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Merc Report - Bloody Fangs

Mercs,

The weapons development teams here at Horzine have one dream that they share with the world with all of their latest creations: Making sure none can question the effectiveness or bloodiness of their “fine” work. With that in mind, we have two new “lovelies” (their words) to show you.

Did we mention blood? You want to see more of it? You want to weaponize it? Congratulations Medics we may just have the weapon for you! We are stroker’d to introduce you to the HRG Vampire.

hrgvampire.png

Designed to actively suck the life force (blood) out of your targets, the Vampire operator can choose to either project it downrange as a coagulated ball to hurt enemies and heal friends, or keep the carnage going by shooting it as a powerful crystalized blood spike.

Now the other project, from what we understand, was driven by a mad night of binging the latest RPG action games and watching The Techno Viking vid show. Boy it seems that science will not be deterred by fiction. Part shotgun, part axe; the Frost Fang is what happens when someone with a welder puts it all together as an industrial age workshop experiment. Point in the direction of Zeds for best results.

frostfang.png

Did we mention that they imbued it with some freezing tech? Supports and Berserkers, get ready to wield the ultimate in close quarters offense. Your shells will freeze your opponents and your Axe will shatter them with extreme force. Get ready to sculpt some Zeds!

Now mercs, we know you are prepped for just about any scenario, from posh castles to murky swamps. Be sure to read up and take the time to smell the flowers before setting off on your next expedition.

As a reminder: HRG weapons are free for all users, while the Frost Fang will be purchasable after the Winter Update Final Launch as a Weapon Bundle packed with weapon skins for cosmetic customization.
 
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And yet another weapon for the medic ! Damn, as if the perk wasn't already getting all the love... Meanwhile, it's still in dire need of a rebalance of its skill trees. But oh sure, yet another gun. Coolzies. It's also getting damn silly at that point... You can pretty much weaponize anything, give it some healing properties and BOOM. Medic weapon. I'm honestly finding it quite ridiculous at that point. "Shards of blood", glad Skarlet joined the game.

The Frost Fang looks insanely wicked, but was the freezing capability all that necessary? Similarly, why is it a berserker weapon while the Mosin Nagant isn't? The Teslauncher was already a misstep, but that's yet another one considering he'll still have his speed, tanking and healing bonuses. I'm afraid that might make him waaay too powerful.

Also... Only two weapons for this update then? Okay. I do hope something will make up for it though. More tweaks or an extra map would be great.
 
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And yet another weapon for the medic ! Damn, as if the perk wasn't already getting all the love... Meanwhile, it's still in dire need of a rebalance of its skill trees. But oh sure, yet another gun. Coolzies. It's also getting damn silly at that point... You can pretty much weaponize anything, give it some healing properties and BOOM. Medic weapon. I'm honestly finding it quite ridiculous at that point. "Shards of blood", glad Skarlet joined the game.

The Frost Fang looks insanely wicked, but was the freezing capability all that necessary? Similarly, why is it a berserker weapon while the Mosin Nagant isn't? The Teslauncher was already a misstep, but that's yet another one considering he'll still have his speed, tanking and healing bonuses. I'm afraid that might make him waaay too powerful.

Also... Only two weapons for this update then? Okay. I do hope something will make up for it though. More tweaks or an extra map would be great.

To answer yours and others questions around this (answers from Project Lead - David A):​
The functionality of two weapons (Mine Recon and Vampire) is significantly different while the same perk. Additionally, we do try to be cognizant of which perks we offer as free and which we offer as free HRG weapons as we know not everyone purchases the weapons.

As for the why the Frost fang is berserker but not the Mosin, the Frost Fang has much more melee capabilities and focus for the weapon compared to Mosin which was very much more long range rifle focused. For example, the mosin only has a bayonet jab while the Frost fang melee is fully directional like other melee weapons. Mosin's melee functionality wasn't strong enough to fit the berserker class just because it can block (was the design call).
 
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As for the why the Frost fang is berserker but not the Mosin, the Frost Fang has much more melee capabilities and focus for the weapon compared to Mosin which was very much more long range rifle focused. For example, the mosin only has a bayonet jab while the Frost fang melee is fully directional like other melee weapons. Mosin's melee functionality wasn't strong enough to fit the berserker class just because it can block (was the design call).
No offence but that's a just a bs. This is not gonna fly, especially with all recent dissapointing news. Do I really need to write an essay about that? I genuinely beg you to reconsider that statement, even rebalance mosin if you really find it nessesary. I beg you, specifically because it's a DLC WEAPON, that I PAYED FOR already.
 
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To answer yours and others questions around this (answers from Project Lead - David A):​
The functionality of two weapons (Mine Recon and Vampire) is significantly different while the same perk. Additionally, we do try to be cognizant of which perks we offer as free and which we offer as free HRG weapons as we know not everyone purchases the weapons.

As for the why the Frost fang is berserker but not the Mosin, the Frost Fang has much more melee capabilities and focus for the weapon compared to Mosin which was very much more long range rifle focused. For example, the mosin only has a bayonet jab while the Frost fang melee is fully directional like other melee weapons. Mosin's melee functionality wasn't strong enough to fit the berserker class just because it can block (was the design call).
I'll start by saying thank you for taking the time to answer. I can imagine how difficult the current circumstances may be for a gaming studio, and putting so much effort into a game that's already five years old is something we should all respect and admire. I just want to put forward (as we never do nearly enough) that my criticism is only there because I love the game, and I wouldn't be so defensive or spit so much criticism if I didn't care deeply for it.

With this being said, well...

I'm not complaining about the medic weapons per say. I even said that the Mine Reconstructor was my favorite out of the last update. It's surprising, bloody efficient and a versatile tool in an admittedly way too good perk. And that's where the problem lingers : the medic, as it stands, it just too effective for its own good. Even going full supportive with all the buffing skills, he still has a very cosmopolite arsenal that can deal with nearly everything. Okay, maybe he'll never explode a fleshpound as quickly as a demo or blast a swarm of crawlers as fast as a SWAT. But he'll do it without much hassle... All while being faster and healing more often and more effectively. Also, if I do have a small criticism towards the weapons rather than the perk... What annoys me is that the medic is getting an awful lot of love lately. I can see how counterintuitive it would be to circle each and every perk if you simply don't have anything to offer them. But come on... Could we get something new for the gunslinger at some point?


Because taking this in consideration, the medic did get the incision and Healthrower already... Meanwhile, the commando and sharpshooter still got no HRG weapons. So nothing new for the freebies in over a year?

As for the Frost Fang, I can guess it will be much more melee-focused, justifying its inclusion in the berserker arsenal...But you didn't really tackle how it will behave skill-wise. Except if it's as unreliable as the vlad, don't you think it could quickly become a bit too efficient? Knowing you can heal on every kill, increase massively the damage with the right skills... And most of all, that you pretty much remove the zerk's only weakness, that's to say very close ranged encounters? The Teslauncher was already too much, but that might take the cake.

At least the Eviscerator had little ammo and was costly. The Vlad was somewhat unreliable as I said. This Frost Fang, being a DLC weapon, might pretty much make the zerk somewhat similar to the medic regarding effectiveness...

I could sum up my main gripe that way : perks are becoming less and less unique. If feels as all of them can handle all situations. So why bother having perks at all?
 
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Can you guys stop buffing the very strong perks already and start buffing the weaker ones? Both the medic and the berserker don't need any more weapons You're wasting energy on these updates, there are perks in the game that are useless nowadays and really need some buffing.
Useless cos ppl doesn't knows how to manage them even the correct skills for different own weapon perk. You can use a spammer zt commando with MG and MVK and kills fps fast if the rest of team knows that must respect the zt of commando, period. U guys guess that are the typical mumbling and yelling about game and always staying upstairs of Hellmark Station map when it's one of the worst spots to hold as a team. If you don't know a perk and when to use a mid/high tier wep with the correct skills with, then dont blame on here in years.
 
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always staying upstairs of Hellmark Station map when it's one of the worst spots to hold as a team
I never said that, you're assuming things
If you don't know a perk and when to use a mid/high tier wep with the correct skills with, then don't blame on here in years.
I do know how to play the games' perks, some of them are really bad
 
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I'm not complaining about the medic weapons per say. I even said that the Mine Reconstructor was my favorite out of the last update. It's surprising, bloody efficient and a versatile tool in an admittedly way too good perk. And that's where the problem lingers : the medic, as it stands, it just too effective for its own good. Even going full supportive with all the buffing skills, he still has a very cosmopolite arsenal that can deal with nearly everything. Okay, maybe he'll never explode a fleshpound as quickly as a demo or blast a swarm of crawlers as fast as a SWAT. But he'll do it without much hassle... All while being faster and healing more often and more effectively. Also, if I do have a small criticism towards the weapons rather than the perk... What annoys me is that the medic is getting an awful lot of love lately. I can see how counterintuitive it would be to circle each and every perk if you simply don't have anything to offer them. But come on... Could we get something new for the gunslinger at some point?

Not to derail the conversation, but I've seen your opinion on the Mine Reconstructor a few times now, and I simply have to ask.... What am I missing about it? As a Medic main I was sorely disappointed by it; I really want to like it, but it doesn't seem nearly useful enough to justify not being able to carry the almighty 501. What makes the Mine Reconstructor so good in your eyes?

On a different note: Firebug and Survivalist will be the only perks not to have received a DLC weapon, whereas Berserker, Support, Gunslinger, and Sharpshooter will all have two. (Not that either of the former two need more weapons. Firebug has one of the best arsenals in the game, and Survivalist isn't really supposed to have a full arsenal of their own.)
 
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"Supports and Berserkers"
So wait, the shotgun with an axe on it get bersker bonuses, but a rifle with a knife doesn't?
What's with these inconsistent crossperk interactions?
Even quick melee bashing with guns will get berserker bonuses, but Mosin and Compound Bow are the only two weapons exempt from that for some reason, when they should be the two weapons that DO get benefit from it, if no other. Especially Mosin, with its built-in parry.
 
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Not to derail the conversation, but I've seen your opinion on the Mine Reconstructor a few times now, and I simply have to ask.... What am I missing about it? As a Medic main I was sorely disappointed by it; I really want to like it, but it doesn't seem nearly useful enough to justify not being able to carry the almighty 501. What makes the Mine Reconstructor so good in your eyes?

On a different note: Firebug and Survivalist will be the only perks not to have received a DLC weapon, whereas Berserker, Support, Gunslinger, and Sharpshooter will all have two. (Not that either of the former two need more weapons. Firebug has one of the best arsenals in the game, and Survivalist isn't really supposed to have a full arsenal of their own.)
Raw destructive power. That is all really. What you lack in versatility (healing power, fast RoF and decent damage) with the 501, you get in destructive prowess. Honestly, besides scrakes... I don't think anything can truly get you with it. Is it a reasonable choice for a medic? No. I would think that as a medic (and as I mentioned in my previous post), you should take a step back and mostly heal your team, and kill any trash zeds that might come from behind. But if we're speaking of weapons and not "perk-wise" or "strategy-wise", yes, I'd say the Mine Reconstructor is surprisingly good. Not to mention... Once you charge the projectile, it becomes quite fast. You can almost snipe with it just like you would with a Thumper.

I do agree with you as far as DLC weapons are concerned. I do believe the Survivalist could get more experimental weapons seeing every perk are suddenly getting weird guns (the recently showcased vampire or the winterbite for the gunslinger for example). Anything that would make the perk more unique. As for Firebug... Yeah. It's one of my favourite perk in the game, it's mad fun. But I feel he got enough as it stands. And he does have the same issue as the medic (to a lesser extent, thankfully ) : he can deal with pretty much anything considering he got tons of different "types" of weapons.
 
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I never said that, you're assuming things

I do know how to play the games' perks, some of them are really bad
U didnt read the whole reply of me. And "really bad" which perks cos non are bad, u are the bad cos u are the player, not the machine which obeys your orders, period. A commando can deal fast with fps if rest of team respect the zt commando rules, fb can kill in less than 4s an fp (not qfp which even faster) with lvl 2 upg HC or combo SF lvl 3 upg with HRG HS pistol, or even Surv which can handle with all perk weapons cos passive bonus skills which some of them are hidden as description. it's about not keep yelling about game each time TW sends news improvements events surveys etc, and learn about the game how it works.
 
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So wait, the shotgun with an axe on it get bersker bonuses, but a rifle with a knife doesn't?
What's with these inconsistent crossperk interactions?
Even quick melee bashing with guns will get berserker bonuses, but Mosin and Compound Bow are the only two weapons exempt from that for some reason, when they should be the two weapons that DO get benefit from it, if no other. Especially Mosin, with its built-in parry.
See this post: https://forums.tripwireinteractive....merc-report-bloody-fangs.2336748/post-2344621
 
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Frost Fang is tier3 tier5 weapon ?

im hope freezing efffect is worth and working on this weapon im dont want another useless trash ,,freezing,, weapon as HRG Winterbite Compound Bowm lets pray every shoot from this shootguns means = auto freeze every SC/FP for some time making this weapon sick crowd control tool for players
 
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Frost Fang is tier3 tier5 weapon ?

im hope freezing efffect is worth and working on this weapon im dont want another useless trash ,,freezing,, weapon as HRG Winterbite Compound Bowm lets pray every shoot from this shootguns means = auto freeze every SC/FP for some time making this weapon sick crowd control tool for players
The winterbites are surprisingly efficient actually. I keep seeing everywhere that they should be considered "back-up" weapons, but if you can score headshots, they become disgustingly effective. I can often smash a Scrake or Fleshpound with a single mag (well...two if you consider both guns have a separate "mag")

But yeah, I do feel like it's becoming a gimmick. It was already a bit of a stretch to make the Sharpie the "cryo" perk just because he got grenades (hence why they gave the freezethrower to the survivalist). But now everyone is getting one? Meh.

I also sound like someone who can't decide what he wishes for, but I agree with @war.to.frame ... Considering we're getting half the amount of guns we had in the previous update, could we get a bit more of something else instead? Actually, many of us mentioned that we would be okay to skip an event in order to get a proper rework and rebalancing patch.

I feel everyone's arsenal is quite generous now. There's just so much you can do with dozens of guns. They're just gonna feel less and less unique.
 
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feel everyone's arsenal is quite generous now. There's just so much you can do with dozens of guns. They're just gonna feel less and less unique.
I understand this, because sometimes you're the only player in the team. And you're paired with people that know nothing about the game.
Giving you a chance to win is really fair, although bosses can't be defeated solo most of the time in a multiplayer match (Speed boosts and high HP)
 
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The winterbites are surprisingly efficient actually. I keep seeing everywhere that they should be considered "back-up" weapons, but if you can score headshots, they become disgustingly effective. I can often smash a Scrake or Fleshpound with a single mag (well...two if you consider both guns have a separate "mag")

But yeah, I do feel like it's becoming a gimmick. It was already a bit of a stretch to make the Sharpie the "cryo" perk just because he got grenades (hence why they gave the freezethrower to the survivalist). But now everyone is getting one? Meh.

I also sound like someone who can't decide what he wishes for, but I agree with @war.to.frame ... Considering we're getting half the amount of guns we had in the previous update, could we get a bit more of something else instead? Actually, many of us mentioned that we would be okay to skip an event in order to get a proper rework and rebalancing patch.

I feel everyone's arsenal is quite generous now. There's just so much you can do with dozens of guns. They're just gonna feel less and less unique.


With 6 players and apart in pro server games like turbo , nightmare or hoe++ mods (hub and some other stuff which does not affects the whole game it's the difference only) you don't in 1 round/mac. The freeze thrower its effective as crowd control and in some merely hairy situations, and u can use it even as commando cos it's one of the perks which the armour or same perk entirely don't survive well when in pub games even as pro player (apart of random/boosted 25lvl ).

I use as zerker or surv, the rpg lvl 1 upg to 1shot sc with parrying (not zerker one) with the default knockback to stumble a mom + tesla nades from same zerker (if in that perk) and then doing a critic head. WB dual pistol its ok for GS cos has a lot of ms% and stumble power. So it can all weps be treated and stylish with each perks hands. The new tesla launcher it's also good if knowing how to wield with in many crowd control situations. but i prefer a lot more as surv cos has more bonuses as perk and weapons than the rest (some ppl don't understand it yet this perk and autokick and then they get raped in less than 3 waves). You can say that it's broke the game cos weps can be handled with every perk, but its not like what ppl thinks..
 
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