Quote Originally Posted by Wintersandman View Post
I think what ThirdChild is trying to state is SE did a horrible job of even explaining how the modes work.
Yes, this is what I meant. The combat system is a separate concern entirely.

Do some digging around here, and I wrote two Shatter guides, both of which offer the lesser known fact that ice can be reset. If you manage to defeat and clear an entire team off the ice, you can stop hitting it, back off enough that aggro resets, then even if it's at 1%, if you break it, that's all 300 points for your team. It's not easy to do, but it can be done. And SE has never explained this anywhere. They also never explained (yet simply made it so) that casters do 50% less damage to ice. So much game-influencing information just simply left to figure out on your own. Hell, there are still people that don't realize players are 5 points per KO in every Frontline mode. 10 for Battle Highs and Battle Fevers.

I've had to explain Secure to people as "Shatter without ice". That feels wrong in so many ways. (Secure was the original Frontline mode).

Seal Rock (Seize) is likely hated because, contrary to Shatter, active combat is encouraged. It's not enough to capture a node. You have to defend it. And if you don't have one, you attack one and take it. Seize makes it all but essential to fight to win, and many players simply shy away from that, especially coming backwards from the sometimes-more-passive Shatter.

As for premades, let me be blunt in saying this: Premades aren't unstoppable. Sometimes it's a group of experienced players who - because of that experience - are VERY strong in number. Sometimes it's just friends that like to play together. There's the odd couple or two that queue together and are strong as a pair. . . But nothing stops anyone from doing just what they've done; that is, strive for a deeper understanding of the modes, build up a knowledge of tactics and strategy, READ THE MAP, and coordinate well together.