What can Turtle bring to the table?

(ElDingDong) #1

We all know that Turtle has a Shield which can be deployed, making him more defense orientated than offense. However, it seems he lacks the killing potential other engineers have.

His ability is just placing down a shield, and I question its usability. Dirty Bomb is fast paced, and the shield seems very situational, unless you can actually move it while you are moving ( like a riot shield).
He looks like he has a bionic arm, so maybe there might be a second ability based on it?

I am just basing this off the information available to us.
I like to hear your thoughts and opinions :smile:

(terminal) #2

I mean, Phoenix has bionic legs and he runs faster than the typical merc.
Bionic arms = super strength?
Melee engineer?
…
Naw, that would be considered a Phantom nerf.

(Freezer_Boss) #3

Maybe they will TOTALLY rework his ability, juste like aimee’s one (used to be a camera, now it’s the snitch)

(ElDingDong) #4

I hope so

(Terminal_6) #5

From what little the devs have said, it sounds like they’re dreading making a usable merc out of Turtle. A shield is kind of out-of-place, even if it gives a defensive buff or something like that.

It would be ideal if they released him as the long-awaited free objective specialist, but… that’s not going to happen.

(SaulWolfden) #6

He would likely have the br16 as his default and just better weapons overall than any other engineer to make up for the fact that his shield can’t be/won’t be how he gets his kills in addition to probably having 120 hp and being a tanky engineer (living up to his name).

(TheStrangerous) #7

Blocking pathways can be useful in some maps.
For now, this is where I usually place ammo station to slow enemies down a little.

Maybe if his barricade was a portable shield, or riot shield of some sorts?

(UndeddJester) #8

Had a thought a moment ago, and the concern is that this shield won’t bring much use to table compared to other mercs.

My suggestion is to keep the deployable barricade as it was originally intended, from the game files it seemed decent in size, not too big to totally shut off most paths, not too small as to be totally useless. The use of this is being that when objectives are down, it becomes harder for the opposition to breach on maps like Underground and Bridge.

While not deployed (or when picked up), turn the shield into a passive, have Turtle carry this undeployed shield on his back, so that the tip covers from the very top of his head down to the bottom of his back. All damage sustained through the shield is blocked/nullified*.

This would mean a number of things: -

  • he can choose to block off paths/set up cover on high ground, at the sacrifice of his durability.
  • undeployed it makes him harder to flank/assassinate as you have to come at him from the front.
  • high skilled players can lead the charge and turn to sponge nades and deployables for the team.
  • turning and running from unfavourable gunfights makes kgetting away much much easier.
  • most importyantly allows Turtles to dive in for those clutch objective defuses/repairs/deliveries by turning his back to the opponent and crouching. **

*The shield on his back could have a HP pool, or simply cause a percentage damage reduction (Say 85%?), whatever feels balanced. Best part is, this change is a direct help to him mostly as an engineer. It doens’t shift him into other territories.

**Enemies would be forced to move around him to take him out, or use big cooldowns like nades and airstrikes. If need be go a little generous on his stats to give him some decent fighting power and you have someone who can make big plays.

This would give him the fantastic niche of being the only Engineer who is actually very hard to kill while doing what he is supposed to be doing without just turning him into an assault, as his front/sides and of course a turtle with a deployed/destroyed shield will be just as vulnerable as your standard bushwhacker… maybe even more.

As a side bonus, it gives a nice lot of credence to the name Turtle :wink:

(Apofenas) #9

May be it could also prevent EV from moving? Could be a very useful ability on Chapel/Bridge.

(Eox) #10

If Turtle can only lay wall on the Battlefield, I don’t expect too much from him. However if he can use his shield as a riotshield, he could have a lot of potential.

(ClemClem7) #11

It can be useful to return drug samples/iem or to protect yourself when planting/defusing/repair

(terminal) #12

You know what’s more useful in those situations?

(Reddeadcap) #13

There are many situations where an ammo station is used as a shield by Stoker/Kira players. so… it’ll work like that but bigger and more durable?

(solace_) #14

It could definitely have a lot of uses. Especially in combination with other mercs like aura, thunder, stoker, bushy, rhino and others. Blocking off certain routes, or at least obstructing them.

I don’t see how he couldn’t be useful. Maybe they will give him assault rifles as well, would be really good. Or perhaps he will have a tertiary ability to go with OBJ Spec. and shield. Maybe something like Torbjorn’s armor drop?

who knows. I’m excited for him to come out.

(ElDingDong) #15

I really hope SD implements a new mechanic, much like Aimee’s debilitating snitch device.
It freshens up the game and makes it interesting.