The Gambit Support Group - I just realized Gambit was a partial nerf to Black Bolt

notamutant

Two months ago, I finally champed my Black Bolt, and I finally felt like I could compete in PvP at a high level. I have a few other five stars, but none that can dish out damage like Bolt. Recently, Gambit was released. Obviously, having my own Gambit eventually will go great with BB. The problem is, right now I don't have a usable Gambit. Oh well, I kept playing PvP like normal, and avoided the impossible to beat Gambit teams. I noticed I was getting hit a lot more lately. It only just clicked that my Black Bolt went from being a deterrent to being a lightning rod, since BB helps any Gambit, whether on your team or your opponents team. So people that had Gambit and no BB would attack me since I became an easier target. I find it interesting that a character can both be a boon and a curse depending on who else is on your roster. Half the teams I see in PvP now are including at least Gambit, which means I can't use BB if I fight them (although even without I would likely lose). It is kind of annoying that BB went from awesome on his own to a liability. One more area Gambit is OP in, essentially removing the stand alone usefulness of one of the older and better five stars. BSS never made OML/Phoenix teams as much of a liability since he didn't turn their own skills against them.

Would anyone else like to share their stories of unexpected ways Gambit has changed the way they have to play PvP?

Pongie

PVP is mostly about speed. Collect as many aps as possible to launch as many abilities as possible. Without a charged tile maker, Gambit has flipped this to a staring contest. Waiting for Ai to make the first move (for both red and purple). I've even hit 30 purple and red aps at times and had to make the first move.

danielrandkai

This is interesting and a good point and also good for me as I have almost no way of finishing my 5/1/2 bolt and am two covers away from finishing gambit. 

spectator

*cough*Medusa*cough*

GurlBYE

Gambit actually hurts himself in that matchup because he doesn't remove charged tiles he just cycles them.

So he doesn't at all reduce black bolts damage vs that team. It's a lot of the case of teams being weaker defensively due to AI imo. 

it provides his team with AP, but so does black bolt ordinarily littering the board with charged tiles for either team.

Jarvind

GurlBYE said:

Gambit actually hurts himself in that matchup because he doesn't remove charged tiles he just cycles them.

So he doesn't at all reduce black bolts damage vs that team. It's a lot of the case of teams being weaker defensively due to AI imo. 

it provides his team with AP, but so does black bolt ordinarily littering the board with charged tiles for either team.

Not really. Bolt throwing down charged tiles means you can start machine gunning Gambit's red as soon as you have 7, as opposed to usually needing to wait for 14 to ensure nobody matches the  tiles from your first cast. After that it takes maybe 2-3 turns to kill Bolt and then lay waste to whoever's left.

You'll take a couple turns of his passive, but the extra speed makes up for it. Plus personally I use Daredevil so he just trades the passive damage for strikes most of the time.

Avalanche Kincaid

Using gambolt against bolt/non gambit is easy pickings.  Wait for 21 red and burn opposing bolt to the floor.  Gambolt against gambolt can get dicey, but you should win 90 percent of the time, but you will be using health packs after the fight.  Was this D3's plan?  Many have BB as favorite and are missing 4 or less covers and now medusa will allow them to finish him since she was prominent during the vaulting days.  The days of panthos are coming to an end, all hail your new overlord gambolt.

Bowgentle

Avalanche Kincaid said:

Using gambolt against bolt/non gambit is easy pickings.  Wait for 21 red and burn opposing bolt to the floor.  Gambolt against gambolt can get dicey, but you should win 90 percent of the time, but you will be using health packs after the fight.  Was this D3's plan?  Many have BB as favorite and are missing 4 or less covers and now medusa will allow them to finish him since she was prominent during the vaulting days.  The days of panthos are coming to an end, all hail your new overlord gambolt.

Panthos never was for climbing, except for those poor souls who didn't have better options like Bolt Surfer.
You only saw so many Panthos teams because that was the first duo people had after hoarding.

Panthos are still the fastest for eating grills, they'll stay relevant for that.

For normal play there have been better options for a long time.

Orion

People are about to get a surge in Bolt covers today since Medusa is one of the more highly covered 4*s.

I agree with the OP that Gambit makes Bolt dangerous to use.  I used to avoid Bolt, but now I seek him out.  If you're using Bolt without Gambit, then you're asking for a beatdown in PvP.