This is probably the wrong thread for this, but I think the laser rifle needs to be reworked. I think a big buff to damage, minimum range doing the same damage. Good so far I know, but now I throw the curve ball. Heat build up needs to the target getting shot. Sort of a damage over time weapon with the "DOT" increasing the longer the beam is on the target. This would bring a rpg feel that this game is missing, as well as getting insta-poped the second a laser touches someone which is unfair and unbalanced. As it stands, a well placed laser is hard to get to because of their more accurate range, and I die in my best suit 600+ total health in the time someone can get 3-6 duvolle rounds on me. That makes it unanswerable in the right hands/location its placed on the map.

Bit of an update to how I feel about these things...

The skills *are* broken, yes, AND the minimum range thing *is* a pain in the ass.
However, the range dealio isn't *that* big a deal.

I've been using the rifles almost exclusively, and I'm sure there are some people who can attest to the fact that I do pretty well with them. I think the biggest issues lie in the current level designs we're given, as well as the absurd amount of damage overlap the ARs put out to where lasers should be working best. Maybe nuking AR range and changing their proficiency from damage to range would be a good solution.

The nature of the LR means you've got to build up heat to do more damage, however many of the maps are congested and feature tons of cover. That makes it extremely difficult to use the LR as you've got to treat it like a sniper/assault hybrid.
If we had larger and/or more open maps I think we'd look at these things a whole lot differently. Currently, most locations which are optimal for lasers are still well inside the range of every basic AR (think Manus Peak skirmish between B/C).

The next thing is basically how good/bad the regular and elm-7 are.

The elm-7 has a *bit* more range, and lets you live in the heat a *little* bit longer, but for all intents and purposes you're better off saving your money (and a ton of fitting) by simply running the regular LR. I'm not sure what the best approach would be to balance that out a bit better, because I don't think the LR is overpowered... moreso that the elm-7 is underpowered.

Yeh laser are very sytuational and underwhelming. Optimal on them is how muche? 17m and range 81m ? AR have 79m range and 1-35 optimal, and at close there is no point evene try shot , you just die.

SMG for the win.

Unless you're a Logi, who had our sidearms forcibly removed for no gawddamned reason.

Known issue since before open Beta unless your going for proto you only invest 1 point in laser anything else is a waste. Nothing new here. Move along.

I've restored the replication process since FoxFour said it wasn't what I thought it was even though I was right.

Also, we're aware of the Laser Rifle skills being broken and have a fix in the pipeline for them.