Thoughts on Factions and Suggestions Following the Recent Survey Announcement With the recent conversations sparked by the survey announcement, I wanted to share some of my thoughts regarding the faction system and offer some ideas I believe could contribute meaningfully to the ongoing discussion. 1. The Strength of Factions Lies in Their Identity First off, I really enjoy the faction system. What makes it shine is that each faction has its own unique identity, complete with strengths and weaknesses. This gives players strategic choices that matter. While there’s always room for balancing tweaks, I believe the core idea is solid and engaging. Balancing doesn't need to rely solely on abilities—if a faction’s ultimate isn’t as strong (looking at you, Aeros), there's room to compensate through stronger weapons or unique passive perks. Equipment and perk synergy within factions also make the system feel cohesive and, importantly, easier to balance—especially when it comes to competitive modes like ranked. 2. Concerns About Cross-Faction Weapon Use There's been a lot of talk lately about allowing players to use any weapon regardless of faction. While I see the appeal in that kind of freedom, my biggest concern is the risk of a dominant "meta" forming—one overpowered combo that everyone ends up using, leading to less diversity in gameplay. If cross-faction weapon usage does become a feature, I’d strongly recommend implementing noticeable bonuses for using your faction's signature weapon. Likewise, there should be a clear penalty (not game-breaking, but enough to influence decision-making) for using a different faction’s gear. This way, players are encouraged to stick with their faction identity, even if they occasionally branch out. 3. Factions and Ranked Play Ranked is something the whole community is excited for—myself included! But it does raise questions about how to maintain balance without sacrificing player freedom. One potential issue is everyone gravitating toward a single faction if no restrictions are in place. I’ve seen two approaches that help avoid this: Limiting team compositions to one of each faction (e.g., one Meridian, one Sabrask, two Aeros). Allowing a maximum of two players from the same faction per team, which adds flexibility while still preventing faction stacking. Both systems have merit, and I’d love to see something similar applied here. Also—side note—I think Aeros gets slept on a lot. People underestimate the value of their PP (Porta-Portal), but used right, it’s incredibly powerful. 4. PUGs and Custom Games Could Use Smart Team Balancing One feature that would be an absolute game-changer for PUGs and customs: a random teams button that uses SBMM/ELO to create balanced teams. This would make it far easier to jump into a fair and fun match without needing someone to manually balance teams based on guesswork. It would go a long way toward making customs more accessible and enjoyable for everyone, especially in less organized or on-the-fly lobbies. These are just a few of the things I’ve been thinking about, and I hope they can add some value to the current discussion. The faction system has so much potential, and with a few thoughtful adjustments, it can support a game that’s competitive, diverse, and fun at every level.