Increase Reward Merits for Barracuda SF

[Apparition]

I know the chances of this aren't likely, but... I would strongly recommend increasing the reward merits for the Barracuda SF.  Not only does it take about twice as long as the Dr. Kahn TF to complete, it also is much more difficult to form a PUG group for.  Even with the Page Two tweaks, it is still the least popular SF by far.

 

Last night, at around 8:55 P.M. ET/5:55 P.M. PT, I tried to put together a Barracuda SF.  I advertised in two global channels and the LFG channel every three minutes for over fifteen minutes.  Not one single reply, even though it is the red side WST.

 

When I can get a group together, it usually takes us about 45 to 50 minutes, so perhaps increase the rewards to something like 50 reward merits.

[Mr. Vee]

/signed. i probably still won't run it much since it's just a more annoying version of kahn for my tastes, but it really does seem disproportionally under-rewarded to boot.

[Judasace]

Honestly, given that both are rarely played even when they're the WST, likely given the abundance of AV's, etc. in both and especially the fact that they require more than the normal steamroll style of playing, they certainly should both be worth more. Kahn should be worth 40 at a minimum, and Barracuda worth at least 50. I'm basing the number on the fact that Numina, the MLTF and LGTF, all of which are far less of a pain, award 36/37 merits.

Edited June 15, 2021 by Judasace

[AerialAssault]

Would this be 50 merits as standard, or after the WST boost? Because if it was 50 merits standard then I would certainly run it more often.

 

As you say, Barracuda is a different beast (literally). If the team isn't paying attention and using their temp powers, even the most optimized group will falter. Considering that heroes doing Dr. Kahn won't have to worry about these temp powers it seems pretty insulting that both offer the same merit reward.

[Apparition]

12 minutes ago, AerialAssault said:

Would this be 50 merits as standard, or after the WST boost? Because if it was 50 merits standard then I would certainly run it more often.

 

As you say, Barracuda is a different beast (literally). If the team isn't paying attention and using their temp powers, even the most optimized group will falter. Considering that heroes doing Dr. Kahn won't have to worry about these temp powers it seems pretty insulting that both offer the same merit reward.

 

 

Standard.  100 reward merits with the WST boost.  Considering that you can finish Dr. Kahn TF in about twenty minutes (ten minutes with a great team), and it takes about 45 to 50 minutes to finish Barracuda SF on average (in my experience anyhoo), not to mention takes exponentially longer to get a team together for if you can get one together at all, it should easily be worth at least double the reward merits of the Dr. Kahn TF.

Edited June 15, 2021 by Apparition

[Black Zot]

I don't think there IS a merit reward big enough to justify putting up with that bullshit Reichsman fight.  That's just terrible mission design all around.

[SeraphimKensai]

4 hours ago, Black Zot said:

I don't think there IS a merit reward big enough to justify putting up with that bullshit Reichsman fight.  That's just terrible mission design all around.

At least it's unique and not like the 3rd identical defeat all in Synapse.

[Lazarillo]

1 hour ago, SeraphimKensai said:

At least it's unique and not like the 3rd identical defeat all in Synapse.

I don't know.  Doing three missions back to back with the same goal for 15 minutes, or doing one single AV fight for 15 minutes...I think the former might still technically offer more variety...

[Mr. Vee]

8 hours ago, Black Zot said:

I don't think there IS a merit reward big enough to justify putting up with that bullshit Reichsman fight.  That's just terrible mission design all around.

The Reichs fight isn't so much the issue, it's not terribly different from the Kahn version now that you no longer have to make certain you have the right ATs to get the grounding ray. I doubt the trash mob ambushes are giving anyone pause in today's game (actually I wish Kahn had that since fold space + fulcrum would speed up the Reichs fight if both were on the team). It's the rest of the time sink crap in the SF that Kahn doesn't have that would justify the merit increase.

[Katharos]

The merit reward vs work+difficulty ratio on redside is horrible all around, but Barracuda takes the cake. Especially with that x4 escort in the last mission. It definitely deserves a merit reward boost.

[Razor Cure]

I misread the thread title as 'Instant' so..

A few months after CoX came back, I did a cuda with a pug team of..well..idiots. I quit the team after exiting the last mission and got no rewards. Literally the ONLY tf in game that does that. So yeah..INSTANT reward merits after that last mission.

 

ALso totally agree that Cuda Vs Kahn is a load of rubbish. Especially the last mission with the never ending ambushes (seriously, they MAY end, but on Live, I did a run with friends, and we spent at least an hour killing ambush after ambush) and stupid need for temp powers. Dont get me wrong, the way you borrow the patrons powers is cool and all, but compared to blue side where everyone gets the magic ray gun?

 

3 hours ago, Mr. Vee said:

now that you no longer have to make certain you have the right ATs to get the grounding ray

Oh, did they finally change that? Yay!

 

3 hours ago, Mr. Vee said:

I doubt the trash mob ambushes are giving anyone pause in today's game

Today's game, very true. But back when the TF was new, I remember quite a few teams failing it (although perhaps it was lack of temp powers plus ambushes). Also, in todays game, the final blue fight is an utter joke. 4 Avs, that come online one at a time? Funny that..like STF vs RSF.