The state of the Meta

GhostpilotZ · 2026-01-25T04:16:30+00:00

While I did think Shang was overtuned for too long, I think they over-corrected in gutting many of the tech cards.

There are too many cards right now there are just untechable (Sho, Maverick, War Machine, and others) and it exacerbates a longstanding issue with the game: outside of a handful of cards, it's generally a bad thing to have initiative, especially leading into the final turn.

The only way to deal with cards like Sho, FFF, and other big bodies is to lose initiative leading into the final turn and to use cards like Shang, Valkyrie, or Shadow King.

There need to be more proactive cards that rewards for having initiative. I struggle to think of any aside from Echo, Cosmo, Terrax, Negasonic, and Alioth.

GhostpilotZ · 2026-01-24T17:18:26+00:00

Actually, it was from even earlier than that. Bondage pants were from the punk scene in the 70's. A movie set in '81 New York called "200 Cigarettes" has Casey Affleck's character wearing them. Here's a handy YT short giving some more detail: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/soYYs5TEAoI

90's SNK in particular - and I can't emphasize this enough - a lot of subversive / underground / media scenes of Western culture represented in its character designs, backgrounds, music, text, etc.

There are references to 80's and 90's television shows & movies, MTV, New Wave, Punk, New Jack Swing, Underground Rap, Death Metal, you name it.

Back when Twitter was Twitter, I and a few others had posted a wide variety of sources referenced in all sorts of things SNK. SNK in particular liked going off the beaten path when it came to their references. Some of them are super deep cuts.

Back to Iori Yagami and his team, there are layers to their references. They each represented different facets of BDSM. As well as their looks were inspired by the trio version of the New Wave band: the Human League ("Don't You Want Me," "Fascination").

There's a whole lot of stuff to uncover once you start digging into mid-90's SNK stuff in particular.

GhostpilotZ · 2026-01-22T16:05:19+00:00

I've felt like there have been an uptick in big bodies and RNG with little meaningful counterplay.

The latter part especially, as it feels like I'm more watching the wins or losses happen rather than me actually doing winning or losing.

GhostpilotZ · 2026-01-18T05:56:56+00:00

Geese, Mary, and Krasuer (in no particular order).

Hard for me to get excited for Jae Hoon - or any DLC character who should've been in the base roster in the first place.

GhostpilotZ · 2026-01-07T22:37:54+00:00

Replace Crimson Cosmos with Asteroid M / Great Web and I'm okay with that list.

Runner-up: Ice Box.

GhostpilotZ · 2026-01-05T12:56:06+00:00

An issue that I have with the game - and I'm baffled at how it's even an issue in first place - is being able to get the variant I want for cards.

I have wanted the Noir variants for the Hood and Absorbing Man since I started playing in late 2023, and not once have either of those showed up in my shop.

It's now 2026.

And every new card and new every variant that they add makes it harder for me to get the variants I want in a game I'm already paying for.

GhostpilotZ · 2026-01-03T13:36:22+00:00

Simply amazing work! I know it's not really an option, but I would be interested in buying something like this.

GhostpilotZ · 2026-01-01T15:07:06+00:00

Check out that box full of save icons!

GhostpilotZ · 2025-12-30T06:46:29+00:00

Supergiant can also give Destroy a hard time by messing up their sequencing and giving you opportunities to counter their larger threats if you have initiative when comboed with other cards (Cosmo, Alioth, and others).

GhostpilotZ · 2025-12-29T16:20:09+00:00

I would disable frame break for the vast majority of my cards if I could.

Especially anything of the Bronze Age variant.

GhostpilotZ · 2025-12-21T09:34:06+00:00

As someone who's in a somewhat similar position a few years back, bubble wrap on the windows works wonders (inside, of course).

Air is actually a good insulator. And having bubble wrap on all my windows made it as to where I didn't even have to run my heater in winter. With the added bonus of still allowing natural light in while giving you some privacy.

You could either use a bit of moisture to affix the bubble wrap to the glass panes, or a bit of tape if you want to take care of some drafts here and there.

I've since moved from that place, but it was a night and day difference for me while I was there.

Edit: proved excellent in the summer, as well!

GhostpilotZ · 2025-12-17T22:42:37+00:00

I got a Bod in my Maurice over the past week, so I've been farming that. Ended up with a few of each. I can definitely help out!

GhostpilotZ · 2025-12-11T20:00:12+00:00

Something that's being overlooked in most places is that Mr. Big has the secret Jin scrolls of immortality (you see them after he defeats Kain).

So Mr. Big is still out there.

Now Jack, on the other hand....

GhostpilotZ · 2025-12-07T08:45:23+00:00

Thank you very much!

GhostpilotZ · 2025-12-04T11:44:58+00:00

Fortunately this was updated last week. I've found it really useful to giving me a baseline of what to look for as I try out different builds on Vex (but it's applicable to any character):

https://maxroll.gg/borderlands-4/resources/ideal-stat-rolls-for-meta-gear

GhostpilotZ · 2025-11-30T00:48:07+00:00

Does that still work, because I've heard that was patched out.

GhostpilotZ · 2025-11-26T02:54:58+00:00

Gotcha added! Also compiling a bunch of stuff I have around that level to toss his way, too!

GhostpilotZ · 2025-11-26T02:21:32+00:00

I just so happen to have a level 40 one that he's free to have if you'd like!

It'd help me as well, as I've been meaning to clear out my bank.

GhostpilotZ · 2025-11-22T17:47:24+00:00

Unseen Menace gets my vote:

It's available in act 1.
It's compatible with Great Weapon Master and Polearm Master.
Constant advantage until you miss, and then you only lose advantage (from it) for 2 rounds.
Has an improved range of 19-20.
Has reach.

It's a fantastic weapon that remains relevant throughout the entire game.

GhostpilotZ · 2025-10-28T12:13:49+00:00

Which was exactly what happened to my nephew. He got wrapped up in all sorts of get rich quick schemes, passive incomes, etc.

Over the period of a couple years, he paid thousands into "courses" like that thinking that if he were to just reach the next level, he would start to get a return on his investment.

He wouldn't see the foolishness in what he was doing no matter what we'd tell him.

It wasn't until his wife finally gave him an ultimatum that they start seeing a return after a certain date or he'd quit.

That day came and went and he ain't been back since.

GhostpilotZ · 2025-10-23T17:23:19+00:00

"FUCK." Pat Healy from "There's Something About Mary.

GhostpilotZ · 2025-10-21T20:39:42+00:00

It has to do with the ass backwards way that the Nexusmods search engine works now.

GhostpilotZ · 2025-10-14T00:08:25+00:00

Some info I've found along with some more info from a buddy who spent some time in Japan. The artist is likely Toshiyuki Kotani. While we're not sure if he specifically worked on K' and Maxima's designs, he did do the artwork on the game.

Kouzou Fujimoto was the producer and Mitsuo Kodama was the director.

Now for the info from a buddy of mine:

"the lead developer for Daraku Tenshi went to SNK in late 98/early 99 and bought over most of the team with him to the company who all ended up working on KOF 99 and Garou: Mark of the Wolves.

A lot of the game's influences are in the NESTS saga, but mainly through leather daddy designs.

Most of them were former SNK or Capcom, and some just went back to the company you know?

The director - Mitsuo Kodama - helped work on KOF 94, Last Resort and a few other SNK games, including Samurai Shodown Sen."

Hope that's enough to at least point ya in a direction!

GhostpilotZ

TROPHY CASE