Blizzard's Ice Princess: Mei's Role in the Meta

In my first article on theory, I talked about the concept of tempo and how teams should think about their executions and positioning on offense and defense. I outlined two main modes for team compositions: fast and slow. Fast modes rely on quick execution based play, looking to catch teams out of position and overwhelm the enemy backlines. Slow modes are more methodical, focusing on clearing angles and slowly gaining ground through chip damage. Fast mode compositions are more common because Overwatch, with its high-speed gameplay, promotes individual skill and outplaying opponents. Slower play requires discipline, in additional to a relatively high individual skill cap.

But why is slow mode so hard to play? The current model of slow mode is more reactive and is not able to take advantage of faster compositions the same way that faster compositions are. In a nutshell, slow modes try to take advantage of enemy mistakes, which can become a problem if the team is unable to capitalize on openings. If only there was a way to cut these fast teams down to size…

Tracer's powers bring Mei flowers

If you told me a character was neither a tank or dps, built walls, and had a kit entirely built around slowing down intruders, I would have assumed you were talking about a tower defense game. But Mei is a reality, although Blizzard and the competitive scene seems to have forgotten her. In IcarusGamers' Meta Analysis for 7/4/16-7/10/16, Mei places at the very bottom, joined by Zen and D.va., both of whom have received buffs in the recent patch and will probably see a rise in usage.

Mei is different. She doesn’t have the damage of some of the defensive heroes she is grouped with. She isn’t inherently tanky. She is in an awkward middle ground and, in a competitive format (1HL) prioritizing being the best in a role, has seen a lack of play. However, what Mei brings to the table is conceptually game breaking. Her zone control kit hard counters aggressive tempo teams, while punishing problematic characters like Genji, D.va, and Tracer for their lack of range. Especially on CP maps, where teams are forced to contain themselves within enclosed spaces, this zone control ability is invaluable. On a different level, Mei’s control extends to creating walls and altering the environment around her. Her ice wall functions as a coded impassable obstacle, blocking line of sight attacks (like Deadeye) and AOE damage (D.va Meka Ult). Taking these skills at face value, it should come as a surprise she isn’t always first pick potential.

What Mei is missing isn’t her kit, but the lack of additional value. Especially in a single hero limit format, where team composition is essentially selected from tier A to tier D, adding Mei means subtracting another possible option. This where her weakness of non-specialization really hurts her.

​The Mei Factor

But I’m not giving up on her, and here’s why: I am convinced that Mei is the solution to a few of the balance issues Blizzard is facing.

Most players mei understand the problem I am addressing when I say “Overwatch is too fast”. Countering Tracers has reached the point where it is easier to simply “kill their team before Tracer kills our team”. Trying to outplay Genji Ultimate is comparable to figuring out exactly how low your DPI and Sensitivity actually are. Coupled with Ana’s Nanoboost ultimate and Lucio’s stable presence in the support meta, we are quickly reaching a point where characters might be too fast.

It is unlikely Blizzard will tinker with movement speed values, but it is easier to counter enemy Tracers, Genjis, and Lucios with your own, and most teams are okay with that. However, for the average player who may not be able to play these characters at a proficient level, countering speed with speed is not a viable option. League of Legends’ mobility creep is a serious example of this phenomenon hurting the viability of older characters. In League, most new champions have a speed buff, dash, or blink of some support, which limits how effective slower characters can be. This resulted in slower and older champions becoming unviable, as newer champions were created to keep up with the high mobility levels.

This is where Mei comes in. Because she operates as the only hero able to consistently reduce movement speed, her kit should act as a direct counter to some of these rising speeds, offering room for slower heroes to find their place in the meta game. Mei is not in the place I would like her to be, but taking the effort to strike an equilibrium would also set a standard for future zone-control characters and possibly even future maps.

​Do you want to build a snow-Mei?

This analysis wouldn’t be a Scr1be special unless we included some theorycrafting.

My goal is to offer you some guidelines and a possible example of what a Mei composition would look like today.

Mei centers around zone control, which looks to decrease enemy mobility and create zones of control. The team wants to put out safe damage and sustain fights while whittling down health bars. For this we need two main characteristics: shield/healing and consistent damage. It is important to include both of these traits because we are essentially making up for Mei’s lower overall values.

Let’s explore some of the microlevel interactions and my thought process behind these picks.

Support

Both of my supports can be identified as ranged supports. Because of how important keeping Mei and our DPS alive, supports need to be able to provide heals from any point and distance. I listed Zen as a key hero because of how important Orb of Discord and Transcendence synergize with Mei and the composition as a whole. Orb of Discord compensates for the lack of damage provided by Mei and turns tanky engagers into squishy targets. Discord also allows for easier 1v1s against Genji and Tracer. Transcendence contributes more to zone control by protecting capture points and negating clear-based ultimates (Death Blossom).

Ana is more of a flex support, which can be substituted for a Mercy or Lucio depending on preference. I personally like Ana for her Nanoboost and long range healing properties. She also is able to contribute quite a decent amount of damage and has an AOE heal in her grenade. Nanoboost is able to compensate for missing damage and health, while also increasing the speed on a character.

Tank

Zarya was chosen because of her versatility. Despite not being as innately tanky as a Roadhog, her shields provide another line of pseudo-health for our DPS and Mei. Because our team composition invites faster compositions to engage, she is often able to build up high levels of energy charge and is able to output more damage. Her ultimate is another zone-control ability, encouraging wombo-combos and creates space for both our damage and supports. The Zarya player is should realistically be the most skilled player in the composition because, at the core, she is the lynchpin. As the only real “tank”, if she is taken out early, it is extremely likely that the rest of the team will be taken down as well.

DPS

Reaper and McCree were slid in here because of their high levels of damage and ability to both clear areas and stop flanks. Both options provide good Nanoboost targets and have the potential to carry games.

Reaper is a great partner to Mei in the frontline. His ability to Wraith out of damage, while also healing after kills is essential for the sustain fighting Mei promotes. In addition, Reaper is able to shred tanks if not dealt with, creating more room for Mei to work. Death Blossom is another component that cannot be overlooked, as it combos both into Mei ult and Zarya ult as the last line of zone control if needed.

McCree is selected as our flex DPS because he offers the most damage. If this team composition was created a week ago, I may have substituted Pharah or Soldier. McCree is good at protecting the backline from Tracers and Genji through flashbang usage. Deadeye is another great zone control tool and offers a lot of potential with the other ultimates on our list. Lastly, the recent McCree buffs deal with Pharah extremely well, as none of the other heroes selected have an easy time contesting air control.

Your goals with the composition are to prevent flanks, while stalling out the game with good damage mitigating and positioning. Most of the team should be focused on keeping Mei alive and allowing her to slow down the assault on the main point. Because of the longer range support and Zarya’s shields, Mei is able to act more aggressively, putting up walls to prevent enemy executes and punishing flankers from getting in too close. In the case the Mei needs to assault, try to line up your ultimates to push the enemy out of position or to simply clear the point. This composition strives at playing defensively, so try not to push out of the area of control unless absolutely necessary. Try these steps to be more successful in working around Mei; remember she is the core of the composition and try to play around areas where she is stronger.

​Mei the Force be with you!

The cold reality is Mei isn’t where she should be. Through all the theorycrafting, I have come out with a single conclusion: she needs buffs. Her freeze requires 7 seconds of damage; her rightclick DPS is mediocre at best. Her kit provides so much utility, but she is unable to carry games by herself. Teams are more willing to utilize other characters, and I don’t blame them. The best Mei composition is one without her. Still, Mei remains the only hard counter to speed available and, with so many high utility abilities, there must be a place for her in this meta.

Until then, I’ll be waiting for the winter, where my dear Ice Princess will hopefully be just a little more viable.

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