwable/Grenade
- Max quantity: 6
- Max burn/flame duration: 15 seconds
- Max burn damage: 300
- Upgrade slots: 35
- Cost to max upgrade (silver): 19 415 000
The Molotov has some unique features that undoubtedly will open up new ways to play the game. On its own it can create a decent amount of damage, but there are also several ways to counter it, some more effective than others.
If you catch fire then the first counter is to dash which will effectively put out the fire. But pay attention to which direction you are dashing. Dashing into another part of the fire will re-ignite your operator. You can also use a smoke grenade (important note: do NOT confuse smoke grenade with the gas dito!) which essentially works like a fire extinguisher. Landau could also work, however, it does not extinguish the fire, it simply pushes it away. If you find yourself on fire near a body of water, jump in! Missile Defence will also "pop" it, but be careful as the Molotov does not "disappear" like other grenades or rockets. It gets triggered (like the EMP grenade) and shatters upon impact with the MD countermeasures, spreading fire around the area where the MD is placed, thus also destroying the MD.
It is when you start to use the Molotov together with other special weapons (one in particular) that it becomes even more interesting.
If you catch fire then the first counter is to dash which will effectively put out the fire. But pay attention to which direction you are dashing. Dashing into another part of the fire will re-ignite your operator. You can also use a smoke grenade (important note: do NOT confuse smoke grenade with the gas dito!) which essentially works like a fire extinguisher. Landau could also work, however, it does not extinguish the fire, it simply pushes it away. If you find yourself on fire near a body of water, jump in! Missile Defence will also "pop" it, but be careful as the Molotov does not "disappear" like other grenades or rockets. It gets triggered (like the EMP grenade) and shatters upon impact with the MD countermeasures, spreading fire around the area where the MD is placed, thus also destroying the MD.
It is when you start to use the Molotov together with other special weapons (one in particular) that it becomes even more interesting.
The Zloy Killer?
First off, as many of you surely have noticed, the Molotov can deal a massive amount of damage if used together with a gas grenade. The gas will ignite and explode and whoever is in the center of the fireball is going to have a rough time. However, the damage will taper off quite dramatically the further from the center you get, so on the outer edges of the explosion the damage is very manageable.
This inevitably leads to the question: What about Zloy?
At first glance, the Molotov does look like the ultimate Zloy counter. If you carry a Molotov and see a Zloy with his gas activated coming at you, lob a Molotov and you will get a spectacular instakill, that will keep exploding and potentially kill everything in the immediate vicinity until the gas runs out. This could however also (potentially) be used in defensive manner aswell. Let's say you are the bag holder, using Zloy and you are also equipped with a Molotov. You could use this in to your advantage as a last resort. Activate your gas, hit yourself with a Molotov, and watch the enemy push come to a grinding halt as the bag is now engulfed in flames.
First off, as many of you surely have noticed, the Molotov can deal a massive amount of damage if used together with a gas grenade. The gas will ignite and explode and whoever is in the center of the fireball is going to have a rough time. However, the damage will taper off quite dramatically the further from the center you get, so on the outer edges of the explosion the damage is very manageable.
This inevitably leads to the question: What about Zloy?
At first glance, the Molotov does look like the ultimate Zloy counter. If you carry a Molotov and see a Zloy with his gas activated coming at you, lob a Molotov and you will get a spectacular instakill, that will keep exploding and potentially kill everything in the immediate vicinity until the gas runs out. This could however also (potentially) be used in defensive manner aswell. Let's say you are the bag holder, using Zloy and you are also equipped with a Molotov. You could use this in to your advantage as a last resort. Activate your gas, hit yourself with a Molotov, and watch the enemy push come to a grinding halt as the bag is now engulfed in flames.
But:
As mentioned above, one of the counters to the Molotov is smoke. Which means that Zloy's 10th talent "Smoke Screen" now becomes a significantly more viable option than is has been up to this point. If used correctly you can clear the way through a burning passage for your teammates. And Zloy also has the improved dash, which gives him an additional way of countering the molotov.
So, he is not necessarily counted out yet. However, there are definately an increased threat level towards him specifically, so all we can really do is play the game and see how it pans out.
As mentioned above, one of the counters to the Molotov is smoke. Which means that Zloy's 10th talent "Smoke Screen" now becomes a significantly more viable option than is has been up to this point. If used correctly you can clear the way through a burning passage for your teammates. And Zloy also has the improved dash, which gives him an additional way of countering the molotov.
So, he is not necessarily counted out yet. However, there are definately an increased threat level towards him specifically, so all we can really do is play the game and see how it pans out.
So, where in the current meta does the Molotov sit?
Is it another run-of-the-mill Battlepass novelty, or will it see some actual effective use? Or is it even overpowered?
Well, there is no simple answer to this yet as it all comes down how the playerbase will use it. Used correctly it can be a devastating weapon, especially early on before players learn how to counter it. But the Tacticool player community is a crafty one, so it would not come as a surprise if the Molotov ends up more on the balanced side. There are plenty of (creative) ways to use it and plenty of ways to effectively counter it.
Is it another run-of-the-mill Battlepass novelty, or will it see some actual effective use? Or is it even overpowered?
Well, there is no simple answer to this yet as it all comes down how the playerbase will use it. Used correctly it can be a devastating weapon, especially early on before players learn how to counter it. But the Tacticool player community is a crafty one, so it would not come as a surprise if the Molotov ends up more on the balanced side. There are plenty of (creative) ways to use it and plenty of ways to effectively counter it.
Conclusion:
At first it may seem like an overwhelming weapon, both on the offensive and defense side, but given enough time it has potential to become a somewhat balanced addition to the game. It also serves as a sort of "teaser" for a potential future operator with some kind of fire resistant capability, as there currently isnt a "true" counter/immunity like there is for the flash grenade (Miro), Gas (Zloy), Charon (Diana) etc.
All in all, it can be summed up in 3 words:
At first it may seem like an overwhelming weapon, both on the offensive and defense side, but given enough time it has potential to become a somewhat balanced addition to the game. It also serves as a sort of "teaser" for a potential future operator with some kind of fire resistant capability, as there currently isnt a "true" counter/immunity like there is for the flash grenade (Miro), Gas (Zloy), Charon (Diana) etc.
All in all, it can be summed up in 3 words:
USE WITH CAUTION!
/Workshop Team