How does everyone feel about the Tainted Lazarus buffs?

[AlluMan96]

I'm generally curious to know, because if there was any aspect of Repentance that desperately needed re-tooling, it was Tainted Lazarus. Back at launch, the guy was barely playable and you needed to do these massive game-breaking loops just to have any small drop of fun with him. With the way the game pretty much ensures the two of them should have relatively equal items, it turns him into at least a playable character, if nothing else.

Personally though? While he is about as good as it'll get for the gimmick, I can't say I'm crazy about him even still. It's about what I expected, because even past the completely terrible way in which he was expected to make by before, I could tell I just didn't vibe with the character concept as a whole. What it all boils down to is that, simply put, playing Tainted Lazarus is slow. Like, waiting-times-at-a-hospital-slow. Especially now that the flip-effect to item pedestals has been introduced, there's just so much time trying to optimally set everything up, planning out your room progressions to have the most item charges possible, trying to make it so the right character gets the right item, it's just this tremendous pain in the ass. And despite all of the effort, most of the time the 2 end up being lopsided af anyway, leading to half the run with you steamrolling opponents and the other half dragging your feet as a mediocre build is being carried to later levels than it'd ever have made it to by itself. Never before have I had rooms time out more than they do playing this character. He's another character I'd place in the "luck-dependent" camp, because the same "You need not just one powerful build, but two" logic that plagued him since launch still applies. They just made it marginally easier to get to that point.

However, if there is anything Repentance has taught me, it's to never feel fully convicted about any opinion. While I can't really see myself ever willingly playing this character after I'm done, I'm curious to know if other people like em' and why they like him. Hell, I see characters like T. Forgotten and T. Jacob dunked on quite regularly and I think they're S-tier characters.

[squat_instructor]

I think fine line was walked with reworking characters that needed it without trivializing them too much.

As for complaints that now shifted to other characters - they will always be there. With glaring issues fixed the next worst thing is going to take its place, and this is where you have to start filtering legitimate issues from refusal to adapt and learn.

I would say as far as current content goes brushing off technical issues and some broken sequences/synergies is all that is left.

[Zoobi]

I like all the characters now honestly

[MkayShock Madness]

The buff is not enough, imo. Even though I made progress with him now, I struggle to get Delirium, Mother and The Beast done, I usually can get close to it or even into the final boss fights, but either I have no HP or not enough Damage to make it through ... :/

[The Fountaineer 🖋]

He feels more fun once you get Birthright, otherwise he’s a x2 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ version of Jacob and Esau.

[Misery]

Tried him once just now.

Probably wont ever do so again unless a mod either drastically reworks or outright replaces him.

As much as I love this game it has some spectacularly strange design decisions that end up being just irritating rather than challenging.