Devices upgrade

[kelly Rocket]

So, all the new Blaster secondaries really outperform the old ones. Which is fine because frankly most Blaster secondaries were garbage.

 

I feel like all the old sets need an update, but Devices being close to my heart, I thought I'd make a proposal for updating devices to bring it to par with the i25 secondaries. I've heard there are actually Devices changes in testing on the Beta Server already, but that's just hearsay since I haven't checked for myself. Anyway, my proposal:

 

Leave Targeting Drone as is, because it's the best power in the set already, one that no one in their right mind would skip, so buffing it probably doesn't make sense.

 

Give Field Operative a +recovery buff, since all the new secondaries have this.

 

Throw out Time Bomb entirely and replace it with a Shield Drone. Time Bomb is hot garbage and everyone knows it. Almost no one ever takes it. If we want to respect the Cottage Rule, then just make it a "choose a power" at this level, like the Sentinel version of SR has with Master Brawler vs Practiced Brawler. The shield drone would provide a toggle absorb shield, like 3 or 4 of the i25 secondaries have, with a +recharge buff attached.

 

This would honestly be enough to bring Devices up to par, in my opinion. I would immediately recreate my old Archery/Devices blaster from the old days, instead of continually dithering over whether I should keep him Archery/Devices, or go Archery/TacArrow, which I don't *want* to do, but feel sort of like I'd be gimping myself going with an old set.

 

Also it would make Devices the "drone" set, with two self-buff drones, plus gun drone, and that has a nice cool factor to it, which is something that's important in a superhero game!

[Adeon Hawkwood]

There are updates for Devices on the beta server, you might want to check those out.

 

In regards to your proposed buffs, first Field Operative already has a recovery bonus, it was given that when it was made a sustain power. Secondly regarding shield drone, every blaster secondary now has either a regen buff, a heal over time or a refreshing absorb shield. In the case of Devices it got the regen buff option which was added to Field Operative. So adding a second sustain power would be unbalanced (the regen from Field Operative is equivalent in strength to the refreshing absorb in other sets).

 

Regarding the recharge buff, that is already part of the devices buff on the beta server, it's getting a 30% recharge buff added to Targeting drone.

[Arkterusss]

There are updates for Devices on the beta server, you might want to check those out.

 

In regards to your proposed buffs, first Field Operative already has a recovery bonus, it was given that when it was made a sustain power. Secondly regarding shield drone, every blaster secondary now has either a regen buff, a heal over time or a refreshing absorb shield. In the case of Devices it got the regen buff option which was added to Field Operative. So adding a second sustain power would be unbalanced (the regen from Field Operative is equivalent in strength to the refreshing absorb in other sets).

 

Regarding the recharge buff, that is already part of the devices buff on the beta server, it's getting a 30% recharge buff added to Targeting drone.

 

Oh i know, Ive read the changes. I find things like tweaking numbers in the hopes that something might stick be a little uninspiring. 

[kelly Rocket]

There are updates for Devices on the beta server, you might want to check those out.

 

In regards to your proposed buffs, first Field Operative already has a recovery bonus, it was given that when it was made a sustain power. Secondly regarding shield drone, every blaster secondary now has either a regen buff, a heal over time or a refreshing absorb shield. In the case of Devices it got the regen buff option which was added to Field Operative. So adding a second sustain power would be unbalanced (the regen from Field Operative is equivalent in strength to the refreshing absorb in other sets).

 

Regarding the recharge buff, that is already part of the devices buff on the beta server, it's getting a 30% recharge buff added to Targeting drone.

I'd heard about those changes, I just felt my suggestions were better (And I haven't actually tried the beta server changes, as I noted in my initial post, so they're all hearsay to me).

 

I feel Targeting Drone is good enough as it is, doesn't need a buff, it's already amazing. And I'd rather see Devices get another drone pet following them around for the absorb shield instead of the +regen on Field Operative.

 

Time Bomb is terrible, so it makes sense to swap that out.

[Super Homer]

I think the devs still adhere to the Cottage Rule

 

This means Time Bomb will always be a bomb that blows up and does damage, but a power like Conserve Power can get regen and heal tossed in on top of its endurance discount and become Energize.

 

Under that rule, any suggestion that is expected to be implemented should not remove core functionality. It may be toned down to allow the extra effects be balanced, though. When they turned Conserve Power into Energize, they lowered a tad ira end discount, for example.

[kelly Rocket]

I think the devs still adhere to the Cottage Rule

 

This means Time Bomb will always be a bomb that blows up and does damage, but a power like Conserve Power can get regen and heal tossed in on top of its endurance discount and become Energize.

 

Under that rule, any suggestion that is expected to be implemented should not remove core functionality. It may be toned down to allow the extra effects be balanced, though. When they turned Conserve Power into Energize, they lowered a tad ira end discount, for example.

Did you actually read the first post of the thread? Because I addressed the Cottage Rule in it, and how Time Bomb could be replaced with Shield Drone without actually removing Time Bomb, so those who want to keep using it can, and the massive majority who don't can chuck it and take the much better Shield Drone.

 

Basically make the Devices T8 be a choice beween two powers, which is a thing the game already supports and in fact exists in at least one Sentinel powerset, so we know it can be done. You can pick Time Bomb for that, or you can pick Shield Drone.

[grinningsphinx]

Well...i leveled a Dual Pistol / Devices / Munitions character over the weekend to 50, this was my 4th 50 character under the latest update on score.

 

My thoughts:

 

Devices is largely supremely under powered compared to literally any other power set. While it does have a few standouts in Targeting and Field operative, the rest of the powers are unwieldy and in some cases unusable.

 

Trip mine cannot slot interrupt, which is really the major barrier to its use.  The damage on it is nothing special compared to every other secondary... so its mostly junk.

 

Time Bomb, just completely unuseable in any of the content at 50+.  Time to explosion, set up, and cooldown are all pretty ridiculous. Omega Maneuver totally outclasses it because Soldiers were implemented well after devices. In short, this power needs a complete rework in many stat aspects.

 

Web Grenade is just boring...visually its nice but meh compared to other entangles.

 

Smoke Grenade has been and always will be near useless in its current form as it requires accuracy, and is not anchored on the initial target.....the debuff is too low to really consider putting into a rotation....if the base % - to hit were higher I could possibly see a use. Might help if it were a targetable AOE as well.

 

My biggest gripe is Gun Drone however...Its supposed to be the signature power in devices, received at lvl 38. Well...it has ONE SINGLE TARGET power, every 5 seconds. It deals lethal, which is crap.. Its damage hovers around 130-150 with very few ways for a blaster to boost it and the fact that is costs 39! endurance and has a limited lifespan is just ridiculous .

 

My suggestions for Gun Drone::  Remove constant need to resummon it and just let it be a normal uncontrolled pet, give it two more powers to justify its stupid end cost,  update its primary power so that it functions like the narrow cone powers of dual pistols/beam rifle so it at least has a small chance of dealing damage to more then one target.  Update the model....i know some people may like the model and the sound effect but you can tell its old...old...old. It doesnt even have a good sound effect.

 

 

Munitions Mastery deserves its own thread, but yeah, its an old sub-par choice as well.