Idea Archer.

What if there was a certain amount of time before an archer walks out of spawn that prevents them from shooting? Keep everything else but make it so that archers cant just hide in spawn and walk out for 2 seconds shoot, walk back in etc.

EDIT: similar to the request where we talked about making a timer before ninja can pearl out of spawn etc

 

I like this idea more than a complete rework/tweak to archer/ninja, would not hinder previous gameplay a lot, but would help increase overall QOL

 

probably 5-10 second range id say. a few seconds would be too short

 

Add in one minor detail and I could see this idea working for a "change things up and see how it goes" test:

If the player with "spawn sickness" is hit from an enemy at all (even if from a harmless enemy Medic web, Mage ice block, enemy Ninja flash bomb, etc.) then they can start to pearl or shoot or cast spells immediately after (yes, you forgot to include Mages in your "don't let them spam fresh from spawn" list, hehehe). Buffing and healing potions from enemy Chemists and heals from enemy Mages wouldn't get rid of the delay though. Only "inconvenient" enemy interactions would get rid of it.

It would still cut back on the unfair advantages, but it would also reduce being kill-farmed at spawn (during the hours that MODs aren't online)...because during those seconds each time they leave spawn they would otherwise be sitting ducks when they try to defend themselves (as those same classes) until the spawn-kill-farming enemies are dealt with.

Even if having the "spawn sickness" removed immediately is abused by having a buddy on the opposite team tossing a ninja egg at you each time you spawn in, that would mean a player on their team is going to be occupied by that task each time...and that would be one less player on their team focusing on flag work or mid field combat during that time.

Come to think of it, a "spawn block triggered" delay for all special class abilities could be worth trying out - but just have it different amounts of time for each group of classes. Classes like Dwarf, Fashionista and Heavy could have no delays at all. Elves, Medics and Soldiers could have a SHORT delay (maybe 3 seconds?) before they can shoot, boost or heal (to reduce abuse of close-to-spawn flag carrying stale mates a bit). Assassins, Chemists, Pyros and many of the shooters/launchers like Engineer, Necro and Scout could have a MODERATE delay (maybe 5 seconds?). This could cut back on much of the "I'm only playing Chemist to buff people right at spawn at the beginning of the match, then I'm switching" behavior too (I'm guilty of it myself, ha). Finally, the Archers, Mages, and Ninjas could have a LONG delay (maybe 7 seconds?) before their special effects kick in. All of the ability delays experienced from spawn would be completely negated once something from an enemy player affects them (including the Assassin's abilities? I personally vote that it should be true for an Assassin who just respawned after using an assassination too - to simplify the CTF mechanics and to keep things fair - even if the Assassin's delay has to be longer from spawn to balance it out).

((To be technical, mainly for the developers if this is strongly considered: I suggest that if this were worked in, a bow that is fully drawn would have no effect at all and produce no arrow at all if the arrow would be released for any bow-wielding classes that are given a "spawn sickness" limitation during their delay period. But, if fully drawn, then the player is hit by something "inconvenient", and THEN the arrow is released AFTER, then the arrow would shoot out and have its normal effect...whether it be snipe potential, blast/fire potential, or element potential. Also, potions, abilities, etc. would either be something like a "glass pane" during the delay time or no effects would show at all and no cooldowns would trigger and the stack counts would not drop at all -- this way a potion that is dropped or spells or pearls that are flying around won't be confusing when they yield no effect))

Over all, your spawn-caused ability usage delay (or "spawn sickness" since the term seems to fit, heh heh) for Archers and Ninjas is certainly a brainstorm inducing idea! I like it!