#EXR Buffs

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

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Purpose: Improve the viability of full-time baseplay as an alternative playstyle, mostly for high ping/low skill.
Desired outcome: Baseplay is a reliable and worthwhile Med D role for high ping/low skill, centered around the repair kits and EXR turret. More things to shoot at reduces HoF pressure. Stationary targets are easy for high ping/low skill O.

Not changing: Quantity. 1 is fine. Constantly invo station runs are tedious. Coordinate with teammates to get more.
Not changing: Light turret. Not in the spirit of mixers.

Change 1: Reduce EXR lockon time from 1 second? to (as low as) 0.1 second. Lockon only affects time between first spotting a target and firing the first shot. Follow-up shots would have the same delay.
Rationale: Long lockon hurts the EXR in a few ways. First, due to its flimsiness it is often dead before it fires the first shot. Second, when a target keeps peeking into its range, the turret can only flutter ineffectually. Lastly, when a target flies straight through the EXR firing dome, the EXR won't take the shot at the best (head on) angle due to the delay, and fire at a steep perpendicular to the target's line, usually missing.
Effect: Turret can more reliably fire at least one shot before being destroyed, fires at better angles, allows sneaky ambush placement.

Change 2: Double EXR HP.
Rationale: Due to the vehicle/deployable damage multiplier, every single mixer weapon can knock out the EXR in a single shot, including plasma gun. Coupled with its lockon delay, it is often dead before it can do anything.
Effect: EXR should more reliably be able to fire at least one shot, ideally a few, before being destroyed.

Risk: Everyone grabs a turret?
I don't think so, there's enough upkeep involved that at some point a player with high kill power is better off engaging head-on rather than running after repairs, and you're fighting the attrition of enemy heavy O the entire time. Even with double HP a turret probably still dies to a single disk/mortar.

hoary badger
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Buffing the hp is surely the better option here

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If it targeted and fired at the optimal time as possible, it'd become an absurdly good anti-capper weapon- and another thing offense players need to shoot and watch out for

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It would also indirectly buff heavies by continuing to reduce the viability of medium O- that is, not the range to kill one easily and consistently, and not the survivability to survive enough to disrupt if there are multiple EXRs

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Buffing EXR hp would obviously do a bit of the same, but to a lesser degree imo, especially regarding capping(where EXRs can already ruin routes quite easily)

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Note that my comments here are solely on mixer balance relevance

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My comments are solely as an EXR user because I don't think I've ever been fired at by one.

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But HP is obvious, lockon is very tuneable. I think there'd be a range where it's not so stupid, and it still fails to engage cappers going at a reasonable clip

hoary badger
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Depending on placement and angle, it's pretty easy to get fucked over by a live EXR

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some obvious maps- DX, Xfire, Drydock

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These all have very few ways to get non-seeable and indirect routes

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I think tuning the lockon would really fall to what maps EXR would be wanted to be viable anti-capper on

hoary badger
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Turret bleeps, but doesn't fire. Capper speed is not super high either. Turret was just off stand on the bridge section.

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At those speeds even if the turret fired it wouldn't connect, he's already on his way out.

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.. although in this case maybe the lockon was delayed due to sightline... hm, well I have more vod to review anyway