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?

Ya at this point I can't even keep count of how many dropships (non-assault mind you) have tried to simply crush me on high towers. Which is why in 1.8 with the new commando suits I'll create a fit with proto swarms an av grenades along with my sniper rifle when on towers.