Last time i played was season 1. Kamui climax was the hot shit everyone had a boner about. My internet is pretty bad so I play a lot of vr missions but I play NWL when I can, did a lot yesterday. My main is usually a defense build but I've been getting in to playing ranged and healer more often too, to fill whatever gaps the team I'm on has. After a few days of playing here are some ambient thoughts/observations

- Since when did healers become an attack class? I've noticed they're not nearly as fragile as they used to be (good thing) but after skimming some of the dlc content they're loaded with a lot of offensive jutsu too that doesn't fit their "Stay behind and support through healing" jutsu at all. Apparently the Naruto healer is based off him vs kaguya which i guess makes sense since he had that 6 paths healing ability, so that's a forgivable design choice but still weird. Both abilities have a defensive and buff/support feel to them. Reanimated itachi as a healer though? ... What the fuck?? His attacks are literally Tsukoyomi and Yasaka beads, which are directly offensive attacks, and evidently like that in the game. His ultimate is izanami which is fair, but his entire class moveset has nothing to do with healing. Yeah you could argue that they're support themed bur if you want to have a class that's main options are offense with a support theme then... Make them a defense class. That's a no brainer lol. Alternatively make them a ranged class that specializes in debuffs but having two ranged class itachis would defeat the purpose of introducing them again. Healers definitely needed more representation but how did they choose itachi and ohnoki when they had so much more material to work with lol like Karin and Chiyo

​

- Still no more vr missions? That's kinda surprising. Personally I like both game modes but the vr missions are fun because I don't have to worry too much about being competitive, or rather it's the only team mode that isn't pvp.

​

- I get the attraction of re-packaging different iterations of characters. It's a good thing to cover missed ground. At the same time it's kinda boring to me after a while. How many Narutos are we going to get before we get more side characters with more unique jutsu instead of attack types having to choose between which rasengan they want for knockback. Taijitsu based classes are kinda overshadowed, why not throw Kimimmaro in and give them larch dance. Tayuya, Danzo, and Shino would all be amazing choices for ranged instead of team 7 repeats (sasuke and kakashi). Another thing could be to like... Just add buyable jutsu to the store without it having to be connected to a character. That does exist but in a really limited and underused capacity - it was used to give Palm Rotation to defense types before neji was considered to be added. Why not use that go cover in the gaps left by different types of the same character?

- Sage mode kinda sucks now. Really nerfed the speed increase which was like... Half of the reason to use it in the first place. It nullified one of the biggest weaknesses in defense types (their inability to keep up with the rest of the team) for a few seconds at the major cost of not being able to use jutsu. It buffs the defense too, but defense types have great guards as is and it doesn't stop jutsu from guard breaking.

- Curse mark ultimate for attack/ranged types. That is all. I guess attack types don't need it as much because they have lightning style and 8 inner gates, but it could be structured differently. Ranged could use it though, they don't really have any transformation ult like that (unless I totally missed something, which is possible cuz I havent played the dlcs)

Mainly painting my thoughts. I don't really use reddit but after playing for a few days I can see the game's marketing strategy was pretty similar to when I left it.