PC player here. I’ve played both sides quite a lot, so I felt a good write-up on what needs changing for both sides would be useful. Threw in a few additional ideas.
—Important fixes—
Allow the Predator to fit under ALL train cars on the Derailed map
Reasoning: There are some train cars that the Fireteam can crouch and go under and past, yet the Predator cannot. This makes it VERY easy to juke the Predator in this area, meaning they must get lucky with ranged shots to catch the Fireteam.
Knifing a Net Gun net removes the net, but the netted player is still trapped for 5 seconds.
–Fireteam changes–
Buff/Nerf, weapon dependent
Modify bullet damage dropoff at range
Reasoning: All guns have an effective range stat, yet in my testing there’s been no observable amount of damage dropoff outside of shotguns. This makes AR’s intended to be better at range a less valuable choice.
(Buffs)
++Classes++
Fix Recon extended mud time not working
Reasoning: It’s currently not applying
Give Support resistance to the Predator’s Plasmacaster
Reasoning: A fully charged shot will instantly down any class when it hits them dead-on. Allowing a Support with FULL HEALTH to survive a single fully-charged shot would give them more of a reason to be picked.
++Weapons++
Slightly increase damage on the Not-AUG Assault Rifle
Reasoning: Its damage is rated higher than the AK, but actually deals less damage. It also has more recoil than the AK.
Slightly increase damage on the Not-AA12
Reasoning: Easily the worst shotgun, as its damage against the Predator is so low that its only use is for clearing AI, and not very well at that. A slight damage increase is all it needs.
Increase base magazine capacity on the Not-Vector SMG (both normal and extended)
Reasoning: The high fire rate and low damage makes this SMG more useless than the others.
Increase rate of fire on the Revolver
Reasoning: It has good damage, but its pitiful fire rate slows the damage per second. One should be able to panic fire this, recoil making landing shots difficult, of course.
Fix single shell reloads on the Not-KSG shotgun
Reasoning: This shotgun has two barrels, both of which have separate magazine tubes. When you fire a single shot and reload, the animation shows you loading TWO shells, which consumes time as that second shell disappears into the void of space and time.
++Gear++
Increase Frag Grenade damage
Reasoning: A point blank grenade on a Scout Predator does 1/8 of their health, and Scouts have less health than the other classes. Landing that kind of blast should seriously hurt a predator.
Decrease Flashbang activation time
Reasoning: Flashbangs take far too long to activate. They blind the Predator somewhat, but not fully. Making them quicker to pop off will make them worth taking.
Increase size and density of smoke clouds, and make the clouds a CONSISTENT size
Reasoning: The Predator can see through smoke with thermal vision. With the often weak and inconsistent clouds that are made, this limits its usefulness to hiding from AI fire, which also often does not work.
Increase the Noise Maker throw range
Reasoning: This could be useful to throw off a Predator if it could be chucked very far. Only uses I can find for it now are to toss it at the start of the match in a direction you aren’t going, or hide with mud and toss it in the same manner.
++Perks++
Increase Thick Skin health boost from +15 to +25
Reasoning: 25 health would help one survive a single extra hit from most predator melee weapons, whilst fifteen does nothing outside of on Support
Increase Weapons Training recoil reduction
Reasoning: I notice zero difference in recoil using this perk. It’s either not working or the reduction value is too low.
Reduce footstep audio volume for the Silent perk
Additional: Make ones voice callouts unhearable to the Predator unless downed
Reasoning: Silent reduces the sound bubbles a predator can see in thermal vision, but does nothing else. Making ones footsteps more quiet would help make this perk worth taking, for those times where sneaking is needed. Additionally, having the users vocal callouts for reloading/killing/etc be unable to be heard by the Predator would also make this perk useful.
Slightly increase effects of Yatja’s Bane and OWLF Trained
Reasoning: The current small additional damage boost/reduction are, from my testing, around 5-7%, making them redundant. A SLIGHT boost to 10% would help make them worth taking.
++General++
Moderately increase downed crawl speed
Reasoning: Even with the Shuffler perk, crawling when downed is fairly useless; a turtle moves as fast. Increasing the base speed would making crawling to safety more of a possibility while also increasing the effect of the Shuffler perk. This would help with the Plasmacaster whack-a-mole meta.
(Nerfs)
++Weapons++
Implement a weight/point system to ALL weapons, and give each class a separate weight/point limit (just like the perk system)
Alternative: Limit certain classes to certain weapons. Example: Scout can pick Sniper/Pistol, SMG/Shotgun, AR/SMG, that sort of thing
Reasoning: A Scout shouldn’t be sprinting around the map like Sonic whilst carrying the .50 cal sniper and a minigun/shotgun, all three of which absolutely destroy Predators. Having no limitation on which Primary/Secondary combo one can pick means SMGs and handguns are irrelevant. No sane person picks those peashooters over a shotgun or minigun that will easily wound or kill the Predator.
Move shotguns to the Primary weapon category (If above is not added)
Reasoning: Shotguns are VERY strong. They’ll 1-2 shot armored AI, and absolutely shred the predator. Their only downside is giving away ones position to the Predator due to the insanely loud noise. Having them in the Primary weapon category would encourage the use of silenced SMGs and Pistols.
Weapon mobility should affect movement speed regardless of whether or not the soldier has it equipped
Reasoning: You can take your knife out and run at max speed for your class, making the stat largely redundant. If limitations on weapon selection are enacted and the knife and its parry are nerfed, this may not be needed.
Reduce knife damage, and tighten the parry window (or) increase time between knife attacks
Reasoning: A 5-inch blade shouldn’t take 1/8 of a Predator’s health. Parrying is also incredibly easy since the knife can be spammed. I understand the devs don’t want Predators to get easy wins by melee rushing, but the Predator shouldn’t be fearing knives. Gun do plenty of damage as-is.
Slightly reduce damage on the Not-AK
Reasoning: If the Not-AUG’s damage is fixed, this will still be a good contender due to less recoil.
Reduce total ammo reserves for the following:
Not-SPAS
Not-KSG
.50 Cal sniper
Reasoning: These are all very strong guns that get ridiculous amounts of reserve ammo. Lowering the ammo count will help bring them in-line with other weapons.
Considerably increase the volume of the Minigun from third person
Reasoning: It’s loud and satisfying from the 1st person perspective, but quiet as a mouse for everyone else. This thing should be obnoxiously loud, perhaps even drowning out almost anything close to it.
Correct the reload animations for nearly all the weapons to prevent knifing to shorten reload animation, mainly the following:
Not-AA12
.50 Cal Sniper
LMG
All ARs, SMGs and Handguns
Reasoning: If you knife after the ammo counter is refilled but before the reload animation is complete, you shorten the downtime of reloading, and by quite a lot with some guns. This is a clear overlook by the devs.
++General++
Limit Fireteam reinforcements to a single use
Alternative 1: Make respawns use generic looking soldiers with preset loadouts that have zero attachments, removing the Fireteams strengths from customization.
Alternative 2 (would add this regardless): Soldiers who die while the radio is available WILL NOT BE RESPAWNED WHEN IT IS USED! Only those who die BEFORE the reinforcement option is available will be
Reasoning: With how strong mud is and how it makes a stealth trip to the radio without being detected an easy feat, there’s very little consequence for death aside from coming back with half ones total health (which can be easily healed). Have one Scout mud up and run off alone while the others sacrifice themselves to get that free respawn. If the ones who stay behind die in the process, they simply respawn.
—Predator changes—
++Nerfs++
Slightly increase Plasmacaster charging time
Reasoning: A fully charged blast will down anyone head-on, and instantly kill Recon/Scouts who are missing some health. With such fast charging time, the meta move has shifted to Predators hiding the beam behind terrain/objects and popping up, spamming fully charged shots to instantly down/kill a single player and heavily damaging anyone around them.
Improve scaling of damage to Plasmacaster charged amount
Reasoning: Releasing a Plasmacaster shot at the first beep does around 120-130 damage. Continuous beeps only raise the amount by around ten until the full charge, where it likely does over 200.
Slightly reduce Combistick melee damage, but increase thrown damage
Reasoning: It was nerfed before, and the devs ALMOST hit the mark. It’s still too good given its high damage, range, and ability to be thrown. Reducing its melee damage further while increasing its thrown damage would help solidify it as a melee weapon that is alright in melee while being an absolute monster of a backup thrown weapon.
++General++
Apply a slowdown effect to Predators who leap back and forth between the same two trees
Reasoning: This is an honestly boring tactic to play against as Fireteam and looks silly.
(Buffs)
++Classes++
-The point of these changes is to give the each class a more unique feeling-
Lower the Scout’s movement sound volume, and make them near silent while in trees
Reasoning: Scouts get low health but high mobility. They essentially MUST pick the Medkit due to limited gear points. Seeing as they’re lightweight and of a smaller frame, they should make less noise.
Increase the effectiveness of the Net Gun and Bear Trap on Hunter, reduce the cooldown on Target Isolation, and increase visibility of mudded Fireteam soldiers
Reasoning: Being a middle-ground between Scout and Berserker, the Hunter would do well to be better with traps; longer times spent netted or with a leg stuck would help the Hunter either go in for the kill with melee or ranged weapons.
For the other changes, well… he’s a Hunter, and should feel like a better HUNTER than the Scout and Berserker.
Allow the Berserker to attack with melee weapons while in Second Wind
Alternative: When the Berserker enters second wind, have them emit a loud scream that fully blinds and deafens nearby fireteam members for a short duration.
Reasoning: The Berserker should be just that: a scary, rampaging beast who’s ready to fight you until the very end. Currently, they’re a fatty who even an Assault can chase down and finish off. The alternative would help them to escape.
++Weapons++
Make the Elder Sword unable to be parried
Reasoning: Keeping this as a fast melee weapon that does low damage yet cannot be parried would give it a reason to be picked
Allow the Net Gun to be affected by the Trapper perk
Reasoning: The Net Gun can be VERY strong in CQC, giving a small window to melee someone down or escape. However, it is not affected by the Trapper perk despite being a trap.
Moderately increase damage of the Hand Held Plasma Caster
Reasoning: This thing is difficult to land a shot with and does a mere 30 damage, boosted to 33 with the Downrange perk. Without that perk, it would take 4 shots to down a Scout not using any health/damage resistance perks. It’s never worth taking right now.
Headshots from the Yautja Bow should down any class regardless of health. Also, slightly increase slowing effect of arrows (or) extend duration/require manual removal of arrow, of which renders the user immobile
Reasoning: A giant arrow to the head, which is very difficult to land on targets unless immobile, should have a strong effect. As it is now, it’s better to use your Plasmacaster with a charge shot while hiding the laser as it charges, rather than go for a headshot with the bow. The bow isn’t without warning, same as the plastmacaster: there’s a very noticeable glow when it’s fully charged.
The slowing effect is also hardly noticeable given its short duration. Having to manually remove the arrow would make this a great weapon, even if it only takes a second.
Increase base speed of Smart Disc, increase cornering ability, reduce ghost trail visibility, and uninvert its controls
Reasoning: It’s too slow, too loud, too obvious. It hits VERY hard, but landing this on anyone with half a brain and unclogged ears is near impossible.
Severely increase War Club damage and have it stun Fireteam soldiers
Reasoning: A very short range club should hit hard and cause either a stun, or concussion effect that makes it very difficult to see. This should be the primary weapon used to beat someone to death! It’s a club!
** —See Nerf section for Combistick—**
++Gear++
Reduce visibility of Bear Trap area morph effect
Reasoning: It’s stupidly obvious where these things are at all times. Remove this effect and have it be just the bear trap, as they’re already strong enough to not need cloaking of any kind.
Increase Healing Kit speed
Reason: The Fireteam get a very fast instant heal, and can replenish them with ease. The Predator has to become immobile and do a long process of sticking themself and waiting. This makes the Predator vulnerable while increasing the downtime for the Fireteam.
Buffing healing speed would also further the power of the healing speed perk, making it a very strong pick, not an almost necessary one.
++Perks++
Increase effects of Height Advantage, Down Range, Impenetrable, and Protection
Reasoning: From my testing, the current increase/decrease values of these are around 5-7%. Up them to around 15%.
Allow Trapper to affect the Net Gun
Reasoning: See the Net Gun in weapon buffs section.
++General Changes++
Remove sound when switching Thermal Vision on/off
Reasoning: Fireteam really shouldn’t hear this.
Moderately increase crouch movement speed
Reasoning: Crouching is useful for being quiet, but you move too slowly, rendering its use to becoming a smaller target in nearly all situations. Its slow speed also allows the Fireteam to juke you by looping under train cars.
Allow Predators in Second Wind to leap, and give a slight movement speed increase
Optional: Have leap take a small amount of the bleedout timer
Reasoning: Recon and Scout can both chase even Scout Predators for the duration of their Second wind, as the Predator cannot climb trees or leap to escape. This is the current meta, and it’s boring for the Predator to go down and have zero chance of escape.
Just to reinforce this point: No Predator can escape a Scout while in Second Wind, due to their speed, high stamina pool and insane rate of stamina recovery, which leads to the Predator always dying.
Slightly decrease visibility when moving while cloaked
Reasoning: Transitioning to full invisibility by going immobile is very fast. However, moving with the cloak on makes you very easy to see. A slight reduction in visibility would make it more of a relevant maneuver.
Allow Predators to break Medkits that are placed on tables
Reasoning: They can already do this to a wall mounted Medkit, but not ones on a table
(Other ideas)
Add an objective that requires the Fireteam to split up
Reasoning: There’s no reason to split up currently, aside from going for reinforcements. This makes playing a Predator like a, well, Predator, difficult. Either the Fireteam would have to split up in pairs, or send a lone person off.
Add Claymores to Fireteam gear, but limit them to 1 per soldier, plantable only in mud, non-replenishable, and can be seen with thermals
Reasoning: The Fireteam could use traps of their own. Balancing them to not allow the Fireteam to camp a corner or something to that effect can be done.
Add a sanity function to the Fireteam, similar to that of Friday the 13th. When near or under the attack by the Predator for too long, vision and recoil will be affected, and the character will curse/scream/whimper out of fear
Reasoning: Helps with the atmosphere while also giving the Fireteam a reason not to chase the Predator with a knife. Helps with Fireteam players who mud up and sit in a bush near you for too long.
Add a UI scaling slider
Reasoning: The UI is obnoxiously big on monitors vs a television.
Increase the Field of View limit
Reasoning: It’s not high enough for many people, which leads to eye strain, headaches, and migraines.