How would a nerfed .52 Gal change solo/comp?

[isaac4]

A very simple question but this topic is something that I've started thinking about recently with all the discussions around nerfs and how they end impacting the game outside of the main weapon itself.
The answer to the first part of the question is probably very obvious.
Players that use .52 in solo would just switch another top tier such as Slosher or Shot. Maybe there would be some other weapons I'm not thinking about that would start getting picked more but I doubt it'd be very different from how things are now.

The question about how it would impact comps is what really interests me though.
.52 Gal doesn't play a support role and the damage doesn't combo well with other weapons either so from what I know, the weapon only gets picked for its ability to get really quick kills.
It's not the type of weapon that needs its team to be built around it and it doesn't seem to provide much to its own team either outside of playing to that slayer role so if it suddenly received harsh nerfs in the next patch, what would that end up changing?
Obviously it would mean one less weapon you could add to your team comp but I'm more focused on the type of changes that come from something like a nerfed Splash or N-Zap.

 

[Grushi]

If 52 gets significantly nerfed I'd say in solo the vast majority of players would either switch over to vshot, or go back to their actual mains since 52 won't be worth using as much. I know a few players that main other stuff but switch to 52 specifically for X rank carry potential, which is kinda lame, but I respect it.

Comps wise I know 52's a solid rushdown comp counter, it's just very hard to run down a 52, but that slot's already been taken over by mint decavs, so it's hard to tell if that would make those comps genuinely worse. I guess it makes chip damage combo comps better, since if you're not running combo heavy comps (stuff like squeezer, Z+F, or some roller comps), you usually go with a 52.
But honestly I think most of these could switch out 52 for vshot and be totally fine, so it doesn't impact those too much, it's not like 52 was the key to those.

It would make me sad to see 52 deco + roller get worse though, I think one of my favourite comps to watch in this game is hedit, vroller, 52 deco/foil squeezer and sorella tent. It's not played much anymore, but man is it cool.



Edit: Oh, and I know 52's a rather popular weapon in mid/high level, it's much easier than full on midlines but has comparable kill power, so they might have to switch things up. Whether that's a good or bad thing depends on you, hah

 

[isaac4]

It would make me sad to see 52 deco + roller get worse though, I think one of my favourite comps to watch in this game is hedit, vroller, 52 deco/foil squeezer and sorella tent. It's not played much anymore, but man is it cool.

Could you link any vods that have had that specific comp used in bracket before? I'm assuming they're pretty old because you're mentioning Tent being used, lol.


Also, I just remembered that .52 being nerfed means Splash Wall also won't be around as much. I'm not sure what that would end up specifically changing though (besides making my experience in X Rank better).

 

[OnePotWonder]

I would imagine solo play would face the biggest improvement; while .52 isn't anyone's first choice in top level comp play, it most definitely is when it comes to grinding X rank. Having .52 be in a spot more akin to the other short-range shooters (if not worse) would make solo play significantly better.

Certain main weapons are wholly overpowered, but fall under the radar because their kits keep them at a level akin to other meta weapons. The best examples of this currently are Range Blaster and, wouldn't you know it, .52 Gal; both of which have mid tier specials that don't really synergize well with their main weapon, or in the case of vanilla Range, synergizes well but is bottom tier.

Weapons like these two should be the main targets for main weapon nerfs. Range got its nerf, now I'd very much love to see .52's.