Test Discussion Munitions Power

Entirely new animation? Keep the animation but simply turn the character. It works with Quantum. When you pick a direction your character physically darts in that direction using that animation. Why should an ability that is essentially Quantum Tunneling act different?

I'm liking a straight Guts tree DPS loadout. Using Chain Grenade to set up Burning and clipping Killer Instincts is nice. Chain Grenade is like Wither: max range AoE burst plus two ticks at half the burst in a close range sphere. On center target of the 8 target grouping, it will hit them all. 50 Cal is the same range, but all burst and about 60% stronger than the aggregate damage of Chain Grenade. Very potent. It applies Burning, but since it can't be clipped, Chain Grenade is the better option to set up Killer Instincts. Chain Gun actually does similar aggregate damage to Chain Grenade, though all three hits are equal strength. Mini Gun has greater aggregate damage, similar to 50 Cal, but in 5 ticks. The nice thing about Chain Gun and Mini Gun is that their damage is cone, rather than burst around the target. At max range, they can both hit a lot more targets. Good for large mobs. Shrapnel Grenade has 2 hits and greater aggregate damage than Chain Grenade, plus the damage sphere is larger. Rocket Launcher isn't really that great, IMO, as the aggregate damage with 4 hits, while similar to Shrapnel Grenade, has a smaller damage sphere. The best thing about all these attacks, though, is they can be used from max range. I think I'd probably carry Chain Gun, Mini Gun, and/or Shrapnel Grenade for large mobs. 50 Cal and Rocket Launcher are better for single targets or tight groupings. Conceptually, Robot Sidekick might be nice. If SCs are changed to not break the AM, I'd probably carry Mounted Turret (cheap, spammable, like Cursed Idol) or possibly Biggun, as you have the PP to get it.

Definitely thinking about changing my Fire DPS alt to Munitions. Having a lot of fun with this! Mobile Focused Attack is the perfect fit for the powerset.

Couldn't you just turn the bazooka around on your shoulder and fire it backwards?

Still think it's dumb. That would mean you're creating an explosion at your feet to propel you. That wouldn't be controllable and would more likely kill you than propel you. I really think they were going for the recoil of the shot propelling you, which as I said, makes no sense with a recoilless weapon.

If we really want realism here then any sort of propelling would be possible with Munitions given that it is supposed to about offensive weapons. If we really want realism recycle the 'Splosion shield effect and add it on.

However, again, I don't think we should sacrifice functionality for the sake of realism or animation. Allowing you to position your jump is extremely more useful than what is currently in place.

Realism-wise a 50 Call shot that hits multiple targets in parallel is not realistic animation-wise either. Nor is using a ray gun that traditionally hits a single targets in the movies for that style. Or a Rocket Launcher that specifically targets a single target but can hit multiple targets if they are in series but not around the target. The explosion animation is not that big. Ever heard of a mini-nuke having a perfect vertical projection on target and appearing out of thin air?

My point is functionality should be what is most important here not aesthetics or realism.

I try not to get too caught up in realism, given the setting of the game, but this one just bugs me. Oh, well. As to the 50 Cal, it's an explosive round. The Rocket Launcher is likewise explosive. Both have a close range damage sphere, which seems more reasonable for 50 Cal than Rocket Launcher. The later should have a larger damage sphere, IMO. I'm with you on beam weapons, though.

That large of an explosion for an explosive round? Even if the explosion were like a grenade there wouldn't be enough material to cause that much damage in a large sphere given that you need a lot of it to just propel the bullet. From what I understand the explosion helps for penetrating power not necessarily a real explosion though I could easily be mistaken.

But again point is I would much rather the directional functionality over a silly animation detail. I wouldn't practically use Rocket Retreat in its current form.

General Feedback:
-The FX on Mini-Nuke really needs to be changed. You can be standing in Monitor Womb and see constant orange/white flashes from Mini-Nukes being used in the War Room. The constant flashes were giving me a headache.

Controller Feedback:
-One advantage Munitions has over other Controller powersets is "Survival". From what I'm seeing, it is a 5 second shield with a 12 second cooldown. The short cooldown allows you to use it more liberally.

Request:
-Would it be possible to have a power called "Rocket Advance"? The current version of "Rocket Retreat" where you advance forward is very useful for Controllers running to pick up a downed teammate while in combat.

Personally if they do something like this and go out of their way to make a new trait I would just change the current one to be more dynamic.

Respectfully disagree, any backdash is very functional, would rather it be a passive clip skill then a damage skill and that doesn't make a lot of sense.

As far as movement incorporated into powers rocket jump is campy on par with dropping a mini nuke.

Then again I fall into the camp of wanting movement modes to have escape abilities.

Rocket Jump is actually supposed to propel you forward, per the description. I reported on the first page that Rocket Retreat was propelling me forwards instead of backwards and that Rocket Jump was propelling me upwards rather than forwards. They said that the powers are bugged at the moment in terms of their direction.

OK, so it seems that 50 Cal is just hands down the best ability to use with the AM at the moment. Minigun and Railgun get somewhat close in damage but their animations are longer as well. I'm currently just picking 2 other channeled abilities with short animations so I can get back to 50 Cal faster, then clipping mini nuke with killer instinct since it benefits from the burning PI.





Robot Sidekick is my 6th slot. Until they fix the SCs to extend Bullet Frenzy it's not worth it to put an SC on your bar in my opinion. All-in-all it looks like Munitions will be the next big thing for DPS.

Yeah, 50 Cal has the highest base damage and is full burst with a decent damage sphere. Still not the best option for widely spread targets, but on single and closely grouped targets, it's tops.

Unless they also make it an aggro dump, I really don't see it being useful for that. Currently, it provides damage absorption, but doesn't drop aggro, like Quantum Tunneling, for instance.

I'd be fine with it not dumping aggro. You can always clip it with Survival. I was just using that combination in Survival Mode to rally fallen teammates.

Not optimal to need two abilities to do that, IMO.

It certainly isn't optimal, but you have the choice to do so if needed. A controller usually doesn't need a detaunt in a raid situation.

I just don't see it being very useful as is. If the tank goes down, and you need to go get him, you'll want an aggro dump. Doesn't matter if you're shielded. You'll get interrupted. I use QT all the time, when controlling. Never leaves my bar. For Munitions, you'll need PoT, instant power, at least defense and damage debuffs, and optimally a group shield. I'd rather take Survival and rely on my movement mode, than drop one of the others for Rocket Jump.

Survival was acting as a detaunt for me today. I was trying this out in the Qward solo. I attacked one of the Red Lanterns, let the Red Lantern attack me, let Robot Sidekick attack it, used Survival, and watched the Red Lantern run off to attack Robot Sidekick.

I view this more as one of the deficiencies in the Controller side of the Munitions powerset. As you mentioned above, Quantum Tunneling would be superior to a proposed Rocket Jump + Survival solution. A Gadgets Controller can leap in, drop Decoy, use Distract, and rally the tank usually without anyone else dying in the same situation. Aside from Rocket Jump and timing adjustments to Survival, Munitions really doesn't have any advantages over any other Controller powerset. I'm frustrated with the limited stuns and tactical possibilities I currently see in the powerset. If you enjoy playing Controller, you're currently better off using one of the other powersets.

I'm trying to approach the powerset with an open mind and trying out different things. However, I'm just not seeing any compelling reasons to switch to it for Controlling.

EDIT:
"Enemies are detaunted and compelled to seek other targets" -- Survival Description

I don't believe Remander was disputing that Survival was a detaunt, he was saying that Rocket Jump/Retreat is not a detaunt.