Sota Pop and i were discussing the changes to the skills next build and looked down at it for our belovid heavy class. We found sharpshooter no longer giving ranged bonuses cripples the HMG into a bigger SMG for short ranged engagements only. The HMG did benefit very well from the range bonus with how bullet falloff works (bullet damage over distance). Also, there will be no passive skills to increase weapon damage. The HMG is a spam cannon and relies on the buffs to make each shot hit hard, wich it wont anymore. So in conclusion, the HMG double wont do damage or even reach at distance, and wont chew through suits nearly as well. Between assult suit strafing and their 450+ most heavys are soloed by assult players at point blank. That is were a heavy is best and its happening now with the skills giving the HMG the bonuses it needs! Its still not working! Of course heavys generally get out gunned at mid to long range but that jus adds to the promblem. What is left for a heavy when these skills are taken away? Heavys will need B series or protosuits for pubs. The heavy will be 3 times as expensive to die 3 times quicker. If they moderate the prices on heavy gear wel be twice as expensive and still out DPS'ed, out ranged, out manuvered, and left to with only our butthurt because we have no more money to buy our gear nor SP sence heavy is THE most SP intensive class.

To top it all off, much like the swarm launcher, the plasma cannon is going to be a light weapon for all classes to use and much like the forge gun, its going to be a hybrid weapon (effective against sheilds and armor) with dumbfire capabiltys. Unlike the forge gun it will be dirt cheap because it is NOT heavy exclusive gear and thus will be used in place of forge guns. So the hmg sucks and heavys arnt needed for desinated AV any longer.

What im saying is, there is no reason to play heavy. Ifyou want lots of HP stack 4 complex sheild mods on an assult suit and skill up sheild controle to lv 5. over 500 sheilds, MORE than most heavys. Stack 2 or 3 complex armor extenders and you will have close or over 1100 effective HP and still be more mobile than a heavy. Your AR will outrange and out DPS them too. You also have equipment slots for 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the equvilant heavy suit. Also spent less SP on your superior class and fit. There is no reason for anyone to play heavy come uprising.

*There is no insentive to play heavy*

I've been saying this for a while on the forums. Heavies are slowly getting more and more useless and other classes get stronger cuz their proto suits are actually good. How can heavies be competitive when their proto suits = a Heavy B series basically but cost 250k isk a pop. Does not make sense.

Not to mention the HMG. People cry soooo much about it, but in a competitive environment you see how weak it is. What makes it weak is the bullet dispersion, or bullet spread. Yeah the stats says it does "x" amount of dps, but in reality ALLOT of bullets miss the target. Not saying it needs a dmg buff, but the bullet spread is ridic. So while you're shooting a guy, bullets are missing even though your aim is fixed on him, you're missing, and in a competitive situation, missing = death... while the AR is NOT missing.

I know CCP said they were going to re-balance the class. So I'm hoping they balance it where Heavy Proto suit is actually useful or for the very least AFFORDABLE.

I share Maple's frustration, and so do the majority of heavies that know what might come down. If the class is nerfed further, then you might not see any heavy HMG out on the battlefield. Just does not make sense to invest time and SP into a class that's gonna fail.

I'll wait and see... I'm hoping CCP finds a good balance, and for goodness sake give us a skill to lower bullet spread...otherwise, LOLheavies. May as well point your finger and laugh when you see one in Uprising.