Limit the melee vulnerability on Chekhov's punch

[safe coyote]

So I think having the melee vulnerability at all times is too much of a risk for a class that's already slow and bulky. So I was thinking maybe you could have the melee vulnerability only take place when you have the chains deployed and maybe like also a few seconds after you holster them. The weapon would still be rewarding and risky but more viable.

[fathom drift]

The vulnerability is supposed to be active at all times so you're vulnerable to surprises

Same way you're supposed to get your crits by surprising people

[topaz raptor]

I kind of agree with OP here. I do think it needs to have a downside for on-demand crits, but the fact you get crits from ALL melee damage feels a bit harsh

At the same time, I don't know what the downside could be replaced with

[tender yew]

maybe reduce it to minicrits

[fathom drift]

I think the crits are fine

[cold cove]

Not gonna pass through because then it would be "better than stock", according to some people.

It's a fun weapon and thematically it's great, but practically it's not very useful. The slowest and highest dps class in the game (w/ minigun) finds no benefit getting into melee range to acquire crits, conditional on hitting people. The heavy is better served by... being heavy and using his machine gun for damage and the shotgun/regular fists as a backup option.

So, conceptually, it's a counter intuitive weapon. It's why nobody uses it seriously.

[fathom drift]

never played flank heavy clearly

[livid shoal]

My problem is that if you get 1 punch in, you almost always lose it by finishing them off with shotgun / minigun. I want it to have a faster firing speed.

[fathom drift]

I think it should instantly melee like the knife

[agile creek]

The issue with the "allow heavy to choose when to have a downside" completely ruins the idea of making you think if equipping the weapon is a good idea

Because if fists doesn't help you, and this wouldn't have a downside until you use it, why would you exactly ever use stock

[devout oracle]

I've said this before and I'll say it again the downside is great and balanced if you let someone get that close to you as HEAVY someone with the highest dps in the game a shotgun and character that relies on positioning knowing where to be and not and a class that's supposed to stick with there team then you deserve to get melee'd :p

[mighty sentinel]

this is the problem with the FOS actually, its downside is while active but the heavy can just switch to their minigun and now you're at melee range against a revving heavy

[safe coyote]

hmm that is why I suggested having the downside still be there for a few seconds after holstering the weapon aswell. actually now that I listened to you people you might have a point there, I hate how many stock melee weapons in vanilla just give you great utility and use for a niche downside to the point that they're practically upgrades to stock, I thought maybe since in order to use the upside you have to actually hit someone in melee with the weapon then it could get away with a bit more leeway, I just felt like it may be too difficult to find an actual chance to use the chains since you'd have to get close to the enemy as heavy to begin with.

but I understand why people say it's balanced as it is