I'm back at it again, I had a load of fun making and discussing my SWAT rework, and had a look at a few posts about what classes do and don't work. With that I thought I'd have a go at looking at any way to make the SS any better. My problem with Sharpshooter is that when you look it at face value, the Headshot one shot role can be very similar to the Gunslinger. The Sharpshooter "should" do it better with the sacrifice of movement however it doesn't, instead of not giving the movement bonuses it lowers the movement speed as a whole for the damage trade off, which doesn't work in Killing Floor 2's playstyle. This meant looking at new ways to make the high damage less movement trade-off work.
Changes
So there are a number of changes I made with the Sharpshooter, mainly being that your big guns can still deal pain and a better look at the playstyle of the SS, the current SS only has three passive skills and on their own they don't add much value to the rest of the class. Plus a dice up of the skills was needed so that you get a better flow of skills that better improve the experience.
So there are only a few new skills because what the Sharpshooter now has is a few skills that need to nicely fill the gaps, so what I went with felt perfect for the job;
The primary objective was to make the movement trade off not feel uninviting and unrewarding. So instead of having the player crouch and be stationary whilst aiming down sights. The rewarding playstyle should be well placed shots and good positioning; being at the back of the team dealing big burst damage before the threat is close. This is the mentality I went for with the left side of the tree, ensuring that your positioning is well rewarded, and partnering up with the wrong classes can still be punishing (*ahem* Firebug *ahem*). With the right side of the tree it's the alternative; trading damage for a "safer" experience. A large focus on stunning Zeds will mean breathing room for another pair of hands to help out with larger Zeds and being able improve your success rate of surviving the tougher waves. Another thing I wanted to try and aim for was a class that can intertwine their skills from either side of the tree, and I felt that such a thing was achieved.
Dealing damage with Sharpshooter weapons. Head shots with perk weapons. |
Perk Bonuses: | | |
+20% Recoil Reduction [0.8% per level] | +25% Headshot Damage [1% per level] | +50% Weapons Switch [2% per level] |
+50% Zed time Reload [1% per level] | Increase Reload Speed | Night Vision Capability |
Specialization: | | |
Focus When aiming down sights, ignore the movement penalty, increase damage 10% and reduce recoil by 20%. | 5 | Marksman Increase fire rate by 25% and movement speed by 10% when using perk weapons. |
Death from Afar Increase headshot damage by 10%, to a maximum of 50% for every 10 metres that separates you from your target | 10 | Always Prepared Carry one extra grenade and 25% more ammo for each perk weapon. |
Skullcracker Headshots with perk weapons slow Zeds 30% | 15 | Ballistic Shock Increase stun power of perk weapons by 100% |
Rack ‘em up Consecutive Headshots with perk weapons will increase damage 10%, to a maximum of 50% | 20 | Pin ‘em Down Consecutive headshots with perk weapons will increase stun power by 10%, to a maximum of 50% |
Assassin Any headshot with perk weapons has a 5% chance to trigger Zed time. During Zed time, increase fire rate by 20% and headshot damage by 20% | 25 | Ranger Any headshot with perk weapons has a 5% chance to trigger Zed time. During Zed time, your headshots will stun any Zed. |
Changes
So there are a number of changes I made with the Sharpshooter, mainly being that your big guns can still deal pain and a better look at the playstyle of the SS, the current SS only has three passive skills and on their own they don't add much value to the rest of the class. Plus a dice up of the skills was needed so that you get a better flow of skills that better improve the experience.
- The introduction of the increased Reload Speed as a Passive helps give the Sharpshooter something from Level 0, it increases the pace for One Shot builds and adds survivability to the Stunner Sharpshooter.
- Zed time reload was what I felt a necessary introduction because as it is, this passive skill still isn't as strong as GS or SV, but gives the SS a chance to ready the next shot from their AMR or load a couple rounds into their centrefire.
- The Night Vision Capability from a gameplay stand point doesn't really add much but I feel that it just adds to the nuance and the theme of the SS, Splinter Cell style.
- I moved the Rack 'em Up skill down to Level 20 to challenge the new Level 20 skill that I talk about a little further down
- I gave the Skullcracker skill to the SS from the GS because it gives the feel that these larger threats are to be dealt at a distance, and such a mechanic felt right for a class that kills from a distance.
- I buffed the Assassin skill because on its own it only really works with the Railgun or the AMR; because they only have one shot to use during that time, so the rest of the arsenal can't really benefit from this Level 25 skill. The slight increase in Zed time fire rate felt well suited for the occasion, but in return a slight decrease to the damage you deal would stop the SS being scary OP with a commando.
- Always Prepared is moved up to Level 10 primarily for the skill's value, I think that this isn't a perk you want to see at higher levels because it feels like wasted potential, and such potential is given to the new perk Pin 'em Down.
- Ballistic Shock is moved down to level 15 to counteract the change with Always prepared, because as it is it has a good amount of value for the "CQC" sharpshooter.
So there are only a few new skills because what the Sharpshooter now has is a few skills that need to nicely fill the gaps, so what I went with felt perfect for the job;
- Focus is a combination of steady and deadeye that was already in the Sharpshooter's tree. This felt necessary as a skill because it helps practice the newer players into improving their aim and going for the head, by making it a little easier and giving a small reward for doing so.
- Death from Afar is the idea that being at the back of the team's hold should be rewarded, especially when the FPs and Scrakes are generally bigger than the rest of the Zeds and such targets would be better dealt with from further away, so dealing with them quickly is better rewarded.
- Pin 'em Down was a fun idea meant to play against the Rack 'em Up bonus that gives more value to burst damage Sharpshooters that are out to stop larger Zeds in their tracks.
The primary objective was to make the movement trade off not feel uninviting and unrewarding. So instead of having the player crouch and be stationary whilst aiming down sights. The rewarding playstyle should be well placed shots and good positioning; being at the back of the team dealing big burst damage before the threat is close. This is the mentality I went for with the left side of the tree, ensuring that your positioning is well rewarded, and partnering up with the wrong classes can still be punishing (*ahem* Firebug *ahem*). With the right side of the tree it's the alternative; trading damage for a "safer" experience. A large focus on stunning Zeds will mean breathing room for another pair of hands to help out with larger Zeds and being able improve your success rate of surviving the tougher waves. Another thing I wanted to try and aim for was a class that can intertwine their skills from either side of the tree, and I felt that such a thing was achieved.