Since the wording is ambiguous, we don’t actually know if all your stacks will be removed, or if stacks will continuously be removed while moving.
The only ability that is vaguely similar to that sort of depleting stacks mechanic is Feel No Pain, which removes one stack when taking health damage, but taking health damage is a standalone event (even if it happens many times in quick succession). Since running/walking/sliding is a continuous action, I feel like it could behave similar to Inexorable Judgement (but in reverse)
IMO, that’s the only way Marksman’s Focus could exist in a usable fashion. Dropping all stacks would make it DOA
So right now on vet, the two most fun playstyles I have actually use two of the current errr “capstones”.
I have a “krieg” build, which goes into Voice of Command, then dives all the way down to Close Quarters Killzone, and has enough left over for Iron Will and Confirmed Kill. Lets me enjoy my shovel and bayonet, so its a good laugh.
I have a “team player” build too, that uses Executioner Stance, then goes down to For The Emperor! Also has Competetive Urge, Shock Trooper and Precision Strikes. Makes the Kantrael 1a hard hitting, saves ammo and also gives the team frequent buffs. Also I can stay mobile!
So it really seems like my builds are screwed now, and I’m going to be stuck with useless keystones.
I can see marksman’s focus working if it’s built around deadeye’s functionality. If headshot kills grant %stamina (high, like at least 33%, or maybe even 100% so it works with high firerate weapons) so you can keep it up the entire time, it would make things easier. Would also be ok if the 3s movement gate stacked and didn’t just reset, so you can possibly stack 30s of movement without removing your bonuses. I kinda doubt they’ll do anything like that, because that would make it ok, but we’ll find out.
you’re being way too nice. these are dogshit point choices for normal gameplay that seem to be centered around hardscoping losers that expect their team to protect them while they pick off low-threat targets and ignore the current problems.
whoever’s testing this stuff is either terrible at the game or a sweaty tryhard that has gone so over the deep end their playstyle requires memorizing the entire game’s AI behavior and spawn system to work and they should be removed.
Iam looking forward to seeing the enhancement points on those keystones.
Just bare bone two of them look like I would only pick them if I had spare points. Weapon Specialist could be something, but so far I just did not see the allure in a melee Vet build. The nature of Auric might just make it something that triggers passively, so there is that. The other side of the spectrum is definitely “Focus Target!”. The stand still mechanic seems violently bad.
What makes me worried are those node changes. What looks like plus elite damage node, “Superiority Complex”, is far down south of the left tree. One I avoided like the plague so far, because of how little value the points reaching down there get you. The whole left tree feels like a tax, and the new keystone does not impact that feeling. Not being able to pick that point will screw with a lot of weapons breakpoints.
In the end, it is kind of hard to believe for me that someone is able to screw up Vets tree harder than it is already. We are bound to get something out of this change. The hope that they found the muse to also figure out two additional Auras that dont just do nothing also did not die yet.
It’s the most likely one for me based on what we’ve seen so far, and I don’t vibe with it at all. However, what we’ve seen so far isn’t much, so it’s possible that my views will change once we get the rest.
I default to keeping my ranged weapon out because that’s how I want to play. Once a melee fight is over, the gun comes out whether I need it that moment or not. Having to wait with my melee weapon out until the moment a ranged fight appears, then wait through the ready animation before I can act on it, is clunky and restrictive.
Nah, he’s right. Enemies change direction randomly and without warning or any animation indicator all the time in this game. When stuff is standing still it’s easy, but head shotting moving targets in this game is infuriatingly inconsistent. Even enemies that are running right at you will slide to one side or the other for no apparent reason.
The drawbacks of the slot system that dates back to VT1. At least I assume that’s what causes it, it’s certainly reminiscent of things janking to the side in VT1 & 2 and I’m pretty sure that’s the reason for it there.
Enemies jankly moving around quickly turning around 3 times while maintaining momentum would be funny if it weren’t so infuriating, although it isn’t a problem unique to ranged sniper playstyle. Playing Zealot when you try to hit a gunner that decides to run away and turn 3 times walking through you back and forth is just as bad.
While I have no problem with that being the explanation, I do have a problem with it happening where there’s no apparent need for it. The slot system is meant to stop enemies stacking up too heavily, right? Why is it causing enemies that aren’t even near other enemies to slide around?
Anyway, I don’t want to hijack the thread with that, so I’ll just say that it’s probably the single biggest reason not to go with any sort of precision ranged style in this game.
Presumably because the enemy has detected that another enemy is aiming for/about to fill the slot directly in front of you, causing them to readjust and aim for a slot at one of your flanks, hence janking left or right.
Ideally they should head straight for you and only readjust when basically right on top of you but it seems they adjust on their way over currently.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve literally never touched the endpoints on any existing vet path. Assuming they haven’t neutered the upper segments of the tree to make room for the keystones, it may still be possible to have passable builds without them.
Which is (mostly) fine for a game that’s 90% melee. In a game that’s trying to pitch a headshot marksman as a consistently viable build, it’s just daft. There should at least be some visual indication that enemies are going to slide over. An animation, an orientation change, anything.
The bonus weakspot power is debatably worth honestly. It’s 10 seconds and affects both melee and ranged. It’s an extremely noticeable damage increase. Close quarters Killzone is also conveniently located for a melee build and you don’t have to sacrifice much to get it (you lose out on getting rending strikes by at its current value that’s pretty irrelevant).
In general I’ve softened to the capstones. I think For the Emperor is the only one you should truly never take.
Well yeah, like I said, it is probably multiplicatively increasing the base crit rate. Other crit rate increases that already exist are additive (how people get infinite hellbore 100% crit rate)
Oh I didn’t realise. Still though it has arguably the least good things immediately leading up to it so overall value of going to the bottom there is less. Admittedly yeah 10 s vs 5 would make a big difference.
Looks like Weapon Specialist is the only useful one.
I might even consider using it on my generalist and more melee oriented build.
Focus Target looks a bit iffy at first; I use tag to mark specials to warn my team of them, and I use it to actually see enemies I want to target at longer distances, hiding behind their own yellow-grey textures. At first I thought: Why would I ever pick a passive that makes me feel bad about usual behavoir, for a negligible advantage? But, you always have at least 1 stack, and you get them back quickly, so it’s basically 10% bonus damage on everything I tag.
If I get close enough to grab it with 2 nodes, I will.
And the first one… yeh. I can just see how that will promote even more annoying behavoir by players who definitely don’t have the skills nor the insight or self-reflection for it. I’d straight up avoid players who used that.
Still, points for trying, Fatshark.
The longer I look at it the more I dislike it, both the overly-complicated and situational buffs provided by Keystones and the switching around of all the passive talents I liked having access to. Hoping that some of the good stuff is just straight up replacing the trash choices higher up in the talent tree, and my builds won’t be ruined by this cringe new stuff
i’ve re-read the updated nodes multiple times at this point, and the more i read them, the more i just think the vet isn’t for me anymore. idk why they removed sustained fire from the vet in the first place, but that was my go-to build with the bolter, and the most fun i’ve had with the class, even after the class update.
i haven’t really had any fun with the vet since the rework other than the novelty “laser” build up until they nerfed it. after that wore off, i really just can’t find my grove with any of the weapons and skill trees at this point. i’ve tried the plasma gun, and while it deals a pant-load of damage, i just don’t find it fun to use for some reason. i don’t like using the helbores because it takes so god damn long to ready them when you’ve been using your melee weapon, and none of the other ranged weapons are satisfying to use either. it’s sort of like you just use them because you have to.
it’s odd, but it’s much more enjoyable for me to use the braced autogun on my zealot than any ranged gunplay when i’m using my vet, and i have no idea why. even any ranged weapon for the ogryn feels better as an overall gameplay loop. as of now, for me, the vet is kind of just a generic, “shoot until it dies”, class that has you switch to melee because you’re gonna get overwhelmed at some point, but there’s currently no gimmicks that i enjoy with the vet that makes me want to play them, and the updated skill tree doesn’t fix any of that.
was REALLY hoping for sustained fire to make a return, but this final update basically kills the entire class for me.