Caldari Commando? O wait..rail rifles..yea..sorry?

While I sort of understand the rationale behind increased TTK, I am a little concerned about what it means for sniping (and, to a lesser extent, other alpha-focused roles, like shotgun scouts).

As it stands, it was clearly a poor decision to recently skill into complex damage mods. Standard level are unchanged (huzzah! ), advanced get nerfed 20% (previously 5%, now 4%), but complex get docked 50 FRICKEN PERCENT (from 10% to 5%)!!!! At least we get dropsuit command skills refunded which is totally fair on its own, since they didn't add or change any equipment in 1.8...

This is absurd. What else has been "rebalanced" this extremely? Certainly nothing in 1.7 or 1.8... community--please enlighten me, because I don't understand this.

Maybe I'm missing something, but extending TTK seems to be primarily important/relevant to troops on the frontline, most of whom wield high-DPS, automatic weapons. The biggest damage nerf any of the automatic rifles got was 15.6%... hmm... Wonder if nerfing those weapons just a little more would be a more equitable way of dealing with the problem for all players? Nah. Let's kick damage mods in the taint, instead.

I feel like this is going to make sniping much less viable. Here is some math using a charge sniper rifle as an example:

Pre-1.8
Base damage = 321.9 x 1.09 (+9% from Proficiency 3) = 350.87 x 1.21 (approx. +21% from 3 complex damage mods) = 424.55 x 1.75 (headshot bonus) = 742.97 per head shot.

Post-1.8
Base damage = 321.9 x 1.09 (+9% from Proficiency 3) = 350.87 x 1.11 (approx. +11% from 3 complex damage mods) = 389.47 x 1.75 (headshot bonus) = 681.56 per head shot.

This turns out to be about an 8.3% difference in total damage output. I don't think this is too big a deal on its own, but I keep reading all sorts of things about dual-tanking becoming the norm, buffs to shield mods (couldn't find anything from the devs about this, but I've read it in numerous threads), etc. If these ideas carry any weight, I can foresee OHK sniping (aka, sniping) becoming a sweet memory.

Maybe none of this will matter with the way damage types, racial suits, and resistances are rebalanced? I'm doubtful this is the case.

Thoughts? Feelings?

Thoughts? Feelings?

While I sort of understand the rationale behind increased TTK, I am a little concerned about what it means for sniping (and, to a lesser extent, other alpha-focused roles, like shotgun scouts).

As it stands, it was clearly a poor decision to recently skill into complex damage mods. Standard level are unchanged (huzzah! ), advanced get nerfed 20% (previously 5%, now 4%), but complex get docked 50 FRICKEN PERCENT (from 10% to 5%)!!!! At least we get dropsuit command skills refunded which is totally fair on its own, since they didn't add or change any equipment in 1.8...

This is absurd. What else has been "rebalanced" this extremely? Certainly nothing in 1.7 or 1.8... community--please enlighten me, because I don't understand this.

Maybe I'm missing something, but extending TTK seems to be primarily important/relevant to troops on the frontline, most of whom wield high-DPS, automatic weapons. The biggest damage nerf any of the automatic rifles got was 15.6%... hmm... Wonder if nerfing those weapons just a little more would be a more equitable way of dealing with the problem for all players? Nah. Let's kick damage mods in the taint, instead.

I feel like this is going to make sniping much less viable. Here is some math using a charge sniper rifle as an example:

Pre-1.8
Base damage = 321.9 x 1.09 (+9% from Proficiency 3) = 350.87 x 1.21 (approx. +21% from 3 complex damage mods) = 424.55 x 1.75 (headshot bonus) = 742.97 per head shot.

Post-1.8
Base damage = 321.9 x 1.09 (+9% from Proficiency 3) = 350.87 x 1.11 (approx. +11% from 3 complex damage mods) = 389.47 x 1.75 (headshot bonus) = 681.56 per head shot.

This turns out to be about an 8.3% difference in total damage output. I don't think this is too big a deal on its own, but I keep reading all sorts of things about dual-tanking becoming the norm, buffs to shield mods (couldn't find anything from the devs about this, but I've read it in numerous threads), etc. If these ideas carry any weight, I can foresee OHK sniping (aka, sniping) becoming a sweet memory.

Maybe none of this will matter with the way damage types, racial suits, and resistances are rebalanced? I'm doubtful this is the case.

Thoughts? Feelings?

Good. The useless role of a sniper is further diminished.

Sorry, you asked.

buffs to shield mods

Shield mods aren't getting buffed, although...

Complex Shield Regulators need a buff from 25% to 30%.

What's happening is damage mods (ENH and mostly COM as you point out) are getting a nerf. Since damage mods and shield extenders occupy high slots, the question is which to use. Armor tankers have nothing useful to put in the highs except damage mods, so that seems obvious.

The question comes when consider HP values. Will I get more benefit out of doing 5% more damage to you, or gaining 77 shield HP, effectively meaning you do X% less damage to me? That's the school of thought there. I still think damage mods will be useful because the extenders are only helpful if you're getting shot. The obvious solution is to kill them before they shoot you.

Hope I explained myself well. Make sense?

Good. The useless role of a sniper is further diminished.

Sorry, you asked.

Come on, there are so many pros to becoming a caldari commando sniper:

1. You look BADASS, master chief with black digi camo and red highlights (aurum ck.0 prediction)

2. You can do an extra 10% damage over other suit options (bringing you back up to pre-1.8 power)

3. Your sidearm is another light weapon (likely another sniper rifle or rail rifle)

4. You have high EHP but, unlike heavy snipers, you have room for a nanohive

Come on, there are so many pros to becoming a caldari commando sniper:

1. You look BADASS, master chief with black digi camo and red highlights (aurum ck.0 prediction)

2. You can do an extra 10% damage over other suit options (bringing you back up to pre-1.8 power)

3. Your sidearm is another light weapon (likely another sniper rifle or rail rifle)

4. You have high EHP but, unlike heavy snipers, you have room for a nanohive

Come on, there are so many pros to becoming a caldari commando sniper:

1. You look BADASS, master chief with black digi camo and red highlights (aurum ck.0 prediction)

2. You can do an extra 10% damage over other suit options (bringing you back up to pre-1.8 power)

3. Your sidearm is another light weapon (likely another sniper rifle or rail rifle)

4. You have high EHP but, unlike heavy snipers, you have room for a nanohive

Caldari Commando? O wait..rail rifles..yea..sorry?

People don't understand how hard it is to be a sniper... you have to have the hardest hitting sniper rifle in the game, three damage mods, and a few levels in sniper rifle proficiency just to one-hit a 100% free suit. Seriously, how often do you get killed by a standard or militia sniper rifle? almost never.

Good. The useless role of a sniper is further diminished.

Sorry, you asked.

It's only useless because the community keeps bastardizing it's role as some KDR focused playstyle... There are some of us who focus more on the teamwork aspect of calling out targets long before they're within scanner range and eliminating/damaging high value targets before they become a problem (shotgun scouts, logistics healing heavies, etc). This is made more problematic because there is the stereotype that all snipers are KDR padding cowards who hide behind the redline, this isn't the case.

Incidentally it's that same stereotype that almost guarantees you'll be team-killed in Faction Warfare if you're using the Thales.

Snipers need more tools and more capability to make them a viable force multiplier, not constant nerfs to their playstyle and changes to map design that insinuate the community's general hatred of them.

I pretty much like the damage mod nerf even though I too just recently skilled into them. I am not sure the differential between advanced and complex makes sense though. I'm glad snipers take a hit, hiding in the redline and shooting people 400 meters away is not exactly fair, but it is debatable.

High scan profile shouldn't matter to a sniper working from a distance. You only light up if someone is pointing their weapon at you.

People don't understand how hard it is to be a sniper... you have to have the hardest hitting sniper rifle in the game, three damage mods, and a few levels in sniper rifle proficiency just to one-hit a 100% free suit. Seriously, how often do you get killed by a standard or militia sniper rifle? almost never.

100% free suit or a MLT Gallente with 3 basic plates?

I'm pretty sure most starter outfits that are 100% free are OHK to the head.

I would have much preferred to see a scout suit become the ultimate sniper. They should be glass cannons not semi mobile turrets sitting in the redline.

People were worried about scout cloaks. I said they should be worried about the next generation of heavy snipers who cannot be one shot to the head. They will be in the redline, head just visible and will retreat behind cover if hit.

Someone did not do the calcs when they created the new generation. So which heavy will get resistance to sniper rifles.. Thy will be the most popular (anti)/sniper on a hill.