Forum:Guidelines for balance change icons

Forums: Index → Proposals → Guidelines for balance change icons

This is a settled discussion about changing something about Blooncyclopedia. Do not modify it. Deadline: Sunday, 1 March 2026 at 23:59 UTC Outcome: Option C

Currently I'm working on guidelines for update pages and update history sections at User:Polavux/Blooncyclopedia:Update history guidelines. The wiki is currently fairly consistent with the formatting of changes, and this is just to formally establish those as guidelines and a standard for the ordering of update pages. However, there are two things about the current formatting that bug me:

1. This wiki uses buff/nerf icons for features the player does not use or control, but rather is playing against, such as maps, modes, and bosses. Right now most cases of this on the wiki use the buff icon for changes that are beneficial to the player, and the nerf icon for changes that are detrimental to the player, even if this is opposite to how it affects the subject (for example, a boss getting a health buff is a nerf to the player, while a health nerf is a buff to the player, so the former uses the nerf icon and the latter uses the buff icon). This is arguably counter-intuitive and isn't communicated anywhere at all.
2. In competitive games, like Bloons TD Battles and Bloons Card Storm, currently this wiki uses the neutral icon for features that are the same for both players, like Bloon sends, since buffing/nerfing it for the player also buffs/nerfs it for the opponent. However, this defeats the purpose of having buff/nerf icons to communicate whether a change is a buff or nerf to the subject. It's also awkward for things that were originally items both players always had, but now depend on the loadout. Like, right now all changes to Tower Boost occurred before the powers update, but if it gets more changes in the future, do we continue using the neutral icon for previous updates and only use the buff/nerf icon for changes after 6.0?

• Option A: Use these icons only for features the player uses or controls. This means towers, upgrades, consumable items, knowledge, artifacts, specialties, etc continue using it, but maps, modes, bosses, etc do not use icons at all. In competitive games, we switch to using buff/nerf icons for all player-controlled resources, even if both players always have the same resource.
• Option B: Also use buff/nerf icons for changes to maps, modes, bosses, etc. Icons indicate whether it is beneficial or detrimental to the player (for example, a boss getting a health buff is a nerf, while a health nerf is a buff). This is mostly the same as the current system, except we add a disclaimer at the top of update history sections explaining what the icons mean, and the change to competitive game systems still applies.
• Option C: Same as option B, except icons indicate whether it is beneficial or detrimental to the subject, not the player (for example, a map becoming longer is a nerf, while a map becoming shorter is a buff).
• Option D: Same as option A, except no change is made to icons in competitive game systems.
• Option E: Same as option B, except no change is made to icons in competitive game systems. This is essentially the same thing as what we have now, just with the addition of a disclaimer.
• Option F: Same as option C, except no change is made to icons in competitive game systems.

Option A

1. This is my preference. I don't like having permanent disclaimers, only temporary ones to indicate missing information, and I only use conjectural/internal name disclaimers (such as {{conjectural name}} and {{BMC name disclaimer}}) because no better option exists. Buff/nerf icons are just a small visual aid, not a necessity, and I don't know of any other wikis that do this (see SmashWiki and Brawl Stars Wiki). Polavux (talk) 02:44, 8 February 2026 (UTC)

Option B

1. I don't play or look into competitive games but I feel like using "buff/nerf" that way makes sense to me. Generally, I like the use of "buff/nerf" relative to the player, not to the feature itself. Max (talk) 12:09, 10 February 2026 (UTC)
2. Naturally, I would say that monkey stat benefits are "buffs", Bloon benefits are "nerfs" to the player, harder-ing the map is a "nerf" to the player, and for Bloon send changes I'd naturally lean on nerf/buff if it's for or against the strength of the rush, though Bloon send changes I'd allow neutral too. Qwertyxp2000 (talk) 21:36, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

Also, cards in BCS I'd do buff/nerf. Qwertyxp2000 (talk) 21:36, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

Option C

1. This is probably just me, but I get confused at first glance when something like an enemy is stronger and marked as a nerf. In other competitive games I've followed across years, when something that both players have access to is changed, it is usually marked from the player's perspective only, so I can say I am ok with using icons for them as buffs/nerfs. Drgoku282 (talk) 03:13, 11 February 2026 (UTC)
2. I like this option the best Overclockbtd (talk) 03:45, 11 February 2026 (UTC)
3. Is this how I vote Vexatious (talk) 20:07, 24 February 2026 (UTC)
4. I prefer this option IapIac (talk) 23:04, 24 February 2026 (UTC)
5. I believe this makes the most sense. If a subject gets buffed against the player, it's still a buff to that subject. Also in agreement with switching to buffs/nerfs on competitive things with equal playing field, as listing every Bloon send change as neutral is definitely not how you should be treating it. If a send is buffed/nerfed, then it proportionally affects defenses, which also get nerfed/buffed because of it. --Planterror (talk) 04:23, 25 February 2026 (UTC)
6. What those other guys said TechTato (talk) 16:35, 1 March 2026 (UTC)

Option D

1. Second choice. Polavux (talk) 02:44, 8 February 2026 (UTC)

Option E

1. Other choice. Max (talk) 12:09, 10 February 2026 (UTC)
2. also the other choice Qwertyxp2000 (talk) 18:12, 25 February 2026 (UTC)

Comments

Since there is some confusion, there is how each option would look like:

Option	Example
Option A	Dart Monkey: Damage increased ― 1 → 2 Dreadbloon: Health increased ― 10,000 → 20,000  Grouped Reds Bloon Send: Quantity decreased ― 10 → 8
Option B	Dart Monkey: Damage increased ― 1 → 2  Dreadbloon: Health increased ― 10,000 → 20,000  Grouped Reds Bloon Send: Quantity decreased ― 10 → 8
Option C	Dart Monkey: Damage increased ― 1 → 2  Dreadbloon: Health increased ― 10,000 → 20,000  Grouped Reds Bloon Send: Quantity decreased ― 10 → 8
Option D	Dart Monkey: Damage increased ― 1 → 2 Dreadbloon: Health increased ― 10,000 → 20,000  Grouped Reds Bloon Send: Quantity decreased ― 10 → 8
Option E	Dart Monkey: Damage increased ― 1 → 2  Dreadbloon: Health increased ― 10,000 → 20,000  Grouped Reds Bloon Send: Quantity decreased ― 10 → 8
Option F	Dart Monkey: Damage increased ― 1 → 2  Dreadbloon: Health increased ― 10,000 → 20,000  Grouped Reds Bloon Send: Quantity decreased ― 10 → 8

Drgoku282 (talk) 21:06, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

Can we have a red Buff icon for player-negative balance changes to enemy entities and green Nerf icon for player-positive balance changes to enemy entities? Qwertyxp2000 (talk) 09:01, 1 March 2026 (UTC)