8 replies to this topic

[Silverfire]

Currently, the Shield is one of the most used items in the game.  It blocks x amount of damage for x amount of time or until the HP of the Shield is fully spent.  The Blockade does the same exact thing, except it's completely stationary and nothing can pass through it.  However, I have only seen 6 Blockades used ever since Ascension, and countless Shields used. Simply put, the Blockade is not used as much due to the better overall versatility of the Shield.

I like the Blockade, I really do, but I really see no reason to use it when the Shield is better.  I would propose a change to the Shield's mechanics in order to thrust the Blockade's existence back into relevancy (that I've seen at least).

Instead of the Shield completely blocking all damage, how about the Shield blocking a percentage of the damage being absorbed.  The MK I, II, and III would all block different percentages of damage, getting higher as the MK increases.  Just to throw a couple numbers out there, maybe MK I would block 60%, MK II 70%, MK III 80% of damage being absorbed (The Breacher still does full damage when charged).  The Shield would maintain its time limit and maybe perhaps get a slight HP pool increase.  

The Blockade, I feel, is quite fine where it is.  This should hopefully make the Blockade a bit more relevant and more used because I love the Blockade.  It's great for cutting off chokepoints and a good escape item.

Thoughts_

Resolved as Shield changes are coming.

Edited by Silverfire, February 02 2014 - 12:48 PM.

[Beefsweat]

Most shields I see used in-game (including my own) are generally destroyed instantly or are damaged so quickly they can't even fully deploy, I feel like something should be done about that. Personally I don't think a percentage-based reduction would work very well for the shield or strike the community as favorable, it's a shield after all - it's supposed to block attacks, not block 60% and let 40% of the attack through to hit you - that defeats the point of a shield. I feel like this change would give even less incentive to use the shield.

Edited by Beefsweat, December 14 2013 - 02:18 PM.

[Onyxmizer]

Yeah, it would basicly turn the shield and the pilot inside into an even bigger target for focus fire. I've been wanting to do a heavy barrier focus gameplay with either my pred or my techie. Any tips on using the barrier_

[HugeGuts]

The upcoming shield changes are good. Though it still has redunancy with the barrier. My hope for the shield's final version is the Transcension changes + an automatic self stick. So the shield would be a lower HP, mobile defense item and the barrier would be a higher HP, stationary defense item.

[Hocisern]

HugeGuts, on February 02 2014 - 03:30 PM, said:

The upcoming shield changes are good. Though it still has redunancy with the barrier. My hope for the shield's final version is the Transcension changes + an automatic self stick. So the shield would be a lower HP, mobile defense item and the barrier would be a higher HP, stationary defense item.

Wow that would be really interesting it was auto self deploy. Probably a little too strong though.

[LoC_TR]

Hey the blockade is the fuzzy bunny now. i love setting down two or three of them you can get pretty creative and really make some neat plays with it. It can also fuzzy bunny you in the ass if you mess it up. Items bounce of it too which is really cool. Great on maps like origin or last eco, really good in siege but can be applied in tdm too.


and thats the news

[Onyxmizer]

I was following a teamate into a fight, when I see an ISM land close. This is going to hit us. We're both gonna die. we're flying and low on health and...

oh wait I have a blockade.

nope.avi

IMO Blockade still needs a little more of a life span on the battlefield. Maybe another 10 seconds_ No health buff tho.

Edited by Onyxmizer, February 17 2014 - 09:20 AM.

[Hocisern]

I was thinking yesterday (while Umbre pelted my team with hellfires on Bunker) that if the whole team ran MarkIII barriers and provided our own cover -- to make up for all the cover the design team forgot to add -- the map *might* be a little more manageable. I'm probably wrong, but WE SHOULD TRY IT OUT.

[LoC_TR]

Hocisern, on February 17 2014 - 11:25 AM, said:

I was thinking yesterday (while Umbre pelted my team with hellfires on Bunker) that if the whole team ran MarkIII barriers and provided our own cover -- to make up for all the cover the design team forgot to add -- the map *might* be a little more manageable. I'm probably wrong, but WE SHOULD TRY IT OUT.

Ya open maps blockades and shields.