The Orbital Laser™

[Crow]

How come this is the only orbital that has limited uses?
In fact, how come this is the only offensive stratagem that has a predetermined amount of uses before it runs out? IIRC all eagle strikes can rearm and all other orbitals are unlimited, so how come the laser is limited to 3? Did the devs ever mention that?

Is it because its too easy to throw a laser that targets stuff automatically?

Its so fun to use.

EDIT: I realize the patriot exosuit is limited to 2 uses, but lul, that thing blows up when you use a rocket and turn in any general direction, i can't even take it seriously.

[Chaos]

Yeah, it's actually one of the very few reliable orbital, but I imagine no one would bother with 120/380/Walking if the laser are not limited...not sure if this is a "balance" issue or design issue tho.

[Landor]

Personally, I would prefer any "limited uses per mission" mechanics be replaced with appropriately longer cooldowns and unlimited uses per mission.

[Crow]

Originally posted by Chaos:

Yeah, it's actually one of the very few reliable orbital, but I imagine no one would bother with 120/380/Walking if the laser are not limited...not sure if this is a "balance" issue or design issue tho.

imo, all the barrages could use a range reduction and speed increase (for the fun of it) so they can provide more value, but I know some people love to see the wide area of effect.

[Banzai_Samurai]

Originally posted by Crow:

I realize the patriot exosuit is limited to 2 uses, but lul, that thing blows up when you use a rocket and turn in any general direction, i can't even take it seriously.

It still does this? JFC.

But yeah, Orb laser is effective for destroying medium/large bases, even better than Barrage's, and it also excels at destroying large enemies like Hulks/Biles.

I honestly cannot destroy Automaton Bunkers any other way; I dunno how to even get close enough to them to deploy a hellbomb.

[Hand's Hermit Permit]

It's by far the best orbital. There's not even a question. It's good against literally everything. It definitely has to have limited uses to be balanced.

Originally posted by Banzai_Samurai:

I honestly cannot destroy Automaton Bunkers any other way; I dunno how to even get close enough to them to deploy a hellbomb.

Servo-assisted armor throw distance + 380mm barrage is my favorite tactic.

[Dain_Ironfoot]

Yeah it would be nice if it at least you could use it again after a longer cool down or something once the first 3 are used. It's annoying having a useless slot sitting there once you've used them all. It needs to eventually come back again even if it's a long cool down.

[Rob DiGiorno]

It always works and does what it has to

[Chaos]

Originally posted by Crow:

imo, all the barrages could use a range reduction and speed increase (for the fun of it) so they can provide more value, but I know some people love to see the wide area of effect.

Wide area is not really an issue if the strats are actually reliably cover the majority of the area they're suppose to deal with, like if I throw a 120 into a lone hole/factory, there is a very good chance than when the barrage is done that thing I need dead would still stand.

This is my experience with 120 vs bots mortar base btw, it can't even take out 2 out of 3 mortars in their "precision" barrage area when a single laser orbital or eagle airstrike can do it.

While I like the 380 for the firework, that's all it can do for me, a toy not a tool.
It would need some big buff to either CD (flexibility) or duration ("consistancy") or rework the thing entirely to be something more than a toy.

[Crow]

Originally posted by Dain_Ironfoot:

Yeah it would be nice if it at least you could use it again after a longer cool down or something once the first 3 are used. It's annoying having a useless slot sitting there once you've used them all. It needs to eventually come back again even if it's a long cool down.

Yeah like a recharge time after the first 3 uses/charges are depleted.

But yeah

Originally posted by Hand's Hermit Permit:

It's by far the best orbital. There's not even a question. It's good against literally everything. It definitely has to have limited uses to be balanced.

This is the thing i figured they'd think too. Its a shame, because the limited amount of uses is the main reason why Im always looking to substitute it for something else. I tried the 380mm but Im not a good gambler.

[XOLiD]

I would spend 50000R, 250Medals, 500 common samples, 250 rare samples and 100 super samples just for one more orbital laser use per mission.

[Landor]

Originally posted by XOLiD:

I would spend 50000R, 250Medals, 500 common samples, 250 rare samples and 100 super samples just for one more orbital laser use per mission.

New upgrades:

Advanced fabrication facilities, can now fabricate large constructions on-board, mechs and vehicular strats now slowly recharge uses during missions.

Improved reactor safety protocols, orbital energy weapon capacitors can now be recharged during missions, orbital energy weapon strats slowly recharge uses during missions.

[Sammy]

Because it would be OP otherwise.

[Suwako]

Honestly, I feel like it's because all other orbitals have to be aimed, timed, or get lucky with an average cool down timer. while most other orbital weapons are single target or single effect (not considering barrages, since some times they work, some times they dont), the laser is able to wipe 3-4 hulks/tanks, countless smaller enemies, and still destroy every heavy outpost fabricator within the vicinity. The only reason this wont happen from time to time is because the laser takes too long to destroy canon turrets for some reason. Which, you should be destroy from a distance anyways.

If orbital laser didn't have a limit, I would never touch large fabricator bases, or bunkers. I would just wait for the cool-down and throw a orbital then leave to do other things essentially being a "Free objective done" on a cool-down.

Considering that almost everyone i know who tries to be "efficient" runs it, that's a grand total of 9-12 orbitals per mission. In a team that coordinates, you can sit in a corner or run from enemies and let the laser do everything apart from objectives that force you to interact with objects. Especially considering that you're using other stratagems to take care of medium and small outposts

In conclusion; if anything, I feel the Orbital should be NERFED, if I was lead dev, I would remove the use limit, keep its cool-down, and lower its laser time by around half, effectively making it more spammable, while still retaining the ability to effectively destroy 2-3 heavy armor opponents (Excluding bile titans, it should only be able to kill ONE and maybe damage another per call-in). This lowered up time should mean it'll still destroy MOST of a heavy outpost, and bunkers would survive a full laser with just a sliver of health.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk

TL;DR- The laser is incredibly OP. I don't agree with its limit, but its there for a reason. Read last paragraph if you want to know what I thought up as a solution.

[Bill Waggoner]

Originally posted by Crow:

How come this is the only orbital that has limited uses?
In fact, how come this is the only offensive stratagem that has a predetermined amount of uses before it runs out? IIRC all eagle strikes can rearm and all other orbitals are unlimited, so how come the laser is limited to 3? Did the devs ever mention that?

Is it because its too easy to throw a laser that targets stuff automatically?

Its so fun to use.

EDIT: I realize the patriot exosuit is limited to 2 uses, but lul, that thing blows up when you use a rocket and turn in any general direction, i can't even take it seriously.

Budgetary constraints.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLJTgvKFZoQ

[Mahjik]

Those have been playing for a while, you'll see the devs don't desire any single thing to be "the one thing you use all the time". The Orbital Laser as it is almost that. The limited uses requires you to be more strategic about how to use it.

I personally use it as a "get out of a jam" type situation. i.e. your team is getting overrun and you need to regroup/rearm. I don't use it specifically as an offensive weapon.