Crab vs. Huntsman ranged attacks

[Chronos]

I feel like I'm missing something here...  Crab is supposed to be the ranged specialization, right?  But it looks like all of the Crab ranged attacks are inferior to the basic unspecialized Huntsman ranged attacks.  To start off:  [Channelgun] is the same damage, secondary effect, end cost, range, and recharge as [Single Shot]...  The only differences are that Channelgun has a longer activation time (1.33 seconds vs. 0.90 seconds), slightly lower accuracy (1.00 instead of 1.05), and a different damage type.  I mean, I guess that energy is slightly better than lethal, but that hardly seems worth it.

 

Moving on, [Longfang] and [Burst] are likewise identical (in every way, including damage type), except that Longfang has a 2 second activation time, to Burst's 1 second.

 

[Suppression] has a slightly higher damage per cast than [Heavy Burst], and the cone is wider, but it also has a longer activation AND recharge time, and a much higher end cost.

 

And of course, [Venom Grenade] and [Frag Grenade] are the same for both.

 

Even if I want to take Crab for the armor and spiderlings, why would I ever choose the crab attacks over the huntsman ones?  I've heard there's something about huntsman redraw actually adding to activation time, unlike all other redraws in the game, but even if that's true, couldn't you get around that by just customizing them to no-redraw?  Or even if that doesn't work, by just only using the Huntsman powers so it never needs to redraw?

[Neiska]

I don't think anyone would argue that Crabby or SoA is overpowered, it's more of a theme/setting class. But just to point out that as a stand-alone it doesn't really shine, where it shines is team support/buffs. There mere presence is their main attraction with their super-buffed leadership toggles. Despite their failings, I still love them. The best build I found that works for me is to focus on flying and resistance/durability, with 85% resists, flying, a full cycle of ranged attacks, it feels like a I'm playing a flying fortress. Now its numbers isn't huge or impressive by any means, but often enough I was the most durable one on the team, more than most scrappers and some brutes. Just no aggro tools to capitalize on, sadly. And provoke only gets you so far.

 

The AT itself has been largely untouched since it was added, as far as I am aware. If any ATs need updates, its the Warshades/Peacebringers along with SoA's/Widows. I am not talking a total AT overhaul or anything, just some number tweaks would likely be enough. I am not certain that the staff can do this though, as they have updated pretty much everything else to some extent or another except the Epic ATs.

 

SoA isn't "bad", but solo or damage isn't really its niche. I am not implying they are all TERRIBLE dps, I am sure some can put up decent numbers. (I have seen some Widows that could rip a battleship apart.) I only say that isn't really their focus in their design.

 

As far as the Crabber vs Huntsman? Well, with Crabby you get more pets, and crabby armor, personally I enjoy the animations enough that I can overlook the fact that the base attacks are better. Nothing wrong with taking things just for fun or because you like them. That, and I really like their energy based attacks and the visuals.

 

They may be a bit slower, or lower DPA, but are energy type and thematic. Which is more important to you? Well, only each person can answer that for themselves.

 

If it were up to me, I would really want their T9 changed, or at least that absurd cooldown reduced. It is honestly one of the worst T9's, and I'll be danged why they designed it that way. I would be fine with if it did zero damage at all, and was just a taunting drone you could drop every 2 minutes or something. At least you can find a use for something like that.

 

My two cents.

[Chronos]

That's not what I was asking.  I already know that they're a support class, and I'm already 24 and at my mandatory respec, and I'm already choosing crab (both for the pets, and because the arms feel sort of emblematic of Arachnos to me).  The question is, given all of that, why would I choose any of the crab attacks?

[Neiska]

2 minutes ago, Chronos said:

That's not what I was asking.  I already know that they're a support class, and I'm already 24 and at my mandatory respec, and I'm already choosing crab (both for the pets, and because the arms feel sort of emblematic of Arachnos to me).  The question is, given all of that, why would I choose any of the crab attacks?

 

The choice is Theme/Energy based attacks vs Quicker, More accurate physical attacks. Thats really about it. Personally I hate having to pull out a firearm when i got the crabby pack, but thats just me. To people who like to squeeze everything they can out of a build they may take the huntsman attacks entirely for mathematical reasons. Neither way is wrong.

[Glacier Peak]

The activation time and the animation time are two different things. So even if it looks like it takes longer because of the switch between animation draws, it isn't taking the damage any longer to register on the enemy targeted.