I'm calling it. Upcoming Vanguard Shield Nerf.

Discussion in 'PlanetSide 2 Gameplay Discussion' started by teks, Mar 24, 2014.

  1. Qaz

    "Major balance changes" are always a time for worry. I hope they don't f*ck it up and everyone gets to keep usable tanks. Good luck to us all!
  2. Vikingo

    No, I dont think it would.


    However they need to be careful of how they readjust the Manguard, I really do not feel like going back to the times (when the shield was bugged) when the Lightning was the best tank available to the NC.
  3. teks

    Yeah well they are giving lightning cannons a balance pass too, so its scary on our end as well. As a lightning driver I'm worried about SOE adjusting tank abilities in a way where I can't compete with NS abilities, and the Harasser buffs are a good way to bring back terrible nightmares of little buggys hunting us down like sheep.
    • Up x 4
  4. WTSherman

    The lightning can go over 80 kph (with Racer), has a smaller profile, has a superior anti-infantry gun in the Viper that can also contribute against vehicles in a pinch, and the AP lightning gun has a higher DPS than Titan AP. It definitely has plenty to make up for its lack of durability, my only complaint about the Lightning is it can't aim down (well, IIRC 5-ish degrees of gun depression, whee).

    I suppose you haven't been paying attention, but I've offered plenty of alternatives, all of which if done right would be just as powerful or more so when used appropriately, while at the same time having more options to counter through either maneuver or teamwork. Because while I don't want the Shield to simply be nerfed to give less HP than Fire Suppression, at the same time I recognize that if the devs are going to mess with it anyway it's an opportunity (though rather slim chance with their history >_>) to get a version that looks cooler, is more fun to use, and is more fun to play against.

    Things that I've come up with in other threads include:

    1: Supreme Commander style bubble shield: this runs on an energy bar (representing its HP) that recharges (relatively) quickly while it's down and slowly when it's up. Activation costs a large chunk of energy, so it's best used by activating preemptively to give it time to recover its activation cost. Enemies can move through the shield, rendering it completely useless once they get close enough. The shield would have a large HP pool but no/little resists, so everything can contribute to dropping it. If dropped by enemy fire, the shield must recharge to 100% before it can activate again (similar to the repair gun's overheat mechanic). Allies can shoot and move through it of course to prevent trolling.

    2: Half-shell shield (co-designed with VS player "lawn gnome"): a smaller version of the bubble shield that covers the tank's front arc and a portion of the side arc. Runs on similar mechanics but requires multiple Vanguards to work in formation if they want full coverage. Would need to be large enough that such formations are possible (ie if four Vanguards park together in a + formation, their shields should overlap).

    3: HA style resist shield: slight movement penalty, cuts damage taken in half instead of giving bonus HP, runs on an energy bar that recharges while down and depletes while up.

    4: Entrench: NC's answer to Anchor, a toggle ability with unlimited duration that locks the tank in place in exchange for a significant increase in damage resistance. Park next to a repair sundy for best results.
    • Up x 2
  5. Frozen-K


    After the initial excitement of the announced tank balances, this was my second thought. I just know this isn't going end well. For any of us.
    • Up x 3
  6. Flag

    Welcome aboard the cynical train. Please don't enjoy your stay, and don't let the attendant know when you're having a bad time.
  7. FluffyDestroyer

    for the shields, make the soldier use another type of ammo (available on the weapon mod upgrade page of course) to penetrate the shields at a reduced damage...but increase base speed by 20% since you can penetrate the shields I should have enough speed to counter since the shields right now makes you invulnerable for 6 secs...enough to go away. the increase speed should have the same effect.
  8. KiwiChieftaiNZ

    Just leave all the tanks as they are, with all the pro's and cons of each factions tank it all balances out.
  9. deggy

    No, things need to change. But it doesn't need to be a sweeping balance pass.
  10. Slumlord722

    I'll take a shield nerf if they give the vannie the ability to hover up mountains and strafe.
  11. deggy

    But they're not going to give you that, and if they did you'd also have to give up a turreted main gun and 5kph of top speed, at well as a good bit of damage.

    You don't have to "take" a Shield nerf. They're going to give you one. If you make a reasonable suggestion you might actually start some conversation.
  12. BluescalesNZ

    I'd like to see more ES MBT abilites, to add further variety. Given the NC's all-out, maximum impact approach to warfare, a certification that when activated redirects power from the motive systems to the gun makes sense to me. You receive a damage and velocity buff at the cost of having massively reduced speed, turning rate, acceleration and turret movement. Takes time to activate or deactivate and has a cooldown on either use, so can't just be flicked back and forth, you need good positioning and battlefield awareness to make best use of it. Also has a visible effect so people can tell when it's in use, like lightning arcing around the Vanguard's barrel or something.
  13. deggy

    You mean Lockdown?
    • Up x 1
  14. MGAMIKA



    I suggested Entrench EONs ago.. (Just that most of the proposed stuff back then needs to change).
  15. BluescalesNZ

    Yes, it does sound a lot like lockdown, but the thing is that as many TR players have stated Lockdown goes against the idea of their faction traits. Don't get me wrong, Lockdown is good, but what I think a lot of TR would like to see if an ability for the Prowler that doesn't remove it's supposed area of superiority - it's speed. An ability that when activated gives it higher top speed, handling and better suspension of it can shoot reasonably well on the move at the cost of damage resistance seems better suited to them.


    TR are meant to be the 'professional military' and I think an aspect of that that the devs have forgotten about or done poorly at putting in the TR arsenal is mobile warfare. They're supposed to have the fastest tank and ESF, they should be about the blitzkreig lightning assault to smash aside an rebellion or resistance to TR rule, and they just don't feel that way currently.

    Anyhow, I apologize for hijacking the thread. You may return to your Vanguard Shield discussion.
  16. teks

    Sounds like magboost.

    Professional militaries have used mobile artillery for hundreds of years. The idea of being able to deploy and undeploy heavy firepower at strategic locations on the battlefield by the use of a highly mobile means of transportation has been effective since the mongols began moving siege weapons on horseback.
    Heavy Artillery that could be moved by train.
    Cannons able to be toted around by horses.
    Mobile artillery.
    Some TR complain because they don't like deploy, but saying speed and deploy aren't compliments is a lame excuse. Speed is nessesary to position yourself, and its a common military tactic.
  17. Slumlord722

    The problem is that there is nothing that can be given to compensate for the fact that they might nerf an ability when the stats don't support a nerf at all.
  18. Frozen-K


    Beer me, and I'll probably not know if I am or not!
    • Up x 1
  19. deggy

    Did you know that nobody from SOE has actually said a single word about nerfing the Shield?

    Certain players just decided that "MBT balance" meant "Shield nerf"...

    ...Because the Shield is perfectly balanced, right?
  20. Slumlord722

    Are you aware of the thread you're in? The one that says "I'm calling it. Upcoming Vanguard Shield nerf?"

    You're right, so unreasonable to defend the shield in this thread.
    • Up x 1