The correct way to balance/nerf the Heavy Assualt Sheild

HA shield is a crutch tool, no skill required

He was right on the money though...

People need to realize that this is just a suggestion... not a crime against humanity. I suppose that's the risk you have to take when making a simple post on the forums. I'm sorry if my suggestion and thoughts offend you that much, but if they do, you should probably just stay away from this section in the forums in general. This is just a freaking suggestion people. If you have something against my thoughts, how about you explain why in full detail instead of insulting me in every line and calling me a ******* when I'm just trying to start a conversation. I mean god, some of you guys are pathetic. But as I said, that's the risk for making a simple suggestion on the forums.

Yes well, I suppose people have the right to take suggestions for discussion personally, but I must say it's quite an aggressive and disrespectful way to critique someone's suggestion.

Meh.... that's true about the internet in general.

Maybe I'm just desensitized to it having grown up with cutting attitudes since I first got online at age 10 in '91

In any case, the "problem" you're trying to fix isn't a problem... it's functioning as intended.

The HA class is supposed to win direct head on 1v1's

This game isn't balanced around 1 v 1... it's balanced based on 48v48 or more.

If HA's didn't have a damage soak advantage, there'd be literally NO reason to take them for inside fighting. Having pure medics would be infititely better.

Every class has a role in infantry vs infantry combat.

Is LA "weaker". Purely on paper, sure... but it's advantage allows for much greater skill ceiling, and it helps you chose when and how to engage the enemy which is far better than having a reactionary shield TBQH.

I play all the classes. My K/D is pretty close to the same with all of them. My LA K/D would actually probably be higher than my HA KDR but for the fact I play about 3x more aggressively as LA

My issue with the heavy assualt isnt that it can take a lot of damage. I just suggested that there should be a 2.5x multiplyer for the headshot that way the Heavy Assualt could be more balanced. The speed reduction doesnt really balance it all that much. Seriously though, how much would a 2.5x headhost multiplyer hurt the Heavy more than helping balance the sheild in general?

The problem with your argument on the game being balanced around 48v48 is that there are too many variables to just balance or base it off numbers. Planetside 2 has variable numbers for every fight, which means the subject between class balancing becomes a bit more important. Heavy Assualts are killing machines, but if 12 heavies were to go fight 12 medics, the Heavies would win every time due to them having the extra health. My suggestion was to just have a chance that if those 12 medics were to be accurate and good enough, they could potentionally win against the heavies. Potentionally though. Its likely that the heavies would win more than the medics even if the medics have better aim than the heavies. I just think it would be neat to have a weakness to the Heavy Assualt using their powerful ability. I would just like so more variety between 1v1 situations which I guarentee you could admit that you've been in MANY 1v1 fights where there was no outside interference.

I really just wanted to spark a conversation about possibly balancing the sheild better for skilled gameplay. That's all I'm trying to do here, but so many people are trying to shove it up my own *** even though this is a forums where educated, respectful, and elaborate comments should take place most of the time. But... this is the internet. I dont know what I was expecting but that doesnt mean that its excusable.

Headshot multiplier I've said I'd agree with.

Most people want the old activation delay, which IMO would be an unrealistic nerf to the class. at a minimum they'd need to reduce the charge used per second to account for the added time.

as for 12 medics vs 12 heavies, I suspect the medics would actually win. given even 1 second they can revive a teammate back to full health.

10 heavies and 2 medics vs 10 medics and 2 heavis on the other hand I'd say the heavies would win... I think they should though.

You should want roughly 50% of your infantry to be HA, 25% LA or Infil on the flanks, and 25% medic & engie for support. That would be the "ideal" class distribution and it fits into the roles for all the classes. You can get by with fewer support classes if you're properly organized, but given standard pubbies lack of, 25% is a much better #

TBH, I was not aware of this.... most of my deaths when the game launched which weren't from Zephyr, came from CARV until it was nerfed.. Most of them now are from Orion and before that a large portion of all "unavoidable" ones were from the SVA exploited by botters & other cheaters until it was nerfed also.

I am however very aware that it would have "broke" class balance. Hence why I'm arguing for a revision of Infantry Grenades (& maybe their corresponding implants too) instead. Infact my posts at the time of the Test Server change, also defended HA's. Players need that crutch or the class would be ruined for too many people. The only thing I was pointing out was the "Logic" argument that other post brought up in attacking the Vanguard.

LMG's get more kills because of the Overshield in 1v1s I think.

VS is somewhat of an outlier here as well actually, combination of having the best LMG available (for CQB at any rate, jack all for ranged options) and the worst AR's across the board. I'd LOVE to have a rebalance there for that matter. Bring Orion down in line with others (which I use just fine anyways) and buff the bloody AR's to = the other factions

I think VS actually have a problem with medics because the AR's suck lol.

On the move in CQB Carbines are likewise often better. My Lynx has no problem taking down even an OS popped HA wielding an LMG (if he's got an SMG in hand, I'm screwed though)

and yeah, I do think that giving headshot multiplier seems like a reasonable and necessary fix. Hell, I thought it already did Maybe I'll stop aiming for the head until the OS goes down from no on, I'll prolly hit with another round or 2 that way

Hell, at least it would balanced then.. I would be ok with it.

Quick video:

I should have been dead, but I pressed F and took one with me.

The Heavies would win because if a medic spends a second to revive or heal then that's basically one man down with all 12 heavies shooting. The Heavies would also likely have a large ammo supply if they use LMG's which they most likely will, which means the medics are at another disadvantage since they have to reload.

That's fine if its "the strongest" 1v1 class, but if there is no skill or tactical advantage you can get with quick skill between their strength which is the sheild, there might be a slight balance issue there.

It could do with being addressed one way or t'other .. It can be to much of an " I-win " shield when caught with your pants down When it shouldn't really .. It should be a preemptive skill rather than a reactive one.

I thought the head was already NOT covered/protected by the overshield?

Or did I read your post wrong?

Or perhaps I'm thinking of resist shield?

And who is this "everyone" ? If you were having trouble killing HA with LA, well you weren't playing LA right.

And if my statement about OS and headshot holds true, it would explain how I can (face-roll my keyboard) aim at the face of a heavy who thinks they can just pop shields and win.


Oh and that video you posted...

The other heavy obviously didn't finish the job of killing you; seems he was also taking damage as it seems the shield lost effect occurs on him. Thus, he loses focus from you to evade fire, allowing you an easy, wounded victim.

Most medics from other factions I've dueled and lost to, were using NS11 or an E.S. SMG.

I do worry that the whole headshot vulnerability might go too far though, I already average a "A **" HSR on just the stock AR which as described by DA claims a top 1% of all players and the funny part is that I don't ever go medic to lonewolf or solo. I am a "cleric" player through and through or a Protection-Bot if you go by other Genres with monk or paladin tropes. Killing anyone is the last priority for me as medic yet I've mowed down FCRW heavies when they got in the way of healing my outfit. Most of those kills ARE heavies already b/c there's so damn many of them in every fight. It's too easy to "outlast" a H.A. by exploiting corner peeking. And thanks to triage, we can run C4 in util slot and not compromise anything against anyone dumb enough to rush our peeking-corner while we simply outlast them. Maybe it's supposed to be like that? I'd have to ask Higby I guess, I hear he plays NC medic too.

Guns are a crutch, use only your knife or you're a no-skill scrub.

He shot at me to try and bait me out..
He runs back, turns off his overshield, and starts to line up his shot on the corner of the box he shot me from.
Instead, I popped out the other side the boxes, catching him off guard as he tries to line up his shot on the other corner the box.
I pressed F, and take enough damage to drop my overshield, and put me into red flashing HP, so 650+ damage.
If I was not a heavy, and did not have overshield, having only 1/3 HP I would have died 4 times over from taking that 650 damage..

It would be perfectly balanced but boring.

A shot to the head should still count as 2x damage and thus drain the shield faster, no?

If the shield blocks the headshot multiplier then I agree, change it. But I'm pretty sure headshots still do more damage (as usual) while the shield is up because you can still get sniped.

I've never run the numbers, but I know from experience that the shields do not save you from a headshot, and when I was using the claw, I'd still one-shot HAs w/shields by plugging them in the head (whereas a body shot wouldn't get the job done).