Dev Blog: Rebalance Pass 2023

I’m quite happy with most of the changes, and not unhappy about any of them, except for the Outcast Engineer. I found it fun for one run, but 3 bombs + recurring bombs + no FF + effects of both bombs now seems like too much. Much too much, given the lack of FF from the Trollhammer.

I miss the friendly fire the most: Trying to avoid it was fun and interesting. It was teamwork.

I’d guess that the much of the motivation behind the extra bombs is giving the OE a “panic button.” The recurring bombs may be plenty. Perhaps the extra starting bombs could be reduced or eliminated. Maybe the FF could be reduced rather than eliminated, too. I hope the Trollhammer loses it’s immunity from FF. I like the double bomb effect, but in the interests of bringing the Grenadier OE under control I wouldn’t regret it’s elimination.

Despite all that, btw, I like the bombs. Or at least I enjoy OE more as a bomb-flinger than a gunner. It just strikes me as too … hmm … easy. I was going to say “powerful,” but while, for example, I thought the pre-Reblance Javelins were too powerful, I also thought they were fun. At least if you were the one throwing them. The lack of care and targeting required for the Rebalanced Grenadier, though, makes the problem, for me, more of fun - too easy - than power.

Wait, I played with ingenious ordnance, and I was still doing FF with the torpedo. I think you might be wrong there.

No, he is right … with nuances. The explosion using the same profile as bombs is not causing any friendly fire. However, the 5-10 kg heavy projectile itself - of which OE carries around 10 more - does cause friendly fire.

That’s good to know!

The problem with the GS is not that it‘s weak. It‘s just so extremely specialised towards Cata that it‘s just slowing the team down on lower difficulties unless you play with increased elite modifiers.

Honestly, the one thing it does well without modifiers below Cata is staggering a bunch of berserkers mid attack if you hit the headshot.