Counters: Short Explanation.

It took me this long?

I just realised that while I have referenced counters in many of my articles on balance, I have never explained them.

I really though I had already done this... perhaps I accidentally deleted an article that has all of this information in it. I hope not.

What is a Counter?

A counter is a situation where a Player Controlled Unit has an advantage over another, and can be applied in a number of different situations.

A unit may counter another if it:

• Limits the other player's options. (The simplest instance is where a unit will avoid a unit that counters it, limiting its maneuverability)
• Appeals to the other unit's weakness, and thus excels at eliminating it. (Example, a Sniper unit will often excel at killing a slow unit)
• Removes the other unit's main strengths, or nullifies its advantages. (Example, a 'true-sight' unit countering a steal unit by removing its invisibility)

Badly designed Counters usually result in:

• Content Redundancy. (Limited choices when deciding what units or content is viable to use)
• Fewer viable in-game choices, and fewer strategies that a player can employ. (Players have a harder time playing how they wish)

Soft vs. Hard Counters

A Soft Counter is one where a unit has a statistical advantage over another, but skill and circumstance still determine the overall outcome of a match-up between a unit and their Soft Counter. Most game balance should be based on Soft Counters - as they help to enforce balance between units, but don't limit the countered player too much. Soft Counters are often described by saying that a unit "has the edge" or a slight advantage over the other - but the main feature of a Soft Counter is that skill still prevails.

A Hard Counter is one where there one unit has such a one-sided advantage over another, that the countered unit is seen as redundant and useless when the counter is in play. More often than not, the only way a unit can beat its Hard Counter is when there is a massive shift in power due to luck, or circumstance (finding your hard counter unaware, for example - or getting a lucky critical hit on them).

These should be avoided like the plague for the most part, as they create Content Redundancy. Still, if planned and executed perfectly, Hard Counters can be used effectively to stop dominations by exceptionally powerful, specialised units. And example of where hard counters are acceptable, is in RTS where invisible units can easily dominate players who do not counter them with anti-stealth towers.

A counter in between Soft and hard counters are often called 'Solid' or 'Tough' - and more often then not rely on circumstance as to where the counter is Soft or Hard.