A glass cannon is a term that refers to a character that deals high damage but has low survivability. The term “glass” implies that the character is fragile and vulnerable, while the term “cannon” implies that the character is powerful and explosive. A glass cannon character usually has high offensive stats, such as attack, speed, or critical, but low defensive stats, such as health, armor, or resistance. A glass cannon playstyle usually involves dealing as much damage as possible before dying or retreating.
Glass cannon is common in esports games that involve combat, where each character has a certain role, skill, and item. Glass cannon can be a viable and rewarding option for some characters, depending on the game and the situation.
What are the pros and cons of Glass Cannon in Esports games?
Glass Cannon has some pros and cons that affect the gameplay and the outcome of the game, such as:
Pros: Glass cannon can provide several benefits, such as:
It can create opportunities and advantages for the team. Glass cannon can allow the character to burst down or eliminate key targets, such as enemy carries, supports, or objectives. Glass cannon can also create pressure and threat to the enemy team, forcing them to react or retreat.
It can enhance the gameplay experience. Glass cannon can also add excitement and challenge to the gameplay, as it requires skill, timing, and strategy to execute and survive. Glass cannon can also provide satisfaction and reward to the player, as it can result in high damage numbers, kills, or assists.
Cons: Glass cannon can also have some drawbacks, such as:
It can create risks and disadvantages for the team. Glass cannon can also expose the character to danger and vulnerability, as the character can be easily killed or disabled by enemy attacks, crowd control, or burst damage. Glass cannon can also cause the team to lose a valuable member or resource, especially if the character is the main source of damage or utility.
It can reduce the gameplay options. Glass cannon can also limit the character’s choices and flexibility, as the character may have to sacrifice other aspects of the game, such as defense, mobility, or utility, to maximize damage output. Glass cannon can also make the character dependent on the team’s protection or support, or on the enemy’s mistakes or weaknesses.
What are some examples of Glass Cannon in esports games?
Glass cannon can be found in many esports games, especially in the genre of RPG, MOBA, or FPS, where each game has different characters, skills, and items. Here are some examples of glass cannon in popular esports games:
RPG: RPG stands for Role-Playing Game, where players control a character that has various attributes, abilities, and equipment. Some examples of glass cannon in RPG games are:
Diablo III: Diablo III is a hack-and-slash RPG game that has seven classes of characters, each with different skills and builds. One of the glass cannon builds is the Demon Hunter’s Multishot build, which uses the skill Multishot to fire a massive volley of arrows that deal high damage to multiple enemies. The build also uses items and passives that increase the damage, critical chance, and resource generation of Multishot, but reduce the defense, health, and resource cost of the character.
Path of Exile: Path of Exile is an action RPG game that has seven classes of characters, each with different skill trees and items. One of the glass cannon builds is the Witch’s Fireball build, which uses the skill Fireball to launch a flaming projectile that explodes on impact and deals high fire damage to enemies. The build also uses items and passives that increase the damage, cast speed, and area of effect of Fireball, but reduce the defense, health, and mana of the character.
MOBA: MOBA stands for Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, where two teams of players control individual characters with unique abilities and try to destroy the enemy’s base. Some examples of glass cannon in MOBA games are:
League of Legends: League of Legends is one of the most popular and influential esports games, with over 150 characters, called champions, that players can choose from and customize with items and runes. One of the glass cannon champions is Veigar, a mage that uses his abilities to deal high magic damage to enemies, especially with his ultimate, Primordial Burst, which deals damage based on the target’s missing health. Veigar also gains permanent ability power for every enemy he kills with his abilities, making him scale well into the late game. However, Veigar is also very squishy and immobile, making him vulnerable to enemy assassins, divers, or crowd control.
Dota 2: Dota 2 is the sequel to the original mod that created the MOBA genre, Defense of the Ancients. Dota 2 has over 100 characters, called heroes, that players can select and upgrade with items and talents. One of the glass cannon heroes is Sniper, a ranged carry that uses his abilities and items to deal high physical damage to enemies from a long distance, especially with his ultimate, Assassinate, which fires a powerful shot that can kill low-health enemies. Sniper also has a passive ability, Headshot, that gives him a chance to deal extra damage and slow enemies with his attacks. However, Sniper is also very frail and slow, making him susceptible to enemy ganks, initiations, or nukes.
FPS: FPS stands for First-Person Shooter, where players use guns and other weapons to shoot and eliminate their opponents. Some examples of glass cannon in FPS games are:
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the latest installment of the iconic Counter-Strike series, which started as a mod for Half-Life. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has two teams of players, terrorists and counter-terrorists, that compete in various modes, such as Bomb Defusal, Hostage Rescue, or Deathmatch. One of the glass cannon weapons is the AWP, a sniper rifle that can kill enemies with one shot to the head or chest, but has a low rate of fire, high recoil, and high cost. The AWP also reduces the movement speed and accuracy of the user, making them easy to flank or rush.
Valorant: Valorant is a new FPS game that combines elements of Counter-Strike and Overwatch. Valorant has two teams of players, attackers and defenders, that compete in a mode called Spike, where the attackers have to plant a bomb and the defenders have to stop them. Valorant also has different characters, called agents, that have unique abilities, such as Jett, Phoenix, or Sage. One of the glass cannon agents is Reyna, a duelist that uses her abilities to deal high damage to enemies and heal herself, especially with her ultimate, Empress, which increases her fire rate, reload speed, and recoil recovery. Reyna also has a passive ability, Dismiss, that allows her to become invulnerable or invisible for a short duration after killing an enemy. However, Reyna is also very selfish and reliant on kills, as she has no abilities that can help her teammates or escape from danger.
To Sum Up
Glass cannon is a term that refers to a character that deals high damage but has low survivability. The term “glass” implies that the character is fragile and vulnerable, while the term “cannon” implies that the character is powerful and explosive. Glass cannon is common in esports games that involve combat, where each character has a certain role, skill, and item. Glass cannon can be a viable and rewarding option for some characters, depending on the game and the situation.