Are Smart Weapons Overpowered?

[CaptainChaos]

Am I the only one who finds the smart weapons a bit OP?

Background: I am 20th level focusing on map exploration more than quests but I have cleared out a lot of NCPD contracts. I have a sort of netrunner stealth tech build, no Body or Reflex. Anyway, I found early game combat challenging and I wanted to focus on netrunning bc I thought it was cool, but the direct damage attacks were so overwhelming even on max difficulty (especially since you could eliminate opponents from the shadows 2 blocks away) I stopped myself from doing that so I wouldn't get bored. Then I switched to covert takedowns or direct fire scenarios and good enough.

In my firefights I started experimenting with smart weapons and while I'm not invincible (Max Difficulty), they do seem to make combat ridiculously easier compared to not using them. wo Smart Weapons, I died for the first time in 40 hours. Repeatedly. I went back to smart weapons and while it was a real fight, it wasn't that challenging. I experimented (same enemies) over and over again and reliably Smart Weapons meant full auto, head crits, whereas non-smart weapons I very likely could die.

So, is it just me or are Smart Weapons (like Quick Hacks) OP? I just don't see any drawback to using them. I feel like they should have less ammo in each clip or cause a lot less damage or something. They do cause less damage but not enough to compensate for autocrits. That's another way to nerf them, no crits.

Thoughts?

[stingray87]

On what Difficulty are you playing the game?

[CaptainChaos]

Maximum Difficulty.

[NorthernDavid]

They do less damage than a charged tech weapon or a properly used richochet from a power weapon. Mostly because those options add a significant percentage of damage and are not available to smart weapons.

[CaptainChaos]

lol so true Hateryu.

ND, thanks, I thought they did less damage overall but wasn't sure 100%

I dk, I feel like the Devs could have balanced them out a little more. Just like QHs, great concept but just needs to be curtailed a little bit to keep it from feeling like cheating.

[felmari]

the full auto weapons are pretty powerful. the guys that dodge bullets also can not dodge smart guns.

having a few of them with different effects(lightning burn etc) to take advantage of weaknesses as well.

i stoped playing with them as its mostly just point in their general direction(ok keep them in the large box) and shoot.

they are fun for a while but a little too easy. as concepts go probably the point to make it easier with moving targets etc but this is a game where shooting is a big part.

the smart sniper sucks though.

[serilium]

simple answer - it depends on the player.

[AlexSledge]

No. :)

They all do less damage than their non-smart counterparts, and many of the enemies (after a certain point) have cyberware which interferes with smart weapons. (Yes, they can dodge them, contrary to what's above)

[felmari]

they hit more than miss outside cyberware that counters it. with those that dodge bullets smart has made dealing with them easier.

[RuleofTwo]

Nothings OP and if it is stop using it. Strip all your armor on very hard and use the weakest pistol you can find as your main. Enjoy

[luther84695]

If you think smart weapons are overpowered, try richochet. Those are really overpowered.

[dwarfpcfan]

smart weapons are far from overpowered compared to insanity like comrade's hammer and tech weapons.

[Cop Unit 12]

Yeah smart weapons are really the overall weakest ballistic weapon type while Tec is the best overall and power is in the middle (with the SPT32 Grad being the oddball since its not a tec nor is it really a power weapon (at least to me since I've never been able to make it ricochet but it has the same wall penetration power that tec weapons use without the chargeup)).
This is not to say don't use smart weapons or anything it's just they compared to all the other firearms are just weak. But I perfer power weapons just for the simplicity and the SPT32 Grad just casually doing 17k headshot damage with the right perks so I do have some bais.

[dwarfpcfan]

I've found smart weapons to be useful early to mid-early game. You can get Divided we Stand iconic right out the gate after the heist just by driving to the right neighborhood and walking up to the the party.

between it's very high rate of fire and poison damage. It makes some missions an utter joke even if you like me suck at shooting and aiming.

That said once I got the feel of the game smart weapons became a hindrance. I speched out in revolvers and assault rifles with crafting maxed out and none of the smart weapons came close to the tech weapons and power weapons.

By the time I faced Adam Smasher, he was an utter joke armed with Archangel and Widow Maker.

And I'm not even ashamed to say that compared to most everyone here I suck at this game.

[Wirewing]

Stealth Katana if you want a challenge.

[CaptainChaos]

Amazing feedback! Really appreciate it.

I know some folks might believe this is a silly question, like duh if it's too easy don't do it, but I'm really interested in finding ... the most challenging experience with the RPG elements I'm looking for, while not ... cheating?

Like I REALLY wanted to be a NetRunner but QHs were so over the top that I literally could wipe out pods of enemies without ANY CHANCE of ever being detected. It wasn't that I was using a well balanced mechanic in a thoughtful manner to make a mission "easy". It was just ridiculous :) It wasn't a balanced mechanic, at least not in the experience I had so far.

Anyway, I learned a lot from everyone's comments, so I appreciate that. Even with 150 hours I still haven't seen a lot of the better weapons and counter measures maybe, so this was powerful food for thought.

Thanks everyone!