The Case Against Abilities
Signed by Dan, Bos, Steel, Jesse, and Cody
Since Madden 20, Superstar and X-Factor abilities have drastically changed the game of Madden and thus BL. After three cycles, We believe it’s time for a change in our approach to abilities or to remove them altogether.
Let us start by acknowledging that abilities as a concept are a great idea. They add a separate and rich dynamic to the game, and they allow elite players to truly be great. However, with the way the abilities system currently works and the impact of the very few overpowered abilities in the league, it’s time to reevaluate.
As it stands, the roster balance of the league is determined by the “haves” and the “have nots”. These are the real-world players that begin the franchise with overpowered abilities. Over the course of the cycle, these guys are increasingly sought after, and despite seasons of development, no other player can reasonably acquire what the top IRL player have at launch. For those who take pride and joy in drafting and development aspect of CFM, this is an incredibly hard fact to swallow. No matter how “elite” their ratings become, or how “elite” their stats and accolades are, they will never, ever be as good as the “haves” at launch.
This is all because abilities are designed for MUT where users can essentially pick whatever that card is capable of receiving under the AP cap. In franchise, you “roll” a player, and the amount of not-so-good abilities far outweighs the good ones to the point where we may not have seen a single OP ability given to a player that’s been developed this cycle.
Furthermore, we believe that ratings matter more than ever, at least since abilities came forward in M20. Higher rated players do stand out like they used to in the good old days without the cancerous OP abilities that plague the league today. The game should be about strategy, player development, and building a roster that fits your style, not who has the best abilities.
If not a radical shift in rules and standards surrounding them, I support the termination of abilities in the Better League. It’s time to take a step back and reevaluate how we approach abilities in the game. For seven years, our league has stood as a sanctuary for healthy competition in a toxic Madden community, and the current abilities system does not support these core values. It’s time for a change, and we hope BL can come together to make it happen in Madden 24.
