[Suggestion] Trade Sidearm for extra utility?

Discussion in 'Light Assault' started by Nambu, Dec 10, 2012.

  1. Nambu

    I love playing LA. I don't think it really needs much help. I'll take ammo scavenging or whatever, but what I'd really love is the ability to get an additional utility slot. Say trade in my sidearm for it. If they are proposing that the LA be the lonewolf/one man army/commando class, then really this is what they need. The ability to heal when away from the pack, but retain their anti-armor punch.

    (Of course, what I would really love is the utility pouch from the Engy kit, mmm more explosives)
  2. Niric

    I like the idea, but to me it doesn't seem like a good option due to balancing complications. I would guess that every class would gladly ditch the pistol for anything at this point. Its handy at times if you run out of ammo or you just need a touch more damage to finish someone off and you're reload will take to long. So its application traded to an additional utility slot seems way more useful - Far too useful, I'd say. Doesn't seem like it would be disadvantageous to choose that option at all.

    I think the better idea is to let light assault maybe receive some unique Pistol attachments that help make the pistol a more practical fall back weapon. Maybe a sight, different ammo type, or maybe even just access to a unique faster fire rate version of the pistol. (A NS branded Planetside 1 AMP Pistol maybe?)

    -Niric
  3. Teraq

    This is already in game as the TR standard sidearm.
  4. Niric

    That's exactly why I said higher fire rate version. Maybe higher damage by a touch would help make it more unique too. My higher fire rate carbines are superior for close range - it should at least be higher firerate than the TR's standard pistol.
  5. ({x})Kyoji

    As it is now the Light assault is the ONLY class in the game to get shafted for options.

    Medics get their passive heal which would be on part with the jetpacks, but they also get a heal gun. Heavy Assault get shields which are amazing as well as rocket launchers. Infiltrators get stealth and a tracer/radar. Engineers get a turret and repair gun among many other options to choose from such as mines. Light assault get a pistol, a gun, and one utility like C4 or a medkit which other classes can also get.

    I wish the developers would work more on the light assault. I feel as though you would see more of them and less heavy assault spam if they were given some extra options. Also, the developers further shafted them by making 2 C4 (required to tank kill) require 700 certs. Placing one C4 is easy enough but 2 is painful and clunky due to animation time delay.
  6. Kuriby

    This is where PS2 lacks compared to PS1

    In PS1, if I choose to play "light armor", I would often equip a Decimator rocket laucnher, or maybe a hacking tool, or simply extra ammo. The options were endless... in PS2 we have these static classes with controversial options...
  7. Scorponok

    wish i could change out the mana turret on my engineer.. i never use that thing...it has to be the most useless thing ive seen ingame..maybe its nice as a door stopper but thats about it.
  8. Niric

    I believe Higby has been quoted to saying that there is some buffs coming to light assault in the future. Maybe I've not heard that right though.

    Still one way to look at it is the jump packs give us unique access to places others don't have, as well as advantageous combat options and weapon upgrades. We my not have a rocket launcher, but we can get access to the under barrel grenade launcher, which has 2 shots per resupply which can be reloaded at ammo boxes just like HA's rocket launcher, its just somewhat bugged right now and only works half the time. Also the under barrel shotgun, but I guess people say its not so hot. I feel like we're pretty darn versatile as a class all things considered.

    All that aside, It would be great if they would give us a new more team friendly tool to add to the class, that's for sure something we could use.

    -Niric
  9. Ronin Oni

    Anyone who thinks LA needs a buff should just play HA then.


    Seriously... LA is amazing and gives me by best kill streaks (as infantry). Period.

    I'd not begrudge some new team utility option... and I look forward to whatever they give us... but LA is far... FAR... from 'weak'
  10. Cyridius

    LA's gonna get some love in the near future.
    Keep coming up with some thought out suggestions. SOE takes in alot of player feedback.

    Personally I miss back in the day where LA could drop ammo boxes lol
  11. Niric

    I agree. I was told constantly by my group of friends and random people in beta that Light Assault was pretty much useless. Still I wanted to try it anyway. Man was I surprised. It's so obvious that the people that were saying that had no idea how to play it and were just running in the front door like everyone else.

    Honestly I'm not a great player, not even a good shot-- but I'm a fairly smart player when it comes to quick thinking and flanking. LA feels basically made for a guy like me. Once I got fairly familiar with the building and facility layouts and switched from HA to LA as my infantry combat class, my K/D has been on the rise.

    -Niric
  12. Neurotoxin

    I believe the Personal Ammo Constructor Utility would be perfect for Light Assault! I have it detailed in the "Sidegrade Suggestion Series - Separate Infantry Shields, Armor, and Utilities" discussion:

    "Personal Ammo Constructor – Ammo supplies are cut in half, and replaced with a small construction engine that uses infantry resources to replace spent rounds for a weapon. When the weapon is running low on ammo, the engine kicks in and starts constructing more ammo. For every full clip that the constructor reloads [[replenishes]], the user of that gun spends a small amount of infantry resources."
  13. Ronin Oni

    I had 1 group that looked down on LA cause it had no "team role".

    Infil as well.

    Everyone should be HA, engy, or medic in their minds.

    I took LA or Infil anyways when the combat was right for either or and did amazing. Both are key in breaking enemy lines when utilized properly. THAT is their role. To kill... just like HA is as well really, just with different tools and strengths. Yes, if an armor column is crashing down on you... stack up the HA's. Otherwise in infantry combat though, HA's are good for the frontal assault, but a frontal assault without flanking or sniper cover is in for some painful pushes.
  14. Iridar51

    No, they are not. Where did you get that stupid idea?
    /topic
    Is it just me or everyone and their dog thinks it's ther obligation to create a thread on LA forums with suggestions to give more power to already perfectly balanced class?
    Yeah sure let's give them infinite ammo, infinite medpacks and anti-tank capabilities at the same time. What's next, self-guided-AOE-air-jacking upgrade for jetpack? Let's take all brains out of game, it's, like, totally not fun to have to THINK and PLAN to score kills?
  15. YouObviouslyLikeOwls

    Ahh Iridar, your posts always make me grin.

    on topic....I say no, do not give away my pistol. It has aided me a few times in sneaking into a back door when low on ammo. Switch to pistol, sneak up on engy shooting my boys with a turret, put a few in the back of his head, winning. It's uses may be situationable (is that word?) but they are there.
  16. {joer

    I need that pistol, for me ammo is the biggest issue being an LA. Last night I ran out of primary ammo, ran out of secondary, and finally knifed an infil to death while a HA finished me off.
  17. Niric

    I don't think we need any combat changes what so ever. We just need something that gives us a viable support roll for our squad other than being effective flanking killing machines.

    Maybe a tool that allows us to spot enemies more effectively somehow. Maybe it could give us a way to mark priority targets for focus fire for the squad. It could also improve HA rocket lock on speeds. Maybe also 'Spot' (Q) targets silently without giving away our location by speaking out loud which can give away our hiding spots. A tool like would play well to the very tactical nature of the class.

    Them's strong words hombre.

    There's always the Ammo belt. But I think limited ammo is an important detail and balance design choice for LA. We can reach some really good perches to flank on people. If we could just stay there and do that forever, it would be pretty silly. The idea is to limit your ability to camp, and when you're out of ammo you can either go on a death run with your knife or fall back to your back lines and fetch more ammo from an ammo box or terminal. It helps keep the XP flowing for the engineers and you both and forces your out of hiding and back into the crossfire. I like this design aspect.

    -Niric
  18. Dhart

    Let them trade it in for a single use grenade/missile launcher that costs infantry points to replace... as a separate weapon... vs a weapon attachment...

    SOE could bill it for 2500 certs or 2000 SC...and folks will buy it.
  19. Nambu

    I didn't suggest any such crazy, I was just going from the info from Higby paraphrased here:
    http://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/13xa2a/so_higby_answered_a_ton_of_our_questions_about/
    So you don't have to scroll to find original source:


    They were suggesting the lone wolf bits (timecode: 1:04 for the LA bits)
  20. Iridar51

    Perhaps, we'll see what devs will (if) come up with. But I am really scared they are gonna give us something useless (which is fine) or give us something too strong, people will complain about LA, and then we'll get nerfed into ground in all aspects, not just new support ability.

    While on the topic, LA already can put spawn beacons into hard reachable places, can't that be considered supporting enough?

    I feel you. Lost count to times when I detected enemies by their call-outs, flanked and killed them. I guess I myself have been flanked because of thet more then a few times.
    But there should be a price, Spotting a target does merit you considerable bonuses.
    We already can be spotting machines from hard to get to places, we can just sit there and collect XP points, it would become even more strong strategy if we could do so silently.

    I agree completely.
    I apologize, I just was venting anger, generated not by you personally, but by other forum members. It just feels really awkward to see 5 new threads asking devs something for LA each time I visit forums.

    About Lone Wolf thingy. Obviously, because most of the time our comrades can't follow us, we are somewhat lonely.
    But, we must never lose contact with our squad. Running low on ammo? Time to use our mobility and find engineer/resupply station.
    We' re supposed to be Lone Wolfs, but not separated from our squad.
    Example: my squad is holding position on a top floor of a tech plant. I run around, jump to the roof, check area for snipers, campers and opposing team LA's, catch and deal enemy drop pods on the roof.
    Am I a Lone Wolf? I would suggest that I am - I'm not binded to medics or engineers at all times, but I have to visit them sometime. We are not just Lone Wolfs. We are Lone Wolfs in a squad, and just as we are useful to a squad, squad should be useful to us.
    Added:
    Being shelled by the enemy light aircfaft? It's not time to go on forums and ask devs for rocket launcher. It's time to call for help from squad, be it air support, heavy or MAX.
    See enemy armor? Don't go to forums to ask MOAR C4. Call for help.
    We can't be one man army.