I'll keep this concise even though the thread will undoubtedly derail before page 3.

• Suit must be weak outside of a vehicle, but not so weak that a pilot suit in an LAV is easily shot out.
• Requiring a pilot suit to pilot DOES restrict the freedom of the game, and should be avoided like the plague.
• Sidearm only is a given. No grenades.
• I'm against any sort of equipment. People will complain that they need a repair tool but native armor repair resolves this need. Others will claim they need uplinks, but anything that happens outside of a vehicle is not the role of the Pilot suit, dropping uplinks included. The act of dropping uplinks is is NOT part of the vehicle role, even if a vehicle is used to get to the drop location. Incidentally, mCRUs need to be easier fit/more accessible as well as have a distinct advantage over Uplinks.
• Note that the pilot doesn't HAVE to be a Light Frame, its an obvious choice since Light frames lack a secondary specialist frame, but it really doesn't HAVE to be one if balance causes issues.
• Suit must have Link Modules which are fit to the suit and boost either the vehicle or the modules on the vehicle.
• Benefit from links needs to be fairly small with no downside as to avoid excessive power creep, and avoid issue where non-pilot suit driven vehicles become non-viable.
• Benefit can be larger if an associated downside is attached to it, as the module still provides a positive benefit overall but a downgrade in another aspect of the vehicle. Somewhat like Rigs, or even Shield Rechargers vs Shield Energizers.
• Role Bonus for Pilot suit should be fitting reduction to Link Modules, as well as a generic benefit (without any sort of downside) which will be effective for any vehicle (Dropship, HAV, LAV) and racial bonuses should be useful for any vehicle within that race (In other words avoid bonuses which would only be useful to specific races/hull types)
• Consider tying Link Module skills to existing vehicle skills (For example Vehicle Armor Plate Modules and Armor Plate Link Modules unlocked via the same skill) as to avoid excessive SP cost in comparison to other non-Pilot roles.
• Cost of Suits/Modules needs to be carefully looked at, as the suit will likely die with the vehicle and excessively expensive suits on top of the vehicle cost may make them cost prohibitive in many situations. You can't balance with ISK, so don't go too crazy with the cost and make it too painful to die.

Well as I stated, the pilot should be nearly useless outside of its vehicle. Anything that happens outside of the vehicle is not the role of the pilot, so I see no reason why they should have more than a sidearm. Additionally from my understanding, even modern tankers in the real world rarely carry what you would consider a "primary weapon" and tend to have PDWs, such as pistols and SMGs because they are small and compact and fit will inside the cramped quarters of a tank.

As for the Logi example, I feel that Logis do have some limited combat role in the form of fire support, or indirect combat support (The Mass Driver is an awesome example of this). As such I feel that it makes sense they have a primary weapon. I do not feel that the Pilot shares this sort of role, as it is supposed to be in a vehicle and not running around on foot.

One of the things that players have asked for a very long time is a way to lock out the driver seat in vehicles and I think requiring a pilot suit to fly a ADS or drive a HAV would be reasonable and a way to achieve this.

I think the best thing that could be done with pilot suits is to allow them to add special abilities to vehicles rather than make them outright stronger (countermeasures to block/increase locking times, etc.).

So, let me get this straight:

We're against "Pilot suits to drive vehicles" because it removes some freedom? I don't agree. If I want to use an HMG, I am forced to spec into Heavy Suits. Whichever way you look at it, it's the same. Exact. Situation.
Would it force existing pilots to spec into Pilot suits? Yes. That shouldn't be a problem, a single afternoon of playing nets you enough SP to spec into an entirely different Suit, even factional. I did it myself today. Spec'd into Minmatar Medium and made it to Assault. So that should hardly be a cause for concern.

I personally believe that Pilot suits should be mandatory for HAV and DS (not LAV's for reasons stated before), because it just makes sense. Does a Tanker wear the same kit as a Footsoldier? Does a Jet/Helicopter pilot? No. For good reason. Cockpits and Tanks are cramped places.

Now, I understand that forcing people to spec into a specific suit to pilot vehicles would limit freedom, but right now, one of the most unbalanced things I've seen is Heavy Dropsuits driving HAV's, who just drive through whichever AV -setup you've got, get out and blast you to tiny, sad bits. Basically, you can't beat them IN their Tank, and you can't beat them OUT of their tank. Where's the balance in this?
So I vote for either A Pilot suit for DS/HAV, or Heavy's that can't Pilot anything including LAV (they can still get in the passenger seat/turret of any vehicle) . This should barely remove freedom, as it's easy to get a buddy/ squad member to drive.
Heavy's are designed as Front-line suits, and that's where they should be, not behind the wheel of LAV's, HAV's or DS'.

Also, as a side note, because AV-balance is, wether we want to or not, an intrinsic part of this discussion, I don't understand how many people complain AV is overpowered. Sure, I've taken out my fair share of tanks, but at least as many have cost me tons of ISK in AV fits. From ADS' avoiding SL in a straight line because of Afterburner gimmicks, or Gunnlogi's popping Shield Boosters & Hardeners (Also, 40% Damage resistance on a 4K+ shield is ridiculous!) ad infinitum, I can honestly say, that the weaker tanks are not a problem, and can be taken out solo by decent AV players, but the better tanks can outrun half a squad of AV-fits. In short, AV is both Over-and Underpowered.


How would I do the Pilot suits? I don't know. But I do know there's some seriously unbalanced stuff out there already, and the Pilot suit could solve some of that. I hope the idea is at least considered. I love piloting Dropships, and the idea of having a Pilot suit sounds nice, even if only to distinguish between Pilots and the rest.

Sorry but I think features like that should be general modules. We have so few modules as it is, I'm very much against locking them behind a specific suit type.

If the pilot suit has link modules which boost the effectiveness of these vehicle modules....working as intended. But a vehicle and all of the functions available to it should be accessible to any class...a pilot should just do it better.

I mean the HMG/Forge is really the only content locked behind a suit class. I think of it more along the lines of "Anyone can use a Scrambler Rifle. But if you want it to REALLY kick ass, you use an Amarr Assault with that Scrambler Rifle" so similarly "Anyone can use a vehicle. But if you w want it to REALLY kick ass, you use a Pilot suit with that vehicle"

My question is why is a Pilot placing uplinks instead of fitting a mCRU to his/her vehicle.