Arthur Black
SoE Roughriders
Electus Matari
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Posted - 2010.01.20 17:54:00 -
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Let me start off by saying that I love my blasters and have generally little experience with lasers, so feel free to ignore whatever I say about them (which isn't much).
I am entirely open for the suggestion that the best blaster boost is a pulse laser nerf, but I think that's equally hard to do "right". The recent projectile changes seem to be a success though.
I'd like to propose some ideas that could work together.
Firstly, there's not much wrong with blaster damage. Yes, it probably needs to be taken up a notch to compensate vs. laser range or AC falloff. I would even be willing to trade a tiny bit of range for that (not much though!). A slight increase to tracking also seems appropriate, to give them the distinct advantage at the ranges they are meant for. However, some of the numbers mentioned here are just way out there (50%?, 300%?, no way).
What I'd really like is a "hybrids 2.0". Given blasters short range, they are currently the only short range weapons that can't do meaningful damage outside of web range, and they are even not welcome in certain fleets where you are required to hit at ~20 by simply switching ammo (large guns). Rails have to come in and fill the gap.
Given projectile's alpha strike and the range of beams (I realize that might be much thanks to the Apocalypse though), how about making rails the medium range of the "long range weapons" with better tracking and DPS than both projectiles and beams? I.e. beams become the long range weapon with the most range, but suffers from tracking, projectiles have alpha but shorter range and rails ends up in the middle with decent tracking and good DPS.
As is, the Rokh for instance reach ridiculous distances with little effort, but do little damage. Shorter-ranged rails with more DPS would probably make it a very nice mid-to-long range sniper. To get the Megathron to do the same, you would have to sacrifice damage mods for range mods to reach the same distance, balancing out the DPS advantage of the Megathron's bonus.
The Apocalypse would end up being the new Rokh (if beam range is boosted overall) - ridiculous range, but little damage . I have no absolute idea on how to fix that. Perhaps swap its range bonus for a damage or tracking bonus?
This type of rails would also mean that a rail Deimos would be a viable option for those that aren't comfortable with the up-close range of blasters.
Finally, how about re-doing short range T2 ammo entirely - Even less range then they have today (Void range perhaps half of that of AM for instance?), far less damage (again, half of AM?), but a massive tracking bonus. That would be across the board, not just for hybrid ammo.
The goal would be for a ship, especially one with a tracking bonus, to be really dangerous to ships one class smaller than itself orbiting it (Zealots orbiting a Megathron at 500 for instance). Even ships without tracking bonus would have a chance (AFs orbiting a Deimos at 500 for instance, if blasters in general are given a slight tracking boost). Granted, this should not be a "I win!" button. AB AFs would still be very difficult to hit, and this does not at all change anything with regards to signature radius.
This idea was presented to me a while back, and it's been taking hold ever since (at least the first part, the "goal" stated is taking it further than its progenitor did I suppose).
And finally, tanking... That's part of the price you pay for face-melt damage and what makes us blaster pilots. I love my Deimos, even with the little tank it has. Most pilots knows its damage potential. That's a good tank in itself. Otherwise, range decides. Either the Deimos runs away or your opponent is in scrambler range. Tank doesn't matter either way 
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