Revamping The (Rakta) Ballistica

[Vanadium]

Yeah, so it's been suggested that the biggest flaw of the (Rakta) Ballistica  is that...it just works wrong. It tries too hard to be a bow when it's a hand crossbow. And it also tries to be a handgun (?!) for some reason. The result? It's bad.

 

Problems:

 

4-round burst: Eats through the otherwise average sized magazine very quickly.

 

Recoil: It's a crossbow. A xbow's only recoil is the 'thunk' of when the 'prod' (the bow-y part of a xbow) fully returns to rest after the trigger has been pulled/string has been released. The result is a slight vibration you feel move through the stock of the xbow.

 

Charge Mechanic: Xbows were made so you didn't need to "charge up" before shooting. They're just ready to go. Aim and pull the trigger, reload.

 

Sound: Again, the only sound a crossbow should make is the 'thunk' after releasing the string (which is pretty quiet). Ballistica currently has a Noise Level of ~45m. Compare the Lex (which should be pretty loud given its Deagle-ness), which also has a NL of ~45m.

 

Charge vs. Burst: There's little benefit of one over the other. The time it takes for the burst to finish, you could have charged, and vice versa. The recoil punishes the 4-round burst with lack of precision, missing the charged shot punishes your TTK. 4-round burst = 100 damage; 1 charged shot = 100 damage. Situation will usually dictate whether one's more useful than the other. Ammo efficiency is the only separation but not a big one, since pistol ammo drops everywhere and the Ballistica is not a machine pistol. Conserving the 4-burst mag (with a lengthy 2.3s reload, same as Lex) is the only reason to use charge over burst.

 

 

Suggested Fixes:

 

Remove Noise(fixed, thanks DE), Recoil, 4-shot burst, and Charge mechanic: ...Yeah, just get rid of those.

 

Damage: Increase to 55 (5.5 Slash, 5.5 Impact, 44 Puncture) per bolt.

 

Trigger: Give the gun either a Duplex or 2-shot burst trigger. Since it has two prods (bow-y parts), it makes sense that it would shoot two bolts. I'd like a Duplex trigger since you can send off one bolt at a time, or just tap it to have a 2 shot-burst. 

 

Increase Crit: To 25%. With maxed Pistol Gambit, would act like a tiny Attica.

Increase Crit Damage: To 2.0x. Again, tiny Attica.

 

Little Somethin' Special: I dunno, feel like it should have a small innate punch-through (0.6m). Nothing else is really coming to mind.

 

 

Rakta:

 

Same as above, with that 20 rd vs 16 rd mag. Maybe 20% status chance, faster projectile speed. I'm really with the "Syndicate Weapon should have small advantages/sidegrades over vanillas" crowd. I mean, c'mon, it already explodes. 

 

Something cray-cray: Give the physical model three prods (bow-y parts), a 21-round mag, and a three shot burst. Remove new crit (so back to 15% and 1.5x), increase status chance to 25%, with small innate puncture (0.6m). Damage split between Puncture and Viral (27.5 + 27.5 = ShiftyFive). CC in the palm of your hand. And dat explosion.

 

 

 

That's it, I guess. With the other stats, I think the gun would function fine, I'd definitely use it. It's supposed to be a slick assassin hand crossbow, and nothing about its function is slick right now. Just want it to feel cool.

 

P.S.

 

Please remove Noise and Recoil from Attica, also. I enjoy it a lot, otherwise.

 

P.P.S.

 

Please buff the Sicarus Prime's magazine to 21.

OHMYGODTHANKYOUDE

Edited February 26, 2015 by Vanadium

[DarkLordX2]

Just buff the gun DE, it's bad. It feels bad to use, and it's just mastery fodder.

[tinyranitar]

Let it be colourable too...

[Holeypaladin]

55 damage is too low for semi auto or 3.3ish rate of fire, considering attica has 125 with 3.3 ROF.  55 damage would be ok if it maintained the burst fire or had akbolto-level ROF, though.

Edited February 18, 2015 by Holeypaladin

[Vanadium]

55 damage is too low for semi auto or 3.3ish rate of fire, considering attica has 125 with 3.3 ROF.  55 damage would be ok if it maintained the burst fire or had akbolto-level ROF, though.

 

That's why I suggested 2-shot burst/duplex = 110/mouse click, which is more than fine, especially with Secondary mods. Trying to make a good gun, not an OP-as-balls gun.

[HibikiGanaha]

When I use the Rakta, I use the charged shots to kill enemies and use the uncharged when things get too close to me.  I feel like that is how the gun is meant to be used since they gave it horizontal recoil, terrible at far range and negligible at close range.

 

That being said, even if the rakta got buffed to the same dps as the synoid I still wouldn't use it.  None of the changes I see in the forums would make me consider using this piece of trash again (potato and 4 forma into it).  The ballistica is just much harder to use and has no upside whatsoever.  It uses bolts and has a charge time between shots whereas the synoid is hitscan and ticks damage every 1/4 to 1/5 of a second.

[Vanadium]

When I use the Rakta, I use the charged shots to kill enemies and use the uncharged when things get too close to me.  I feel like that is how the gun is meant to be used since they gave it horizontal recoil, terrible at far range and negligible at close range.

 

That being said, even if the rakta got buffed to the same dps as the synoid I still wouldn't use it.  None of the changes I see in the forums would make me consider using this piece of trash again (potato and 4 forma into it).  The ballistica is just much harder to use and has no upside whatsoever.  It uses bolts and has a charge time between shots whereas the synoid is hitscan and ticks damage every 1/4 to 1/5 of a second.

 

So you don't use it because...there's a horrifically OP gun (that will probably get nerfed) available instead? That's so easy to use, a cat sleeping on a keyboard could win a T4D with it?

 

Y'know, back in the day, Kunai were considered OP. They haven't been changed once. Let that sink in.

[Holeypaladin]

I don't use wreckta since it's the worst syndicate weapon.

 

It doesn't have to be the best, it just has to be good enough, as far as I'm concerned.

 

It'd be a nice stealth weapon if it was silent and capable of one-shotting heavy units like all other bow types can do.

[HibikiGanaha]

So you don't use it because...there's a horrifically OP gun (that will probably get nerfed) available instead? That's so easy to use, a cat sleeping on a keyboard could win a T4D with it?

 

Y'know, back in the day, Kunai were considered OP. They haven't been changed once. Let that sink in.

No that isn't even remotely the point.  Use the Vaykor if you are getting stuck on the weapon mentioned.  Vaykor is point and click, hitscan.  Rakta is click and hold, point, release while also not being hitscan.

 

If you miss a shot with your vaykor, it doesn't matter anywhere near as much as the 1 second charge on the rakta missing.  Even if the rakta was buffed up to the vaykor's level of DPS, the vaykor would still crush the rakta in terms of usability.

[Vanadium]

No that isn't even remotely the point.  Use the Vaykor if you are getting stuck on the weapon mentioned.  Vaykor is point and click, hitscan.  Rakta is click and hold, point, release while also not being hitscan.

 

If you miss a shot with your vaykor, it doesn't matter anywhere near as much as the 1 second charge on the rakta missing.  Even if the rakta was buffed up to the vaykor's level of DPS, the vaykor would still crush the rakta in terms of usability.

 

Then what's your point? You said you'd never use the Ballistica or any variation of it (after you told us your general how-to with it), whether it got buffed or revamped by any means suggested on the forums (which I'm guessing includes mine), then you started talking about the Sammacor. Now you're talking about the Varelok. You haven't even attempted to bring my suggested changes into your discussion and opine (that's a word) on them. You've just been having a conversation with yourself. So what's your point?

 

This thread is about the Ballistica, its current and potential variants, and making it a more usable, more useful weapon.

 

I can only guess from what you've said that you're in the wrong thread, dawg. I know it's confusing, there's a lot of (Rakta) Ballistica threads out there.

 

I don't use wreckta since it's the worst syndicate weapon.

 

It doesn't have to be the best, it just has to be good enough, as far as I'm concerned.

 

It'd be a nice stealth weapon if it was silent and capable of one-shotting heavy units like all other bow types can do.

 

Pretty much what I want, for it to be a baller stealth side arm that doesn't include wonky throwing mechanics.

[HibikiGanaha]

Then what's your point? You said you'd never use the Ballistica or any variation of it (after you told us your general how-to with it), whether it got buffed or revamped by any means suggested on the forums (which I'm guessing includes mine), then you started talking about the Sammacor. Now you're talking about the Varelok. You haven't even attempted to bring my suggested changes into your discussion and opine (that's a word) on them. You've just been having a conversation with yourself. So what's your point?

 

This thread is about the Ballistica, its current and potential variants, and making it a more usable, more useful weapon.

 

I can only guess from what you've said that you're in the wrong thread, dawg. I know it's confusing, there's a lot of (Rakta) Ballistica threads out there.

 

 

Pretty much what I want, for it to be a baller stealth side arm that doesn't include wonky throwing mechanics.

My point was that all your "problems" with the bow are from you using it the unintended way.  You want to remove the unique mechanic from it and make it into a bland, boring, single shot weapon like a large amount of weapons already in the game.  Not only that, your changes make it 1/3rd as powerful as the marelok.  From the sound of your changes, you want to remove charge and add a secondary fire to the right click?  Not sure where else you would put that without having a charge attack.  These changes do almost nothing to the damage which is the whole reason the gun is awful.

[Vanadium]

My point was that all your "problems" with the bow are from you using it the unintended way.  You want to remove the unique mechanic from it and make it into a bland, boring, single shot weapon like a large amount of weapons already in the game.  Not only that, your changes make it 1/3rd as powerful as the marelok.  From the sound of your changes, you want to remove charge and add a secondary fire to the right click?  Not sure where else you would put that without having a charge attack.  These changes do almost nothing to the damage which is the whole reason the gun is awful.

 

Ah, I'm so sorry! It is clear to me now that the reason for our miscommunication lies in the fact that you may not have read or processed my whole post! Please let me help you understand my OP!

 

Firstly, let me give you this:

 

Now, let me redirect you to my OP:

Scroll up.

 

There! Everything should be crystal clear now that you're properly equipped for the challenges that await you ahead!

 

Godspeed!

Edited February 19, 2015 by Vanadium

[Holeypaladin]

Maybe they should have made a rakta kunai instead of a ballistica...

[HibikiGanaha]

I read your OP and you put about as much thought into your changes as you did into your epic meme post.

 

here is a hint in case you can't figure it out:

 

Not edited by HibikiGanaha, 2 hours after posting.

[Vanadium]

Shameless self-bump.

 

Thanks for addressing some of the gun's issues, DE (namely the noise), but I don't think a raw (and ridiculously massive) damage increase was the answer to the problem. I mean, Steve's right, it already explodes, that's why all the other Syndicate guns are small/side-grades. The problem was with the Ballistica itself possessing less-than-great mechanics (and impact damage being kind of lame, the Corpus and shields are just so fragile already).

 

Better equip this, though:

Edited February 26, 2015 by Vanadium