Buff for Various Specialist Gear

[Mr.Smooooth]

Summary (a quick, 2-3 sentence summary): Specialists have been getting a raw deal lately, with the nerf to the SADAR, and limiting each loadout to one. Specialist is a rare role and should feel special. Buffing their equipment slightly can help this.

Benefits (How this will benefit the server and game as a whole): Not only will this make squad specialist a more fun role to play, but it can help with the problem of Marines getting facerolled constantly.

Details (Description of how you think this would work, the benefits, etc): First, unlimit the specialist loadouts. This gives specialists actual choice in how they play, and stops the loadout from being a mad dash to grab your kit before someone else does.
2nd: Remove/reduce the SADAR firing delay. This nerf was originally supposed to counter macros, but it's been set to a 5 second delay from wielding with two hands to being able to fire. This is insane. Reducing this cooldown will help SADAR users land rockets when the oppertunity presents itself.
3rd: Allow SADAR hits to stun t3 aliens. It is excessively hard to secure kills on aliens with all the marine's stuns removed, while the aliens keep theirs. Allowing direct hits from AT rounds, or splash from HE SADAR rockets to stun aliens briefly, can let the marines actually pose a threat to the aliens. SADAR reload takes too long for a lone marine with a SADAR to stunlock, so this encourages teamwork by having other marines standing by to finish the downed aliens.
4th: Allow the M42A Scoped Rifle to shoot through allies when scoped in, similar to the Smartgun. A Marksman trained in the use of this weapon would likely be able to target around allied forces. This change allows specialists carrying this weapon to safely take advantage of a defensive line of marines between him and the xenos, picking off wounded targets, or softening up enemies before the marines engage them. By only allowing this when scoped in, it doesn't allow the marksman to replace a smartgunner, but lets him better compliment his squad.
5th: Make the riot shield not take a specialist coin. The riot shield is a piss poor alternative to most specialist gear, and should be free in the vendor like webbing, so it can be combined with the other options. Those taking the defensive armor might find it complements them well, alongside an SMG or gyro-modded shotgun.

Implementation (Optional, if you have an idea how to implement it): Not a coder, but I imagine most of this is editing variables and copy-pasting code where it already exists.

[Sallan]

+1 #SADARSpecsLivesMatter

SADAR it's a joke now.

[Crab_Spider]

No. Just no. We're not doing all this just so people can get more kills. Every spec weapon is supposed to have a pro and con, without a con, then they are broken. No.

[Sallan]

No. Just no. We're not doing all this just so people can get more kills. Every spec weapon is supposed to have a pro and con, without a con, then they are broken. No.

Even if this buff come to life the spec weapons will still have cons.

[solidfury7]

You know what? I came in here expecting the usual but these buffs are very reasonable.

[Mr.Smooooth]

No. Just no. We're not doing all this just so people can get more kills. Every spec weapon is supposed to have a pro and con, without a con, then they are broken. No.

I never said to remove their downsides, These changes are ment to accentuate what they're good at. Each set is still going to have shortfalls.

[fallonsky]

while most of the buffs are pretty good I think the main point of making there only one of each type of kit so that everyone doesn't just use one type of kit.
on the other hand it does suck to have to rush the vendor at once and if no one wants to play the sniper there might be a reason why...

+1 SADAR lives matter.

[Swagile]

SADAR's long reload time per shot, limited rockets, reliance on Cargo, and their ability to heavily FF is already huge downsides.

A huge delay before firing which reduces a SADAR's threat completely is dumb.

I HATE SADAR whenever I roll xeno, but I understand its one of the only things that makes xenos backup and think "shit, maybe I should think a little before approaching these tallhosts". Right now, marines are a joke; im not afraid to pop out and do a screech or two as a Queen or bull doze through marine lines as any combat caste.

Marines need their fear factor back; SADAR is one of their ways to tell the xenos they mean business.

[Mr.Smooooth]

SADAR's long reload time per shot, limited rockets, reliance on Cargo, and their ability to heavily FF is already huge downsides.

A huge delay before firing which reduces a SADAR's threat completely is dumb.

I HATE SADAR whenever I roll xeno, but I understand its one of the only things that makes xenos backup and think "shit, maybe I should think a little before approaching these tallhosts". Right now, marines are a joke; im not afraid to pop out and do a screech or two as a Queen or bull doze through marine lines as any combat caste.

Marines need their fear factor back; SADAR is one of their ways to tell the xenos they mean business.

That's just it. The SADAR should make xenos take pause. Xenos are so super powered right now it can be hard to punish sloppy play. Hell, they need to play really bad to give marines a chance at winning. Realising just how far the SADAR had fallen was the inspiration here, but the other loadouts need work in my opinion as well. When you combine two kits and people still don't want to take it, there's a problem.

[PinkledWrenis]

I feel like the riot shield should be equipment that the squad leaders get along side the incinerators. Giving the squad leader the ability to designate a "frontline" PFC would be a nice change to squad dynamics while maintaining balance. Two shields per squad maybe?

As for the SADAR, Ravagers are rampaging now that due to the fact they can't be stunned. The SADAR is a 84mm "missle" system. For lore sake, I feel like a direct hit from any rocket type should stun a T3, exluding the Queen and Crusher. The concussive force would be huge, a creature that is nine feet tall and weighing 250+ LBs(115kg) would still be knocked silly, if it was directly hit by a ten pound~ object going at sub-sonic speeds.

EDIT: It makes sense that a crusher could be stunned from an AP rocket, considering what the crusher is and what an armor piercing rocket is. An object that large penetrating you is gonna mess your day up.

[doodeeda]

I agree with the riot shield thing..I don't know why it's a coin.

I agree with giving more choice to the player by allowing them to choose their specialist loadout even if they're a little late..I hesitate when I choose my loadout because I know it screws someone else over.

The sniper suggestion..it's been suggested before. The NV goggles was a compromise suggestion that got put in. I don't know if you'll get IFF capabilities on the sniper.

I have no opinion on the SADAR other than it could potentially be a counter to the Ravager if it can stun it.

[Jeser]

Considering that Smartgunners (if they are at least medium competent players) are currently more useful than Specs... +1 Something needs to be done to Specs.

[Dolth]

No. Just no. We're not doing all this just so people can get more kills. Every spec weapon is supposed to have a pro and con, without a con, then they are broken. No.

Specs are supposed to counter the T3. What are the T3/upgraded aliens cons? Being limited?

[Recounted]

Im all for the sniper to be able to hit multiple aliens, issa +1 for me

[Crab_Spider]

Im all for the sniper to be able to hit multiple aliens, issa +1 for me

That's what flak rounds already do

[Mr.Smooooth]

Im all for the sniper to be able to hit multiple aliens, issa +1 for me

That's not my suggestion, my suggestion was to allow the sniper to safely fire through marines, making it easier to engage at long range safely, and mitigating friendly fire risk.

[Crab_Spider]

That's not my suggestion, my suggestion was to allow the sniper to safely fire through marines, making it easier to engage at long range safely, and mitigating friendly fire risk.

Still no

[Mr.Smooooth]

Still no

10/10, best comment. Very thought provoking and adds a lot to the discussion.

[Recounted]

That's what flak rounds already do

The flak rounds are for close range targets

[Crab_Spider]

The flak rounds are for close range targets

No. They pierce to whoever was behind the target was shot.

[Mr.Smooooth]

The flak rounds are for close range targets

First, they pierce ant hit multiple Ayys. Second, why would a sniper rifle have close range ammo?

[Recounted]

No. They pierce to whoever was behind the target was shot.

And from where do you know all this from?

[Recounted]

And from where do you know all this from?

Fuck nevermind

Im neutral on this

[Snypehunter007]

The suggested buffs have been reviewed by BMC.

Denied.