I am afraid I have to call this out as shortsighted.

Baseline skills provide FAR more benefit than the gear alone.

To a 1 mil SP new player there is zero functional difference between me in a caldari sentinel c-1 with an assault HMG and militia mod bpos and me in a sentinel Ck.0 with a freedom AHMG and proto mods.

There's a somewhat noticable difference to the guy with equal SP and proto but the fight is far from assured.

But to anyone under 10 mil SP I might as well be the f*cking Juggernaut. It's the same facing any vet. A newbro in a sentinel A-1 might have what, 1000 HP? I'm running 1450 with militia trash on a STD suit.

Skills MATTER far more than the gear.

A 10m SP player in "my first proto suit" is dead meat 9/10 times versus random OH vet of seven months who has been rigorously following a skill plan.

Calling the gear out without acknowledging the skill gap is like trying to compare the flavors of apples and pants. There is no valid context you can separate them into.

I greatly disagree.

A player in the top 100 bracket of cod or bf with less than 5 mill sp won't stand 2 seconds against someone with 100% proto gear. Or even advanced gear.

Skill level only affects when you have the same gear level.

The amount of noobs rage quitting is proof of this

SUCCESS IN DUST 514 CONSISTS OF:


20% Character Skill Points
20% Character Equipment AND Personal Fitting skills
20% Personal Knowledge of maps AND weapon functionalities
20% Personal skill in gungame (= shooting skill and microtactics)
20% Luck and situational things and pure luck


And as a bonus on in addition of those, taking it over the top:
20% Teamwork, tactics and voice comms


Please note I underlined some parts to emphasize there's plenty of room for personal excellence.


disclaimer: the numbers are arbitrary and not scientific, you clever you.

This game does not have a large enough playerbase to implement a matchmaking system based on what you describe. If you want to suggest increasing the amount of time a person is thrown into Academy Matches then that is cool; it will give them an opportunity to build up those base skills.

Proto stomping solo....lol omg now I've heard it all.

We could just remove squads from Public Contracts. That would be the best thing to do. People would actually start to use "team chat" and people will learn how to run with a team instead of just a squad.

Here is a proof from yesterday. Even it wasn't proto stomping it was adv. stopming

Aaaand there was another made in Poland guy... Not solo.

But I play solo not squaded with this guy.

Nice 80-0 HOWDIDHEKILLME ;)

Ran officer gear... Almost ran out ammo.

Tier 1- Militia and basic gear only.

Tier 2- Basic and advanced gear only.

Tier 3- Advanced and proto gear only.

Tier-4 Proto and officer gear only.

This would block players with 30+ million SP from causing the player base to shrink since they can't proto stomp noobs.

Apex suits are considered proto level by the game to make them in tiers 3 & 4.

Ran officer gear... Almost ran out ammo.

If I wasn't so one track minded about screwing off half the time or messing with the other team I'd do better.

I also like setting my team up to win even if I lose my ass. I've gone 2-11 recently.... Didn't play again for at least 24 hours lol