Apex Legends pro ImperialHal explains why Kraber should be removed from competitive
TSM/Respawn EntertainmentApex Legends pro player Phillip ‘ImperialHal’ Dosen has called for the Kraber to be removed from competitive play and explained why its one-shot potential is unfair.
When it comes to Apex Legends highlight reels, there’s one weapon that stands out from the crowd, and that’s the Kraber.
This huge and incredibly powerful sniper rifle is capable of one-shotting enemies from any distance with a well-aimed headshot and is obtained through care packages that drop in the late game.
Of course, it’s the Kraber’s unrivaled damage at long-range that has made it a heavily debated topic among pro players, with a lot of them arguing for its removal in competitive play.
Hoping to draw Respawn’s attention to the issue, TSM pro ImperialHal took to Twitter to explain exactly why the Kraber doesn’t deserve a place in pro matches.
Respawn EntertainmentShould the Kraber be removed from Apex competitive play?
Apex Legends is filled with an array of weapons that are all vastly different from one another, so what makes the Kraber such a contentious topic in competitive play?
Well, it all stems from the gun’s ability to one-shot an opponent from a distance, which is not possible with any other weapon in the game.
This means in a competitive match, a player can be taken out immediately, without the ability to counter or outplay the Kraber user.
On September 6, ImperialHal took to Twitter to raise attention to the issue, in the hopes that Respawn would take note and make the change.
If we can remove Heat shields and gold res from comp we can also remove the Kraber from comp too. THIS IS FOR COMPETITVE CASUALS SO DONT GET UPSET AND SHUT UP 👍
— ImperialHal (@ImperialHal) September 7, 2021
Although the majority of the replies agreed with Hal, one Twitter user made the comparison to H1Z1’s 308 sniper, arguing that they think there is a place for a one-shot sniper in Apex.
In response, Hal stated that Apex and H1Z1 have incredibly different TTK ratios. While in H1Z1, players can two tap opponents with basic guns, Apex has a lot longer TTK, making the Kraber the outlier and immensely powerful.
well in H1 you can two tap with basic guns while the sniper one taps so it isnt that unbalanced however in Apex basic guns dont do that while kraber can one shot you
— ImperialHal (@ImperialHal) September 7, 2021
The conversation didn’t end there, with the user suggesting that it may be worth nerfing the Kraber’s damage, rather than removing it from competitive completely.
Not only that, they argued that the 308’s one-shot in H1Z1 was game over for the enemy, whereas in Apex, you always have the possibility to revive a teammate.
While Hal acknowledged that a nerf to the Kraber could be a solution, he expressed that such a drastic change to an iconic weapon wouldn’t feel right.
On top of this, he argued that despite the ability to revive in Apex, there are very few opportunities to do so in a pro match, as opponents will often push if they sense any sign of weakness.
i think it would just feel off for damage to be changed for a gun like that , imo from playing comp Apex even tho theres a possibility of being rez'd or respawned its very likely for you to be insta wiped because its usually an opener for a team to push you and once its a 2v3 in
— ImperialHal (@ImperialHal) September 7, 2021
Overall, Hal’s tweet led to a healthy debate between two players on both sides of the coin. While the majority of pros agree that the Kraber should be removed, it’s obvious Respawn are reluctant to do so.
This could be down to the weapon’s entertainment value, with one-shots always making for great highlight-reel clips. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see whether the competitive organizers agree with Hal, or decide to keep Apex’s deadly sniper in the hands of pro players.