"Magnacor" - Rifle/Shotgun* concept

[Kilsety]

Random idea I came up with just now, based upon functionality of an Opticor. I thought it'd be a useful weapon that mimics many niche weapons/categories and can be completely unique. It is extremely difficult to think about how this weapon would be used without having one in front of me. It is so odd sounding.

Concept of the weapon is to be something good against infested, moderate against grineer, and moderate-to-inefficient versus corpus. It would be a corpus themed weapon, if possible, but could fit in any faction/be tenno technology with a different name. The issue is that it couldn't be charge-based as cohesively if it weren't corpus, given my idea of it being like a lightsaber rifle sort of weapon (heat/slash damage, if possible). The idea is to have control over what you're using the weapon for, so it'll be dynamic. The damage output would be dependent on modding for elements (given Damage 2.0, or current damage tables for enemies), as it's meant to just act and feel similar to the Opticor, hence the damage output.

BASE WEAPON STATS:

Magazine/Ammo: 25 / 600 || (Opticor x5. Not random, I find this to be fair given other rifles' stats)

Status Chance** / Critical Chance / Critical Multiplier: 7.5% / 80% / 1.4x

• Rifle-type status would mean 5x charge is converted. 7.5% -> 37.5%(/5) per charge stage, max charge would be 37.5% -> 187.5%(/5). The /5 is for each bullet, per-status applied or something. So if you had 5 damage types with equal proc chance (given Damage 2.0/whatever DE uses) you'd divide the actual total status by that, or double/triple/quad/quint-proc if single damage type, which is why I wanted to suggest weak slash/strong heat damage as its hybrid; nobody wants multi-proc impact and zero-AOE puncture (Wait for that suggestion). Correct this if it's a false way of *perceiving* status chance. Base Status is Base Status.
• The status chance is still base per-round in semi-auto/uncharged single fire.
• Status % might be super low but I wanted to abuse the damage stat itself so that *if* it applies a status, it's a useful application and has a moderate chance of doing so, but without having really low rifle damage. I don't know if this is balanced as it's listed.
• Critical status should depend on weapon balancing. Opticor has 20%/2.5x so I personally think my listed stats are unique and interesting.
• Wouldn't mind using zero critical chance/multiplier and/or having higher status on a weapon like this.

Charge rate/Fire rate/Reload: 2.4 / 14.00 / 1.8 to 2.6?

Charge-based burst fire rate would be like 40% less at these stats. Increased DMG output on a target as a trade-off? Reload can be tweaked too, seems too high.

Projectile Speed/Accuracy: ??? / ~32.00

Not certain how these should play out but I thought a fair/unique balance would be like Harpak's projectile function. I'm more concerned about the projectiles lining up with targets at a point that isn't abysmal so it mimics Opticor, without it losing that ability to spread bullets like Burston Prime/Harpak by dragging your crosshair (sweep-firing) and/or being too accurate beyond a certain distance between you and an individual enemy. Opticor is for "sniping", this is not.

Firing Mechanics: Charge trigger: 5 stage charge / 6 states (60 degrees on crosshair per charge stage; under-1 is semi-auto / single shot)

• Full Charge - Full clip unloaded, 5 firings of 5x rounds
• 4.0/5.0 to 1.0/5.0 charge: 5 bullets true burst-fire style (Burston/Harpak inbetween in regards to projectile speed. NOT QUARTAKK***)
• 0.1/5.0 to 0.9/5.0 charge: 1 bullet semi-auto style (Akin to Veldt?)

There are two concepts for charged firing: 1) As you hit each "stage" the 5x rounds are fired already in quick succession. 2) Must let go to fire the 5x rounds. As for single-round firing (semi-auto) from under-charged base fire, it'd be like using a Latron Prime with fire rate mods, so you'd need a fast finger to abuse the higher fire rate in semi, but would feel incredibly good compared to those semi-auto rifles without fire rate mods, and fire rate mods would decrease functionality of this in return for making charge-based firing much better. It's a cool mechanic to tweak but I don't know how charge vs. fire rate is implemented.

Damage Output (Single / 5 Rounds / Full Charge): 40-50 / 200-250 / 1000-1250 (Plus OVERHEAT bonus/damage conversion)

• Can be purely heat damage (not fond of it unless it's boosted damage)
• Can be split IPS (even or not): 11.3 Impact / 20 Puncture / 8.7-18.7 Slash | 0 Impact / 15 Puncture / 30 Slash | So on.
• Could be mixed elemental/physical (hybrid): 30 Heat / 20 Slash
• Can definitely be (would love) each charge stage adding an amount of heat damage. If so, definitely add.. 
• Max charge OVERHEAT bonus heat damage. Should be so regardless of damage types/distribution of damage.

I don't know what'd be ideal/balanced for damage. I also thought of the magnetic effect of Opticor, and the heat damage being from that as a result (think Hunter Munitions but Heat), though maybe that should be left for 3 event mod sets for Eidolon or something (nudge, DigitalExtremes). Damage vs. other stats could easily be tweaked so it deals more per-shot with semi-auto without a confusing stats table written for it, e.g. lower fire rate or reload or critical stats for higher damage per-shot, vice-versa.

Other Stats/Comments on Stats:

• No innate Punch-through
• Unknown/No noise reduction
• Doesn't become a melee weapon when you run out of ammunition
• Nothing particular to be said about OVERHEAT/special weapon functionality; that's added damage or damage conversion.
• I did not calculate value of critical stats or fire rate with regards to existing mods, nor in direct comparison of Opticor itself (the baseline I used). I just don't want another critical weapon and would prefer a heat status-based firing weapon that looks like it shoots lightsaber blades.

 

 

*I don't mind this idea for a shotgun "-cor" weapon as an alternative. I just don't want it to behave like Phage or have Hek-like properties, don't want another Tigris. No idea how to go about tweaking shotgun stats in my head so it looks like an Opticor, feels like an Opticor, and uses status like a Burston/other burst rifle.

**I've listed some problems under the respective category but don't know if Status Chance should be tweaked given the weapon type/firing behavior.

***Quartakk fires 4 rounds all at once. This means it looks like a shotgun if all 4 rounds apply status, but each have the base status chance (if I'm understanding status chance correctly for rifles vs. beam/pellets). I did not want to suggest something that shot 4-barrel type rounds, so you could have that splitting of rounds on enemies by dragging your crosshair as I mentioned. I also did not want this to be competitive with shotguns, just semi-auto rifles and beam weapons.

 

 

Remember, it's a rifle. I wanted to keep true to Opticor but add in special bits that make it look as though it could be burst rifle type of damage output but compare to Ignis Wraith for heat status. Let me know if I'm forgetting something anywhere, at all. Maybe I'll remember/come up with a tweak or additional thoughts. Feedback appreciated, on the item or formatting/wording, though I'll probably just reply as a discussion and leave others to point out any flaws or better ways of thinking about it all. Thanks.

Edited July 29, 2018 by Kilsety