Block Weapons

[WarDog Gaming]

I've been using the block weapons on every class I can to try to find where they fit. I really like them. I wouldn't say they are better than fencing weapons at this moment but they are definitely fun to use. There is two things that i think need to change to make it better and more competitive with fencing weapons, and I'm curious what anyone else that has actually spent time using them thinks. If you tried them for 30 seconds, could figure block weapons out, left the game and gave up.... no offence but your opinion inst really the one I'm looking for lol. I'm looking for ones who powered through the learning curve and use it with success.

The two problems i have is that

1) the AOE isnt big enough and i dont think the damage is enough. For example, even after the AOE nerf of the fencing weapon nerf, a perfect parry will kill multiple enemies standing next to each other. Unless im just crazy unlucky, it doesnt seem like a perfect parry or an adrenaline rush of a block knife will kill anything more than the target it hit even though adrenaline rush can take a long time if theres only 1 or 2 enemies like 1 minoris (idk why youd just not light attack lol) or 1 extremis) and when adrenaline rush does hit the enemy in front of me, im immediately killed by the enemies behind me. I feel like with how much more difficult the setup for adrenaline rush is, the explosion should be a lot more.
Maybe make the explosion bigger and center it on the space marine so the targets behind me dont take away my newly gained adrenaline surge armor the second i gain it because the explosion might knock them back.

2) I dont think the block weapons should use their charges up until they hit 3 charges. I am constantly blocking and blocking and then meleeing a minoris just to waste 1 or 2 charges of adrenaline surge just to save ammo. its annoying. its not easy to save up 3 charges and use it when you want to. its harder to know you have 3 charges and know you dont want to melee anything (essentially using up all your ammo till a good target or big mob pops up).
Make charges stay indefinitely and meleeing doesn't eat charge 1 and 2. meleeing with 3 charges activates adrenaline surge. Also add the ring timer around the charges icon so i know how long i have to use the 3rd charge lol

[Tao314zdin]

IMO they could give charges below 3 a timer, like 15 seconds, renewing on second charge so one cane use melee in between.

Saying that I use block on Vanguard/Bulwark so far and simply get used to use Volk-pistol instead of melee at point-blank just to do something between the blocks if I want to stack 3. Works fine especially since the pistol does not need aiming-stance even at distance.

[Sloths]

I only use block hammer on assault now. I much prefer it over balance or fencing and it is producing more damage per map using it. I'm not great with perfect blocks so never go for the 3 stacks. If I happen to get them great I use it, but don't like plan or try and setup for them. If I get a charge I use it right away for the extra damage for double ground slams or a aftershock.

I do agree though there should be changes to how charges are handled. Either like you said or Tao. Either would be an improvement over how they are handled now.

[Innoxious]

Generally, blocking weapons still are not as good as fencing weapons.
There are some exceptions, class- and mission-wise.

Blocking chainsword for example is pretty dope and probably best pick for vanguard now, esp. during chaos OP.

For tactical, battle focus now also works for perfect blocks, but perfect parrys are much easier to achieve with a fencing weapon. So there is that.

Blocking power sword is kinda meh, it has less damage and speed than the fencing variant.

Power hammer with blocking is ok but for me not overwhelming. It gives higher ground pound damage, all its' stats are better than the other variants, but for the class it comes at a high cost in terms of less gunstrikes.

I almost never see people using knife or fist, so not talking about those.

It's nice that they have done something for blocking weapons, but now balance weapon are in the same spot blocking weapons have been before - nobody uses them.

I agree with the op that charges should not be consumed before 3 stacks.
I am not sure if the damage from the aoe is not enough. I always thought of it as a way to kill a bunch of minoris, since the upgraded damage from the weapon itself should be enough to deal with majoris better. But yeah, maybe its range could be a little better to achieve exactly that.

[Aid of Healer]

nah 3 for some weak damage boost. Its not hard to play but the hard for it to pay off.

[靐]

Not that I am an expert in this game but I prefer fencing over balanced/blocking. Blocking is kinda okay on assault IF you had infinite jetpack uses. With fencing I can just dive into stuff and parry them to death.

[Medicles]

As i said before, the whole block/balanced/fencing mechanic was a mistake to begin with. Fencing should have been the standard for every weapon and block should have been something special for Bulwark only.

As i also said before, it doesnt really matter how they change block, its almost impossible to compete with a straight A defensive technique like parrying, where you get armor back, can kill a bunch of small trash and initiate a high damage gun strike on majoris. Its all you ever want and need in defense. Block would need to come to the same level first to even be compareable and at that point there isnt a need for either block or fencing when they both do practically the same thing.

The only way to make an actual impact with non-fencing weapons would be giving them such high damage output that attacking with melee while being attacked is as worthwhile as parrying and not taking damage.

[RedGuy Johnson]

I think what would really be huge is if they give perfect block some kind of aoe pushback.

I have a lot of fun with them as well, but not being able to knock back any minoris until you swing is a huge loss when you're getting swarmed. Maybe second p block could have small knock back radius at least for smaller guys.