Ferox: we would like to reinforce the sniping nature of this ship, most likely by replacing the shield resistance bonus with a hybrid damage bonus. Nothing is set in stone yet, as we need to find ways to ensure it doesnGÇÖt compete with the Naga.

In all honesty, they could just leave it with its current bonuses and give it the extra slot its due. (Ferox has 16 slots and BCs are getting 17 across the board.)

Depends.
There is the "lore doctrine" and then the "game doctrine". I'm not sure which one is actually pursued. I doubt it's the Caldari-lore one. In this case, it's better to go for the sake of Ferox' usability.

Got to make up your mind though. Sometimes I have the feeling everybody just wants some 20/20/20 slot layout :D.

The options I prefer, in order of preference, for balancing the Ferox are as follows:

Option 1: Add a mid slot (for more utility), make it faster, keep bonuses the same.
Option 2: Add a High slot and a turret hard point, make it faster, keep bonuses the same.
Option 3: Add a low slot, make it faster, change the range bonus to a damage bonus.

i may be wrong but, i think he wants it to be faster

Yes, I would like it to be a bit faster in order to get into range to use Blasters. It was originally intended to use rail guns, which have enough range that speed was not needed. It is currently the same speed as the Drake. The Drake can be standing still and still hit anything out to 60 Km or so, so it does not need speed, but if the Ferox is using Blasters, then the Ferox needs a bit more speed.

An increase from 140 m/sec to 160 m/s would be a big help and it would still be slower than the Hurricane and Cyclone.

well considering the drake will lose its resist bonus for a ROF most likely and less EHP and prob lose a mid i would say it won't be a brawler more of a kiter.

I don't think the drake will lose its resist bonus.

I feel that they'll just kill the shield recharge making them best suited as active tanks, and/or reducing their EHP and making them more of a buffer tank than a passive tank.

Point is, with the hml nerf, unless they're going to be giving the drake a nice damage and range buff, then the drake will be used mostly as a brawler.

One thing that I feel is going unnoticed is that in making the Ferox a brawler you're making it redundant.

Not only are you limiting its effectiveness to close range, but I also feel you're forgetting about the upcoming missile changes.

Hams are getting a nice buff, and they're going to be effected by guided missile precision.

Now, since hmls are getting a 25% range nerf, 10% damage nerf, 10% effectiveness nerf, and fury is being nerfed on all long range missile systems to precision range, this is going to make the drake almost purely focused on brawling.

The only thing I worry is that they're going to forget all about the hml nerfs when they go to balancing the drake and they're going to end up taking away the shield recharge rate forcing them to fit active tanks to be more succeptible to cap warfare.


That said though, the point still is that I think the Ferox is best suited with having the versatility of brawler or ranged.

However, I think it should be given a bonus in some way that gives it a plus at both long range and close range.

Maybe a sig radius bonus?

This would mean it's a small target at close range, but not as effective as a drake, and it would make a decent mid-long range sniper with low sig, but not near as effective or as high range as the Naga.


Basically, making it a brawler is redundant cause the drake will be mostly a brawler, and making it a sniper is redundant cause the Nage is a sniper, so why not make it both?

Oh, and I'm also in agreement with an extra mid slot for more utility

I am not suggesting that they GÇ£makeGÇ¥ it a brawler. I am suggesting that is already is a brawler, even though that is not what was intended when they designed it. I am mainly just pleadings with them not to take away its brawler abilities. Let it keep itGÇÖs tank bonus! If they could add a little speed it would make it an even better brawler without hurting its sniper capability at all.

If they take away the tanking bonus it will be like a Naga with less range and far less DPS. Even with a damage bonus 6 medium rails are not going to come close to the damage of 8 large rail guns, and it will not have the range to sit 100km off for protection. Cruisers and nano Battlecruisers will just run it down and smash it. Battleships will pick it out of the sky even with short range guns. Fast frigates will have it tackled within 10 seconds. Basically as a mid range sniper with no tank it is useless and no one would fly it.

With the tank bonus it can be effective as a mid range sniper or as a brawler. It might fit the same niche as the drake, but it gives Caldari pilots an effective gunboat smaller than the Rokh. It provides an alternative to missiles. In this configuration it would be effective and would be used.

The only way a mid range lightly tanked sniper would be effective is if it is really fast with a small sig radius like the Vagabond. I donGÇÖt favour that option for a Caldari ship however.

Ofc it will lose its resis bonus missile ships don't need to be really tanky they have such good range..... and also people would prefer more dmg from missile ships

The rang of the HAM Drake is 18km. (Although I guess Javelins would give it more range.) I suppose if it does enough damage it may still be viable without itGÇÖs tank bonus. 18km is more than the effective range of medium Blasters. It would have to have a lot of Gank to make it worth losing the Tank, but then at least it would not compete with the Brawler Ferox.

Caldari aren't supposed to use blasters... in terms of lore

If they give it a damage and resist bonus... the Brutix is dead...
Both would be blaster fit, with blaster damage bonus

The active tank bonus on the Brutix would only be 3% better than the resist bonus on the Ferox, for active tanking, while the ferox would get 33% more buffer, and be a better shield fit (shield fit for gank/DPS) meaning better speed and DPS

and then... there is the ASB

Poor armor tanked, active tanked, Brutix

The ASB merlins are already stomping all over the gallente frigs now... the BCs are next

Caldari aren't supposed to use blasters... in terms of lore

If they give it a damage and resist bonus... the Brutix is dead...
Both would be blaster fit, with blaster damage bonus

The active tank bonus on the Brutix would only be 3% better than the resist bonus on the Ferox, for active tanking, while the ferox would get 33% more buffer, and be a better shield fit (shield fit for gank/DPS) meaning better speed and DPS

and then... there is the ASB

Poor armor tanked, active tanked, Brutix

The ASB merlins are already stomping all over the gallente frigs now... the BCs are next

The Brutix will be fixed in some way to fit the Gallente combat ethic so it can't really be compared against a 'fixed' Ferox. Judging by what CCP have said so far, it's going to be more into closing distance and hard punch whereas the Ferox should be more about significant damage at mid-range.