NC15 Phoenix Review -or- "Why addiction led me to get the NC15 Auraxium Medal"

I'm interested, because I can't work out how people are doing it, other than having utterly terrible pilots on their servers (ESFs on mine basically don't hover for anymore than 2 seconds at a time).

Mind you with clientside hit detection a slower connection would actually help with ESFs, I wonder if that is it?

Here's a funny story of a freak accident.
Once in a reaver over Dahaka, where we were pushing it, I was caught by burster fire and lock ons, so I started ABing away, but half fuel tank later I exploaded.
Death screen shown a NC heavy with a Phoenix. So I message him with "Why and how" questions. He explained, that he was using nix at the time and he was shot dead.
Conclusion: Nix is dangerous for air more, when you die.

I <3 the Phoenix.
Most fun launcher in the game.

Most experienced ESF pilots are nearly (If not entirely) impossible to hit.
They can be hit if properly distracted, but (Depending on the pilot) this takes some doing (And cannot be done by your lonesome).

Max suit Raven missiles produce the same sound, and appearance, as the Phoenix' rockets.
The only difference is in their behavior, and they pose little to no risk to an ESF (If the pilot knows what they're doing).
Unlike a phoenix shot, Raven shots travel at max speed right out of the barrel, but have less variation as the Phoenix rockets are piloted.

A max using ravens is GREAT cover for use of the NC15 Phoenix.
A nice squishy ground target is also a great distraction. The less attention they have on the screaming sound of the phoenix, the better.

Keep in mind, the Phoenix can be heard over 200 meters away!
This is yet another reason the phoenix is (In my opinion) far too difficult to hit aircraft.

---------------------Somewhat Off Topic---------------------
Given their limited range (Which sadly cannot be extended without having to endure a loading screen each shot), slow-as-a-snail speed, and the fact that they have less mobility than a 90-year-old grandma with two hip implants, the Phoenix needs a buff in speed and mobility.
As well, -given you are such a HUGE target whilst standing perfectly still and immobile- it should be much more silent, and it should NOT have a smoke trail leading to the exact location of said helpless pilot.
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You have to pick and choose your ESF targets, here are some questions to help identify a lesser-experienced target (Or any good target, for that matter):

Is the ESF distracted?
Is the ESF hovering long enough to hit?
Is the ESF taking a straight run toward it's target?
Is the ESF within the 65-120 meter "Goldilocks Range" for the Phoenix?
Does it have any warrants? (Chris Rock comedy skit reference. Reference is at 2:14. ~Time link not working ~ . Fair warning, there is some language in this video, so don't watch it if you're not okay with that).

Yes this is what I mean, on my server ESF pilots that fulfil that critera basically don't exist.

The ONLY time they hover for more than 2 seconds is when there is 20 of them (and tanks usually) camping a spawn and even then.


I actually bring more ESFs down with a LMG than with a Pheonix.

The phoenix needs to be more agile and it should act as a scout, lighting up enemies that it sees on route to its target.

Yes to maneuverability, as it is a tiny little missile, not a galaxy. It should be able to keep up with the turning of ESFs.

As for lighting up enemies, it should have a cert for an NV filter, and one for a HS filter (which could be toggled on and off as needed).

Additionally, the rocket should have an afterburner, like the ESFs and the optional afterburner for the Liberator.
This too could be certed, and function like zoom optics, in that different speeds (one certed) could be equipped for different purposes.

i'll just leave a random vid i took yesterday here!
a random 30 seconds of phoenix

The phoenix is definitely one of the most fun weapons. Your spm will suffer greatly from it. But if your bored and stuck in a spawn room or have a nice safe precipice then go at it. (400 kills for me, didn't use it during 1hit kill times). Get 2 guys working together calling targets is fun, just follow the missile mini game.

Once you learn how to maneuver it, sometimes shooting 90 degrees to right of your target or shooting straight up, then counting 1,2,3.... depending on target location you can steer it into the side, bottom or top of players,turrets,ESF vehicles etc. (very important since they can now see it coming).

Its a lot of fun, killing engineers on their turrets and ESFs. Even hit a few that flew into the missile (just picked an intercept course, where i thought they would stop to hover). Rest i hit from bottom or side or back. Very rare to hit an ESF in the front.

When killing MAX always kill the engineer first, usually means looping it out and around.

It also has some bugs, will sometimes go right through vehicles or people. Dumbfire when laggy and as the OP said, explode in your face if anyone is near you. The reload time on it is horrible, but lag can make it instant reload (reload while flying).

I did not realize people think the phoenix is bad. I guess i'm crazy too...

NC are strange like that. "This weapon sucks when I use it on my own". Just 2 people coordinating with a Phoenix are a serious threat. More people should be using it.

Same with Aegis Shield really. Amazing ability, lots of versatility and uses, insanely powerful when maxed out. NC verdict. It sucks. But if you wanna provide cover for reviving medics, make a death march push, give cover for people to shoot over your shoulder, reload inside your own personal cover, block c4 blasts, eat rockets, ubgl spam, grenades, well then it's amazing. Just another ability that requires coordination.

Congratulations on your Phoenix Auraxium.

Though I haven't tried it yet, the concept of the Phoenix would put it on my "not especially effective, but fun" category, compared with the Striker's "super effective, but boring".

Also to everyone who complained about the Phoenix nerf: The Phoenix in its post-nerf state has an AV damage multiplier, which makes it deal far more than the stated 750 damage to vehicles. The AI damage nerf was swift because a lot of people decided to use it as a 300m guided OHK sniper.

How are you switching to and out of the HUDless mode so fast? I never could get that down.

Thank you!

And, in large scale battles, I still use it as a sniper, one that simply never gets headshots, only body shots.

Fun tip for those who are on the receiving end:
It's a bit difficult to shoot one just flying by.
If it's going straight for you though, it's VERY easy (On my TR and VS, I only ever get hit by them -As infantry that is- when I mistake the sound for a raven).

Also, there few things more frustrating than guiding an NC15 shot for ~Up to~ 8 seconds (Plus the 5.2 second reload time. Four attempts takes juuust shy of a full minute!) only to have it shot down.

It's not tough to do, and the guy shooting will move on to someone else -or something else- after they feel they cannot best you.

the thing can only be safely used from spawn rooms, and the shield blocks 50% of the shots, that makes phoenix a free XP source to the engineer outrepairing the damage...and a fun but ultimately useless weapon.

Dear Forumside-

Regarding my post a little while ago about the NC, and the Phoenix:


Sincerely, Gundem.

P.S. Eat a dick.

The only people that don't give up using it are the ones that are EXCEPTIONALLY good with it, most (Like a certain friend of mine) just never get the hang of it.

Think of it, not as a RL, but as a gun-less Kamikaze Aircraft.
It takes some skill to utilize, but more to do so well.

Right now though, it's like an ESF that handles like a stock Galaxy.

Imagine your scythe with a top speed of (Gal stats, Phoenix stats are even lower) 110 KPH, and the maneuverability of a Galaxy.
The only thing the phoenix has over the Gal is that it only has the inertia (The drag when changing direction) of a stock liberator...
...this is why it's considered bad.


An outfit buddy put it better than I've ever been able to.
I don't remember his exact words, but he described it like this:
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The trouble with the Phoenix is that when you are using it, looking for the right area to fire from; For the right angle, cover, and (If you're lucky) with ammo...
...is that you are playing a different game than the guy trying to escape your reach.
Too many people on the opposite end see it as some near-omnipotent force that cannot be killed.

Meanwhile, you are getting killed time and time again by snipers, aircraft, and -because we're NC- bored friendlies.
The few times you are not being assaulted as you stand perfectly still like a VR target dummy, you're still sweating actually getting enough damage in to kill him, not just feed him repair XP.
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I am also curious as to how much experience you have with the Phoenix.
No offense, but unless you own it and have some serious play-time with it, you are not in a position to know just how time consuming and difficult it truly is.

Thank you for your comment though.

I wouldn't say "Useless" (Not in every regard, at least ).
I would say, just-shy-of useless.

There are plenty of idiots out there that don't know not to bomb the saferoom with an ESF instead of a libby.

Those are pretty easy to kill, as they also do not know the fact that they can avoid it by just boosting up with the spacebar for half a second.

The fact that a brand new, joined PS2 that-very-day, player can avoid it simply by reading this post; that makes the AA component useless against those who know this simple tidbit.

Now concerning it's use in numbers, that's all well and good, but actually coordinating multiple people requires they all be in constant communication, and have an unmoving target (Or one that is staying in the same 20 meter area, with little to no cover).

Also, coordinating from a saferoom is even less successful as 1v1 bum-rushing an experienced max who knows you're coming as an infiltrator.

Not to say it's impossible, just VERY unlikely to succeed.

++++Edit++++
50% of your shots?
That seems a little low.
More like 65%.

After finding that perfect angle that allows the shot to actually leave the shield, if you move to reload at a terminal, the chances are even higher, at around 80%.

After a while those numbers do go down, as you get a feel for the angles, but you'll never get good enough that it doesn't happen... frequently.

Saferoom phoenix use is a last resort measure, in that it rarely accomplishes more than feeding enemy engies repair XP.

That's a lot of Phoenix kills. Good job.

Hopefully they'll give it a slight buff soon (incredibly doubtful at this point).

Here are my Phoenix stats:https://players.planetside2.com/#!/5428011263308223537/weapons

125 Kills, Kills/min: 0,12, Accuracy: 50%, Shots fired: 3413, Hits count: 1710, Score: 213863.

I like it a lot and wish more people would use it together with me but I have a hard time convincing other heavies around me to pull out their Phoenix and go nuts. It's fun, challenging and rewarding. (Wish it couldn't be shot out of the air so easily but that's a different complaint.)

The Phoenix is my standard launcher. I use it a lot but I play more Engineer and Infiltrator than I do heavy. My biggest problems with the Phoenix are:

1. Not having enough ammo
2. No one coordinating with me
3. The AV MANA turret just being a better choice just taking out armour
4. Extremely situational and very vulnerable when using it.

No offence taken, I do use it quite a lot but nowhere near as much as you have. I struggle to find other people to use it with and wish more NC would just try it out instead of dismissing it. Still, as long as the AV MANA turret is a better option, I will more than likely be using that more than the Phoenix.