Player Features and Ideas Discussion

What if, instead of making the nullification a high slot module, we remove the ability for a ceptor to fit cynos altogether? This would, in theory, make it less of a Hotdrop-o-clock-win-button and more of a tactical asset to scouting and tackling. Honestly, with interceptors balanced as they are for Rubicon now, there will no longer be any form of protection against capital hotdrops. Covops ships still need to negotiate bubbled camps and T3s are expensive enough to make them a less than ideal option for a traditionally suicidal roll.

This is a ship with a relatively low skill barrier, relatively low cost, immunity to any form of blockade, incredible speed and manuverability, and the ability to drop a fleet anywhere without any way to stop it. While that sounds like a helluva lot of fun to fly, I agree that it needs a bit of tweaking before it can be introduced without massive imbalancing. The reduced cargo capacity will do little to circumvent this, as anyone looking to light a non-covert cyno is already almost certain to be destroyed, so a cyno-ceptor wouldn't think twice about gimping their fit with cargo extenders.

I dunno, this idea could be completely ridiculous for some reason I'm not noticing. What do others think?

No, these are base value stats. Still, with the added skills the range remains somewhat on the short side.

Interceptors won't even be caught by those. The excellent agility/warp speed Rubicon changes means that you go into warp as you visually break cloak. The only thing that can slow them down are drag bubbles or 'dictors, which the nullification change breaks.

People will use them as disposable cynos and haulers, just as the main use of nullified cloaky tech 3's has been hauling valuable cargo for years.

Interceptors will be haulers, and cyno ships, and uncatchable small gang roaming doctrines. There is no way to kill them unless they make a mistake in choosing an engagement or if they fall asleep on a gate somewhere. That is not "balance."

Not bloody likely. The reason instalock canes work well against bombers is because they decloak moving straight at the instalock canes and you have multiple instalock canes set up. A interceptor coming through a gate will be decloaked for less time before entering warp than your average fail-throwing bomber. Less than a second, really.

You sound like you don't have any idea how hard it is to track interceptors with none tracking bonused 720mms.

I have a great deal of experience flying dual tracking enhanced 720mm ruptures, you'll hit an interceptor if it's burning straight at you at 25+ km away, if you're lucky. And that was before artillery tracking nerf.

Wasn't talking about during a fight. During a fight, you can kill interceptors incredibly easy. I think you're having a reading comprehension issue there. During a decent sized fight, yeah, kill them all day. Nullification does nothing to aid interceptors during fights.

The problem with nullification on interceptors isn't about a 20v20 fight, or even a 10v10 fight, or whatever other number you can dream up. It's an issue of travel. You don't have 3-5 server ticks to lock a 'ceptor before it gets into warp... fit for travel, they will not be able to be pointed, webbed or even locked while traveling.

More the issue is the number of fights this will reduce when smart small gang FC's go "Well, I could take out a 7 man gang of X ships for a fun roam, be completely overtaken by a 30 man home defense blob since I can no longer defensively bubble to run away... or... I could just take out seven crusaders, not be able to be tackled unless I want to be tackled and be immune to bubbles so I can chase ratters with impunity."

A small gang FC that doesn't choose the latter is simply not using his brain. Easymode, imbalanced, and pointless. Interceptors gain no tangible benefit from having nullification other than being able to warp through anchored bubbles on gates. A simpler solution would be to restrict being able to anchor bubbles on gates to 40km.

Lock times should have a hard cap

A cruiser sized hull and above should never be able to lock a frigate in less then a second, no matter how much **** you put on there. WTB more diminishing returns.

More lock range tbh as most frigs have much longer range then what your putting on the ceptor.

and the nullfied that should only stay on t3 crusiers.

You know, I just realized that warp disruption bubbles do not work in low security space. So, ergo presto. Interceptors are immune to warp disruption bubbles in low security space. Which means... What?

Of all the things that these should be able to do, don't give them cargo bays big enough to cyno, please. They don't need huge bays for munitions, they aren't likely to live long enough to need to pick up a lot of loot (and other ships are likely to be there to do clean up if necessary). Justify the smaller bay by saying the equipment needed to make them nullified took up cargo space!