Originally by: Gypsio III

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Originally by: Vigaz

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Could you please provide evidence of the boost of missiles?

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With pleasure. I am a 37-mill SP character completely specialised in Caldari missile spamming. I have investigated the new missile damage formula extremely thoroughly.

Under the previous mechanics, it was trivial for cruisers and below to avoid 99% of missile damage simply by hitting MWD and going faster then explosion velocity + 2x falloff (precision lights excluded). The high speeds of those ships meant that range advantage of long-range missiles was fairly meaningless, so long-range missile users were unable to defend their range advantage.

With the new mechanics, missile damage linked to sig radius far better, making MWDs a 500% self-painter. Missile damage against fast MWDing targets is vastly improved, immensely increasing HMs' ability to inflict damage. This, in conjunction with the slowing of all ships, has vastly increased the long-range missile users' abilities to maintain range, and deliver meaningful DPS across the battlefield. Also, missile users now have options for increasing damage against fast targets, such as painters and Crash, enabling a greater range of tactics.

Short-ranged missiles - HAMs and torps - are unchanged in practice, as they required your target to be webbed beforehand anyway, to stop it simply MWDing away and laughing at you. Rage HAMs still do full damage to webbed ABing BC, torps still do full damage to painted, webbed BS - mods that were required beforehand. In fact, they're really received a stealth buff, as their AC- and blaster counterparts now find it harder to get to optimal, and the range advantage of torps is more meaningful.

Specific examples:

HM Drake boosted, as it can now hit fast targets for meaningful damage and defend its range advantage.

HAM Drake boosted, because of increased Rage damage and the greater difficulty of its AC-and blaster-fit counterparts in getting to optimal.

AML Cerberus boosted, as now it is deadly to all interceptors, rather than just non-pimped ones.

HML Cerberus boosted, as it can now deliver massively more damage to MWDing cruisers, enabling it to defend its range advantage and even meaningfully damage interceptors. Its ability to damage Falcons is unchanged, as its ability to damage tackled targets of its size or greater.

Torp Raven boosted, because no additional tackle needed in your gang (I don't regard the torp Raven as a sensible solo ship, nor that it should be one), and the greater difficulty of its AC-and blaster-fit counterparts in getting to optimal.

Problems:

Cruise. Its PVP role was one of antisupport, this has been hit. Although note that the nanoed support in question could have previously avoided pretty much all Cruise damage simply by hitting MWD, a feat that is now impossible.

SBs. Although they can now damage interceptors at speed, their ability to instapop frigates - which is really the entire point of the class - has been hit. Note, however, that this is really a SB problem, rather than a missile problem, and that CCP has said they are looking at reworking SBs.

Rockets. Well, possibly. They're ok if you can web your target, and have a significant range advantage over ACs and blasters, a range that is easier to maintain with nerfed webs. But frigates, with their limited slots, have difficulty fitting a web, so this may require looking at, I'm not sure.

Perceived problems that really aren't problems:

OMG Afterburners! Will not be used commonly used on BCs or BS and their ability to mitigate missile damage is massively reduced as soon as they get webbed - which is easily done by a MWDing ship.

OMG I can't hit small ships as easily! Neither can turrets, in general - certainly not within web range.

In short, the combat utility of missiles has been, in general, vastly improved.

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