If modules exists for Pilot suits, they should be pilot suit exclusive. Otherwise, no point.

If modules exists for Pilot suits, they should be pilot suit exclusive. Otherwise, no point.

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.

If your concern is related to the pilot bailing out and causing issues, should you not be more focused on the bailing out part and not so much the piloting part?

I really hate heavies, and I really hate Heavy HAV/LAVs, but there are ways to incentivize using Pilot suits over other suits without completely eliminating their use.

If vehicles are more effectively driven by a Pilot than a Heavy, you will naturally see non Pilot suit driven vehicles killed routinely by Pilot suit driven vehicles. What good is surviving once you get out of the vehicle if being in it will likely get you killed?

If they create the right bonuses and incentives for wearing a Pilot suit while driving vehicles, then you will see a significant reduction of other suits piloting vehicles.

I am one that believes that the pilot suit should be like a key that unlocks features on xx vehicles that other suits do not have access to in the form of vehicle equipment slots.

Possible types of vehicle equipment / features

• Countermeasures to break off any locked on swarms for xx seconds
• Stealth mode where you don't show up on the radar, no enemy/friendly display for anyone looking at ship for xx seconds
• Supply Drop aka like a large nanohive
• Spawn in with vehicle
• Vehicle Lock - Self / Squad / Anyone
• Lock on / targeting warning

To name a few. Like others have said the cost of the suit is going to have to be worth the feature set or we will just keep using our free suits.

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.

So ask the pilots about making them genmods and PilotSuits have a major bonus to them, whether its fitting or use enhancement.

I don't know. I think making modules more effective on the vehicle because of the pilot suit is the exact wrong direction. Better modules means more HP or more Damage so just straight up more powerful.

I believe that there should be vehicles entry exit timers (not including LAVs or passengers jumping out of dropships).

It should take a few seconds to get into any and all vehicles for drivers, pilots, and gunners. (AGAIN let me stress -- NOT Lavs and NOT jumping out of a DS as a passenger -- DS gunners still apply)

And I think pilot suits should reduce the amount of time this takes. -x% time at mlt, -y% time at Std, -z% time at adv, -c% time at proto.

This would allow dedicated vehicle folks to still escape almost as fast as they do now from exploding vehicles at proto level. But still provide real risk to clone termination if they decide to run 'cheap.'

Also solves a host of other problems with AV, wheelchair heavies, and prevents strait non isk/module related buffs to vehicles. In a game of economics -- non isk buffs is bad.

Additionally I prefer softer bonuses like faster cooldowns on hardeners rather than direct buffs to the damage reduction. I suppose think of it as making the functions of the vehicle more efficient, and less so directly buffing....but thats up for discussion of course

You can do what they did for cloaks and make them so obscenely costly for everyone else that it would be a major sacrifice, while giving Pilot Suits a fittings cost decrease.

It would give a little variability and viability to other roles that want to use them, without them really being an issue.

I mean, I have seen cloaked Commandos, but never really felt my role threatened by them.

I think an exit timer would need to be modified based on suits so a heavy would take much longer to get out like Pokey was saying (even a LAV).

I couldn't agree more strongly about the exit timer not affecting dropship passengers though.

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"

I'm almost wondering if the pilot suit should just be a one tier suit with maybe getting a nice bonus per level. I just think it could potentially be easy to unbalance vehicles depending on how the suit bonus applies. I agree we don't want to see the pilot suit apply straight damage buffs or increased HP.

First of all pilot suits nomnom.

Sidearm, small frame. Sounds good to me.
as for integrating them with vehicles, you can use the suit bonus like with all other suits but with bonuses for vehicles.

Amarr, Caldari, Gallente, Minmatar Pilot suits (skill)

Level 1 basic frame- (Shield based pilot suit) passive shield resistance +#% per level, (Armor based pilot suit) passive armor resistance +#% per level.

Level 2 basic frame - same as above

Level 3 adv frame - large turret rotation speed +#% per level

Level 4 adv frame - same as above

Level 5 proto frame - (shield based pilot suit) shield module effectiveness +#% per lvl (armor based pilot suit) armor module effectiveness +#%per lvl

Mix and match or change what the bonuses are, but that concept would set the normal frame from a pilot frame apart.

(pilot suits should come out side by side with the vehicles) expect problems but its better then doing it twice right?

All in all cant wait for vehicle changes , tanking has gotten dull, as whoever gets the jump on the other usually comes out victorious.

So you want different levels of the same skill to offer different benefits?

Nono, just new bonuses at adv and proto.

Why would you deviate from the existing system that every single other suit in the game already uses?