current patch rifle changes

Discussion for all ranged combat skills
Locked
User avatar
ZenHatesMe
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 5:23 pm

current patch rifle changes

Post by ZenHatesMe »

I'd like to hear other riflemen's thoughts on the current patch changes to riflemen. I have my own thoughts on the matter which i have expressed ingame but i'd like to hear what other people think.
This is not to talk about the xp challenge - thats a bug in the code, cant be fixed yet. This is not to talk about short range accuracy issues - that's working as intended and not insurmountable. This is to talk about the two main changes that effect rifleman from the patch - increased block effectiveness and headshot targets health pool, mindshot targets mind pool.

Thanks,
-Jhobe
casirio
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun May 21, 2017 6:02 am

Re: current patch rifle changes

Post by casirio »

Ok, take this with a grain of salt because I haven't been playing galaxies forever and I know there are significant changes to EiF.

My basic take:

Rifleman is ridiculiously hard to grind. I don't know if this is necerasilly a bad thing because when you finally DO reach Master, you really feel like you've earned the skills needed to be succesfull rifelman. I am now able to use strafe on some upper level missions and finally have a decent AoE.

The main problems with the changes I see is we lost our big alpha ability to hit the mind pool. With Mindshot/headshot combos we could bleed and alpha into the mindpool very very effectively. This made hitting high-end mobs much easier. Now it's freakin hard to take down really high level mobs.

Also, are there any health pool bleeds? Is headshot a health pool bleeder now? If so I dont ever see any bleeds applying.

Anyways, is rifles completely broken? No. Was it a little better 2 days ago? I think so yeah. Do you guys know what you are doing? I'm going to have to yes, :) I trust you. I know you are trying to balance a lot and PvP is on the horizon so I understand. Just please dont gimp rifles OR make them too accessible, I think they are somewhere in between right now.

Thanks,
Rory
User avatar
ZenHatesMe
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 5:23 pm

Re: current patch rifle changes

Post by ZenHatesMe »

health pool bleed is healthshot. its in the pistol tree along with their targetted health pool shot, bodyshot. fencers also get healthhit and bodyhit. i do agree that these changes were made to try and boost riflemen but i feel the synergy of the class has been broken. riflemen have 2 primary abilities - mindshot and headshot. theyre meant to be used in tandem for great effect. All other rifle abilities are situational trickshots that dont have the damage output of the primary abilities. Having a bleed hit a pool that you cant focus on is, in effect, wasted dps. I've taken mindshot off of my bar and now use only one primary ability, headshot, over and over. The only way to make use of the bleed is to switch off your primary to overcharge and hope for a few lucky shots. riflemen depended on that combo synergy to deal damage to high end mobs and, as a result, are much weaker against tougher opponents.

Im not sure about the pvp ramifications yet, but that might be affected as well. One tactic I was looking forward to testing in the GCW was the ability to lock down a battlefield doctor preventing heals. Hit him with your mind bleeds then drain the rest of their mind with a headshot or two means they cant effectively heal or remove the bleed. Without a strong attack targeting that pool, they'll still have the mind reserves to remove the bleed at their leisure after only 1 or 2 ticks.

Anyone notice an increase in block effectiveness? i have not, athough with the current state of rifles, if im facing anything tough i switch to my melee stance so i havent had a chance to adequately test it.

This can be frustrating. Please try to refrain from placing blame or posting angry. Lets try and have an intelligent disussion about the advantages/disadvantages of our profession.
User avatar
ZenHatesMe
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 5:23 pm

Re: current patch rifle changes

Post by ZenHatesMe »

no one else has anything to add?
User avatar
ZenHatesMe
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 5:23 pm

Re: current patch rifle changes

Post by ZenHatesMe »

its unfortunate that theres not more discussion about these changes. I haven't been able to use rifles effectively since the change and the dps curve has been severely limited. I've made the decision to switch into another ranged combat template thats more effective. Hopefully things will even out with rifles and I can regrind at a later date. In its current form, I honestly believe the profession to be a waste of skillpoints.
Halyn
Site Admin
Posts: 308
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 8:53 am

Re: current patch rifle changes

Post by Halyn »

Mindshot still bleeds, and had its damage multiplier increased. It is literally better than mindshot/headshot combo was, as it has the headshot multiplier while maintaining the mindshot bleed.

Headshot's health targeting means it can now effectively work in a group to target single pools for damage, as well as actively target the incap pool for PvP. Rifleman lost nothing and gained much with the patch.
User avatar
ZenHatesMe
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 5:23 pm

Re: current patch rifle changes

Post by ZenHatesMe »

Really? is this recent? if so, ill regrind rifles because i have no idea what im doing with pistols.

My testing gleaned much different results. Do you need to continue to reapply the mindshot bleed to get the headshot multiplier? or do you apply mindshot 2/mindshot 1 and let them tick like before?

Before the patch, you could apply your mindbleeds, stack it with a few headshots, and a mildly challenging (cl80-90) target would drop before it reached you. After patch I couldnt do that and was stuck at short range against a wounded target with rifle accuracy issues and no way to target the pool that had been damaged. Before, I could effectively drop an acklay with my rifle and take a ns elder with some medical support. After, I have to retreat from a kwi/ns ranger. Before, I could solo juvenile krayts with no issue. After, 3 riflemen working in tandem couldnt take down a dune kimo.

Have the tactics for applying bleeds changed? i.e. apply them and switch to another attack letting them tick? do mindshot 1 and mindshot 2 no longer stack?
User avatar
dalolorn
Posts: 317
Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2017 10:24 am

Re: current patch rifle changes

Post by dalolorn »

ZenHatesMe wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2017 1:21 am Really? is this recent? if so, ill regrind rifles because i have no idea what im doing with pistols.

My testing gleaned much different results. Do you need to continue to reapply the mindshot bleed to get the headshot multiplier? or do you apply mindshot 2/mindshot 1 and let them tick like before?

Before the patch, you could apply your mindbleeds, stack it with a few headshots, and a mildly challenging (cl80-90) target would drop before it reached you. After patch I couldnt do that and was stuck at short range against a wounded target with rifle accuracy issues and no way to target the pool that had been damaged. Before, I could effectively drop an acklay with my rifle and take a ns elder with some medical support. After, I have to retreat from a kwi/ns ranger. Before, I could solo juvenile krayts with no issue. After, 3 riflemen working in tandem couldnt take down a dune kimo.

Have the tactics for applying bleeds changed? i.e. apply them and switch to another attack letting them tick? do mindshot 1 and mindshot 2 no longer stack?
Keep tossing Mind Shot 2 at them, I think.

Halyn: This sounds like good news - but perhaps Carbineer should get similar treatment?
European RPer, occasionally dabbling in crafting and stuff.

Currently active characters:
  • Dal Adarom - Sarcos Group Agent
  • Fennla Lan - Tinkerer and Adventurer
  • Nalth Kaaru - Bounty Hunter
Halyn
Site Admin
Posts: 308
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 8:53 am

Re: current patch rifle changes

Post by Halyn »

When I get around to it, carbineer will get adjusted. Right now they're not hurting in PvE combat.
Locked