We need a replacement for Fletcher's Lock-on Augment. What should it be?

(SzGamer227) #1

Certain loadout cards for Fletcher have the Lock-on augment, which has the effect ‘Turrets, mines, and other automated defenses react 30% more quickly.’ Problem is: Fletcher’s sticky’s aren’t automated; they have to be activated manually, and the augment is now a useless waste of space that takes up a valuable loadout slot. (I’ve been told that stickies used to auto-detonate, but this augment wasn’t removed when this feature was, hence the problem.)

Some information that may or may not influence your decision:

  • Three of the loadouts that are currently fitted with Lock-on are called Defensive (Lead), Paladin (Iron), and Guardian (Bronze) Close Assault, implying a more defensive loadout. Gear-wise, these loadouts are fitted with the Ahnuhld-12, Empire-9, and Beckhill Combat Knife.

  • Lock-on appears on one of Fletcher’s basic Lead cards. This means the new augment should be fit for standing alone. This also means that the new augment cannot be Unshakeable or Enigma, as these already are on other Lead loadouts for Fletcher.

  • Lock-on is paired with the Tough and Double Time augments in the aforementioned loadouts, as well as Fail Safe and Springy in his Standard Operative loadout. (Standard Operative loadout is fitted with the Blishlok, Empire-9, and Stilnotto Stiletto.)

So what can we replace it with?

Explodydendron/Bigger Blasts: Increases the AoE of abilities/weapons by 10%.
This would obviously complement his special ability and improve trap coverage. This is my personal choice because it seems like it fits best; a good standard equipment upgrade that would play to his defensive and offensive styles.

Pineapple Juggler: Allows you to pick up and throw nearby grenades.
Fletcher feels like he should posses this particular defensive skill. Fragger wouldn’t be too pleased, though.

Looter: Killing an enemy Fire Support Merc will drop Ammo. Killing an enemy Medic will drop a Health.
This particular augment is shared among our prominent engineers and close assault mercs, namely Proxy, Bushwhacker, and Rhino. Fletcher seems left out!

These are the best candidates I could think of, but what do you think?

(Indefinite) #2

Pineapple Smuggler.

(CCP115) #3

I’ve seen threads on the augment before, and that one comparison video, and I just don’t get it.

What’s the problem? It does what it says it does, 30% faster reaction time. It only shaves off a few frames, sure, but it’s what the label says. Can someone actually explain the deal here?

I would like to make the stickies auto explode but that would be kinda OP, and the deciding factor on me picking Fletcher’s cards.

(ATTEM) #4

My idea for replacement is something like “pitcher” augment. This would allow players to throw stickies further/faster. Compared to explosives like grenades, stickies take much longer to land on targets and on top of that, fletcher has to manually detonate. Most players don’t use stickies like mines anyway because they do not automatically explode and have to watch out for enemies to come near.

(MvMArcher) #5

The problem is that the stickies don’t “react” to anything, so the augment does literally nothing for him.

Now back to answer OP’s post.
I don’t really care for a 10% bigger blast, as the blast is so small to begin with.
Looter feels like a solid choice, although I would love to see “quick draw” as it’s just such a good augment for him.

(cornJester) #6

Quick draw. It would be amazing on more of his cards as he needs to switch between guns and stickies often.
Pineapple juggler is bad on everyone as it only works on Fragger’s nades and a good Fragger will always cook their nades, please add better uses to this before adding it to anyone.

(tome_weng) #7

When I first saw that Fletcher had the Lock On augment I assumed the description was worded oddly and that it would improve the detonation time of the sticky bombs, much like how quick draw does now. I’d love to see the augment stay on his cards and improve the detonation time by somewhere between 30 and 45% so it’d be a slightly better improvement than that which quick draw currently provides, at the expense of fast weapon switches. His sticky bombs do seem to get a very large boost in effectiveness from the faster detonation time provided by quick draw, which seems to make BL33 the clear winner in terms of his cards, so it would be good to see other cards that could challenge this.

I wouldn’t like to see the bigger blasts/explodydendron augment, as this would promote an (even more) spammy playstyle not to mention making you blow yourself up more.

Either that or a new augment that would increase throwspeed or something of the sort could be fun and offer some more playstyle diversity.

(LifeupOmega) #8

If the perk Lock On was meant to benefit stickies, I’d like to see Bigger Blasts, or Quick Draw, replacing it. Both of them benefit your ability.

(moonlitAbility) #9

I would be MORE than happy with tweaking it so that on fletcher using his trigger happened 30% faster or whatever. or throwing the sticky. im constantly getting shot to death while in that animation

(capriRocket) #10

yeah id say the best perk fletcher could get is an increase in mobility while charging his throw as its very often a dangerous moment.

(CCP115) #11

The problem is that the stickies don’t “react” to anything, so the augment does literally nothing for him.

Now back to answer OP’s post.
I don’t really care for a 10% bigger blast, as the blast is so small to begin with.
Looter feels like a solid choice, although I would love to see “quick draw” as it’s just such a good augment for him.[/quote]

It reacts to you pressing E, or detonate.