Lock down sucks. Every TR agree to this. Not able to move means you get kill in seconds. Movement is life. 1. Provide a rechargeable shield just like other infantry while in Lockdown mode. 2. If Zoe get damage and speed buff with defense debuff. Why not give TR damage and defense buff with speed debuff? Although I personally prefer faster movement over extra defense, strafing and make them miss a bunch of bullets is better than taking a few extra bullets. 3. Simple toggle mode that improves movement, nothing more. Or perhaps with slight damage debuff. 4. Simple toggle mode that improve defense, nothing more. Or maybe slight movement debuff.
Alternatively a rat on a stick might be an improvement. Or a trout launcher. I wish we could have gotten overdrive instead of lockdown.
An infantry-esque shield while in Lockdown (imagine it'd start out empty and would start filling normally once in Lockdown, to avoid instant free HP) would be interesting and may help survive when damage starts getting flung at the MAX. I'm sure some of the NC would throw a fit about the TR shield being more useful than the NC one though, haha. Increasing DR would probably be simpler (and better synergize with Engineers) while accomplishing a similar thing. Either way, Lockdown is a magnet for HA rockets. Faster unbolt from Lockdown could also be useful for getting away before you die from full health. Seen some people talk about deploying into Lockdown faster, but that would just encourage walking around a corner, seeing a dude, and using Lockdown on the spot. It wouldn't actually let the MAX survive being a completely immobile target when used defensively. Also seen some requests for crouching while in Lockdown, which would be nice but wouldn't be enough by itself to make the ability significantly more useful.
I dont think any kind of extra damage taking would help when you're stationary. I think it would only encourage bad use of the LockDown, instead of what it should be used for. Temporary deployment, cause massive damage, move.... If used right, shouldnt be a problem, and is an interesting challenge for players who like that.
I'm a TR MAX nerd, and I disagree with you entirely. Lockdown is an amazing defensive tool when the barneys or smurfs start charging at your base. Heck, just this morning I used Lockdown/fractures to smash the **** out of a fifteen sundy bumrush, then switched to bursters and swatted libs/scythes for about half an hour before I had to get ready for work. I racked up a bucketload of kills/assists/certs and never once was I in any danger because I used my lockdown smartly. Lockdown in cover: This can be anything from the root of a tree, to the crest of a hill, to a little rock, a box, a wall, or even a friendly lightning/flash. Use it to rain death upon the enemies of the republic from afar. It even works indoors. Pick up flak armor, have an engy at your back and cover that doorway the enemies keep trying to get a foothold inside through. Eventually the enemy will be tripping over their own corpses just to feed you more certs. Another big thing to remember is, enemies are less likely to shoot you if you are blowing their face off. Lockdown is very effective at this, make the oversized roaches scurry for cover with a withering fusillade of suppressive fire. Things lockdown is NOT designed for: Rooting yourself in an open field infront of an oncoming Magrider who wants to hug you oh-so-tight. Running at a line of infantry and locking down to show them your defiance, STOMP STOMP! Doing the lockdown dance as the lib overhead rains his yellow balls of love on your noggin. Locking down in doorways, you do not have a handle, you have no hinges, you make a very poor door. Performing tribal dance sessions atop an annoyed Vanguard.
I think it could be made viable if it were instant to apply, but retained a delay to undeploy. You could then choose to use it at a moment's notice (possibly even from sprinting- imagine the possibilities), but would have to keep in mind the fact that you will be a sitting duck if you suddenly needed to move. On that note, perhaps a sensible nerf to ZOE would be to retain the damage vulnerability and glow for a similar delay when you deactivate it (positive aspects would cease instantly). Just a couple of small changes to functionality could be all that s needed to balance the two whilst keeping empire flavour intact.
Guess i'm weird but the lockdown is easy to manage since i ran with it in PS1. Sure it has its weaknesses but you can hold down points just fine. Its all about placement. Usually when holding a point a proper unit will have dedicated engy support and at least one medic. that said i am running level 5 lockdown so all weapons fire faster and own much. On a side note are maxes ever getting travel mode......oh how i miss travel mode.
