Player Features and Ideas Discussion

So i've always been a fan of the panther, but aggravated by its generally weak for its price, stats. So i thought about Minmatar lore, and also the current bonuses the hull has. As it sits now the Panther is basically a cloaking tempest with a speed bonus, but with the drone bay of the typhoon. Fittings are generally limited to plates (which defeats the velocity bonus) or some half ass shield fit that can't tank a HAC. Active tanking is kind of clunky on the hull, as PG and CPU are so tight. Damage is mediocre if fitting any kind of a tank. I normally end up around 750-850 with 2 gyros and 5 heavy drones.


Current strengths to the Panther

Low signature (288m), with halo (233) and with links + halo (168)

+25% velocity bonus

These are the ingredients for a sig tanking battleship. The damage modifiers, in my opinion are ok. They're typical of minmatar gun boats, so it makes sense for the BS skill bonuses. Where it falls short is in the limited fitting options, and the useless cloaked velocity bonus. Now the velocity bonus to cloaked speed is kind of stupid, it should just become a 500% bonus to cloaked velocity as a role (for all BLOPS for that matter).

So, in place of that newly opened trait slot, here are the few ideas i had:

7.5% tracking speed bonus per level

Reason: if intended to sig tank, the tracking will be useful when a/b and orbiting, especially for large guns.



Additional 5% velocity bonus per level (or Afterburner/MWD velocity bonus)

Reason: To go along with lore, minmatar generally having the faster, low signature ships. Why not see their T2 BS take it there. Its advanced (T2), and i would think a fast, low signature BS fits that term well. Also, Thukker made the vagabond, so it stands to reason to have their battleship legitimately fast as well.

OR

If the additional 5% velocity seems too much, maybe make the current one a 7.5% bonus to velocity, and make the bonus trait a tracking bonus.


WHY?

It makes sense for minmatar's t2 BS to actually be fast and push kiting hulls to their limit in a BS. Also, this setup would fit its role well for dropping on people (normally ratters). The low sig/speed keeps most ratters cruise missiles and torp from applying their damage, or guns tracking you. Meaning the low fittings could remain (although tweaked a bit) to keep your tank in check so it doesn't get OP. I would still like to see a slight increase to the CPU/PG pool, but overall lower than the other 3 BLOPs, to make the hull unique. So it can't have the biggest tank, but will be difficult to kill due to speed/signature.

Just to clarify, i don't want a 3k m/s BS. But a 750-850 a/b or 1750-1900 MWD isn't horrible. Close to some BC's really. And as much as i'd like to see a lower sig (270ish), i think 288 is pretty good as it sits, as shown, with rich people, it could get pretty OP quickly with halo's/links.

So, if CCP stumbles upon this suggestion, please consider these points when the Panther comes up in discussion.

EDIT: Also.. could the BLOPs models get an overhaul, instead of just a paint job? For example, if you stick with the typhoon hull, and it is indeed supposed to be FAST, could you add another big engine to make it symmetrical, and distinguish it from the regular typhoon hull.