Should Engineers be able to recharge shields?

Discussion in 'Engineer' started by sammycheez, May 21, 2014.

  1. sammycheez

    I know good engineers already make a ton of experience, but what if they could recharge shields just like a medic heals health? Would this be overpowered, or give engineers too many support roles? There have been many times I've wished for this feature, especially when ducking in and out of a room and having my shields depleted then having to wait for a recharge. Most times there's an engineer right there! Please tell me your thoughts on the advantages and disadvantages of this concept. Maybe I'm completely wrong about this and it would unbalance the game! If so, just tell me why.
    • Up x 2
  2. Voodoo4500

    You are correct that you are completely wrong.
  3. Astraka

    Engineers are hands down the worst class for Infantry combat. You're either outgunned or are fighting classes that have abilities that give them significant combat advantages - sometimes both. Engineers are also pretty poor at making experience unless you're attached to a MAX unit 24/7. Ammunition exp caps out very early, and without MAX units that's all you have to rely on.

    With all that said, I think having a 'Nano-Repair Device' would make perfect sense, lore-wise and balance-wise. Not only would the class make slightly more experience without MAX units around, but they'd also be on par with the CM in combat. They might have to give up the ability to drop the turret, but I think that'd be a worthwhile trade most of the time.
  4. Casterbridge

    The shield idea is interesting. I always thought Engineers should have more variety in their grenades as well, possibly able to use any type of grenade that other classes get access to (with the possible exception of medic grenades).

    I also really like the idea of having something useful to replace the turrets, something a bit more for mobile combat though not sure what.
  5. sammycheez

    Please tell my why I'm wrong
  6. Mongychops

    My main issue with it is that it kinda nullifies harrassment. Harassing enemies with explosives and small amounts of damage to reset their shield timer and force them into cover is part of gameplay both on a small scale and on a large scale.

    That said, the engineer only gets one class specific grenade type, compared to two on all the other classes. I think the second engineer grenade type could be a shield regen grenade, similar to the medics healing grenade. Because it is a grenade, and so is limited and costs resources, it isn't spammable, but, it can potentially be decisive in sustaining an advance when attacking, or halting a rout when defending.
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  7. Gaulwa

    The AI turret is... very situational and not that useful. You easily get one-shotted by snipers out of your effective range it's not even funny anymore.

    I certainly wish I could trade it off for a deployable shield cover (you know, just the shield attached to the turret), or that medic skill to restore shields to other players around, or anything more useful, really...

    How about a dome shield with 2-4k hp?
    AoE shield regen?
    a deployable barricade?
    anything useful?
  8. LOLdragon

    Shields already recharge quite promptly, and Medics have their new wonderful shield recharge bubble deployable, so there's not much of a reason for this.