[Suggestion] A little list of LA ideas.

Discussion in 'Light Assault' started by Xenthana, Mar 12, 2014.

  1. Xenthana

    Some of these ideas may have already been given out, I honestly don't have the patience to read through an entire forum section to find out. HOWEVER! These are ideas that after doing at least some reading, I've not seen direct mention of or would like to emphasize in my own manner.

    1. The obligatory Jetpack suggestion - Burster Jetpack. This is a jetpack that emphasizes mobility over anything else, as its main function is to boost the user very quickly in the direction they're looking for short distances, taking chunks of the energy bar per use. The draw-backs? It would be louder than the standard jetpack boosts [~50m audio range maybe as opposed to 20m?], and the user loses the ability to shoot while boosting, creating a sort of 'running' effect that takes just as long to recover from, and of course they would only be able to boost FORWARD. Sorry folks, no strafing. On top of this, there would be no sustained flight or ability to smoothly redirect dangerous velocities. Ranks in this would increase fuel capacity, offering more boosts [starting at ~3, ending at ~5.5], longer distance per boost [3m to about 4.6m], but NOT shorter recharge time.

    2. Suit Slot ideas!
    2a. A class specific version of the Adrenaline Pump that would mimic the old 30% boost, but through ranks, and only ending at 25% - The last rank would in theory cost 1000 certs for sake of such a hefty boost, however ideally it would NOT effect flight speed, or if it did, not by very much. We're a speedy class, but not made of lightning.
    2b. Flight Goggles. Something that specifically improves aim while flying, increases accuracy per rank, and on the final rank, allows ADS as well. [Think of it as an external implant, offering the user better reflexes and a visual display to aid them.] The balancer of this? It's a suit slot!

    3. The dreaded Tool Slot! - Recon Camera. Not a radar, not an automatic device of any kind, but instead, a camera that light assaults can make use of their vantage point gaining ability, to boost their Q-spotting by making the cone at which it marks something just a little bit wider. You have to actually click while holding the camera up rather than pressing Q, and it would send out a pulse that marks people instead, spending energy in the same manner as a repair tool overheats and perhaps taking a moment to hit the area, so you couldn't spam it either. Max rank would offer the smaller cone of a shotgun perhaps.

    4. The Flash Grenade Conundrum - People have said that the Flash Grenade has become the most useless special grenade in the game, and I tend to agree, considering I've only been hit by one in the span of my entire time on Planetside 2. My suggestion is not just an increase in effective radius, but to add a sort of 'dizzy/drunk' effect to it, similar to the waver of high powered scopes but much worse, and that 'deafening ring' you hear in any other game with flash grenades, both of which would fade slowly alongside the initial blinding effect. This is a grenade that temporarily destroys not only your sense of sight, but your sense of hearing, would it not make sense to make it hard to keep your balance, let alone your aim? - Yes this makes it comparable to concussion grenades, but where those dampen your aim AND movement, this would merely make it very difficult to keep a steady aim.

    --- From this point on, there are only two suggestions, but both of them infringe on Infiltrator methods, and this I admit. However I want to give what reasoning I can as to why they would be fair regardless. ---

    5. Utility Slot Option - A decoy placement that could be thrown like a mine or C4, which would mimic the user's last posture and direction, whether standing or crouching, and when shot would merely distort slightly, which at distance would look like a shield taking damage, but closer up would look like a clear fake. Why for light assault instead of Infiltrator, the class of stealth and subterfuge? Light assault has no method of disengagement when seen on their most relevant environment, roofs, able to be spotted and focused on or even hunted down the moment they fire on a single enemy. The counter balance of this is that it wouldn't be very effective against experienced players, and it would replace other things like C4 or med kits.

    6. A longer ranged weapon. - Light assaults are excellent at finding perches and the sort, but we're also much better at closer ranged excursions, so what I'd like to suggest is not a sniper rifle but something more akin to the engineer or HA's battle rifles. A ranged alternative that can be used to take advantage of a good perch without being so powerful that it takes over the role of infiltrators' sniping ability.


    In conclusion,
    Take these suggestions as you will, but I hope I've given enough reasoning as to why they're fair, as I've designed all of them to be side-grades more than direct upgrades to give the class more options, except for the flash grenade as frankly, they're **** to begin with, and the camera because the class needs a tool slot. This is because I understand that the LA is powerful in its own right due to its ability to physically evade better than any other class and is capable of being as much a menace as any other class in the right hands and the right situation, but is currently very limited in the context of which it can do this.
  2. MadTavish

    While long range weapon (current scout rifle/battle rifle) would be nice and could allow for some more supportive playstyles (especially once the exp % damage assist change comes through) it is not what Light Assault desperately needs.

    First and foremost, both special grenades, smoke and flash need to be improved. In case of Flash grenade it's it incredible bugginess and unrealiblity as well as being outclassed by the concussion grenade. Now a change I would like to go through for flash grenade is that, while an enemy is affected by it, he does not see spotted enemy red "doritos". Now for smoke grenade, the issue is that is outclassed by a resource free (and resupplyable) underbarrel smoke launcher. What I would like to see happen to smoke grenade is following; bigger area and longer duration that UbSL as well as already suggested removal of red enemy doritos while in the smoke cloud. This would push these grenades into more usefulness as well as give LA ability to provide some utility and support for his team.

    Speaking of utility and support, it is the most needed thing for Light Assault. Aside from my already suggested grenade improvements, I would love to see some kind of specific tool. Thankfully several people already came with great ideas and im gonna go through with one of them: radar jammer. Whenever it is going to be deployable thingy or a dart-style tool, it will do following things. Block enemy's ability to spot all friendly units as well as any minimal indicators ( and any infiltrator recon tool detection in the affected area.?) This would allow LA to cover and mask his approach and presence as well as provide squad utility, by removing his squad from the minimap and spotting system for as long as the jammer is active. Now there are two ways of balancing this tool:
    1.) make it permanent , deployable, only one active at a time tool, that can however be circumvented by infiltrator detection. This would provide hard counter to it, however im not fan of this solution as when the infiltrator presence is high enough, the device would be rendered useless.
    2.) what im more fan of is following: dart-like jammer, with limited time span, only one (two?) active at a time, however uncounterable by anything (except finding and destroying the dart). This solution would provide two things: firstly the LAs capacities would be limited by his reserve pool, requiring resupply from terminal or squad engi (EMPHASIZING TEAMWORK and SQUAD COHESION) and the functionality would not fall victim to bigger number of infiltrators in the area.

    TL;DR:

    - Fix and buff LA special grenades to be reliable and provide utility
    - Add Radar jamming tool for LA to allow him to emphasize flanking and ambushing as well as provide squad utility.

    I believe those two changes, or any changes that add meanigful and working ways for LA to provide utiłity and support and contribute to his friendly units are necessary before start make any changes or improvements to the actual firepower ability of the LA.
  3. Inf1nite

    Ok, the majority of items that you listed are either a) useless or b) for the infiltrator. The last two are for the infiltrator and so is the recon camera. The adrenaline pump cert line ending at 25% for 1000 certs?! Are you crazy?! No one uses it anyways, it's a waste of 30 certs! The flash bang already deafens you, and the drunk/dizzy effect is the reason why we have concussion grenades. The Burster Jetpack only seems useful in getaway situations. The LA needs a lot of buffs, but NONE of those that you have listed should be included.
  4. Xenthana

    The camera isn't similar to the infiltrator's radars though, it's a direct-use thing that's only useful from high vantage points, which only light assault is good at acquiring without secondary methods like spawn beacons.
    No one uses the AP because it's relatively useless, only giving 10% speed no matter what. That's like saying that nanoweave is useless because it only protects against one extra bullet, and another at final rank. Which honestly it is, when potentially you could have several sources of said bullets at any given time.
    And as I said, the jetpack is primarily for MOBILITY. Getaways yes, but also quickly crossing open area. Light assault is the least adequately equipped for dealing with long spans of empty space after all.

    So how about you put some logical input behind your criticism, or actually read the reasoning behind it, instead of saying 'this sucks, get out'.

    And for the record, stop ******** about other classes getting 'infiltrator-like' abilities. You're not the all-star class that has to have every little bit of technology that doesn't involve guns that aren't snipers. The fact that you can run around with SMGs is ridiculous in itself if you want to lay claim to all forms of recon.
  5. GrymMSK

    I know that SOE seems pretty determined to give LA dual wielding. If its just dual wielding pistols, then that's pretty dumb, and if it's dual wielding primaries...well that's ridiculous.

    What I wish they would do with "dual wielding" would be to allow the LA to choose a second primary in place of a secondary. I believe that may have been brought up somewhere before, and I think it would fit the LA playstyle perfectly. I see the LA as a mobile and versatile assault class, and due to his jetpack, he will often be moving from longer range outside of base style fighting to close range fighting.

    Having two primaries would fit this role very well, while not becoming overpowered since its not like you have twice the fire power, and trying to switch weapons when a fight has already started is suicide anyways (generally).

    I love the radar jammer idea. LAs are often the go to class to hunt down a pesky infil, and this kinda defines the LA as the "anti" infils instead of an infiltrator with less things to use. The camera idea is ok, but I don't see that really happening.

    I was thinking of maybe just some sort of wall you could set up that functions similar to an engie turret in terms of deployment and damage resistance. It could be time limited or resource limited or whatever to make it not spammable and balanced, but it could promote team play and enemy trapping, as well as aid in generator overloading and things like that that I think the LA should have a leg up in.
  6. Inf1nite


    Lol looks like someone is pretty pissed. First off, I don't ONLY play Infiltrator, and I'm pretty fond of the LA class. The camera is basically the recon drone that they thought about implementing but removed it (multiple times). Still, for example, if the burster jetpack let you fly forwards about 30 feet in 3 seconds then had a 15 second cooldown in the middle of an open battlefield then you can just get shot up after.

    I never said Infiltrator was the best class and that they should only get sniper rifles etc. but if you look at the guns, ALL classes can equip SMGs, and ALL classes (excluding Infiltrator) can equip shotguns. The Light Assault already has the access to cqc carbines, SMGs, Shotguns, Sniping/Long Range Carbines. LA's definitely don't need sniper rifles or scout rifles since they can already get up into advantageous areas above their enemies.

    LA's could use lots of new stuff but in my opinion, things like the Camera don't need to be for them, Adrenaline Pump cert line seems useless unless it gets up to the 30% you suggested but it doesn't cost 1000 certs, the dizzy/confusion addition to the flash bangs would now be even more powerful concussion grenades for a very versatile class, the utility slot is the decoy grenade but in a better way (since the decoy grenades are ****), and for a longer range weapon, they could have something better as long as they aren't stealing the Infiltrator's weapons.
  7. Niller

    I think that the LA tool slot should be C4, make it the only class to get it free, I mean LA is already the best class to throw down C4 on vehicles and maxes.

    This would also allow for the ability to use a medkit + C4, making LA a class about cqc vehicle domination class. And then they should ad empire specific LA C4.

    The other classes C4 would stay untouched.
  8. Xenthana

    Eh, sorry.. I'm just tired of seeing people who favor infiltrator, saying that another class can't have something just because it sounds remotely relevant to them, when LA feels like the most under-fed class to me..

    The idea of the camera is indeed similar to the recon drone because the drone is basically stripping whatever spotting relevance light assaults have left, which I don't feel is fair. The jetpack wouldn't force you to stand still for that long obviously, you could use it at a staggered pace, as you'd still theoretically be able to run between bursts. The recovery time I imagined would be the same as coming out of running to be able to shoot again, but would be irrelevant to movement in general. As for recharging, well, if a full charge took 15 seconds, and you got 5.5 boosts at max rank, you'd be getting one every few seconds if you didn't overload it, so it'd still be relevant. And to note, I never meant it to be purely horizontal movement. You could zig-zag through the air vertically if you could find the right context to do it without making yourself a spectacular target.

    I'm pretty sure only NC have access to carbines that can effectively 'snipe' a target that isn't standing dead still for five seconds. I'm just thinking of a weapon that doesn't completely lose accuracy and damage potential further than 40m or so on said moving target, but as I said would still not compare to infiltrator weapons of the sort. And for the record, I hate shotguns.. They're too easy to use up close but render you a walking corpse if you can't get close enough.

    The reason I put it at such a price and not the full 30% is because the last time I saw a video of it in use, it seemed overpotent to me, compared to the fact that LA's are indeed already the best at physically avoiding people, without any sort of ability that directly shields them from either damage or vision. I suppose to be fair, 500 certs at max then, but of course I was thinking of it in a 10 50 100 200 ___ line like most other suit slots. As for the flash bang bit, I didn't mean it to be so potent that someone with really good reflexes couldn't still control their gun. I wanted them to be less than on par with concussion grenades but in a different way, essentially.

    Oh and on a lighter note, that's a pretty awesome signature banner you've got.. I looked into it the other day and I think I may use one too. :]
  9. MajiinBuu

    I would love to dual-wield Commissioners
  10. DerEchteSpatz

    So is "Adrenaline Pump" for Light Assaults...
  11. Inf1nite

    DerEchteSpatz, Adrenaline pump is for LA but if you had a cert line that you had to pay over a 1000 certs to just get 20% more speed than it was originally then that's useless.

    Xenthana, the original idea for the recon drone was to scout out the area ahead. I'm pretty sure it wasn't able to fly upwards very high so it was mostly to fly into buildings and around corners where LAs could only be able to see the enemy from a safe area if they had a higher vantage point. LAs wouldn't be able to see from above inside buildings (no x-ray vision sorry :p) so in that respect, the LAs would be able to see more from above while the recon drone would be able to see more in enclosed, tighter areas where LAs don't have as much of an advantage.
  12. cruczi

    Uhm, I would pay over 1000 certs to get 20% more speed...
  13. Inf1nite

    Cruczi, I would too if I had certs to burn. Otherwise, the cert line is useless until last rank for people who aren't BR 80+ and have certs to throw out the window.