Pile Bunker needs better aim, or a better hitbox

[Hammerlord]

I love the pile bunker to death, literally. It's getting me killed in all sorts of boss fights and PvP matches because it misses targets right in front of it. Stunned targets, unaware targets, you name it. The slightest difference in angle both vertical or horizontal will make the pile bunker miss because its hitbox is too small. It needs a little more reach, and a rework of how its lunge works so it stops missing melee targets right in front of your face. Too much range might make it a bit strong in pvp since it can and has one-shot people, but when it's being used as a win condition for close range ACS stagger, nothing feels worse than it just not connecting when the enemy should be in range. Does anyone else use the pile bunker in PvP and find it failing like this?

Hopefully From Soft will give the pile bunker a much needed buff on its aim/hitbox.

[poppindancers]

Go google the old one, they've already made all melee the strongest weapon in the game.

That mfer used to have to activation count down.

[Pizzaman]

I have not used the Bunker yet on PvP (it might be a latency/net code issue?), but have no issue landing hits in single player.

Different boosters have different melee tracking capabilities, maybe that might be it?

(It’s not a basic stat, you have to see it in the detailed stat breakdown. Some boosters just aren’t suited towards melee it seems.)

[Astartes Regis]

Def would be nice with a hitbox buff, I'm mainly using the laser sword because of the high damage and it just launching you at whatever youre attacking within reasonable distance on charged attacks.

[Cpt Hayes]

Originally posted by Pizzaman:

I have not used the Bunker yet on PvP (it might be a latency/net code issue?), but have no issue landing hits in single player.

Different boosters have different melee tracking capabilities, maybe that might be it?
(It’s not a basic stat, you have to see it in the detailed stat breakdown.)

Yes and no, the hole puncher is definitely wonky at times with the charge attack, especially if your target is slightly lower than you are, say if you are on a rock, then the animation for the charge attack will have you attack above it. The normal attack tracks as is it should most of the time, but the charge animation does have observable issues. Every other melee weapon I've used move to target just fine so it has to be the pathfinding coded for this weapon specifically.

[Chibirion]

Ummmm I don't think it is... It's already the strongest melee in the game with the right setup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FaVVNQ_38k&t=25s

[Pizzaman]

Originally posted by Cpt Hayes:

Originally posted by Pizzaman:

I have not used the Bunker yet on PvP (it might be a latency/net code issue?), but have no issue landing hits in single player.

Different boosters have different melee tracking capabilities, maybe that might be it?
(It’s not a basic stat, you have to see it in the detailed stat breakdown.)

Yes and no, the hole puncher is definitely wonky at times with the charge attack, especially if your target is slightly lower than you are, say if you are on a rock, then the animation for the charge attack will have you attack above it. The normal attack tracks as is it should most of the time, but the charge animation does have observable issues. Every other melee weapon I've used move to target just fine so it has to be the pathfinding coded for this weapon specifically.

Ah I see, I’ll keep that in mind.

I usually stick right in the face of whatever I’m Charge Bunking, so I’ve not had hit box issues thus far.

[SmallGespenst]

the issues might be because the charged attack has basically no tracking at all, so it's entirely on you to line it up
which is something that isn't practical during the slim window of a stagger in PVP unless you're on level ground, fairly close already.

[Hammerlord]

Originally posted by Pizzaman:

I have not used the Bunker yet on PvP (it might be a latency/net code issue?), but have no issue landing hits in single player.

Different boosters have different melee tracking capabilities, maybe that might be it?

(It’s not a basic stat, you have to see it in the detailed stat breakdown. Some boosters just aren’t suited towards melee it seems.)

There's probably a matter of the booster (especially since I'm using the tank treads with its slow as hell internal booster) but there's definitely still an issue with its lack of reach and lack of forward movement. I've had this thing miss on large slow bosses like BALTEUS and whatever the hell the pretty agile C weapon in chapter 4 is called, despite that particular boss staying stunned for a very long time. It fails to close the distance and connect even though the pile bunker's length should be long enough to hit.

[Midas]

I think the biggest problem is that it has close to no dash at all on the fully wound-up attack. It's very hard to land it on anything that isn't just a huge stunned boss. It only ever hits an AC when someone goofs.

[ImHelping]

one time refighting the cleaner. The pile punker clipped through the stunned boss without hitting him.

I gave it a try on iblis but in spite of all the memes, my big issue was ♥♥♥♥ melee tracking when she stuns in the air. even the trusty laser lance will miss her half the time when that happens, yeesh.

Pile spike at least deals monster damage. The issues are enemies don't really STAGGER. I have literally kicked people in the head to max the meter, only for them to dodge out of the way of follow up attacks. It is bananas. (hence, loving the lance. reduces the amount of 'you staggered them, they dodged anyways' idiocy). This happens even with multi swing weapons like standard blade, or the wacky stun rod having a flailing multi swing combo. (baton in particular, only boost assists with the first swing. then you just keep going in the direction you were already facing on foot)

I don't mind players having a low stagger time, but that is as much because even NPC AC with the same body parts as me AND MY MAXING STABILITY OS over damage, still recover faster than you. yeesh.

[Hammerlord]

Originally posted by Midas:

I think the biggest problem is that it has close to no dash at all on the fully wound-up attack. It's very hard to land it on anything that isn't just a huge stunned boss. It only ever hits an AC when someone goofs.

One pretty common scenario of another player goofing up is getting staggered by assault armor. I've gotten a proper stagger into pile bunker kill this way a few times, and yet there are other times where the enemy is still close by and on level ground, yet the pile bunker won't reach. Could be an issue of latency, but this inconsistency hurts my soul when I feel like that should be the moment the fight is decided. As for whether it's fair that the pile bunker can decide fights like that (still a major mistake on the opponent's side getting hit by assault armor), I do think it's fair considering I'm trading a weapon slot that could use the close range dominant shotguns for an even closer range weapon.

[Crystal Goddess]

The animation for the Ashmead Pile Bunker is a bit wonky, but damn, it hits like a freight train. The animation is tolerable once you work out the range and charge time for it, I can use it punch out the Eye on the STRIDER reliably now.

[Without Flaw]

Originally posted by Hammerlord:

I love the pile bunker to death, literally. It's getting me killed in all sorts of boss fights and PvP matches because it misses targets right in front of it. Stunned targets, unaware targets, you name it. The slightest difference in angle both vertical or horizontal will make the pile bunker miss because its hitbox is too small. It needs a little more reach, and a rework of how its lunge works so it stops missing melee targets right in front of your face. Too much range might make it a bit strong in pvp since it can and has one-shot people, but when it's being used as a win condition for close range ACS stagger, nothing feels worse than it just not connecting when the enemy should be in range. Does anyone else use the pile bunker in PvP and find it failing like this?

Hopefully From Soft will give the pile bunker a much needed buff on its aim/hitbox.

Agree with most points. Here's hoping they alter it to be better next regulation.

[Michami]

I've definitely noticed issues with the charged attack, like others have. I still use it because I just think it's a really cool weapon, but on small/regular size targets or anything in the air I stick to uncharged attacks only.

[LupisVolk]

It ain't a Fromsoft game without janky hitbokes.