Phantom Secondary Ability and General State of Balance Brainstorm

(watsyurdeal) #1

So after today’s Merc Role Call, pretty much the exact thing I suggested for Phantom is Thunder’s ability, which I didn’t know about (I just assumed it was essentially a flash grenade).

So with that said, let’s brainstorm things here, but before I do, let’s outline the goals here.

  • What is Phantom’s problem?

To put it bluntly, he has no purpose. If I want a killing class, I’ll choose Fragger, Nader, or Thunder, if I want a Spotter, I have to choose Red Eye or Vasilli since Phantom has no spotting ability of his own.

Phantom has an ability that works…but is easy to see and annoying to fight, overall just frustrating on both sides. I feel like he needs a rework here, but also needs a functional ability to make him a distinct character worth picking over the others. Something to separate him from the rest.

  • What kind of abilities are we looking for here?

Well, the best way I can describe it is intel, something to do with either relaying intel, or misguiding it. For example, a decoy or scrambler device that creates fake spotted enemies on the radar. This can confuse people and even send them in the wrong direction. Even lure people away from their team mates so yo single out certain players.

Or maybe keep it simple, and separate his abilites like someone else here once suggested. This way you can choose when to activate cloak, and when to activate armor.

  • Could his loadout cards affect his balance?

Absolutely, if you want to propose augments as well be my guest. A stealthy Engineer card or Medic card would be fantastic to change things up.

(Eox) #2

Someone suggested an ability that allows you to silence yourself and allies around. It could be nice IMO. I think it was @gg2ez

(watsyurdeal) #3

@Eox

Honestly the more I think about the Scrambler idea the more I like it, luring people away from the point so my team can push from the opposite direction, or fuck with them and actually push that way if they call the bluff.

Or just luring solo players away where Phantom excels, 1v1s

(Mr-Penguin) #4

How about a thingie where Phantom could interact with downed enemies and “download” their minimap data so that allies could temporarily see enemies on their minimap?

Gives Phantom and the minimap a purpose!

(watsyurdeal) #5

[quote=“derpypenguinz19;113471”]How about a thingie where Phantom could interact with downed enemies and “download” their minimap data so that allies could temporarily see enemies on their minimap?

Gives Phantom and the minimap a purpose! [/quote]

This could be interesting, but maybe too situational I’m afraid.

(Mr-Penguin) #6

[quote=“Watsyurdeal;113474”][quote=“derpypenguinz19;113471”]How about a thingie where Phantom could interact with downed enemies and “download” their minimap data so that allies could temporarily see enemies on their minimap?

Gives Phantom and the minimap a purpose! [/quote]

This could be interesting, but maybe too situational I’m afraid. [/quote]

That’s what I thought. Any enemy would just tap out as soon as a Phantom came near them.

Or maybe that would be a good thing. If SD won’t give him a spotting ability, then at least give him a scare factor.

(VincentRJaeger) #7

[quote=“derpypenguinz19;113471”]How about a thingie where Phantom could interact with downed enemies and “download” their minimap data so that allies could temporarily see enemies on their minimap?

Gives Phantom and the minimap a purpose! [/quote]

They had something like this in Brink I recall. Same system too; When you played as an Operator and an enemy was downed you could scan him, resulting in the whole teams location becoming visible to your team. Of course this only worked when the enemy was incapped as when he died you instead had the prompt to disguise.

EDIT: I mean technically it could work, if it worked on gibbed enemies aswell; problem is…
First of all, How long will enemies be marked for? Will they know it? How often can Phantom use this ability and will it not be outdone by RedEye and Vassilis Spotter?

(Haki) #8

What if you were able to spot enemies but only while you’re cloaked ?

Granted giving people a even bigger sign that they are being watched isn’t exactly the way to make phantom stealthier :smiley:

Maybe there’s a middleground…

(Mr-Penguin) #9

[quote=“Haki;113493”]What if you were able to spot enemies but only while you’re cloaked ?

Granted giving people a even bigger sign that they are being watched isn’t exactly the way to make phantom stealthier :smiley:

Maybe there’s a middleground…[/quote]

Make the spotting ability use the cloak’s energy?

(Reddeadcap) #10

I stand by my Better Cloak, More Health, Uncloaked when Detected, No Shield but the same Speed and Comm’s Hack ability Comment in another thread:

I see where SD were going but theres a reason why the way Refractive Armor works isn’t common.

The main issue is that the way his Refractive Armor currently works it is neither an effective armor or an effective cloak.
Many suggest deviding these into two abilities, a very effective cloak and a very effective armor, but my thoughts on changing him are much more simple and straight foward

My suggestion for the armor/health people complain about would be giving him back the 120 health or 125 tops, but no more armor.

The reason why this would make sense is that health is reflected on the characters by how much armor the character in question is wearing and Phantom is really armored, but keeping his current speed as a passive bonus to suggest his armor while very protective is still light due to the high quality prototype technological nature of it.

As for Refractive Armor in of itself; Just make an invisibility cloak, an effective one.
Less visibility and noise and maybe set to drain at a constant speed rather than have it based on how fast Phantom would be moving, but deactivated instantly when detected like before, rather than staying invisible with a red diamond over one’s head.

Phantom is a closer oriented Recon but he lacks any way to actually recon, sure a teammate with a mic would be a great idea but sometimes such co-operation isn’t common.
In comes the Comm’s hack I mentioned earlier which would fit his Bio mentions not trusting him with your phone.

My idea on Comm’s hack would be that it’d have a longer lasting and largest area of effect at the price of much larger cooldownthan other.

For those who have no clue how it works, In Brink an Operative character would go up to a downed enemy and start a quick 2.5 seconds “Comms Hack” which would instantly detect all enemy players instant, maybe having a decay on enemy players of around 5 seconds so if someone was drop themselves Phantom would still be able to interact with the corpse, the only exception i think would be if they’ve been finished or gibbed.

(Drcipres) #11

The ability that you suggested, has to be something like the hologram in halo, because if it is just a triangle standing still, people will be suspicious about it, and will ignore it, because they will think is just a phantom so, either mark a path to the “hologram” or the diamond to travel, so it simulates movement, or any of the ideas above

(Adam) #12

They should have it so Phantom could toss away his SMG, and have increased melee damage.

/thread

(Grave_Knight) #13

Things I want. 120 HP returned, immunity to headshot damage while shields is up, the ability to mark a location or a single enemy.

I think the reason SD doesn’t want to give him a spotter ability is because they keep thinking of how Vassi or Red Eye’s spotter powers work.

(gg2ez) #14

Yep. That was me.

I love playing Phantom, I really do - but if and when I get into the comp scene seriously, I want to be able to use him in a way that benefits my team.

(neverplayseriou) #15

@Watsyurdeal I would like that scrambler idea, might be cause I dissabled my mini map though :stuck_out_tongue:

(signofzeta) #16

Phantom should have an ability that while cloaked, there is a radius around him that cancels heartbeat sensors and IR goggles, EXCEPT on himself. So here’s the situation. Enemy sees one person standing around (the Phantom). Tries to attack. NOPE, gets killed by a group of 5 guys.

How do we balance this out? Aimee’s third eye cam. Why? Phantom hides teammates, but does not make them invisible.

(Grave_Knight) #17

[quote=“signofzeta;113705”]Phantom should have an ability that while cloaked, there is a radius around him that cancels heartbeat sensors and IR goggles, EXCEPT on himself. So here’s the situation. Enemy sees one person standing around (the Phantom). Tries to attack. NOPE, gets killed by a group of 5 guys.

How do we balance this out? Aimee’s third eye cam. Why? Phantom hides teammates, but does not make them invisible.[/quote]

And RedEye IR GOGGLES don’t work because? It’s basically an IR camera with IFF designator…

(signofzeta) #18

[quote=“Grave Knight;113725”][quote=“signofzeta;113705”]Phantom should have an ability that while cloaked, there is a radius around him that cancels heartbeat sensors and IR goggles, EXCEPT on himself. So here’s the situation. Enemy sees one person standing around (the Phantom). Tries to attack. NOPE, gets killed by a group of 5 guys.

How do we balance this out? Aimee’s third eye cam. Why? Phantom hides teammates, but does not make them invisible.[/quote]

And RedEye IR GOGGLES don’t work because? It’s basically an IR camera with IFF designator…[/quote]

IR goggles work, just not the spotting part. You can technically spot enemies around a cloaked phantom. It is just that it does not show it to your teammates.

(Haki) #19

Yep. That was me.
[/quote]

Donquixote Rosinante much? :smiley:

(gg2ez) #20

Yep. That was me.
[/quote]

Donquixote Rosinante much? :smiley:
[/quote]

I only watched EP. 2 last week. I know nothing.