to tripwire: the L.A.W isn't worth it right now.

[Nanostrike]

Theres your problem. Theres 3 options, remove the LAW because its an utterly useless waste of cash/space/time and people keep taking it because they think its good (to begin with). Massively increase its single target damage making it far too strong vs the Patriarch. Or increase its damage a bit and give it a MUCH larger AoE, the reality of the weapon can go hang if it means the weapon will continue to be useless.

The weapon should be able to kill anything less powerful than a Scrake in 1 shot (Bloats/Sirens) and take out weaker things nearby (Clots/Crawlers). In its current state it can't do either. If it needs to be, reduce its ammo limit to compensate for it so you can't use it to decimate entire waves.

It'd be easy enough to buff it's damage, give it some penetration (It's an Anti-Tank weapon...it HAS penetration power), and decrease the cost slightly. It should only be marginally effective vs groups (And only if they're lined up properly!), but it should DECIMATE big, slow enemies like Skrakes and Fleshpounds (Which, ironically, are the 'tanks' of the Specimens). And as for it being "Way too powerful vs the Patriarch", give the patriarch some sort of 'LAW-Resistance' or make the LAW deal some sort of special damage type that the Patriarch is resistant to.

Right now, it's a hugely-expensive, heavy-weighing weapon with a tiny area of effect, sub-par damage (A LAW rocket does around 200 damage. A shotgun blast, point-blank does 120+ and penetrates!), a low refire rate, very limited ammo capacity, that gives the enemy a smokescreen when it hits (Or when it near-misses, even!).

BTW, STOP USING THE LAW VS THE PATRIARCH. ALL IT DOES IS DISTRACT EVERYONE ON THE TEAM AND MAKE IT HARD TO AIM AT HIM THROUGH THE SMOKE! It does less damage per second than the Dual Handcannons, Shotgun, or Hunting Shotgun, costs more, and weighs a LOT more. Not to mention that if he rushes you while you're shooting it, you'll likely kill yourself when your rocket detonates point-blank on his chest...

 

[Benjamin]

I watched someone yesterday trying to use the LAW against the patriarch. He missed with every shot and eventually got killed. Why do people try to use it when they can't aim for ****?

 

[ItsJono]

The L.A.W.'s explosion effects are terrible, just a small plume of smoke upon impact? No explosion, no splash damage.

It's the least used weapon I use because it's so lame to use. The other posters are right about the splash. I mean when you get a HUGE ROCKET LAUNCHER, you expect some big badass explosion at the expense of your movement speed and the inability to carry a sidearm right? But then when you fire it, it's so disappointing.

Please fix it.

 

[GeneticArmor]

And as for it being "Way too powerful vs the Patriarch", give the patriarch some sort of 'LAW-Resistance' or make the LAW deal some sort of special damage type that the Patriarch is resistant to

Signed, also make the L.A.W. a Commando weapon, like someone in this thread suggested.

 

[Nanostrike]

Signed, also make the L.A.W. a Commando weapon, like someone in this thread suggested.

LOL. But it being a Support weapon is how I test damage!

*Check damage toward Support perk*
*Fire LAW*
*Check damage again and note difference*

Using this...less than scientific method...I've been able to determine that it does around 200 damage with a direct hit. Period.

The Hunting Shotgun easily does 700+ with a close-range, double barrel blast! Dual Handcannons tend to do around 40 per shot. And the normal Shotgun does around 250 per shot. All have a higher refire rate than the LAW, less weight, more ammo, and are cheaper. Plus no cloud of smoke. If you calculate it all out to Damage Per Second due to refire rates (I don't have enough time to do so, but it's fairily obvious math...), the Damage Per Second of the 3 other weapons I've listed absolutely leave the LAW in the dust...

 

[Kabelis]

In my mind LAW is supposed to be this huge heavy weapon which takes a lot of time to reload, but blasts everything away.
It should be like a mini-nuke with like 5s reload time, but being like 5 times more powerful grenade (and with bigger splash radius).

The only advantage LAW gives compared to any other weapon is range.However at higher difficulties you will be overwhelmed anyway and having an ability to shoot farther is damn useless.

 

[Xer0]

Yeah right now the LAW isn't worth it. Whenever I'm with my friends we never use it. It is much easier with a firebug and two Supports with Hunting Shotguns. You can basically immobilize him since he always kneels from receiving too much damage. (on Normal at least)

One of my friends even complained that they couldn't even kill gorefasts with it. (Not sure if he meant splash damage or direct hit. Might have been a bug) Plus it is easier to kill fleshpounds with grenades than the LAW.

 

[w00tm0ng3r]

I watched someone yesterday trying to use the LAW against the patriarch. He missed with every shot and eventually got killed. Why do people try to use it when they can't aim for ****?

Well the LAW has a dumb**** retarded glitch where half the time it phases through the patriarch anyway so it probably wouldn't have mattered even if he did hit with every rocket. Not to mention it does 0 damage to him.

 

[Nanostrike]

In my mind LAW is supposed to be this huge heavy weapon which takes a lot of time to reload, but blasts everything away.
It should be like a mini-nuke with like 5s reload time, but being like 5 times more powerful grenade (and with bigger splash radius).

The only advantage LAW gives compared to any other weapon is range.However at higher difficulties you will be overwhelmed anyway and having an ability to shoot farther is damn useless.

Especially when you add in the fact that on the higher difficulties, even minor enemies can survive near-miss LAW shots and the tougher ones just shrug off even direct hits!

 

[Sheezwack]

I think the main point is that the LAW needs to be fixed!

First they need to fix it so it doesn't pass through enemies and then we can properly evaluate the damage. Since it's not working properly at the moment it is very hard to determine how much damage you are actually doing.

I love using the LAW, other people love using the LAW, it's unfair that we can't use it because it's so bugged at the moment - honestly I still use it anyway against the patriarch for fun, but it would be more fun if it actually worked.

This should be a top priority!

 

[Stixsmaster]

To tell the truth while on my server today on the new gladiator map beta 1 of course...me and a group got to patriarch and I clear as day while spectating watched all and any with the L.A.W. and well I never once saw it go threw him...now I did see it go past him...but never threw him...everytime it was an accurate and direct hit...it hit...and even at that...it would at times...hit at his feet and do decent amount of damage...

So what I am saying is...wtf? Do you play on servers with really high ping or sumthing?

I have never once experienced any trouble with this weapon...

---Stixsmaster

 

[Nanostrike]

To tell the truth while on my server today on the new gladiator map beta 1 of course...me and a group got to patriarch and I clear as day while spectating watched all and any with the L.A.W. and well I never once saw it go threw him...now I did see it go past him...but never threw him...everytime it was an accurate and direct hit...it hit...and even at that...it would at times...hit at his feet and do decent amount of damage...

So what I am saying is...wtf? Do you play on servers with really high ping or sumthing?

I have never once experienced any trouble with this weapon...

---Stixsmaster

It seems to be incredibly random. I've had it never happen even on a high ping server...and happen multiple times on another server with a ping of around 20 or so.

Honestly, though, a more common problem with it and the Patriarch is that the Patriarch freaking charges you and makes you kill yourself with it...but that's a risk you take for carrying a rocket launcher...

 

[Moosecat]

Wait so how are you actually seeing numbers when you do damage?

Cause I would really like to get in on this!

 

[w00tm0ng3r]

^ With a low level perk, check your damage, shoot someone once, check your damage again. Repeat a couple times to make sure.