Ships & Modules

Make it so that leadership boosts only apply when on grid. Problem solved.

The problem with gang links and CS's as said in other threads is that the t3 and fleet CS link bonuses need to be reversed. Other than that, it's fine. But this discussion is mostly on field CS's which do not have any gang link bonuses other than the "can fit gang links" bonus which is on t1 BC's as well.

Surely with the meager 55-60k ehp this has the myrm or brutix are far more reasonable dps solutions. Unless you're flying with a logi I guess

The main problem I see with it is it will limit even further the ability for smaller groups to skirmish against larger ones. Unless you have significant amount of logi, no fleet-boost will remain on grid for a very long time. This holds especially true for skirmish gangs since there isn't really a sufficiently fast/agile platform to run the links on that can keep up with the gang and react to the changing battlefield.

The claymore is more tanky than speedy and the loki can be either fast(though not as fast as a vaga) or agile, but not bost and certainly not with a tank.

So IMO the net reduction is that while you might see less fleet boosting overall, there will be less fights since as soon as one side can field the ganglinks the other with either dock or run away(this already happens) and bigger gangs involving more logi to safeguard their precious shinies and boosties.

Not to mention this will severely gimp the "solo"/small gang pvper

*Gives fit weird look* that a tengu?

Could you spend some time explaining this, Liang? I'm of the mindset that off-grid boosters are a pretty bad mechanic, and that if you're gaining a benefit from a ship then that ship should be, in some way, put at risk. Boosting on-grid only seems very reasonable to me.

Could you explain why it would be a bad idea (or just link somewhere, that'd be fine too)?

Thanks. ♥

Ok:
- First, please understand that I have 3 characters with CS5, two of which are max leadership. I will not be negatively affected by any change. I am effectively nerf proof these days.
- Off grid gang boosters are at risk. These days there is no such thing as unprobeable, and the last patch even nerfed that tactic even more by increasing probe strengths. Just because they are not on grid does not mean they aren't at risk to your off-grid prober.
- I remain utterly unmoved by the QQ relating to this problem, and the current system works just fine. Suprious changes to a PVP system this complex are going to have completely unforeseen consequences - and IMO those consequences are going to be negative.
- Forcing gang bonuses to be on grid would mean that people jumping into an enemy would be at a pretty substantial disadvantage. And, there'd be no way to even the battlefield to avoid that by pre-positioning your own gang boosters. To be fair, there's strategic advantages to be had by using a Fleet Command and jumping in with the fleet, but this removes the ability to even the field.
- The mechanics behind being in a Fleet Command just are terribly not interesting. Your DPS is literally pathetic and your tank is so insane that nobody's going to bother shooting you until your entire fleet is dead. Other MMOs give buffing classes far more interesting mechanics like Healing, CC, intercepting damage, or forcing player aggro. You can argue that the mechanics would be more interesting than sitting at a safe spot/POS with an alt, but that's not really true: that's sitting at a safe with an alt, not being forced to endure lacking mechanics with your main.
- Other MMOs don't strip previously applied buffs before going into open world PVP - regardless of if the buffer is at risk. In fact, buff based classes tend to have more interesting mechanics such as CC or forcing player aggro.

I could really go on, but I don't see the point. To me, any imbalances are wholly solved by making T3s probeable (already done, and then recently buffed) and swapping the Fleet Command's 3% and T3s 5% bonuses (a promised move by CCP in the CSM minutes). Superior bonuses will be even more at risk and trivially scanned down.

So I return the question: what specifically are you trying to solve?

-Liang

I raise my hand.

-Liang

Ed: Also, forcing them to bounce from safe to safe means they don't have bonuses. ;-)

Fair enough about the bouncing derp on my part. You'll excuse me if I don't take you that seriously when you say you do hisec pvp and you have "real objectives". You're simply praying on the weak as it is and showing the continued risk aversion that is hisec pvpers. Which is the whole point about offgrid boosting. It's minimal risk but great rewards.

And btw- there are alot of corps who don't have the personnel to include a prober into their gang. Very few people have the inclination to want to be a prober when they can actually kill someone by being a damage dealer. Few people will want to come on a roam just so they can probe.

Probing is typically reserved for your probing alt.