Splitting the Infiltrator class

Right now the only time i see infiltrators is across the map on a hill shooting at people hoping for headshots. Lets face it, there will always be people in FPS games that just want to snipe and thats all. Sadly this tells me that people are only using half of the infiltrator class. My suggestion would be to split the class and make a strictly sniper class and a infiltrator class.

The sniper class would only use long range bolt actions and semi autos (pretty much how infiltrators are played now). While the infiltrator class would get the cloaking ability, hacking and SMGs.

"BUT THATS NOT FAIR WE LOSE OUR CLOAK" says the sniper. Calm down junior you would get abilities that improve sniping such as longer hold breath or an ability that gives you no scope sway for ~5 seconds.

"BUT IM AN INFILTRATOR THAT DOESNT SNIPE ACROSS THE MAP!". Grats on playing the other half of the class but the majority of most infiltrators wont be coming down off that mountain just because SMGs are now available to them.

So basically infiltrator class would get cloaking and hacking and the sensor dart. While the sniper class would retain semi autos and bolt actions with abilities that help them snipe.

Why would we do this again?

Because people arent using the infiltration side of the class. They're only shooting at people across the map. Is that really helping your team when you get a kill ever 20 shots?

I don't play Infiltrator, but anecdotal evidence from watching my brother and other teammates play is that they definitely use the infiltration abilities, particularly the cloak and hacking.

They'd have to make the cloak actually function to coax people into this. as it stands it is ENTIRELY too easy to see an inf at close range. Then there's the fact that chances are you will run into at minimum 3-4 people when you go to hack something. At all times I just mentioned something in another thread that could work in favor of this class split though. People keep screaming 'remove spotting', I figure the snipers could be made the only class that can spot for everyone around within a certain range/in the same platoon. Maybe let them have the current crap cloak and let the actual Infiltrators have an improved one..

I've been asking for this split since beta. Having sniping and cloaking on the same class makes as much sense as having a Medic who drops ammo. It makes no sense.

You lack imagination if you think splitting the class is the only solution. No, the solution is called Stalker Cloak aka PS1 cloaking. You cannot use any rifles with the Stalker Cloak and it's good enough to actually let you get into defended bases (unlike the current cloak which is too visible).

With the default weapons an infiltrator is not very good at cqc. Sniper rifle, pistol and darts. You can, but with the pistol you are at a sizable disadvantage against any other class. If you are a pistol carrying infiltrator you rely on surprise. Getting the jump on your opponent is crucial. You see more people sniping because they don't have a scout, as it evens the odds considerably. Smg's will add something that is lacking to the class. That's great but people will still either have to save up for them or buy them. If your advice were followed nobody would play the sniper. It would be a dead class, a class only able to snipe and that is it? Can't hack and doesn't have a cloak.

I see people playing pure sniper classes all the time in similar games. The cloak is for infiltrating and no, im sorry, smg's will not magically make people stop sniping.

You have to compare the class you are trying to make to the other classes as they are. A sniping only class with no real special ability other than small things to help them snipe better is pretty bare when compared to the other classes. Nothing will make people stop sniping because the infiltrator by default isn't great when it comes to cqc. You have to save up or buy a scout and now smg's. I'd bet the smg will be a secondary weapon anyway. They wouldn't **** a class with a secondary primary and i also don't think they'll make it a default weapon. Nothing magical about it. Infiltrator is already low on the list of the least played classes. You'd just split it into two and make two more classes that can do half as much as the original.

Why?

Just give infils different viable builds - one for infiltrating, one for sniping. Make the player choose one of the two. Problem solved.

The times I see cloakers is because they are RUNNING and pretty much doing the 'Predator' bit, trying to move too quick and it causes the distortion. At longer ranges, the distortion should not be nearly as visible unless someone is hacking or using the NS/VR scope.

If they aren't MOVING, however, they should not be noticeable at close range.

It doesn't really solve the problem of having a main skill that is meant for you to be up close (hacking) when it comes to sniping. What they need to do is try and figure out a way of making both styles playable within the same build. IE, have the cloak be permanent when you have your pistol equipped or something.

No. The player needs to choose their trade-offs and advantages when they choose their loadout. Besides, sniper and infiltrator would need different equipment anyways.

Stalker cloak or hunter cloak,

Stalker is not implemented yet

End of story

Yeah... I'd split that class.

Ahem. On topic: The infiltrator is fine. The infiltration aspect definitely needs more, but just barely. The actual class itself could stand to use SMGs and also get some cloak variants. It however does NOT need split (something I'm not worried about because SOE would never do that anyway).

The real problems with infiltration have nothing to do with the class, but rather the EXP system and base design. What infiltrators really need are things like a buff to exp when other friendlies use a hacked terminal and also things like windows/doors/vehicles to hack.

Yes people are

I Snipe , I infiltrate bases, I hack turret's, I hack terminals, I become a pain in the *** back capping and laying mines ..

So do a LOT of Infi's

Kill 1 in 20 shot's ?
My average kill is 1 in 4 .. hit rate of 1 in 2 ish 45% ( body' shot's to weaken moving opponents so easier for my team to kill etc )

So it's a bit of a fallacy and incorrect statement that no one is using the Infiltration side of the class

I actually rarely snipe, i got my handy automatic rifle on my infiltrator, i sneak around, ninja kills, use recond darts, hack stuff, good times.

Oye oye, splitting them by your logic would harm most infils who are infiltrating if the "Sniper" Class got the Scout rifles... Heck I'm using the Impetus Close range Semi-auto Sniper (Mostly cause of damage) when I infiltrate or the Stalker Full-Auto Scout rifle...

Also those snipers are tasty... They think they're hidden til I sneak up behind them and put my dagger into them or just shot them faster that way.

Can you please leave the Inflitrator as it is now? Just make the RDD useful