Something I don't understand about NC MAX's

Just nerf TR and VS ai weapons to give the cqb edge back to NC. Maxes have been too powerful for a while, the NC Max nerfs brought our max to where maxes should be. Its the TR and VS ai weapons that are still ridiculous and need to be brought in line to balance out the maxs again.

I don't have the numbers, I'm just assuming the information you're providing is correct.

Now: Does or doesn't the NC have a max weapon that will beat every single TR/VS max setup in CQC?

Change scatterguns' CoFs to match VS/TR variants, reduce pellet damage/increase range/increase damage drop-off/match per-shot bloom and velocity to match VS/TR variants, reduce pellets per shot to 3, reduce refire rate to 1/3 of VS/TR variants (due to 3-round burst), increase base magazine size.

You now have weapons that are functionally identical to the VS/TR variants with NC flavoring. Problem solved.

Why don't we just have one faction with everybody using the same weapons?

Against Infantry? No. The best NC AI weapon TTK is functionally the same at the best TTK TR/VS AI weapon.

Against another AI MAX? The Grinder is the only one that works as stock (vs stock) or fully upgraded (vs fully upgraded) without a reload being needed (which is basically death for the NC AI MAXs all things being equal), of course this starting the fight at 0m, at any real range it's a different matter.

So. . . it does?

https://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/index.php?threads/max-balance-part-4-everything-ai.139234/

That still is good data and shows that under perfect conditions the only way a stock NC MAX can have a chance against a TR or VS MAX is to use dual Grinders at 0m (hugging). All other ranges NC MAXes have zero chances to win in a fair fight.

For fully certed MAXes I would assume the same as armor is the same for all and if NC MAXes can't win stock then how would they win at 100%? Tests would be needed to be certain but I don't think things will change much if at all.

..and as expected, you have absolutely no clue what you're talking about when it comes to NC MAX - just a pathetic back pedal that shows your ignorance. There was no range in which I could win that engagement if the VS MAX kept concentrated fire on me as every NC AI MAX weapon except Grinders cannot down another MAX that's wearing KA5 without reloading. Therefore, your NC MAX has a slight advantage in close range doesn't actually exist.

I dunno. Maybe they can use aegis shield during reload or something?

It's not the TR or VS AI weapons that need tuning. It's their damn AV weapons that are all around good at everything

I have a fully certed shield and use dual extended mag Mattocks. The shield does help but will not do much more than stop a little damage.

If you use the shield to advance then anything can run from you making the range longer.
If you use the shield to defend then you move so damn slow backing up that you can't escape anything.

For longer ranged fight like AA, AV, or in field fights then the shield is great for tanking damage and getting to cover. But in short range charge is better for its 30m dash. Although I love being able to just take up to 3 bricks of C4 to the face before it drops Im starting to go back to an un-certed charge for AI work. To much bleeds past the shield for it to be used in CQC and it takes about .5 of a second for it to even start blocking damage and you can't fire at all with it up.

Baiting a MBT is easy work for a shield. But 2+ infantry is death for NC MAXes if the RNG of shotgun pellet spread doesn't work in your favor. 20 buck shot shells sounds like a lot, but it takes 10+ at times to kill one infantry across a room.

There needs to be a NS shotgun and HMG for MAXes. Either that or make shotguns for TR and VS and a HMG for NC MAXes. 2 shared weapons are easier to balance than 3 faction locked weapons.

Actually, yes, I would like to know,
why does simply holding up a shield slow you down to a snails pace!?
Do nanites conjured out of thin air suddenly weigh a lot?

Simple fix:
Aegis shield doesn't affect movement speed.

Yes you guys still have an advantage in CQ, but if you dont know how to use it that is your problem, not mine.

Are you even in the same timeline as everyone else ?

This CQC thing is utter rubbish spouted by people who have no idea. Since they nerfed the nc max yet again THE TTK ON ALL MAXS' IN CQC IS SO CLOSE THE DIFFERENCE IS IRRELEVANT.

There is none, you are talking rubbish to stop nc getting a decent AI max that is anywhere near as usefull as the vs and tr AI max. People who come here spouting things like that are just covering for the fact they know what they put is wrong but are too scared to play against and evenly balanced opponent.

AI MAX vs AI MAX 1 of the 4 weapons does, the other 3 do not. 3:1 is NOT a good ratio. 2:2 would be more balanced, but again as this is at 0m (not 10m or 15m or 20m) even 2:2 might not really be balanced.



And that is ignoring that vs Infantry NC AI MAXs draw at 0m and lose at any range over ~8m with ALL weapons.

Doesn't matter if it's only one weapon. There is nothing forcing you to use the other 3 while TR/VS have NO weapon that can deal with a grinder max (point blank).

Look, I know the NC max have issues, I am not arguing that, but it's more complicated then just increasing the range of the shooties.
Besides, in a realistic combat enviroment the NC max is by faaar the best max to camp corners. They have a easier time playing to their strenght then TR/VS.

The easiest solution would of course be to add maghineguns to NC and shotguns to TR/VS. But this would take away from faction diversity.

Instead I would like to see the devs reduce fire rate on ALL max weapons while increasing their resistance to small arms fire and a slight resistance to explosive as well as reducing the effectiveness of AV weapons against infantry. This would accomplish several things:
Maxes would become a lot less potent at killing stuff. You would still have to head to cover if you were getting hit, but it would be used more to detter infantry rather then acctual killing.
Maxes would become better at pushing. With the increased survivability you could acctually breach a room and then use your guns to push back enemy infantry. Maxes would be used as siege-breakers instead of just a uber infantry unit.
In max vs max combat, you would rarely kill each other with AI guns. Instead maxes would have to use AV weapons to effectively combat enemy maxes.

NC maxes AT weapons might need a buff to bring them up to fracture/comet level (I've heard they are a bit weak but havn't tried them out myself), but otherwise it should help NC maxes while keeping faction diversity.

They have the options of KA5 and Charge. Both of which are going to make it near impossible for even the extended Grinders to kill you.

We are the best corner campers. However conc and AV nades are going to eat anyone who exclusively corner camps for breakfast. Plus its not exactly a great role in anything other than Biolab defense. Try pushing into the Octagon as an NC MAX. Its rage inducing.

Faction diversity isn't a good thing when the "diversity" means that one faction hasn't got anything competitive for certain roles. Its exactly why NC MAXs got nerfed. The other factions couldn't compete in CQC. Now NC MAXs cannot compete at range and are worse in CQC 90% if the time. Shotguns on MAXs cannot be balanced, at least not by SOE apparently, they need to be removed.

Again the Grinder sacrifices, DPS, TTK and range for damage per clip.

It isn't really the best choice (IMO) for most situations, it's just the ONLY choice to beat another AI MAX (standard or fully upgraded).

Again with the best TTK TR and VS weapons it is functionally the same TTK - the difference being that the TR and VS can afford to sit further back out of C4 and grenade range and where dumbfire launchers are less accurate.

It would balance things up.

If they ever add flamethrowers at the very least they NEED to add NS LMG MAX arms.

Yeah that's not a bad idea, although it would nerf NC AI MAXs even more against TR/VS AI MAXs as basically they'd be unlikely to be able to mathmatically win at any range with any weapon in any situation......... so again weapons would still need to be looked at.

So if I am 5 meters away with blueshifts and you have scat cannon, you will win. If you dont then you are just bad in a max.