There is a lot of idea on these forums about what could maybe be done to help LAs have more team utility or a more defined role. I have an idea for that and it's combat drugs. We already have the adrenalin idea out there so why not make it a defining part of the class. It would give the LA a tool slot and the basic un-certed version would be 2 charges that last for 1 minute each. The bonuses would be (just for example) 20% movespeed(sprint/walk), 20% reload time, 20% reduced recoil, 10% reduced damage taken. The basic tool could be certed up to 6 charges. This would still require a weapon swap to inject/inhale/whatever so that it requires a bit more thought and preparation. Also there would be options for other tools. The first being one that allows you to inject yourself OR an ally. Same effects, again, cert for more charges. The second (and probably rather expensive) tool would be an AoE "vaporizer" that would effect every ally within a certain radius (10m?) and have either reduced effects or reduced duration depending on needed balancing. This turns LAs into incredible skirmishers and also allows them to cert for team utility. The drugs could also have a drawback after they wear off or in a small health cost when used. All numbers and names are of course theoretical and the main thing to be argued is the IDEA.
No, I don't like it. This is basically an adrenaline pump, but you have manually activate it. All of these effects should be passive anyway. But the name of this thread gave me an idea, which is so simple that I'm surpised no one suggested it sooner. In StarCraft 2 there are these quick harassment and reconnaissance units, forgot what they're called. They have jet packs, move really fast, can jump and down cliffs, and they have the passive called "combat drugs", which lets them regenerate their HP out of combat. LA, when used in squads of LA or just alone, have no way to be revived in case they die, so LA have been asking for personal deploy beacons or ability to res other LA. But if we had slow, certable passive regeneration, this would make us excellent harassers and flankers, without making us imbalanced - we could still be easily killed. This could even be a choice between combat drugs and adrenaline pump passives - one makes us faster and deadlier, other allows to live longer. An interesting choice, I would say.
The unit was called a Reaper, also my favorite SC2 unit. (Go figure) I made a suggestion a while back about a passive cert tree line for HP regen. Regenerates HP after 10 seconds out of combat at 5%hp per second. (%hp does stack with nanoweave) So 30 seconds to fully regenerate at max level. I eventually gave up on the idea cause not many people liked/acknowledged it. And of course the heavies/tankers/everything LA can kill thought it was OP.
Aw, my fault for not seeing this then. Though this seems very awkward to me how small hp regen can be OP, it's not like it gives us any real combat advantage.
Automatic HP regen is a HUGE advantage when you're trying to solo a base, or going 1v1 against a random that you found in the middle of nowhere. It's the difference between winning one fight or winning 10. Also, OP, you're basically making the LA into superman. If any of those changes ever made it into the game, they'd have to be significantly reduced in order to still be balanced. And if I'm going to get an extra tool as LA, I'd want it to be much, much more useful than what this thread suggests. Nothing against your idea, but if we're going to get an extra slot, it needs to be a personal beacon or something equally as useful.
I was under the impression that solo or 1v1s is not what this game is about. Solo a base? Are you seriuos? I assume, you play at opposite of prime time on a server called "ghost cap", because otherwise I can't comprehend how "solo" and "base" can be in the same sentence. 1v1 against a random in a middle of nowhere? This happens how often? Who even cares about that? And regen starts after combat drops, and the size of delay is to be argued. So if that random and you start to shoot at each other, all that random has to do is to kill you outright or chase you. Besides, all classes have access to med/resto kits, and they outclass this passive regen by an enormous amount as far as 1v1s / short battles are concerned. The idea is to have LA passive regen, so if he's wounded (and not killed, which takes a certain amount of skill), he can retreat to safety (to do this right LA would have to plan ahead, which also shows skill). In essense, this passive regen promotes careful and smart LA operation. Then LA can stay in combat a long time, doing flanking attacks, distracting and harassing enemies. Personal beacon promotes mindless suicide attacks and can be used even by braindead players. Passive regen is rewarding only if you're skilled enough to not die and find a spot to regen. I rest my case.
Wow man, you really don't play much, do you? No, I don't ghost cap. I hate ghost cap. It's boring and mindless. Why don't you click the little link in my sig so you know a bit more about me, before you try to trash someone who's probably better than you.
I don't judge people by their stats, because they're meaningless and inconclusive. Better stats don't necessarily mean better player, and even if they did - better player doesn't make better person, which you kindly demonstrated. I made a set of logical arguments why passive regen would be good for LA, rewarding skilled gameplay instead of suicide runs, and helping LA and squads of LA to perform better at their intended role - flanking, harassing and distracting without making us the least bit OP, because that regeneration in short term is beat by simple resto/med kit. I have no intention of comparing the length of our e-manhoods, so if you're not gonna respond to those arguments, then don't expect further replies from me.
I'd much rather see our tool give us some sort of TEAM SUPPORT ROLE. I ran a thread (that didn't get much notice, ugh) about some ideas earlier. Beacons that work in ways to benefit the team could be really cool for a group, or even decent solo. Imagine one that bounces grenades out of the area. Another that could apply a small (like 5-10%) chance for bullets to miss. A third that slows enemy (friendly too?) movement in the area. I had a whole bunch more ideas too, and each could fit into that beacon idea, thus SOE could expand upon the skills available to LA in the future if they so desired. Damn I should try to find that thread again.... We definitely need SOMETHING but like I said, I'd much prefer something that gave us a team ability.
Oh god, now I'm imagining myself running around all jacked up on nanite meth dual wielding Desperados, screaming like Krieg, and meleeing MAXes to death because I'm too fast for them to hit me.
stim packs from starcraft immediately come to my mind. when applying these to your infantry, they had faster sprint and a higher fire rate for a short time but they took damage (lost health) from these drugs
Wouldn't this team support role remove the advantage of jump jets from us? To benefit our team we would have to stay either with them, or near them, and not assaulting. Or you had in mind "throw support field and then go about your flanking business"? (no offence meant, just hadn't woke up yet, can't formulate fluffy and nice)
I did respond to your initial post. You just didn't like my criticism so you got upset, and then you accused me of being a ghost capper, etc... All I'm saying is, ghost capping happens. So do 1v1 engagements. They're happening every minute in every continent. I look at the map often, and if I notice one (or a few) guys trying to ghost cap one of my bases, I'll redeploy and stop them. But if they were a group of light assaults with your proposed additions, it'd be much, much more difficult. They'd be almost unstoppable. And each time after they killed me, they'd just self regen their health. Theories are always fun to play around with, but you have to think past the initial idea and put it into a scenario. And also, this is the internet. Not everyone is going to like your idea, no matter how much sense it makes to you. So just because someone comes along and tells you they disagree, it's no reason to get your panties in a bunch. Okay?
And while I'm at it, you do realize there already is passive health regen in the game, right? If your faction owns a Biolab, your health regens - and at a pretty generous rate I might add. So if you really want the health regen, go help win a Biolab. And if it's the increased shield you're after, don't play LA, play HA. They get a shield stock. Absorbs extra damage. LA's have a jetpack. They're fast, they're mobile. They already have and advantage over other infantry, so they don't need another one. RogueComet's idea was a good one. Give them more team abilities. I really like the different types of beacons idea.
I'd rather they reduce our health and give that portion as shield back, so we have "regenerating health"
All I see is And that's hardly a criticism that would get me upset. If anything is upsetting here, it's your arguments, or to be more precise, lack of them. "Solo a base" sounds ridiculous in many ways, and "random 1v1s in a middle of nowhere" don't happen unless you intentionally go to the "middle of nowhere", which makes me question the competence of the one who said that. You. That's why I accused you of ghost-capping and playing at low-online times, taking long, solitary walks under the moon in the desert. How exactly passive regen gives LA an advantage in 1v1? In a way, that LA can retreat to regen his HP? If LA retreats for a time, necessary to regen his HP to full, then the other guy has all the time in the world to get away from that LA. And if LA retreats briefly, then HP regen will not have time to regen any meaningful amount of HP. I'm gonna let you get away with that insultingly condescending tone of yours. But are you intentionally ignoring the fact that this passive regen wouldn't do anything resto and medkits do? And how would this passive regen allow group of LA ghost cap better than group of medics would? They can ressurect each other into oblivion, never mind the heal. As a matter of fact, LA are not any more mobile or faster than any other class. Our runspeed is the same, save for lackluster adrenaline pump nobody uses for good reasons. Yes, LA have jet pack, period. Only jetpack. Slow jetpack with very limited fuel. And very slow. Horizontal speed is close to sprint speed, and vertical climbing speed is laughable. Jet pack is not a combat advantage. Medic's regen and heavy's shields are combat advantages. Ours is not, and neither would be passive health regen.
Deploy-able nanite ropes. More certs, more ropes, and more time before they decay. Haven't thought about length of rope. Maybe 2 stories. Friendly troops can climb by using their activate key near the deployed rope. Standard forward and backward keys move you up and down. Left and right spins you around the rope. Drop by using space bar. MAX units aren't dexterous enough to use. You also can't fire from the ropes and are exposed to enemy fire. Those are the downsides to being able to have all units scale towers, buildings, etc. That's my idea for an LA tool.
So you want to make LA just the class that is used to deploy the rope? Because essentially that's what you do if every class can just climb a rope and have the LA mobility. Shooting from above and other such shenanigans are the only way LA's can win in a fight and allowing heavies and medics to come and fight where normally LA's would be will just make the class even more worthless in combat. Just look how bad things where when any class could get onto the roofs inside a biolab, it completely broke any LA game play there because the class just cant compete toe to toe in a fair fight.
You'd still have far more maneuverability than other classes. And they can't jump down and back up at will. Either way, was just an idea that was team based as opposed to being a flying soloing junkie hopped up on nanite cocktails and fevered dreams of being an angel of death. The other idea I had was deploy-able nanite camouflage for tanks, turrets and parked aircraft. As long as they were still they'd be harder to see, including over thermal and all that. But I thought that was more an engineer thing and they're already stock full of utility.
