12 replies to this topic

[Navid A1]

IS LBX2 is 4 slots currently, which is how it is in BT lore. This makes it an inferior option compared to AC2 or UAC2, both being smaller and better.
I wanted to know people's opinion about IS LBX2 slot size. (4 slots vs 1 for AC2 and 3 for UAC2)
If PGI were to change one and only ONE weapon in the entire game...

Do you think we should not open that can of worms (even if it is just one particular case)?

Do you agree with a change to 3 slots?

Do you agree with a change to 2 slots?

Edited by Navid A1, 25 March 2021 - 12:39 PM.

[LordNothing]

i say keep the lore values and find other ways to buff those weapons:

less spread
more optimal range
dps buffs
nonlinear spread curves (more pellets towards the center).
more lower damage pellets (say 4 at 0.5 dmg).

i think the 5 is in worse shape than the 2 however.

Edited by LordNothing, 25 March 2021 - 12:49 PM.

[PocketYoda]

I like the ides of making LBX 2 the same size as AC2, but anything that helps the littler mechs compete is good.. Obviously we would need a hard limit on larger mechs like lasers.

LordNothing, on 25 March 2021 - 12:46 PM, said:

i say keep the lore values and find other ways to buff those weapons:

less spread
more optimal range
dps buffs
nonlinear spread curves (more pellets towards the center).
more lower damage pellets (say 4 at 0.5 dmg).

i think the 5 is in worse shape than the 2 however.

I like these ideas as well.

Edited by Samial, 25 March 2021 - 05:56 PM.

[Y E O N N E]

3-Slot LB-2X would be enough to give it some minimal utility (i.e. on something like the missile+AC2 SHD-2H builds). Ditto a 4-slot LB-5X.

That being said, if the LB-10X was 7-slots it would also not be anywhere near as useful as it presently is, and even less so if it was also 12-tons. Its entire utility revolves around being smaller and lighter than an AC/10. Even with a slot reduction, I'm not seeing the LB-2X and -5X obtaining a similar niche as the LB-10X; they don't do enough damage up front and they still weight the same as a normal AC. There would still need to be some manner of direct performance buff to the damage output.

[Vlad Ward]

I hesitate to call something as inane as the number of critical slots reserved by a weapon "Lore". It's a tabletop RPG game mechanic, not canon. Change it if it makes the game more fun.

[Darion Rothgarr]

Vlad Ward, on 26 March 2021 - 12:48 AM, said:

I hesitate to call something as inane as the number of critical slots reserved by a weapon "Lore". It's a tabletop RPG game mechanic, not canon. Change it if it makes the game more fun.

This 100%. It should always be about whats fun.

[LordNothing]

i think id be ok changing the slot number on the lb20, because without crit splitting it that really limits the number of builds that can carry one, its performance is more than adequate however. the 10 is also fine as it has its niche use case, but the 2 and especially the 5 id rather see get buffs rather than have their slot count reduced.

Vlad Ward, on 26 March 2021 - 12:48 AM, said:

I hesitate to call something as inane as the number of critical slots reserved by a weapon "Lore". It's a tabletop RPG game mechanic, not canon. Change it if it makes the game more fun.

still i cringe to think of what would happen if pgi changes the slot numbers. how many builds are they going to reset? id hate to have to rebuild 300+ mechs. i remember when they changed the armor on a lot of mechs, many of them got dropped with tonnage and armor on the table, and no indication that anything had changed other than the mechs dying early. there are still some of those in my inventory. being a slot short may not be a huge deal, but if they remove the gun and you drop without a gun, that would really suck

Edited by LordNothing, 26 March 2021 - 01:11 PM.

[Dauntless Blint]

LB2 = -1 crit slot
LB5 = Tighten palette pattern (or exotic PTS: make a 3 volley burst with 0.5 damage per palette)
LB20 = -1 crit slot

[D A T A]

If a slot change has to happen, it needs to involve more weapons than just the lbx2

[MechWarrior5782621]

I vote for 2 slots.

[The6thMessenger]

LB2X given with slot reduction is still pretty bad, it's still a less-eloquent AC2, much like the LB5X is a less-eloquent AC5. It's heat advantage, as some argued, is already good, it's not like mechs heat up with a bunch of LBXs.

The slots is one thing, but nobody is lining up to use the LB2X and LB5X precisely because it's already a small amount of damage that is getting spread. It's crit advantage is negated by the fact that the spread damage makes it less harder to strip armor in the first place to make the crit advantage work. Sure you can reduce the spread, but that's basically still a less eloquent AC2/AC5 that is mechanically redundant.

If you want to make LB2X and LB5X more relevant, I would argue that you should try to make them mechanically relevant first like frontloading. With it you don't even need to have a tight spread to make LBXs relevant.

LB2X:
- Damage: 4
- Heat: 0.68
- CD: 1.20
- DPS: 3.334
- Spread: 0.4
- Ammo/ton: 40

LB5X:
- Damage: 7
- Heat: 1.96
- CD: 1.8
- DPS: 3.889
- Spread: 0.7
- Ammo/Ton: 23

[Meep Meep]

D A T A, on 27 March 2021 - 12:28 PM, said:

If a slot change has to happen, it needs to involve more weapons than just the lbx2

I vote for a general fittings refresh on the lower damage lppc and projectiles so they are more easily fit on light and medium mechs. Lore as far as fittings are concerned need to take a backseat to usability on as many chassis as possible. I think the visual look and weapon types should be the main lore guides for building a mech but balance needs to cater to the realities of a hitscan realtime first person shooter.

My contributions would be lppc 1 slot 2.5 tons and IS lmg weight reduced to .25 tons. Both of those would help with some basic light mech fits without having to delve into individual mech quirks.

Oh and as long as I'm at it change the spider 5v into an lppc sniper with a similar bonus as the loyalty urbie with a velocity and ecm boost in addition to the existing quirks. Maybe a quirk refresh of the entire spider line to better use their sparse hardpoints.

Edited by Meep Meep, 07 January 2022 - 01:47 AM.

[KursedVixen]

The LBX 2 was suppose lighter(Well the LBX article on sarna says it's ligher) as well it's like endo steel it's ligher but takes up more space.. that's how it is for the clans and that's how it should be for the IS

I say no to any IS things you already got your 90m minimium removed from your PPC Clans need some love.... not the IS. You chose Inner sphere mechs over clan you get more armor along with your larger components so quit whining.

Not only this what you are proposing will essentially make the LBX too similar to other weapons what reason would you have to use an LBX2 when the AC/2 does almost the same job? your either making the AC/2 obsolete or the LBX2 obsolete depending on how you use either.

Edited by KursedVixen, 21 January 2022 - 01:42 AM.