So does this mean the TR will get our Stiker reset to what it used to be before the other factions whined about TR having an advantage due to a multi-missle launcher system?
COF improvements are fine but this Empire specific weapon used to lock on to Ground and Air targets - it made it unique. Just the NC's can be fire from behind cover and the VS is instant hit - no time to dodge etc. When they nerfed it making each rocket weak as well as not being able to get a lock (sorry the "auto lock on air" sorta sucks and is easy to avoid) Make it lock on ground and air again - give us something...
The Old striker was comparable to the NS Annhilator then, just with more shots and less damage. Also the Strikers better COF is really really good. The NS Swarm is alot less effective then the old striker, but still useful to have.
With the NS Rocket Launcher being out, the current Striker needs to be buffed even more to differentiate itself. As it is now, I would rather buy the NS Rocket L. as a happy compromise over being stuck with the Striker 2.0 with my TR character only. Of course, that is exactly what DBG would like us all to do . . .
I agree the swarm looks fine - but what makes the Striker unique right now? because it fires 5 weak rockets before you need to reload? Can it be guided to target? Nope that's NC Does it have instant impact? Nope that VS So the only thing unique about it is... it fires giant red glowing, slow moving rockets that require 4 out of 5 hits to equal 1 hit from the Guided NC or 1 full charge from the instant damage VS weapons? Maybe the bonus to Cone of Fire will help land those 4 rockets... maybe not because after the first rocket you become one of the biggest targets on the battlefield...
The Striker overhaul was a change in the right direction. They just didn't make the thing powerful enough to justify its use. Before the overhaul, it was perpetually stuck at being either "a better Annihilator" or "a worse Annihilator" in the buff/nerf cycles.
You obviously never played against the old striker. I stopped playing the game for a while back then because the striker just cleaned out every flyer and tank I could pull, every time.
The Striker is still trash. It didn't need COF tweaks. COF isn't what makes it useless. Against ground units, the six shots combined do a little less than than a Decimator's worth of damage, assuming all six connect. But it takes like 4 times longer to fire off a volly of rockets than to pop off a Decimator/unguinded rocket and then go back into cover. The Striker's time to fire, reload and deliver a follow up volley is ridiculous compared to any other dumbfire launcher. The damage per second is garbage and the time you are required to be exposed is as suicidal as sending out SIX BRIGHT RED FLARES showing the enemy exactly where you are. Against air targets, the Striker is also junk. Again, the time to fire, reload and fire again is worse than any other launcher. The "tracking" on the projectiles is crap because the radius is tiny and often your rockets will often fly right past the target and not even lock on. IF you manage to get ALL SIX to connect (you're lucky to get two to connect), congrats you've done about the same damage as an Annihilator, which will always connect more often than the Striker's six projectiles. What would fix the Striker: -Either tripple the damage to ground units or make all six projectiles fire together instantly. -Make it hard lock on air units and ignore flares, but you have to keep your crosshairs on target to maintain the hard lock. This is in addition to keeping the Coyote seeking functionality.
You're straight up dumb if you want old post nerf striker back. New striker is better than old, worse than Anni, striker. Don't screw with my goddamn striker (Also, it got CoF buffed today as well if you didn't notice)
And still ****e from what I understand. SLOOOW reload from ammo box (apparently intentional??) and DOIDGEABLE rockets. Woop-de-doo Honestly why anyone is making a fuss is beyond me. Yes, please, everyone go out and buy this DODGEABLE RL so I can fly without flares even more safely. The striker, on the other hand, is a face full of damage you can't do crap about. It's a free portable burster launcher effectively. If these things were carried more commonly, flying against TR would be a nightmare.
You will understand when everyone will get NS Lasher. Or Phoenix. And original Lasher and Phoenix going to work by different, inferior mechanic.
Only as far as the series as a whole is concerned. As far as PlanetSide 2 development is concerned, Annihilator was released first. That means that, even if the Striker gets back its original PlanetSide 2 functionality, the situation is still distilled TR being pandered out to the other factions via NS weaponry. For a while there it even had an aspect of PlanetSide Classic functionality but the developers refused to remove the pre-lock requirement, so you not only had a long lock but then you had to hold the visual lock, and the damage was reduced.
Sorry but the striker is still useless until those coyote missiles of theirs also locks onto vehicles too. Otherwise you're much better off with the grounder (Tr G2A)
The striker is unique now. Despite how much people seem to hate the coyote mechanic, the alternative is just another lock on launcher that can be avoided with flares or by breaking the line of sight/running away. I fly quite often, and the striker is good against ground attack ESFs. It's **** against libs though, so they could do something about that(but then so is the Pheonix).
