Balance Mechanics

The four balance mechanics used in most class shooters are Speed, Damage, Health, and Abilities. All four work together to determine the role and relative strength of classes in relation to each other as well as how each class "feels." Each one has different effects on how the game is played, and has different situations in which they may be used. Each balance mechanic has different methods to adjust and control how a certain class acts in the game. The primary methods of controlling "The Big 4" are: inherent attributes, cooldowns, locks, and interplay.

Inherent attributes
Inherent attributes are the base statistics of a class, such as running speed or base damage per second, these are primarily used to adjust the "feel" of a class, and should be left alone unless absolutely necessary.

Cooldowns
Cooldowns are set intervals of time between the first use of an ability and when it can be used again. Some are visible, like ability cooldown timers, while others are invisible, such as fire rate (interval between shots). These can often be adjusted slightly to allow more powerful abilities to be useful without becoming overpowered. A general rule is that the more powerful the ability, the longer the cooldown.

Locks
Locks are any required animations, required setups, or other loss of volition during an ability. These can be voluntary, such as placing a marker or scoping in. They can also be involuntary, such as completing an associated animation or being unable to shoot or use other actions during the ability. Locks affect the use in combat and the required cost of an action. More powerful abilities tend to have more stringent locks.

Interplay
Interplay is the way that one ability "meshes with" others. Many abilities derive their full potential not by their own power, but by how they interact with other abilities to improve them. Interplay is often limited by cancellation, where the mechanics of the game simply don't allow two abilities to interact, or by employing locks to make certain interactions impossible.

Below are descriptions of each of the Big 4 in order of "balancing weight," or how strong they are in balancing.

Speed
Main Article: Speed

Speed, also known as mobility, is one of the most powerful mechanics in high level gameplay. High speed classes are harder to hit, and can control where they are and where they engage opponents on the map the best. High speed also determines how and when classes can disengage and escape from their opponents.

Damage
Main Article: Damage

Damage is a defining feature of a class, and determines how they interact with the enemy team, which is a primary interaction in shooter games. Damage determines the time to kill overall as well as interaction between specific classes. High damage classes tend to be slower, but can be quite popular among players.

Health
Main Article: Health

Health is the third "numerical" balance mechanic, determining how many hits a class can take before dying. Health also affects the mental state of the player, allowing them to feel more powerful and want to stay in place to fight longer. Health determines who can last longer in a fight.

Abilities
Main Article: Abilities

Abilities are unique to classes and introduce new mechanics. These are the most surface level of the Big 4 and are much more commonly replaced and adjusted to balance out classes. Most class groups have abilities unique to their group, and are defining characteristics of how each group feels and plays in relation to each other. Abilities that can affect all classes are usually specific to one of the other three mechanics, and are categorized under them.

Using the Big Four
As a player and not a game designer, balancing these four mechanics seems less about statistics and the code itself and more about end results and "feel." Because of this, it is paramount that game designers also play their own games. It is also important to note, however, that skill has a heavy impact on feel, making it less reliable.

Balancing using the Big Four tends to have a specific order depending on the severity of required change. In order from least impactful to most (and, coincidentally, most used to least), these are the four mechanics:

Abilities*

Damage

Speed**

Health**

* widest range of usefulness, affected at all levels

** interchangeable

This list is far concrete, but it provides a general guideline for what order to use when balancing classes. Most important is the actual power of the class, closely followed by feel. A class that is statistically viable but no fun to play is no more balanced than an overpowered damage monster.

As with most things, it is better to change slowly or moderately than to make large sweeping changes. Allowing players to test changes while still being familiar with the class lets the population assess the change properly.