Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Hello CCP & Ladies and Gentlemen of the Forum,

Like most of us I've been closely following the Winter suggestions and I wanted to give my 2 isk on an issue that's bothering me and see how the playerbase feels about this. Since we've been in the thick of rebalancing, CCP has shown that they are moving away from the Amarr T1 missile lineup, focusing on drones/lasers.

However as we're getting along with the process it seems to me that there are too many laser ships and they are overlapping with each other (Tormentor and Punisher currently) and soon with the Omen/Maller (in this case giving them different roles is kind of gimping the Maller) and later with the Prophecy and Harbinger, and if we eventually go there, the Amarr BS lineup, as it's difficult to differentiate the roles on these ships with just differences in slot layout/bonuses, one will tend to beat out the other and be used more.

I really think there is alot to be gained with a T1 Amarr missile line, here's some of my reasons:

1. It gives good synergy with cross-training Amarr-Caldari and it makes sense with the T2 HAM line of Amarr ships which is kinda random right now and doesn't have much reason to be trained into unless you're a bittervet with everything trained.
2. It's unlikely to overlap with Caldari because of the tank difference (which leads to a big slot difference) and especially if the bonus is HAM/Rocket/Torp specific.
3. We need more missile boats as Caldari tend to only get 1 missile boat in each line (other than frigate) because they have hybrid as a secondary weapon systems.
4. Good synergy with capacitor warfare that Amarr is known for, I feel giving the HAM boats utility highs would be useful for neuts + capless weapons (as currently neuts + lasers are kind of fail with the heavy cap need of lasers)

I realize that this raises other concerns like Amarr having '3 racial weapon types' including drones but I don't feel like it's that big an inconsistency as there are other weapon inconsistencies (like HM bonus on Gallente T2) etc.

This is of course just from theory and assumptions but mainly I would like to see how the playerbase feels about this as things are still open to change.

So please share your opinion, anything at all, if you feel like its a horrible idea or if you agree but think there should be some tweaks, I'd really like to hear from the players.

Please keep it constructive, keep your 'You're dumb, go home' comments to yourself unless you're gonna give a good reason, thanks!

What I meant about the weird structure of progression is from T1 Amarr ships to the T2 line up, it is unlikely that an Amarr player would train into missiles at the T1 stage, which means a whole load of missile training that is specific to only 3 ships in the Amarr T2 lineup (Curse and Devoter have other priorities and dps isn't what they are for) while being almost useless in all other regards unless you cross train into Caldari.

The 'problem' is too many laserboats without a way to differentiate them well. Having a T1 missile lineup would mean that Amarr players have an option to go into early missiles and later specialize into their T2 lineup.

Not being just a corpmate, but I agree with OP in this matter.
I feel the lack of a T1 rocket ship for Amarr, taking the philosophy of armored assault + rockets.
Give the newcomers the ability to test rockets on the early game. Even with the Kestrel , I feel the rocket boats as tech 2 thingy.
Requiring you to train apart from your race philosophy that is lasers and armor, not everyone roll Caldari characters.

well the problem for you here is minnie are getting the half missile treatment and to have 3 races all doing the same thing ..granted some differences between them.

plus they are pushing drones as the secondary weapon as they already have the arbitrator line so the prophecy will be drone boat and the geddon as-well maybe even the sacrilege and damnation will be a drone boat.

we don't want every race to have a sideline of missile boats too much homogenization going on seems like they want everything to be shields atm too

Personally i like lasers and i think it makes the amarr race unique and interesting missiles are dull as ****.

Gallente also have some weird HM bonused boats, but yeah, missiles aren't really a Gallente thing.

Yes, CCPs current design is Minmatar being the second missile race and we're getting quite a few missile only Minnie boats (new destroyer, breacher, Belli) but I feel that it would be better suited to Amarr as they have a dedicated T2 missile line.

Caldari boats use a different tank and weapon system than Amarr which is quite alot to train for if you're purely an Amarr character. They also lean very heavily to armor tank so it's unlikely you'll have decent shield skills.

Meh, I feel like this is a lost cause though as CCP has shown that Amarr is going to be Drone/Laser focused and the races only get 2 weapon types that they specialize in at the T1 level. Minmatar is sharing the missiles with Caldari with the introduction of a couple new missile centric Minnie boats.