Stagger > Damage For Gun Balance

[Lesurous]

There's a lot of discussion in regards to the viability and capability of primary weapons in this game, with many differing opinions and experiences with these weapons. What gets mentioned most often is weapons having a lack of damage, which is something I disagree with for the most part (Scythe buffs pls). Weapons are very lethal across the board when striking weak spots, and generally serviceable when hitting armor it can penetrate.


What I think is the biggest issue for how weapons feels lies not in their damage output, but their capability to stagger enemies. This is most relevant against bot devastators, but is very impactful against both factions. Rather than more damage on weapons, stagger capability should be tweaked, as this would make the lighter weapon choices more viability by providing them better performance in holding back the enemy.


tl;dr: Primary weapons don't need more damage, they need more stagger. Volume of fire should be relevant to staggering enemies especially, i.e. firing multiple rounds into an enemy should stack up stagger against them. This would greatly improve both the viability and experience of using many weapons.

[adobo]

If that was true, more people would be using the concussive liberator.

[DarkFenix]

Stagger is more important than damage, but that's not to say a lot of weapons don't also need a damage increase. It's all well and good to stagger a target on hit, but if you can't also kill that target quickly while only using a modest proportion of your magazine, it's pointless, because all you're achieving is making the enemy stumble for a few seconds while its friends all get to work murdering you to death.

[Lesurous]

Originally posted by DarkFenix:

Stagger is more important than damage, but that's not to say a lot of weapons don't also need a damage increase. It's all well and good to stagger a target on hit, but if you can't also kill that target quickly while only using a modest proportion of your magazine, it's pointless, because all you're achieving is making the enemy stumble for a few seconds while its friends all get to work murdering you to death.

It's more about the stagger giving you the breathing room to land those hits. Currently, you have just barely enough time to accurately hit a Devastator's head before he fires a shot using a Liberator or Marksman Rifle, and no time at all to before their buddies start blasting. Better stagger buys you that time to get those accurate shots you need to kill them.

Originally posted by adobo:

If that was true, more people would be using the concussive liberator.

Issue with the Concussive is it's all stagger no damage, it needs to be reworked into applying a stun effect similar to the EMS stratagems.

[KingOfFriedChicken]

Originally posted by adobo:

If that was true, more people would be using the concussive liberator.

I love my concussion riffle it is phenomenal lol low damage but Worth the trade off