What is your opinion of ranged Predator weapons in 2.06?
How do you like them?
Do you like combining them with special perks?
Ranged Predator weapons in 2.06
2 Likes
Plasma Caster:
The plasma caster is a great long range weapon. Even moving targets are easily hit but it consumes energy.
- Modified reserve does not speed up energy regeneration directly.
- Dithered Lens does not grant that much of a bonus since you should never have a direct line of sight to the enemy, attack from cover, i.e. make use of third person view’s advantages. Actually, it may make aiming more difficult depending on the background.
- Energy reserve does not help since it increases maximum energy but not energy regeneration rate.
- Down range increases damage and, thus, is helpful.
You cannot solely rely on the plasma caster because you will run out of time. Mean damage over time is not high enough.
By the way, did you know that the available energy differs significantly between the classes?
Available energy: Elder first, followed by Berserker and Hunter, then Hunters and finally Scout and Alpha. So, the Scout is not optimal for ranged attacks with the plasma caster due to the lack of energy. Energy regeneration rates seem to be different, too.
2 Likes
Yautja Bow:
The Yautja Bow has got sufficient damage at medium range. At very short range, the third person view makes it difficult to aim with. Its controls are awkward.
Against moving targets which actively try to avoid getting hit it is a bad option. You won’t hit reliably due the really slow moving arrows.
1 Like
Hand Held Plasma Caster:
This was a solid ranged weapon for medium range before version 2.0. Its damage was lower than the Yautja Bow’s but it was far easier to hit moving targets.
In version 2.06, it simply lacks damage (per time). It feels like an air gun, especially if you shoot at Support or a Dutch. Are they even getting hurt at all?
1 Like
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Plasma caster = best weapon
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Bow = is usless, it does the wrist blade attack instead of shooting the arrow, slow ads movements speed, slow charge, slow projectile speed
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Plasma pistol = very weak, too many unnecessary nerfs
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Combi stick = avarage, not good any more, shadow nerf was too much, also it can go under the map
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Smart Disc = unless you are a pro with that weapon, is still weak and slow
4 Likes
Smart Disc:
Never tried. Damage is high but the smart disc is lost easily. Is it possible to hit targets reliably? Is it suited for short range?
Combistick:
Throwing the combistick was a good option for high damage but in version 2.06 it is not anymore.
1 Like
Tbh i wished they made the plasma caster a more direct hit weapon, instead of hoping youre going to hit someone and reaping the reward of the increased slash damage. (Mind you they had to do something about FT members going into tight spaces and exploiting)
In the movies nothing really stops the plasma caster unless its solid ground or just loses its energy. It normally melts what it goes through with minimal splash damage.
This would reward people for aiming better and provide a trade off with damage.
Imo.
Nice sumnary. What perks do you like for ranged combat?
Do you attack from the trees?
Down range is a must, all range weapons have low damage. All the perks for Plasma caster and Energy in general are very good. Adrenaline Boost could be good but I have to test it.
1 Like
Adrenal Boost is one of the best perks. It grants you mobility (no matter which class you chose) and is a solid option for melee combat, too. Thus, you can change position more easily. You should definitely test it. What perks do you mean for plasma caster and energy?
Currently, Adrenal Boost, Down Range and, maybe, Modified Reserve are a solid combination for ranged attacks with the plasma caster and the bow.
Dithered Lens may be great but all good players spot you no matter if the laser is less visible.
1 Like
I can’t agree more.
And the only ranged weapon the Predator have that wont bug in any way is the Plasma Caster, but at the moment it’s pretty lame to only use it while cloaked and firing charged shots, any player can do that, there is no skill in it. At least the Plasma Caster has not bugged out for me, not after i discovered that it shoots in random directions if you stand close to the tree trunk when you’re on the branches, but i think Illfonic fixed that, haven’t checked though.
The bow is weak and often causes you to make a melee attack with the wrist blades, exposing yourself since the cloak turns off. The arrows are pretty slow too and if you have over 60ms you can forget using it, unless you want to kill boars who stands still.
Plasma Pistol used to be good if you played properly, but i hate that you don’t have that red dot in the middle of the screen so you can pre-aim, just like you can with the bow. The nerfed rate of fire made it bad, i’m not too bothered with the recoil.
The Combistick melee is trash and the throw seem to bug pretty often, atleast for me, it doesn’t record damage done even though the spear travels through the heads, shoulders and torso of Fireteam players.
Sometimes it can get stuck inside tree trunks and other objects so you can’t pick it up, even thrown off or under the map.
I’ve actually been practicing the Smart Disc alot lately and it clearly has great potential, but aswell as the other ranged weapons it tends to bug alot, hitting invisible objects and rubberbanding. It moves fast and hits hard and you can hit several players in one flight. Once i hit the same player three times, making him get downed + killed. Also downed a whole PS Fireteam in one flight.
The Smart Disc takes so much skill to master, and if you hit an invisible object then a premade will destroy it, which sucks.
They should change dithered lense to be completely invisible but you have to aim while using thermal vision
And make smoke grenades turn the laser visible in the smoke.
1 Like
The bow is awesome, I don’t know what you guys are talking about. I’ve wiped out so many teams with just the bow. To avoid the wristblade bug, you just have charge the bow for a bit before you fire.
Charged bow shots only works vs PS players and oblivious PC players, not PC premades. I think the majority of the more skilled Predator players wants mobility and quick shots on the run.
Maybe Illfonic should add another bow and call it “Longbow”, ment to use for charged sniper shots and change the current one to “Shortbow” and specialize it for close quarter combat and quick shots.
1 Like
This is what I meant: Awkward controls. If you shoot too early, you use the wristblade. I think this is by intention and not a bug.
To conserve energy, I prefer the Yautja bow to finish off a downed fireteam member or to attack fireteam members trying to revive him.
He means charging for a short time to avoid the “Yautja bow” bug.
1 Like
You don’t have to do a fully charged shot though, you can still do quick shots but you just have to charge it for 1 second to avoid the wristblade bug.
Yeah, a bow designed for close combat could be cool.
Define the word short.
1 second is too long, it means after 4 arrows you enter second wind by the FT. xD