First up the Battlecruisers...
The changes to the Hurricane, are the most irritating. Across the board they are making it slower, heavier, less agile, AND reducing the Shield Hit Points! Then to rub salt in the wound they are removing one high slot. As a result, the old "Shield Nano" will definitely be less effective, and possibly even useless. But I'll need to see it in EFT first.
The Cyclone is getting a buff. They are increasing the Drone Bandwidth from 40 to 50, increasing capacitor and hit points across the board, adding CPU, removing 1 high slot, and adding one low slot. The theme here seems to be an even better shield tank with increased Missile DPS output. This will possibly be the new Minmatar BC of choice.
The Myrmidon is getting a nice buff as well. It will receive an extra 25 Drone Bandwidth (bringing it to 100m3) which means it will be able to launch 3 Heavy and 2 Medium Drones now, plus they are adding 25m3 to the Drone bay as well. The capacitor is getting buffed, which is great for active tanking Myrms but they are reducing shield and armor HP while adding structure HP. The high slots on the Myrm are being reduced from 6 to 5, highlighting the push towards a Drone Boat. In the end it looks like it will be a better active tanked drone boat that is easily counterable with Alpha Strike Arty ships like the Tornado.
The Brutix will get better cap, more agility, more powergrid, more armor and structure hit points, and an extra low slot. Reminds me a lot of the Thorax changes. An agile high DPS ship that can be buffer tanked or active tanked.
The Drake will get a fitting nerf, but probably not enough to make a real difference. Next they are Nerfing the hit points across the board, denting the iconic tanking ability. Then to really kick it in the nuts, they are dropping one high slot, and reducing the already weak capacitor. The only real buff for the Drake appears to be a very small boost to agility.
The Ferox is getting a much needed buff across the board. One extra low slot, better agility, better cap, more hit points, more targeting range, and more PG + CPU for fitting. I think this will earn the ship some new followers and I'm curious what the new fitting of choice will be? Passive Buffer? X-Large ASB?
The Harbinger is getting some interesting changes... A bigger Damage output bonus (10% instead 5% to Medium Energy Turret Damage), increased drone bay from 50m3 to 75m3, better sensor strength, and a little more agility. Counter that with less hit points across the board, less powergrid, less CPU, one less high slot. The result? I'm not sure, but I would think a slightly more flexible, probably short range gank ship. The reduced powergrid makes Beam Lasers very unlikely, so I would guess Pulse Lasers and ECM drones as an escape mechanism.
Finally we come to the Prophecy, which is getting a huge "repurposing" if that's even a word (spell check says no). The Prophecy, once only usable for Baiting and soaking up damage, will now be a very interesting Drone Boat. The changes are many, but rather than list the Technicals, I will just say this... It will be a Myrmidon, with a MASSIVE Armor Buffer Tank. It gets the same 10% Bonus to Drone Damage and Hit Points per Battlecruiser Level as the Myrmidon, but only 75m3 Bandwidth and not the 100m3 that the Myrm will.
This makes the Prophecy the most exciting of the changes (followed by the Cyclone). The fitting will be clear, buffer tank with slave implants and T3 cruiser Armor bonus so you get 300,000 or so EHP. Then Sit on a gate or station and kill people while they curse their LCD Monitors and complain on Comms "This thing won't die!" Followed by the Prophecy de-aggroing at 60% Armor and jumping or docking. I'm guessing the DPS output on this will be somewhere between 400-500 DPS.
Next up, the Black Ops Buff
From what I'm seeing they are hoping to do this by February 12th and the major change will be increasing the Base Jump Range to 3.5 Light Years, while reducing the fuel needed to jump. If my math is right that will mean a 8.5 Light Year Range with Jump Drive Calibration 4 (pretty much doubling the range).
The hope here is that this will make Black Ops more popular, and I think it definitely will to a small degree. But I personally would like to see a new Ship Bonus added. Something unique to the class.
Then we have the new Dueling System
First let me express my dislike of the whole idea of formal dueling. It feels like it's simplistic and outdated as a game mechanic.
To simplify the whole system, it's basically the ability to issue a "Challenge" to another player that, if accepted results in a mutual Limited Engagement Timer. Should neutral Logistics get involved, they will get a Suspect Flag making them targets to everyone. This would seem to make it more advantageous to fight on busy stations because cheaters are more likely to be punished by other players there.
I know the old, drop a can system was bulky or even odd, but it made more sense to me. That old way is now less likely due to Suspect Flag being global instead of only to one person or corporation.
I can't say it's bad, but it just seems cheesy to me. "You have dishonored my Retriever! I demand satisfaction good sir!" Haha
View Comments (21)
The Hurricane nerf is really annoying considering it's my favorite ship atm. The dueling system is really stupid. Another WoW feature seeping it's way into my beloved EVE? Hissss...
Thanks Ab for the constant infor stream!
I agree the whole duelling mechanic is stupid.
all that's going to happen here is that players will discover a 'new' drake, and a 'new' cane, and then in a year there'll be another nerf.
Wouldn't be the first time...
Well, that is the case. Evolving games get exploits, those who dont adapt are upset untill things balance... the 'drake' was the beginner's max ship... most ppl never moved on.
I miss the days of a max vagabond going 25k m/s, or my falcon jamming from 200km w/o problem. Those were bad, i maxed skilled because of it. The drake nerf.. idk. it wasn't that great of a ship to begin with. decent D, but horrid O. I believe most ppl who flew them were just bad, stoned, or pretending to be bad and stoned to bait someone.
I was still a new player when nano was king, but I did get to experience a 10km/s Crow which was pretty freaking awesome. Warriors were a joke then.
hmm dont like the changes to the Hurricane, but so be it.
I think the dueling system is a bad idea. Takes people away from finding a fight therefore less in low sec and such. May not be a huge problem, but any less in low sec is bad
I don't think that the dueling system will change much for lowsec. It is mainly being put in place to replace the can-flipping mechanic they butchered so that people can set up 1v1's again. Honestly, I don't think it's that much of a big deal.
What I'm miffed about is the Cane nerf(s). First less PG (which can be worked around), and now less (pretty much) everything? No, just no. It wasn't that great of a ship after the PG nerf anyways.
Cyclone buff though? Yes, please.
Dueling System is great option. Finally. Two friends can test in fight; setups, first step how to tackle ... and so on. No need for damn cans or to join some corp.
I welcome Drake nerf. Shielded turtle. And it is time for gate campers to find something new. For a bait (Drake) and for a kill (cane).
And finally we can fly Prophecy. It was about time.
What you don't seem to consider is the effect of the nerfs of Drakes and Canes for solo pilots. A nerf to the Drake is fine for me (I don't fly them), but I know plenty of people who will hate it. Also, they might have gone a little overboard with the nerfs this time around.
Firstly, they buff cruisers (much needed). Right now, cruisers are far more effective (certainly when you count cost) than battlecruisers. I was under the impression that they would use the rebalancing to bring the battlecruisers up a notch too. Instead, in the case of the Cane, they get less pretty much everything. Less speed/agility, less shield, and worst of all, one less highslot. First they reduce the medium neuts to smalls.. and then they take away a small.
If we're going to see canes much after the patch, it will be solely be armor canes with dual webs sitting on gates. And it's likely the Prophecy will do that much, much better.
I agree to some degree. But the rebalancing to bring the battlecruisers up a notch too is not possible before they bring battleships up. I mean... when you go from Drake to Raven.. what is the point? Ok for PVE, range is the king. But for PVP? Same is with Myrmidon vs Dominix. And now... dont know why anybody would fly Dominix. For one extra heavy drone?? If we want to see more different classes in PVP they will have to adress much more. You cant just crank up Battlecruisers and leave Battleships at the same level.
What I do like is that people will start to look for different ships. And that is fun part for me.
Also it is about time that active rep ships get the chance. More fitting options. And the bigest killer of active rep ships was cane with his Alpha strike.
Hmm, I suppose. Note though, that Battleship rebalancing is on the roadmap for the Summer expansion. I've read most of the CSM minutes. So, just as battlecruisers are sort of useless now, battleships will be too. That's the hope anyway. ;)
Lets wait and see what will happen. :)
Abaddon21. Thank you for the summary.
Perhaps I'm just thick.
Please clarify something for me. While talking about the Prophecy you said: "The fitting will be clear, buffer tank with slave implants and T3 cruiser Armor bonus". That confuses the hell out of me...
T3 cruiser Armor bonus (Prophecy Battlecruiser?)
Not clear for me at all. Please, help.
Buffer Tank = 1600mm Armor Plates and high Armor Resist to give it a very large amount of Hit Points
Slave Implants = Boost to Armor Hit Points
Tier 3 Armor Bonus = Command links on a Tier 3 Cruiser (Legion most likely) which raises Armor Hit Points even more.
Because your DPS is from drones, it frees up your slots for more Tank.
Thank you for your time and reply. However, my confusion was only related to the T3 Armor Bonus as part of the fitting. Which is why that part was repeated with the question mark.
To that part you replied Tier / Tech 3 Armor Bonus = Command links on a Tier / Tech 3 Cruiser (Legion most likely).
I am by no means and authority or challenging anyone in any way. I am trying to understand this and am having a great deal of difficulty given what I can find.
You were saying T3 Armor Bonus in context of the fit for the The Prophecy. The Prophecy being a Tech 1 Battlecruiser cannot fit Legion (can be fit to Tech 3 Ships exclusively or am I missing something completely)?
What to fit still, for me, remains anything but clear. Please describe specifically what is being fit that represents your reference to T3 Armor Bonus on a Prophecy?
Thank you for your time and patience.
A very widespread strategy in EVE right now is the use of "off grid command link bonusing." Which is where someone takes an alt that is in fleet with them and places it in a safe spot away from the fight but in that system. This then gives Leadership Bonuses and Command Link Bonuses to the whole fleet.
Tech 3 Cruisers can give huge bonuses (more than command ships) and are pretty much impossible to find with probes when setup right. So they are used for this task most often.
What I am describing is where someone or a fleet of people would use Buffer Prophecy's in conjunction with a off-grid T3 Cruiser that is giving fleet bonuses to Armor (and probably more).
So it's two ships working together to maximize the Prophecy.
Cheers,
Thank you very much for the detailed context. I was definitely missing something. Thought it was in context of fitting with regard to equipment and mods on a single ship... never looked at fleet bonuses as a fitting aspect. (not that you were intending it that way) It appears it may be possible that in expressing the information in a concise manner you simply left the fitting reference and went on to how you could get up to 300,000 or so EHP in the same sentence.
I sincerely hope you can appreciate that there is a very wide range of experience and knowledge levels... what is described as clear while involving casual references to multiple ship interaction in what appears to be the context of fitting a single ship was a big leap for me to follow.
You do know your reference to T3 cruisers being set up right to be pretty much impossible to find practically screams "ask me what that setup is?"
I think Abbadon is talking about a tech 3, and not a tier 3 in this case :-)
lol yeah, the T3 gets used for both and it's easy to say the wrong one.
I appreciate all questions and corrections. I'm not a machine so I do make my share of mistakes.
What counts is that the information gets relayed effectively. So when people find typos or errors, it improves the website for everyone. That's a great thing.
And I will never mind answering questions or explaining things further to help ensure they are clear.