MAX Unit should be changed or removed

At the moment MAXs have loads of HP and powerful anti infantry weapons. MAX can just stroll around the enemy infantry and kill them one by one with a shotgun or some other OP weapon they have, while themselves can only be defeated by a massed enemy fire or explosives that are not always available. MAXs are also often used for shameless camping at spawn points and choke points because even when spotted they are hard to kill. Often they don't even move from their camping spot and just soak in fire (especially easy with the nanite self repair kit)

What I think is that each class should have strengths and weaknesses so that in 1 on 1 fight the result depends only on the skill of each player and how they use their abilities. At the moment none of the classes can defeat a MAX in single combat (well maybe with C4 and a lot of luck if you're a light assault)


In my opinion the only role for MAX suits should be protecting friendly infantry from enemy armor and air units and aiding breaching of buildings or their defence. There should be no such a thing as an anti infantry MAX. The anti wehicle weapons should have very limited damage against infantry.

Maybe instead of anti infantry weapons the MAX could have something like a big riot shield that could protect him and the infantry behind during breaching/defence. This could be complemented by strong melee and the charge ability. That way MAX would be useful for a team, it wouldn't be defenceless but would actually require some skill to use and would actually be more balanced against other infantry units. Any opinions?

The MAXes role is in a good place I feel. I dont see what the problem here is. They are considered vehicles for most things and as such AT mines and rockets do alot of damage to them. Also the nante self repair is total bollocks. At max level its 1%/s after twipking no damage for 15 seconds. Not much soaking to be had.

I somewhat agree.... MAX should have a lot more HP, more ammo but not dual weapons of the same type.

Cant have both chainguns, or both shotguns.... I think thats where SOE went wrong giving a MAX dual busters, dual shotguns.

Right arm should be anti infantry always - left arm should be either anti vehicle or anti air

Bold.

Ahaha, MAXes hard to kill...

you are one of these people....


GET OUT.

this game is not meant to be played 1 v 1, its 100 v 100.

2rockets = dead max no matter what.

I think you've completely missed the point of Planetside 2. Perhaps COD or BF3 would suit you better?

Yep, sounds like another NC Scat/Hack MAX nerf thread to me.

Once again, AI proficiency of the NC MAX is not the problem; the problem is lack of specialization of the other MAX units. The one thing they all do really well is AA, and that's only because the Burster is a common pool weapon. Additionally, most don't have really astounding AI or AV weaponry atm. TR AV weapons, for example, have incredible arc and, at their damage levels, are best used while standing above the vehicle; and the default TR AI Cycler exhibits what seems to be a greater TTK than default straight-up-Infantry weapons. You'll also find no end of VS complaining about the lackluster mediocrity of their own MAX unit. They're getting melee weapons, but that's an odd thing to be giving them; people think it's great but it'll probably be a range increase; one MAX swipe is already very painful. What the TR and VS MAXes really need are their category of specialization, AV or AA (yes, somthing beyond the Burster), and then a secondary option that can approach an opponent's skill, e.g., I'm told the TR Mercy is a really nice AI weapon.

MAX units do require skill. You can't just bully into a room and kill everything in it by yourself. In fact, attacking common lanes of enemy Infantry without backup or coordinated cover/distraction is suicide. Even in AA work, you have to keep track of your targets and assume you can't tank anything. That ESF flying towards you? potential major threat, probably setting up a rocket pod run, need to shoot at it to get it off its approach. That Liberator hovering nearby? potential major threat, the pilot is probably letting the gunner get used to the angles on his shot at your or your allies; start shooting and leading, but get ready to move through a door. Those tanks? major threat, run and get to cover or get the high ground. Large group of enemies charging in your direction? major threat, run to live longer or move closer to distract so your allies get more shots in (unless you're an NC MAX and getting closer is about getting into effective range).

I do think the riot shield idea has potential if balanced properly, though.

No. MAXes are fine (Expect the ScatMAX, but we have enough threads about that.)

all the maxes are fine.

Don't take away my iron flesh MAX!

NC says max is fine, more news at 11.

LOL Max dies in under 3 seconds flat, there is no problem, let me guess what happened here.

You ran into a MAX at point blank range an he killed you, your fault/bad luck.... tough, so you rushed here to demand they nerfed, sound pretty close? yup....

The only Max that needs changing is the ScatMax. The thing one shots you at CQC. And if you buy slugs in it, you can increase its range to the range that VS and TR Maxes are normally used and kill just as fast at those ranges. The main argument the NC use to defend their max is range, yet you guys ignore that slug ammo is an option. I really don't understand how the ScatMax has not been nerfed yet? The Prowler, and Magrider were nerfed because they were unbalanced, why have the devs completely ignored the ScatMax issue? Are the devs just biased towards the NC?

The point is that maxes are classified as infantry units and operate alike. The main difference between infantry and vehicles is that infantry can operate within builtings and other closed rooms with no to little problems, where vehicles won't be able to operate or will have huge problems doing so. Now max is just a f-ing tank, who can operate inside of buildings. Say lightning is easier to kill then a max.

Their low speed is a good pay for superior firepower, or superior hp, not both.

Also, before the recent patch a single AA max could really kill a liberator alone, or, at the very least, make it fly for repairs. Maxes cost little to nothing and one such thing could kill a 3-seat aircraft in seconds, while flying on a liberator requires some skill atleast, while operating a max is not harder then a usual infantry play.

If maxes are classified as infantry - they must die to any infantry unit, with same chance. And if not - make them vehicles, add some hp, increased model, unable to operate withing buildings, etc.

As they are now - they're one of the most imbalanced things ingame.

NC MAXs are fine. It's just that the TR and VS MAXs suck at their roles. I play TR MAX a lot, and while the chainguns are nice they could be A LOT better.

>.> A single burster MAX barely dents a liberator. Play it before you judge.

If you want a MAX that can't kill infantry just switch to VS
But seriously, MAX units are fine. I cut through them easily with HA/LA as long as I'm a little cautious. They're in a good place right now. They're meant to be able to hold their own against a group of infantry, hence the reason they have a cooldown and cost resources.
As people have said... Scat Maxes are pretty ridiculous but there's almost as much /rage about that as there used to be about Magriders. My personal opinion is that NC Maxes need a LITTLE nerf, VS need a LITTLE buff and TR Maxes are that nice balance that both sides should shoot for. I know that when I play a VS Max I can get completely obliterated by an NC/TR Max in 1v1 and I'll only get them MAYBE down to half health... It's sad. Ahh well.

Tl;Dr OP is wrong.

So many of the things are so ridiculousy ill-informed that I don't even know where to start. First off, Max units are 10x easier to kill than a Lighting. They're slower, take damage from small arms, two rockets hits from any direction takes them out, 1 brick of C4 takes them out.

1 dual burster Max honestly poses 0 threat to a skilled Lib pilot. I'd say that I'm barely above average and I feel perfectly safe to just let my Lib tank shots for 10 seconds while my gunners light up the Max. As you said though, before the patch... so... why is what used to be the case still relevant to issues of balance today?

Finally, running a Max skillfully is actually quite difficult. Sure, it's easy for the average person to grab one and get a few kills in the right situation but as soon as you jump in a Max you are everyones #1 target and Maxes die incredibly quickly if you're not careful since literally everyone is shooting at you.

Infantry is learning to deal with MAX suits instead of complaining, OP you should do the same.
When I first got my dual extended clip hacksaws a few months ago, the psychology of all infantry players was to run at me shooting their weapon since they expected an easy kill, they died easily.
Later the majority of players changed tactic and ran away and only tried to attack me in a group, this was effective.

Now, lone wolf players can take me down with some luck - for most players, the second they see me they take out their rocket launcher/C4 or mines and drop it at my feet or shoot me.

The MAX is a slow unit, the hacksaws run out of ammo in under 1 second so if the player manages to dodge my 1 second burst of fire they now have 3 or 4 seconds while I reload to take me down which is easy.

The real problem here is that organized squads of MAX/engineer can defend easily against a bunch of lone wolves with no organisation attacking, no organised force should be able to take down an organized one with equal power.

join an outfit.