So NC is the OP 4th faction now that everyone likes?

I keep hearing that VS and TR were owning the last few months. Then recently NC got buffed and "4th faction" is going to NC?

What is so good about NC now? How were they buffed or how were TR/VS nerfed?

NC isn't so much as good as not bad anymore. They got hit with nerfs too, only not as bad as TR/VS. Everybody is on roughly equal footing now, VS doesn't have best LMG in the game or godly ZOE, TR doesn't have the best carbines in the game or godly Vulcan/marauder.

I think being equal just feels like being UP to someone who's had a solid advantage for a long time, so they roll 4th faction. Fact is ZOE is still the best MAX ability, TR still has the best ES vehicle weapons...just not painfully so anymore.

Each NC player was given a free sample of higby hair.

Some NC players came back to the game.
Some VS and TR players quit.

There is no 'OP' faction, at least not currently. Those that believe there is an OP faction only have that belief because of their faction bias.

They weren't nerfed as much so players with alts in the nc have flocked. Also any nc players who quit may have come back because of the patch balancing their faction, which was perceived as UP before.

The fourth faction is a curse that not even the faction which "benefits" from their numbers will appreciate. I'd much rather see those faction hopping scrubs stay with the VS.

The funny thing about this is that NC didn't even get a buff, though the other two factions had a couple of blatantly OP wings clipped. Hopefully the fourth faction will notice that we aren't OP and go away again.

Ignoring of course that the Vulcan got slapped hard with the nerf bat, and that Enforcer is now the best AV weapon for MBTs sure.

Anyone have any evidence or is this all worthless opinion?

The best ESVW in the game hands down would need to get hit the nerf fist of an angry god to not be very good anymore. It only got slapped. It's still just an upgraded bassie, which is already a great weapon.

Enforcer is a little better at AV than its competition but much worse at AI, not exactly an overall better weapon.

That depends...but mostly probably the latter.

NC was underperforming before Harassers and ZOE were added to the game. The fact that both of them have since been nerfed does not make NC OP.

My ACX-11 got buffed, it's like falling in love all over again.

A lot of people that are pure NC players left the game because ZOE broke the game. It was not just OP, but OP to the point that it needed to be dealt with immediately. The Devs at SOE Live admitted it was broken, but they did not know how to nerf it despite a multitude of suggestions from the player community. So, people left the game until something was done about it.

Ironically, the current live version of the Zealot Overdrive Engine is the EXACT way I wanted and suggested months ago on how it should be dealt with.

Blue is the new Red and Purple. Next month Red or Purple may be back in style, the fourth faction is fickle that way.

NC is the most fun faction. Has the most interesting empire specific weapons.

Jackhammer is amazing. Have you ever gone against these things? Annoying as hell. Tight cone, burst mode for instagibbing.

Phoenix is the most fun weapon in the game in my experience. People have complained that it sucks, but it really doesn't. These things are effective in what they do. They do the same damage as a decimator to vehicles (not so much to infantry). Can be used to take out engy turrets and base turrets safely and effectively. And here's a pro tip, you can press E to exit out of missile cam mode.

And just recently the phoenix got buffed to have a 4.7s reload time! Thats the shortest reload of all rocket launchers in the game with decimator damage to vehicles!. At short range, the phoenix has a shorter TTK than the decimator vs vehicles by pressing E to exit camera and reload immediately. It has insane rocket drop but so does a decimator. Try it out in the VR, you'd be amazed out how fast it can take down a vehicle with its reload time now. Its versatility and funness (new word?) is unmatched. I have pulled off some hilarious stunts with this weapon.

Vanguard shield, most people can attest to how annoying this is. I'm mostly a tanker on the TR side and I try to avoid fights against the NC because of this shield. It's extremely annoying, this ability has screwed me over more times than I can count. And Vanguard actually feels like a real tank. I love taking this thing and going suicidal in a zerg, its fun and it makes you feel like a badass for an extra 8 seconds .

I love this faction. They were never bad, they just whine the most on this forum (small minority of players). Some of them were justified like the striker and zoe whining. But most can agree now that the striker and zoe are not worth using anymore. And they just are boring to use now.

Sources: I have an NC alt that I play frequently with a jackhammer/phoenix and decently certed vanguard. The most fun I've had in this game is on that character.

The only reason that keeps me from switching is because on my server (Connery) They are overpopulated by a large margin and I love the Minichaingun, the sound is too good.

My dream loadout is an MCG and phoenix.

Planetside 1. Jackhammer, Phoenix and Mini-Chaingun in the backpack.

This sexually arouses me

I like the laser sounds, I'll stick with VS.
Pewpewpew master race

Ummm.... Yes, NC was bad- evidence, all the data from over a year from a variety of angles on a whole host of weapons, Higby said so himself, WDS, etc. etc.- yes, it was bad.

Notice, however, how people stopped complaining when the developers finally owned up to there being a problem and that problem being at least looked into? Not a coincidence.