Vulkar Buff Idea

[Robsbot]

Snipers in general do one thing and one thing only: High single target damage to pick off priority targets in a single shot. The Vectis is good snap damage and the Lanka works good as a higher damage sniper but need to charge first. However, the Vulkar can't have a place in this game. The other two snipers outclass it in the only ways it could be relevant... except one!

 

Buff the Vulkar to have a 10-20 round clip and have 100% status chance but lower the crit rate to 0-5%. You read that right. 100% status chance. Maybe only make it 100% with the +status chance mod, but it's essential the weapon can achieve a 100% status chance. This would give the weapon an interesting niche of maybe not being as good as the other two snipers HOWEVER, it could have some very fun utility at high level missions for picking out and disabling heavy units with debuffs like confusion or corrosion or viral. You could even make a sniper that fires lightning bolts on every shot.

 

The Vulkar would still be inferior in most ways to the other two sniper rifles but at least it could have some fun utility and still have a place in the game.

[fatpig84]

The Vulkar currently is even better than the Snipetron now dude.

[NikolaiLev]

The Vulkar currently is even better than the Snipetron now dude.

 

You say that as though it somehow invalidates the fact the Vulkar is inferior to the Lanka and Vectis.  Why not buff both?

 

I created a fairly extensive thread about the Vulkar before Damage 2.0.  It was amusing to see all the "lol noob wait for damage 2.0" posts.  Of course, it's come and gone and the weapon is still just as underpowered as before, though now it's only useful against the Corpus.

 

I wouldn't expect much from DE.  They seem far more interested in profit than competent balance design.  But at least profit numbs the feeling.

[secret_character]

Note that anything you give the Vulkar is probably going to apply to Grineer Ballistas, too. That said, I don't think giving it a high status chance (maybe not 100%) would be a bad idea; Ballistas are kinda bad shots, so you generally have a chance of getting an auditory cue for their presence before they're a threat, and with a high chance of causing a status effect you'd have more reason to prioritize them over other enemies.

 

That aside, Vulkar has the same ratio of mag size to reload time as Vectis, which sucks because it does less damage. There are some other mitigating factors, but I don't really think they're enough; Vulkar should probably have a larger base mag size (5 seems to be a favorite Grineer number here) and/or a faster reload time.

[Robsbot]

That aside, Vulkar has the same ratio of mag size to reload time as Vectis, which sucks because it does less damage. There are some other mitigating factors, but I don't really think they're enough; Vulkar should probably have a larger base mag size (5 seems to be a favorite Grineer number here) and/or a faster reload time.

 

 

In my opinion the vulkar needs the large clip (10 seems about right IMO, although I'd settle for 5 if they dropped the reload time to 1-2 seconds) if they decide to buff it into a debuff rifle with a high status chance. Otherwise it will do absolutely pathetic DPS and could only debuff a few targets before needing to reload completely defeating the purpose. But yes, having the same rounds per second as the Vectis with a 4 second magazine reload time (seriously, cut that in half!) and less crit and damage is just appalling. At least with the large magazine you could debuff several targets then duck into cover and reload while your team picked off what you've debuffed and damaged. At that point the Vulkar could have a unique playstyle that could appeal to some people over the Vectis or Lanka.. 

[The_Sharp_Demonologist]

In my opinion the vulkar needs the large clip (10 seems about right IMO, although I'd settle for 5 if they dropped the reload time to 1-2 seconds) if they decide to buff it into a debuff rifle with a high status chance. Otherwise it will do absolutely pathetic DPS and could only debuff a few targets before needing to reload completely defeating the purpose. But yes, having the same rounds per second as the Vectis with a 4 second magazine reload time (seriously, cut that in half!) and less crit and damage is just appalling. At least with the large magazine you could debuff several targets then duck into cover and reload while your team picked off what you've debuffed and damaged. At that point the Vulkar could have a unique playstyle that could appeal to some people over the Vectis or Lanka.. 

Also ulike the other two the Vulkar was like a Slug rifle, normally used to inmobilize targets but not killing them so it would be logical that the Vulkar is used for utility rather than damage.

I usually Weapons of they are either ignored (pre D2.0 Grataka, Machete) or have fun mechanics/ideas behind them (Tysis insane 50% chance, Jat Kittag cause isa  hammer whit a freaking jet engine) so this could make the Vulkar a fun weapon.

[taiiat]

Lanka is already kind've THE Status Sniper Rifle.

 

taking that way would remove like, half of the reason Lanka even exists :/

(with the other half being the higher Piercing for taking out many targets at once)

 

 

right as i clicked on this thread though, an interesting idea did just occour. what if Vulkar fired explosive rounds? ofcourse, do it how Bows are currently, the round deals it's Damage on impact, and then Thunderbolt creates the explosion. no loss of Damage then. 

 

i'm thinking 60% impact and 40% explosion. (not damage types, a spread of how the Weapon applies it's Damage).

 

it's a pretty baseline idea, it's not flushed out really at all - but it would look pretty :D

 

besides, it's a Grineer Weapon, and Grineer love them some Explosions in everything if they can fit them.

Edited March 31, 2014 by taiiat

[The_Sharp_Demonologist]

Lanka is already kind've THE Status Sniper Rifle.

 

taking that way would remove like, half of the reason Lanka even exists :/

(with the other half being the higher Piercing for taking out many targets at once)

 

 

right as i clicked on this thread though, an interesting idea did just occour. what if Vulkar fired explosive rounds? ofcourse, do it how Bows are currently, the round deals it's Damage on impact, and then Thunderbolt creates the explosion. no loss of Damage then. 

 

i'm thinking 60% impact and 40% explosion. (not damage types, a spread of how the Weapon applies it's Damage).

 

it's a pretty baseline idea, it's not flushed out really at all - but it would look pretty :D

 

besides, it's a Grineer Weapon, and Grineer love them some Explosions in everything if they can fit them.

What if... it was a Neutral Elemental weapon? once crafted it comes at rank 6 (enough to fit any base elemental mod) and the Shots will take the element of said Elemental mod, or combo. It would make it quite versatile.

If not then the increased status chance and mag size would be handy. Besides unlike the Vulkar the Lanka actually has damage AND status chance

[[DE]Momaw]

Giving it a 10 round magazine with a quick 2 second reload would be interesting. It doesn't do as much damage as the other sniper rifles, but it DOES have a quick rate of fire.  Giving it a decent magazine and reload would let it function as kind of the Grineer equivalent of the Latron Prime, i.e. a DMR/battle rifle.