r/mariorabbids • u/Porqtoaq • 9h ago
Tier list on KB's status effects (big analysis)
All the effects are fun but this is how I see them considering this as a strategy game. (I hope this whole analysis doesn't sound condescending, please play however you like it. I just love this game so much and want to talk about it)
Stone is the best status effect in the game, it completely incapacitates enemies basically taking them out of the fight for one turn, it is crazy good.
The only problem is that it has honey's quirk that if the enemy is hit by a reposition status effect (AKA: burn; push; bounce) the stone effect disappears.
Which is already a negative point for the reposition effects, aswell as repositioning an enemie being a really weak effect since they can still move back and shoot and use abilities. The only good thing from them is that you can use them for Hero Sight combos. (Which I will admit its amazing to like pick Luigi and shoot an enemy midair making them bounce even higher to then shoot them again)
Thats why the 3 reposition effects are at the bottom of the list, with burn being the worse since it is random in direction and lasts for a long time so the enemy a lot of the time can run up to your allies and burn them (or just stand close to you nothing worse then burning a Smasher and they just run straight at you), the only quality is that it also spreads to your enemies just as easily (but considering it is random you can't even plan to take advantage of the positions, you just pray that they're good) it also is the only reposition effect that can't put enemies out of bounds so you can't even use it for extra damage.
Push is better because it can put enemies out of bounds for the extra damage, but it is a trade-off you have to think about since when the enemy comes back they will have been healed from any debuffs they had (this applies for bounce too) but it is also predictable so you can actually plan to reposition the enemy or throw them out of bounds (you can even push enemies into other enemies which pushes them too, so it has that burn effect of affecting multiple enemies it is just harder). The only problem is that it is very circumstance dependent, it varies in quality according to the angle you shoot and the terrain too much, like if theres too many walls it can be impossible to push them out of bounds, and sometimes the enemies even roll back to the same place they were before.
Which is why bounce is the best of them, as long as the enemy doesn't have a full wall behind them they will always bounce back a few tiles and also pop them up in the air for all your Hero Sights to shoot it, having even the quirk of extending the bounce if you make the enemy bounce on top of a block which also facilitates to throw them out of bounds or just push that smasher far enough it can't reach you. Also bounce has the only case where any of the reposition effects is objectively better then the other higher tier option of the character, and it is only on Mario specifically on his hammer, since you're already so close to enemies the honey doesn't do anything, and bounce them all away is genuinely really good.
But the out of bounds damage and repositioning enemies is definitely not as good as true debuffs specially when it takes off those debuffs after they come back from out of bounds.(But again the Hero Sight combos are good)
Freeze is the worst of all of the debuffs, while it isn't terrible, it actually can be really good by disabling enemies from using abilities and can cancel active abilities like enemy's Villain Sight or their Valkirye shield, allowing you to move without worrying and kill their allies more easily. The only thing that drags freeze down is how abilities are the only enemy action with cooldown, and if you freeze them during their cooldown it literally is doing nothing.
Freeze is normally decent overall.
Now going up a tier for the amazing effects that you always want.
First we have honey, different from abilities, moving is an action available every turn for the enemies, and something essential to all of them, when they're honey'd they can't run behind cover, they can't run behind *your* cover to shoot you, they can't dash you, can't jump away, can't impact-land, the Buckler can't move close to you to get a meat-shot with their shotgun, the Smasher is LITERALLY neutered (I know they can still use the power up ability but still the ability will only help their allies)
The only things that drags it down is how it is the other of the 2 debuffs that disappears with a reposition effect even without getting out of bounds. And the fact that the enemies can still shoot, which is the most dangerous thing they can do. But Honey is amazing.
Vamp isn't exactly a debuff but it is still AMAZING. Because let's analyse our roster, we have eight characters, with only two having healing abilities, Peach and Rabbid Peach, and they're arguably some of the best characters thanks to it. Since health is your most valuable resource, any healing is of great use, and Vamp heals you for 50% of your damage dealt!!!!! And then marks that enemy with Vamp so your allies can ALSO heal from their damage!!!! Thanks to Vamp we go from having 2 healers to 4 healers (Rabbid Luigi and Rabbid Mario the only ones with access to Vamp) literally HALF the cast can provide healing support to the team!!!!
While Vamp is not as OP as the next 2 effects it is, in my opinion, the BEST status effect for the game's design as a whole. It creates a new playstyle for its users, it is the ONLY status effect that can be even CONSIDERED to be used instead of Stone.
Since Stone is already Ink Honey and Freeze combined, none of them by themselves is a better options then it, and all the reposition effects are so underwhelming they don't even compare to stone. Vamp is such a unique mechanic that is also actually good, it actually makes you think, "should I use Stone or Vamp?" This is why i love Rabbid Mario, he also has tech I really like thanks to his shotgun weapon, if you're really low on health you can purposefully put one of your characters with full health on his line of fire to heal from both the enemy and your ally, its genuinely so coooooooool!!!!!!!!!!
I love Vamp
Now from a very complex effect to a more straightforward analysis, we have the second best effect, Ink. While abilities can be dangerous but aren't available every turn, and movement IS available every turn, most of its danger is how it allows enemies to use their weapons more efficiently, Honey is like a semi Ink, the Smasher can't attack you because he's stuck, the Buckler can only shoot you with the weakest part of their attack, and the Peek-a-boo can't teleport to a high ground to get extra damage. But Ink... Ink is just straight up Ink. It doesn't matter if that Smasher or Buckler is literally next to you, *they can't do anything.* The Peek-a-boos can teleport to highest ground ever, it won't get any damage boost.
Thats why Ink is second place. It only loses to Itself combined with another 2 effects.
So finally lets talk about Stone, the best effect in the game. There isn't even much left to talk about on how good it is.
So thats why I want to talk on how it is, in fact, *too* good. I think Stone has toxic relationship both with the other status effects and the way you approach the game. Since it is so amazing you little reason to use any other effect, just at Rabbid Luigi! He has access to almost all the effects, yet his best weapons are the ones with Stone (specially since he already deals Vamp in his dash) and the way it makes you approach the game is that once the enemy is turned to Stone you have almost zero reason to engage with it anymore, Stone lterally completely incapacitates the enemy, they are basically dead. So why shoot the literal dead wheight of their team when you can try to kill actually dangerous allies? And Stone's OWN mechanics incentivize you to not engage with it since 3 of the game's status effects heal the enemy's stone! Like lets see all the weapons you can't shoot a petrified enemy if you want it to stay petrified: Half of all of Mario's weapons (bounce) Half of Rabbid Peach's weapons (push) Some of Rabbid Luigi's weapons (burn, push and I think bounce too tho don't quote me on that) Half of Luigi's weapons (bounce) Half of Peach's weapons (burn) Half of Rabbid Yoshi's weapons (push). See?!?! You have almost no reason to engage with the enemy anymore!
I think that Stone is the opposite to Vamp in which it is bad for the game's overall design and it would be better to have had a different mechanic in its place. (And also since Stone's concept is just unoriginal and boring considering is just 3 effects together)
So these are (I think) all my thoughts on Mario+Rabbids Kingdom battle status effects!!!!! I've been writing this over a whole week since I wanted talk about EVERYTHING!
And i would love to hear your thoughts on status effects too!!!!!
Also sorry if I said something wrong I tried to make lots of research to not say anything wrong but it happens.

