Is AR Worth Playing Now?

[00Troy00]

I've always wanted to make an AR blaster, but have been discouraged from doing so due to its abysmal performance. Will the changes released today be enough to make it palatable?

[smnolimits43]

i noticed that Beanbag is still showing as an attack, but it should be Aim ??

[High_Beam]

Nope.  They changed their minds.  No Aim.

 

After all it is an assault rifle, it is not a Battle Rifle so accuracy isn't really required. 🙂

[loyalreader]

I feel like AR was always 'worth playing' although certainly not the strongest blast set. The latest changes have made it a much more enjoyable experience for me. 

 

Moves much quicker and (feels like) it does more damage. 

[Fusilier]

Bean Bag does more damage, does about Burst level damage.

[Marshal_General]

21 hours ago, High_Beam said:

Nope.  They changed their minds.  No Aim.

 

After all it is an assault rifle, it is not a Battle Rifle so accuracy isn't really required. 🙂

It uses the same method I do at the toilet.

 

Spray and Pray.

[High_Beam]

22 hours ago, loyalreader said:

I feel like AR was always 'worth playing' although certainly not the strongest blast set. The latest changes have made it a much more enjoyable experience for me. 

 

Moves much quicker and (feels like) it does more damage. 

I have always wanted to have an AR character but it just never works out.  I never cared much about the damage dealing issue, one can make just about anything work in the game, after all I have three DP Blasters and enjoy them all.  I just had a problem with certain powers and the immersion breaking aspect of them.  And when you customize the weapon the immersion break becomes even more pronounced.  To me I could pretend that when I was using Sniper Rifle that was when I was actually stopping, aiming and firing as opposed to standard AR use (suppressive fire, spray and pray).  I could say that the M30 Grenade and to a lesser extent the Buckshot were fired from a shotgun type barrel underslung which also explained to lower damage grenade (perhaps only 25mm vice 40mm).

 

But Incinerate and effing Flamethrower just broke everything for me and they only work on that ludicrous, inane M63 Frankengun because of the super soaker can on it.  Change it to a thermobaric grenade; whump--boom--burn patch then I can work with ignite but flamethrower . . . le sigh.  Two powers shouldn't spoil the whole set and for most people probably doesn't, but for me, in this case, it wasn't the "anemic damage" it was the two burny powers.

 

This is of course why I stayed out of the AR change fight for the most part because my reasons are not ground in data or results they were my opinion skewed by my quirks.

 

Then again if I was the person who made those decisions, a lot of people would be angry with them because yeah, I have a lot of quirks. 🙂

[Snarky]

5 hours ago, High_Beam said:

I have always wanted to have an AR character but it just never works out.  I never cared much about the damage dealing issue, one can make just about anything work in the game, after all I have three DP Blasters and enjoy them all.  I just had a problem with certain powers and the immersion breaking aspect of them.  And when you customize the weapon the immersion break becomes even more pronounced.  To me I could pretend that when I was using Sniper Rifle that was when I was actually stopping, aiming and firing as opposed to standard AR use (suppressive fire, spray and pray).  I could say that the M30 Grenade and to a lesser extent the Buckshot were fired from a shotgun type barrel underslung which also explained to lower damage grenade (perhaps only 25mm vice 40mm).

 

But Incinerate and effing Flamethrower just broke everything for me and they only work on that ludicrous, inane M63 Frankengun because of the super soaker can on it.  Change it to a thermobaric grenade; whump--boom--burn patch then I can work with ignite but flamethrower . . . le sigh.  Two powers shouldn't spoil the whole set and for most people probably doesn't, but for me, in this case, it wasn't the "anemic damage" it was the two burny powers.

 

This is of course why I stayed out of the AR change fight for the most part because my reasons are not ground in data or results they were my opinion skewed by my quirks.

 

Then again if I was the person who made those decisions, a lot of people would be angry with them because yeah, I have a lot of quirks. 🙂

We definitely need more gun options that explain all the powers on the weapon.  Maybe something high tech with little glowing lights and projections.  Maybe a steampunk version that did not look like a fluglehorne but had devices on it

[High_Beam]

That gun from the 5th Element. ZF-1

Edited April 27, 2023 by High_Beam
Fixed Spelling. Added Nomenclature.

[FupDup]

On 4/27/2023 at 2:44 PM, Snarky said:

We definitely need more gun options that explain all the powers on the weapon.  Maybe something high tech with little glowing lights and projections.  Maybe a steampunk version that did not look like a fluglehorne but had devices on it

Transforming gun, changes form every time you use one of the different weapon types (machine gun, shotgun, flamethrower, grenade launcher, sniper). Also has bonus animations for Munitions Mastery powers. 

[Snarky]

51 minutes ago, FupDup said:

Transforming gun, changes form every time you use one of the different weapon types (machine gun, shotgun, flamethrower, grenade launcher, sniper). Also has bonus animations for Munitions Mastery powers. 

I would hate that.  i was afraid LRM would transform but thankfully it just fires from the old faithful.  I use the old original AR model.  I call it a Dally Gun (Dial-A-Gun)

[twozerofoxtrot]

3 hours ago, FupDup said:

Transforming gun, changes form every time you use one of the different weapon types (machine gun, shotgun, flamethrower, grenade launcher, sniper). Also has bonus animations for Munitions Mastery powers. 

 

I wouldn't mind an draw option that let you pull out whatever NPCs use for their powers, even if it was locked to specific weapons models, with just a basic AR on the character's back.

 

If you want to have a low tech Punisher type character who carries around a Doom 2's inventory worth of separate firearms it would be perfect for that.

[Black_Assassin]

Was Full Auto always 10 targets? It feels so weird only hitting what feels like the front part of a spawn

[Chronicler J]

12 hours ago, Black_Assassin said:

Was Full Auto always 10 targets? It feels so weird only hitting what feels like the front part of a spawn

 

It's a horrible power, and the pass it got was feeble. Felt more like changes meant for a Sentinel. 

[Maris]

I've been playing an AR/Energy blaster since the changes and honestly, loving it. Solid damage, snipe, slug, and ignite are a strong ST chain, with beanbag as a little extra crowd control, flamethrower and buckshot for cones and.

Honestly I freaking love Full Auto now. While I get that it should have a higher target cap.

The feeling of having a 90 degree cone + boost range and hitting targets across the entire span of a room is incredible. It owns tbh.

[Ashford]

Well with the current balance changes despite what people say, from a min/max perspective, AR could actually be a much better middle of the road AT for a blaster and  could in theory pair much better with MA than DP does. Keep in mind, although this is strictly for ST, the OP did say AR still tested high for AoE

 

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Ashford