Why the new negev buff might actually be a nerf

[junfour]

Here's 3kliksphilip's explanation of the change for context:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1HUI5flPd8

I love the negev. I know I might be the only one that does. But I still love the negev, and I'm proud of it. The negev is specifically a weapon for holding corners or pushing with your team. In conventional aim duels it is hopelessly bad, of course, because of the delay before useful fire begins. But here's the thing: it should stay that way. The whole point of these patches Valve has been making is to give the negev a place in the game, right? Well, in that case, the latest patch is counterproductive.

The negev should be overpowered... but only after a considerable delay. That way it becomes an effective, yet highly situational weapon. This is pretty much what the negev was before the latest change, and I was pretty happy with it (though I still thought it was slightly underpowered).

With the latest change, the armor penetration of the negev has been nerfed, making OHK headshots through helmets a thing of the past. The horrible thing about this change is that it is now much safer to peek a corner that is being held with a negev: the negev's primary use has been nerfed. Also, the nerf to movement speed while firing makes pushing with it suicidal. So from the two uses I found for the negev, one is now suicidal to do and the other one has been nerfed a bit. Okay.

So what do I get in return? Well, the price has been reduced, which is cool I guess, but the gun wasn't exactly expensive to begin with. This looks to me like Valve is just giving up on the negev by trying to make it the crap gun you buy if you can't afford anything else. Then there is the slight reduction in the time it takes for the gun to get accurate, which I think is a really good change, and I think the patch would have been much better if this was the only change. Lastly, there is a change that I think is the most counterproductive one: buff to burst fire accuracy. Burst fire accuracy? Really? Horribly inaccurate burst fire is the whole point of the negev; it is the very reason that it was allowed to have such good DPS and accurate spray fire in the first place. I know exactly why this change was made though: if it can't burst or tap fire, typical CS players have no idea what to do with it. Valve, please stop trying to force the negev on these people. They are never going to appreciate her like I do. Most people are unable to recognize the negev's beauty, and that's fine. Just make her beautiful in her own way and let the people who see this beauty take advantage of it.

Here's what I, as a negev lover, think the latest patch should have changed:
- Less time for the fire to become accurate (like what the latest patch did.)
- Decreased damage drop off over distance (for increased OHK headshot potential.)
- Slightly increased wall penetration (because shooting into corners is what the gun is for.)
(- Maybe a moving and jumping accuracy buff to make pushing a bit easier.)
(- No change to movement speed or burst fire accuracy.)

These changes would make the negev better at its job. (Also, the negev would remain useless in aim duels, like it should.) Most people would still not use it, of course. A gun like this would only be bought by the people who understand what it's for. With a negev, you are not going to 1v1 aim duel people, you are not going to jiggle peek, you are not going to push without knowing where the enemy is and you are certainly not going to shoot reactively. And that's perfectly okay. Because the negev is primarily a gun for slaughtering entire teams that are stupid enough to think they can push a corner that you are holding with it. And I think the game is a lot more interesting with a gun that is that different from the rest.

[mytton]

Negev 2.0 vs Negev 2.1 analyze
Negev 2.0
Take 15 shot to enter lazer mode (*)
Can 1 tap at medium range (+)

Negev 2.1
Take 13 shot to enter lazer mode (*)
Only 1700 (+)
Can burst at close range (+)
Can NOT 1 tap (-)
Movement: When fire you only move as half as the original speed (-)
Armor penetration reduced by 5% (-)

In my opinion this is more like a buff

[mytton]

Originally posted by blancheee:

Originally posted by Fleshy Mammals ( No PC ):

Negev 2.0 vs Negev 2.1 analyze
Negev 2.0
Take 15 shot to enter laser mode (*)
Can 1 tap at medium range (+)

Negev 2.1
Take 13 shot to enter laser mode (*)
Only 1700 (+)
Can burst at close range (+)
Can NOT 1 tap (-)
Movement: When fire you only move as half as the original speed (-)
Armor penetration reduced by 5% (-)

In my opinion this is more like a buff

laser

Ffs I hate auto correct

[junfour]

Originally posted by Fleshy Mammals ( No PC ):

Negev 2.0 vs Negev 2.1 analyze
Negev 2.0
Take 15 shot to enter lazer mode (*)
Can 1 tap at medium range (+)

Negev 2.1
Take 13 shot to enter lazer mode (*)
Only 1700 (+)
Can burst at close range (+)
Can NOT 1 tap (-)
Movement: When fire you only move as half as the original speed (-)
Armor penetration reduced by 5% (-)

In my opinion this is more like a buff

Hence the "might" in the title. It remains to be seen exactly how detrimental the armor penetration nerf is for corner holding. It is unlikely of course to hit people only once in the head without hitting any body shots but it is obvious that kill times are still affected to some degree. From long distances, "99 in 1" was actually a pretty common thing for me to see even before the patch. But that being said, the smaller wait for the fire to become accurate is incredibly useful (though only useful if you've already made the mistake of not knowing where and where the enemy is).

[Die for me]

Which is better, Negev or UMP? As I understood UMP main rival for Negev.

[Dewa]

It went from OP to hilariously OP

The burst accuracy will one-burst anyone now

[junfour]

Originally posted by LeWolfie!:

It went from OP to hilariously OP

The burst accuracy will one-burst anyone now

I... never really thought of that. I've always used the negev in a very particular way, so I didn't realize the burst fire itself could be OP now. Yeah, if you can hit the burst then obviously it will kill instantly because it deals like 99 damage with a headshot through a helmet.

[junfour]

Originally posted by Access to Despair:

Which is better, Negev or UMP? As I understood UMP main rival for Negev.

UMP and Negev play completely differently... or they used to at least. Before the latest patch making the comparison would have been meaningless, but now maybe not so much.

[choppa]

Valve can change whatever they want. No one will use the negev.

[AleRi0N_]

Valve is just testing the Negev, it will be changed later on.

[Die for me]

Originally posted by Phi6er:

Originally posted by Access to Despair:

Which is better, Negev or UMP? As I understood UMP main rival for Negev.

UMP and Negev play completely differently... or they used to at least. Before the latest patch making the comparison would have been meaningless, but now maybe not so much.

No? Same targets and same distance range for ct-side. For t-side negev useless of cuz.

[Dewa]

Originally posted by Phi6er:

Originally posted by LeWolfie!:

It went from OP to hilariously OP

The burst accuracy will one-burst anyone now

I... never really thought of that. I've always used the negev in a very particular way, so I didn't realize the burst fire itself could be OP now. Yeah, if you can hit the burst then obviously it will kill instantly because it deals like 99 damage with a headshot through a helmet.

oh boy you're in for a treat

a short half second burst will annihilate anyone

[junfour]

Originally posted by Access to Despair:

Originally posted by Phi6er:

UMP and Negev play completely differently... or they used to at least. Before the latest patch making the comparison would have been meaningless, but now maybe not so much.

No? Same targets and same distance range for ct-side. For t-side negev useless of cuz.

The delay before accurate fire makes the negev play completely differently from any other weapon in the game. If you try to use the negev like you use other guns, of course you'll think it's useless.

[junfour]

Originally posted by choppa | Team Spastic:

Valve can change whatever they want. No one will use the negev.

I have. And I will.

[Dewa]

Originally posted by choppa | Team Spastic:

Valve can change whatever they want. No one will use the negev.

Lmao do you even play dust2 comp

Everyone's using it

[junfour]

Originally posted by LeWolfie!:

Originally posted by choppa | Team Spastic:

Valve can change whatever they want. No one will use the negev.

Lmao do you even play dust2 comp

Everyone's using it

What skill group?

Also, it makes me sad that other people are putting their filthy hands on my best girl. :(