r/RocketMains

Netease is laughing at us, clapping their hands and rubbing them together that they fooled us and now we won't ask for anything more.

Sorry to tell you but his damage is effectively the same. He is not actually stronger, he is not able to kill better, and he is not deadlier.
It is placebo.

The ult change and ammo change is good and welcome, but you are only getting more kills and MVPs because... you are using your gun more, because you think he's doing more damage. Not because he's actually doing more damage.

I was insulted and laughed at and downvoted and called a moron when I tried to tell people that I don't think his damage is any better, that it's not helping me out ingame at all. Then I learned that it's because it actually isn't. I wasn't getting more MVPs or a better winrate because I have always used his gun. I've always liked to shoot with him, so I got 0 benefit from the damage "buff" whatsoever, because it doesn't do anything.

It is laid out here nicely by another user in this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/RocketMains/comments/1tf4a0m/common_misconception_about_the_rocket_buffs/

The TTK is only 0.08 seconds faster. Faster than it takes you to blink. It is entirely inconsequential, and is just placebo. Netease wants you to think "holy shit a damage buff! thanks netease!" but they have done nothing for his damage at all.

I keep seeing more and more people make posts like "Holy shit he feels amazing this season!" or "His damage is INSANE now!" or "Getting so many MVPs and just shredding it up! His damage is nuts!" or "Oh my god he MELTS tanks!"
Just because they're... actually using his gun now. That's it.

Do not swallow the placebo.
Continue to be negative Nancys and bitch until we get a REAL change like a grenade.

I'll admit, on paper, the buffs didn't seem like the craziest thing ever, I was more focused on "Will they revert the mobility changes?" but I tried to keep an open mind and just try it out fior myself, as I thought he felt boring to play last season.

This season though? Not only is he a good healer again, but his ability to shred tanks is improved as well. Still early on, but it feels like Rocket is a legimate threat again. What do you think so far?

Hello everyone, Lwitch here. Main Rocket, and numbers enthusiast. Have some studies in data analysis, computers engineering, and mathematics.

Recently I went over the Rocket changes with some friends, included high Elo Rockets and lower rank Rockets. We went over the real impact regarding Rocket's changes and we have found interesting things especially about perception of power and actual meaningful power and kill thresholds.

I want to talk about these things mainly:

1. Rocket's damage change is inconsequential against squishy characters and only significant against ulting supports and high health targets.

2. Rocket's ult economy is much better, getting first support ult against most of the cast.

3. His healing per minute increased slightly but mostly to feed his better ult generation efficiency.

Lets start with the damage numbers:

Rocket went from 16 damage per bullet to 17 damage per bullet.

Rocket shoots 12.05 bullets per second which means Rocket used to have 192.8 dps, now with the current value his dps increased to 204.85. This represents a 6.25% increase in dps. Of course, all these values are DOUBLED when landing all head shots (this will be important later).

But here is the kicker, against squishy characters, the buff largely doesn't matter.

Bear with me here, while it is nice and we did have an increase in dps, Rocket's breakpoints and kill thresholds remain basically the same.

Here are some calculations:

Let's do examples with 250, 275, 300, 600 and 850 hp characters. For the sake of these calculations and number consistency let's assume none of these characters have any kind of mitigation passive and they are at optimal range from Rocket, meaning no fall off damage.

250hp character:

Before: 16 bullets to the body. 16 * 16 = 256 dmg

After: 15 bullets to the body. 17 * 15 = 255 dmg

-Headshots

Before: 8 bullets to the head. 32 * 8 = 256 dmg

After: 8 bullets to the head. 34 * 8 = 272 dmg

Results: headshots ttk is the same, body shots need one less bullet which is 0.08 seconds faster (less time that it takes the human body to blink).

275hp character:

Before: 18 bullets to the body. 16 * 18 = 288 dmg

After: 17 bullets to the body. 17 * 17 = 289 dmg

-Headshots

Before: 9 bullets to the head. 32 * 9 = 288 dmg

After: 9 bullets to the head. 34 * 9 = 306 dmg

Results: once again, headshots ttk is the same, body shots need one less bullet which is 0.08 seconds faster (less time that it takes the human body to blink).

300hp character:

Before: 19 bullets to the body. 16 * 19 = 304 dmg

After: 18 bullets to the body. 17 * 18 = 306 dmg

-Headshots

Before: 10 bullets to the head. 32 * 9 = 320 dmg

After: 9 bullets to the head. 34 * 9 = 306 dmg

Results: this is where we start to see a difference we now need one less bullet for BOTH which is still arguably insignificant at 0.08 seconds faster yet again, but the difference is starting to be felt. Now let's jump to higher hp pools to better appreciate the difference.

600hp character:

Before: 38 bullets to the body. 16 * 38 = 608 dmg

After: 36 bullets to the body. 17 * 36 = 612 dmg

-Headshots

Before: 19 bullets to the head. 32 * 19 = 608 dmg

After: 18 bullets to the head. 34 * 18 = 612 dmg

Results: bodyshots are now 0.16 faster against a 600 hp tank. Headshots still need one less bullet which is 0.08 seconds faster.

850hp character:

Before: 54 bullets to the body. 16 * 54 = 864 dmg

After: 50 bullets to the body. 17 * 50 = 850 dmg

-Headshots

Before: 27 bullets to the head. 32 * 27 = 864 dmg

After: 25 bullets to the head. 34 * 25 = 850 dmg

Results: as you can see the more health some has the more of a difference it makes, particularly in the body shot department where it now has a four bullet difference. However do take notice that that these body shot values are donde with higher magazine than what Rocket currently has at 45 bullets.

Tldr: unless you are fighting a tank or someone getting hard healed (like a support ult) where the damage per second makes a difference, you won't really kill faster in a meaningful way.

Having said that, his healing has gone quite crazy.

People are making a huge fuzz about Starlord's 25% ammo increase, and how that's effectively a 25% damage increase if you land all your shots... Well they did the same for Rocket's healing balls. He went from 8 to 10, which is a 25% increase too. This coupled with the ult charge reduction Rocket is moftenly the first support to ult. Now you can reliably ult before the enemy Phoenix has her ult, and before most supports other supports too.

You are effectively increasing your healing per minute by 25% if you are using your whole magazine.

Before:

Ammo: 8

One orb: 55hp

Orbs per second: 2

Time to empty the magazine: 4 seconds

Reload time: ~1 second (there is no official data for the reload time)

Healing per minute, taking into account the reload time: 5280 hp per a continuous minute of direct heals. This isn't taking into account the healing re-bounce and the aura that gives 50hp/s when near an orb.

After:

Ammo: 10

One orb: 55hp

Orbs per second: 2

Time to empty the magazine: 5 seconds

Reload time: ~1 second (there is no official data for the reload time)

Healing per minute, taking into account the reload time: 5500 hp per a continuous minute of direct heals. Without taking into account the healing re-bounce and the aura that gives 50hp/s when near an orb.

This a net gain of 220hp/min feeds into your ult and that's whats most noticeable about Rocket right now. Because even though it's a 25% ammo increase the increase to per minute value is only a 4.17%. However his ult generates much faster.

How so?

Ult generation in marvel rivals is iffy, but the gist of it is that supports convert 75% of dmg and healing dealt into ult charge meaning if you heal or deal 100 dmg you get 75 points towards your ult charge.

Taking this into account:

Before:

Healing per minute of direct hits: 5280

Ult gained per minute from heals: 3960

Points needed to ult: 4300

Thus I would need 1 minute and 5 seconds to get my ultimate on continuous direct hits (once again it could be faster with he healing aura and rebound mechanism), or 65.15 seconds to be precise.

After:

Healing per minute of direct hits: 5500

Ult gained per minute from heals: 4125

Points needed to ult: 4000

This means I would only need 58.2 seconds to gain my ult (actually would be faster considering rebound and heal aura once again) this roughly shaves off 7 seconds off of your ult cool down this is huge.

This change could mean winning a fight or not, or saving a fight or not. Also consider how much time you fighting and healing you are doing and the passive ult generation. Rocket is getting so many more ults on average per match.

Tldr to everything: Rocket dmg buff is mostly insignificant unless in very, VERY specific scenarios, his raw healing buff isn't also so much but paired with the uptime and ult charge buff it makes a significant difference to how many ults Rocket gets during a match.

Do feel free to correct me or give me your opinion on the matter.

Just had a count Rocket argue with me as I was tanking (I have 71 hours on rocket) about them healing way too low. I go watch the match and this guy was bouncing every orb as people get dying right in front of him.

Please. Aim your orbs.

Guys, I love shredding the Devil Dinosaur so much, you have no idea. How is your experience so far? For me it's definitely more enjoyable. Rocket still feels clunky while wall running, so personally I don't use that much. But with the new buffs, he is on a good path!

Happy gaming, fellow raccoons!

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