https://www.strawpoll.me/18169062
Hey! Back after a month or so with another poll about the game's balance - this time, specifically skill branches that are pure damage boosts, and nothing else.
Some important notes:
Hey! Back after a month or so with another poll about the game's balance - this time, specifically skill branches that are pure damage boosts, and nothing else.
Some important notes:
- This is NOT about skills like Rack 'Em Up that provide damage boosts under certain circumstances. In my opinion, especially in REU's case, the difference between a skill that just flat out gives you more damage, and a skill that gives you more damage if you complete certain requirements and isn't permanent, isn't a difference that should be taken lightly.
- About REU specifically, I think if you're specifically talking about Gunslinger's 15 skills - REU and Bone Breaker - there's a fair balance struck there, where both provide bonus damage under certain circumstances. However, Sharpie's REU is a different story - it's in a branch where it's either a flat damage boost or a boost in reload speed. I think that's not nearly as unbalanced as HPR et c, but I do think that's a more significant issue that needs to be addressed purely because, in certain situations, it's free damage over not free damage.
- My personal opinion can be summed up as the first option - I think they're an active detriment and skill-gate for the perks, and removing them would be better than keeping them in. When you factor in the ~1% damage boost per level perks already get, Demo, Supp, Commando, and Field Medic feel useless to play on higher difficulties without the bonuses, and feel sluggish at best, like a Level 1 survivalist at worst on Hard and Sui.
- The issue with the skills are twofold - one, it level-gates certain perks, and two, they actively do the opposite of what TWI intended for the trees to do - provide variety in gameplay and playstyle. The difference between taking the skills and not taking the skills is literally just numbers, and that makes the game a lot less fun in my opinion. As I said, cases like REU are special - you have to complete certain conditions to boost your damage, and it feels like gameplay is changed in at least a more meaningful way. I'd still prefer them changed as well, but they aren't as nearly that big of a problem as HPR/Salvo, et c.
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