Further possible changes to Thunder and Phantom

(hoyes) #1

Due to the recent reworks many questions have been asked about the viability of these two mercs.This will display my opinions of how they could further be changed to suit the game and become more balanced.

Thunder:

-Increase cooldown to 20secs(from 15)
-Increase fuse time to 3 secs (from 1)
-added cooking(with animation
-brought back emp which will disable deployables for 6 secs

I thought about this for quite a while and decided that thunder had a lot more utility even before the rework. Sure, he couldn’t really disable enemies, but the emp gave it some use in a time of a desperate need of a buff. The reason im suggesting cooking is because right now, YOU CANNOT DODGE THE CONCS. If you are in a 1v1 with a thunder you are already at a disadvantage with him having 170hp, but if you are good enough to face them then the thunder just quickly throws the conc which there is no escape from, and you die. The cooking would allow well placed concs at range, whilst not being able to be used as effectively as now in a 1v1.

Phantom:

-Increase movement speed to 420(from 400)
*get the joke
-remove emp
-bring back old cooldown(no 7 second insta cooldown)
-when walking the refractive armor now renders phantom 99% invisible
-when standing still you are 100% invisible
-when running you are 95% invisible
-the armor effect now soaks up 60 dmg(from 70)

Phantom is supposed to be a stealth merc. No doubt about it. The emp effect ruined this and made him a dead giveaway to the enemy team, although it did provide some team play. The movement speed increase would allow him to traverse the maps quicker, whilst the lack of visibility giving him a chance to be stealthy. Phantom would have a slow and methodical play style, but have great reward and satisfaction for doing so.Though of course we have to nerf the armor aspect a little in order to reward players for spotting him.

So what do you think of my suggestions?

(watsyurdeal) #2

Thunder doesn’t need the EMP, but Phantom with an EMP nade would make him very useful. Especially if it also applies the Bomb Squad affect, so your allies can see the disabled deployables.

(frostyvampire) #3

The cooldown for Thunder’s nade is 17 seconds, and it should stay 17 seconds like Fragger’s nade
Also even though I like EMP and miss it, Thunder doesn’t really need it unless you can conc a health station with enemies there.

Phantom would still be loud so making him more invisible won’t do much, he needs a full rework and a new EMP/spotting ability

(hoyes) #4

im pretty sure after 70 hours as thunder i think he has a 15 sec cooldown. and i do agree that phantom might need to be reworked again.Really phantom just doesn’t suit this game, hes not meant for it.

(terminal) #5

I don’t see how any of these changes will help.

  1. Giving Thunder a cooking time doesn’t stop him from just tossing the conc when he’s about to die. It’ll just give him a chance to conc people earlier.
  2. You clearly didn’t think for “quite a while” since the changes you’re suggesting are just old mechanics and increasing the cooldowns.
  3. You’re clearly biased in favor of Phantom. Yea sure let’s just give Phantom a bunch of buffs in exchange for 10 less armor health and write up on how he has to “traverse the map quicker” or give him a “chance to be stealthy”
  4. 420 isn’t funny
(hoyes) #6

@terminal take a chill pill bro.(ik 420 isn’t funny)Thunder having a cooking time does stop that as im sure that by the time a firefight has finished with him, it would give you well enough time to escape from the conc. You have to take into consideration that whilst the thunder is about throw the conc he is vulnerable aswell leaving you more of a chance to win.Also, thinking about something doesnt mean it has to be original, i was thinking about whether it would work now.

(terminal) #7
  1. Cooking doesn’t necessarily mean the fuse time is increased
  2. You suggested to increase the cooldowns and give the concs their EMP back with no explanation as to why.
(hoyes) #8

I did mention the fuse time would be increased to that of fraggers nade. The reason for the emp is that thunder was intentionally supposed to be used to.break a line, take.out nests to make it easier for.your team to push to the objective. The emp would make it easier to do this. Right now there is not much difference between Thunder and Fragger apart from health, which imo should not be the reason for choosing a merc over another.