After spending some time testing Shatterstar, I would like to share my feedback regarding his current kit and overall performance.
Based on my experience, I think the most effective builds are either 5/3/5 or 3/5/5. However, even with these builds, I find it difficult to justify Shatterstar as a 5-Star character can do something in the current meta.
Purple Ability – Shatter Portal
This ability costs 9 AP, which feels very expensive in today’s fast-paced meta. In many matches, collecting 9 Purple AP already requires significant setup and investment.
The reward for using the ability feels underwhelming. Spending 9 AP only to gain a relatively small amount of AP back from various colors does not feel impactful enough. In most situations, I would rather spend those resources elsewhere.
As a result, I find that investing only 3 covers into this ability is sufficient, simply because it becomes a situational tool when no better options are available.
My Rating: 6/10
Yellow Ability – Adaptation
I initially believed this ability would define Shatterstar’s playstyle and identity as a character. After testing it extensively at 5 covers, however, I feel it falls short of what I would expect from a modern 5-Star character.
The reflection mechanic sounds interesting on paper, but in practice it is heavily affected by existing defensive mechanics.
Characters such as Nova, Kingpin, and many teams capable of generating large numbers of Protect Tiles can reduce the reflected damage to extremely low values. In many cases, opponents only receive between 1 and 3,000 damage from the reflection effect.
This creates a situation where opponents can deal massive amounts of damage to Shatterstar without feeling punished in return. The reflected damage is simply too small to influence their decisions or force them to adapt their strategy.
As a result, the ability often feels more like something I would expect from a 4-Star character rather than a premium 5-Star character.
My Rating: 6/10
I would like to propose two possible improvements:
Option 1
Convert the reflected damage into true damage that ignores all defensive reductions, Protect Tiles, and damage mitigation effects.
Option 2
Apply the reflected damage to the entire enemy team instead of a single target.
Personally, I strongly prefer Option 2.
Team-wide reflected damage would create meaningful pressure on enemy support characters and force opponents to consider alternative strategies when facing Shatterstar. It would also make his unique identity much more noticeable and valuable within the current meta.
Red Ability – Shockwave Slash
This ability feels similar to the Purple ability in terms of overall impact.
The stun effect is useful and can occasionally provide value, but beyond that, the ability does not significantly support or synergize with the rest of Shatterstar’s kit.
When evaluating the character as a whole, I find it difficult to understand his intended role. He requires considerable setup, needs time to establish his mechanics, and still struggles against the burst-heavy teams that dominate the current environment.
Because of this, I feel that Shatterstar is trying to accomplish too many things at once without excelling in any particular area.
My Rating: 6/10
Final Thoughts
I genuinely appreciate the effort that went into designing a unique and thematic character. However, after testing him extensively, I feel that Shatterstar currently lacks the impact expected from a modern 5-Star release.
His abilities require significant setup, his defensive identity is not threatening enough to influence enemy decisions, and his overall gameplay feels less rewarding compared to many existing 5-Star characters.
I hope the team will consider reviewing some aspects of his kit in the future, particularly the Yellow ability, as I believe it has the potential to become a truly unique mechanic with a few adjustments.
Of course, this is only my personal experience after testing Shatterstar in the current meta. I may have missed some strengths, team combinations, or playstyles that other players have discovered. I’d love to hear additional feedback and perspectives from the community, so please feel free to share your own experiences and opinions as well.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
This guy is up to something in his post. I approve.