EVE General Discussion

Did you even read this thread? Cruiser guns on a frigate hull makes for a useless frigate.



I've been kicking around new eden for about eleven years now. Assault frigates have always sucked, the lack of mobility vs the t1 combat hulls, fitting issues due to weak cpu and grid, and fitting issues due to lack of mids as an entire ship class. Assault frigates suck, and the proliferation of destroyer hulls just makes it worse. AFs need a fitting boost and a role bonus other than mwd sig reduction.

Not true.

Before T3D landed they were one of the more common ships used. As I keep on saying the issue is not with AF its with T3D.

There is a very good way to hit T3D into shape.

Nerf them down to t1 base stats and have their modes bump them up to t2 level and scrap the e-war resistance. They are now what they are supposed to be, adaptable destroyers.

Shift the AF to be the Frigate version of the Combat Recon.

Allow Covop cloak, some speed bonuses, Non-detection on directional scan has been mentioned here.

I'm not sure I'd want the covert cyno, but it's possible.

No web/scram bonuses on the AF. Leave that for the Cruiser Combat Recon.

I'm afraid you went way too far (it is seriously at the joke level) It is debatable that even 2X AB speeds would be overpowered. Those speeds with no signature bloom basically means zero missile damage. You would need triple webs + paints to apply just about any damage to them.

But yes shifting to an Afterburner bonus has been thoroughly discussed and is high on the list of good ideas. Some say that they used to have this and it was overpowered then, so it won't work, but it is likely that this was due to the Old Meta and since things have since changed it could be viable again.

Well, the Succubus already can get 100% bonus to Afterburner velocity, which can give it a AB speed around 1900m/s. The problem with giving this to Assault frigates too is that they have the T2 resist profile as well, and they are cheaper than a Succubus, so you have basically just invalidated the usefulness of this ship, along with quite a few others likely. You could still bring it up to a 25% or 50% AB bonus, but who knows where that perfect spot to balance it is.

AF are more than able to take on t2 destroyers, we are out here killing them in kestrels and herons. AF are still good ships, a destroyer is not going to tank like a destroyer can (well, they are not supposed to)

I've used an AF to destroy a sniper fit tornado, I was able to absorb a few hits while mwd'ing toward him then when I was within 5km I orbited and didnt take single hit while i chewed through his armour and hull. At the time i was fit with an ancilliary armour repair and a standard armour repair.

The key to using an AF is understanding what situations it would be useful in. It's a nice little fleet ship if you know when to use it.

I've also used AF's for gatecrashing, I used to fly around Stain anywhere I wanted when I came across a gate camp the AF had no problem MWD'ing and jumping back through to the gate I just came from and repeating it till I could warp away and cloak. I've also had many 1 vs 1 in AF's and it was always a good fight win or lose.

Or if nothing noticeable would be needed actually, could it be to much ask to make AF able to use small repairer/boost effectively in pvp ? Because I never figured a way to not get killed quickly in my hawk against faction or pirate frigate if I dont have 2 MASB running with faction cap booster.

If you look at the history of T3 Cruisers, it's clear that T3 Destroyers are going to stay around and stay OP for a very long time. I agree that Assault Frigs aren't really the problem. There was a while when they were very competitive after they were first rebalanced.

But this is the reality we live in: T3D are here to stay. They are not going to get nerfed down to T1D base stats and simply become versatile destroyers.

So we need to do something.

The ideas I like best so far are some kind of unique invulnerability. I like neut invulnerability the best. It makes the most sense with the concept of an assault role. It helps it get into brawls above its class and stay in it.

I'd also (for the same reasons) like to see smaller sig radius or buffed resists.

I'm intrigued--in spite of the protests from earlier--by the idea of the ABC treatment. Give them a tracking bonus, but keep them slow to mitigate the tracking issues. That + a sig radius improvement or resist buffs should put them in a pretty good position to serve in a medium support role. You know, an assault role. No they won't be 1v1 solo pwnmobiles against other frigates. We've got tons of those already. I'm pretty sick of the speed meta. Not everything has to be that. Give them a slow-ish supporting role in the cruiser meta.