06-11-2019, 09:16 AM
Discovery Freelancer 4.91.0 Patch 12 Balance Changes
These changes are live as of 12/6/2019. If you find any bugs or irregularities immediately report them here. Feedback and commentary should be posted in the continuation of this thread.
Below are the upcoming balance changes made with the release of 4.91.0 Patch 12. Underneath every balance change will follow the balance team's reasoning, which should help to explain the necessity of such changes. As always, we recommend using FLStat to view these changes, which you can find (alongside a tutorial) here.
Very Heavy Fighters
![[Image: 254px-Lh_fighter.png]](https://discoverygc.com/wiki/images/thumb/4/46/Lh_fighter.png/254px-Lh_fighter.png)
Falchion
- Hull: 11.8k -> 11k
- Nanobots: 68 -> 66
- Batteries: 68 -> 66
Already a difficult ship to hit, we opted to reduce the total hull significantly and available regens slightly in order to reward every shot that does land on-target.
- Hull: 11.8k -> 11k
- Nanobots: 68 -> 66
- Batteries: 68 -> 66
Already a difficult ship to hit, we opted to reduce the total hull significantly and available regens slightly in order to reward every shot that does land on-target.
Super Heavy Fighters
All SHFs (with the exception of the Nomad Anzu and AI Drone) will have two of their figher gun slots expanded into Class 4 bomber gun slots, capable of mounting Hellfire Rocket Pods, Scorchers, and Neutralizer Bombs as well as fighter guns (spoilers!). In addition, all SHFs (again, with those exceptions) will also be standardized to be able to mount ONE bomber torpedo weapon, such as the SNAC, Nova, Corona, etc. The other torpedo slot will only mount fighter torpedoes and CDs. This latter change will help standardize SHF capability, as in the past some could mount two bomber torpedoes, while others were incapable of mounting any. Please note that both slots will continue to be able to mount all fighter torpedoes and disruptors.
![[Image: 254px-Dsy_gms_shf.png]](https://discoverygc.com/wiki/images/thumb/a/a2/Dsy_gms_shf.png/254px-Dsy_gms_shf.png)
Plier
- Hull: 22.1k -> 20k
- Nanobots: 160 -> 135
- Batteries: 160 -> 135
- Core Capacity: 39130 -> 29000
- Core Regen: 2350 -> 1650
The Plier is a very difficult to hit SHF, and as such we saw fit to reduce both its hull and regen capacity to better reward placed hits. In addition, its core and regen was brought down to line up with its SHF brethren, including the OSC Shuttle.
- Hull: 22.1k -> 20k
- Nanobots: 160 -> 135
- Batteries: 160 -> 135
- Core Capacity: 39130 -> 29000
- Core Regen: 2350 -> 1650
The Plier is a very difficult to hit SHF, and as such we saw fit to reduce both its hull and regen capacity to better reward placed hits. In addition, its core and regen was brought down to line up with its SHF brethren, including the OSC Shuttle.
![[Image: 254px-Dsy_miner_shf.png]](https://discoverygc.com/wiki/images/thumb/a/a3/Dsy_miner_shf.png/254px-Dsy_miner_shf.png)
Arrastra
- Nanobots: 170 -> 145
- Batteries: 170 -> 145
- Core Capacity: 39130 -> 29000
- Core Regen: 2350 -> 1650
- Responsiveness: 0.4759 -> 0.4989
- Weapon arcs buffed. All 7 guns/turrets now fire forward.
The Arrastra has always been an oddity for only having five forward-firing guns, something that has now been fixed and standardized. The other changes have reduced its core and regen potential to bring it in line with the Plier and OSC Shuttle. We hope this makes the Arrastra more viable overall, although we expect to make further tweaks down the line as we monitor these changes.
- Nanobots: 170 -> 145
- Batteries: 170 -> 145
- Core Capacity: 39130 -> 29000
- Core Regen: 2350 -> 1650
- Responsiveness: 0.4759 -> 0.4989
- Weapon arcs buffed. All 7 guns/turrets now fire forward.
The Arrastra has always been an oddity for only having five forward-firing guns, something that has now been fixed and standardized. The other changes have reduced its core and regen potential to bring it in line with the Plier and OSC Shuttle. We hope this makes the Arrastra more viable overall, although we expect to make further tweaks down the line as we monitor these changes.
Battleships
![[Image: 254px-Ku_battleship.png]](https://discoverygc.com/wiki/images/thumb/a/a6/Ku_battleship.png/254px-Ku_battleship.png)
Tokugawa
- The forward-firing, central heavy slot on the bottom of the ship has been moved to only fire rearward and to the sides.
The Tokugawa is very well-shaped, and with four forward firing heavies it was very adept at chasing down other capital ships and receiving little damage in return.
- The forward-firing, central heavy slot on the bottom of the ship has been moved to only fire rearward and to the sides.
The Tokugawa is very well-shaped, and with four forward firing heavies it was very adept at chasing down other capital ships and receiving little damage in return.
Bomber Weapons
Supernova Antimatter Cannon ("SNAC")
- SNACs now will deal full damage against SHFs, Bombers, and Freighters
There has been a great demand for both the return of the SNAC's instakill capability and for a counter to SHFs and freighters. We hope that, by returning this niche to the SNAC, we can offer such a counter to these ships and thus a revival of the SNAC as such, while continuing to prevent insta-kills on smaller snubs.
NOTE: These changes will be available upon server restart tonight.
- SNACs now will deal full damage against SHFs, Bombers, and Freighters
There has been a great demand for both the return of the SNAC's instakill capability and for a counter to SHFs and freighters. We hope that, by returning this niche to the SNAC, we can offer such a counter to these ships and thus a revival of the SNAC as such, while continuing to prevent insta-kills on smaller snubs.
NOTE: These changes will be available upon server restart tonight.
Bomber Scattergun
- Range: 975 -> 150
The Scattergun excels in the role we initially intended, that being a close quarters dueling weapon against fighters. Unfortunately, it also came to be an exceptional general purpose weapon against fighters in group fights and smaller capitals, gunboats especially. By heavily reducing its range, its use as a dueling and defensive weapon against fighters remains intact, while making it less than ideal for chasing fighters and less of a one-size fits all bomber weapon.
- Range: 975 -> 150
The Scattergun excels in the role we initially intended, that being a close quarters dueling weapon against fighters. Unfortunately, it also came to be an exceptional general purpose weapon against fighters in group fights and smaller capitals, gunboats especially. By heavily reducing its range, its use as a dueling and defensive weapon against fighters remains intact, while making it less than ideal for chasing fighters and less of a one-size fits all bomber weapon.
Nova Torpedo Launcher
- Mass: 100 -> 75
A simple change to reduce the number of flak hits needed to deflect torpedoes. The lower mass will also result in a higher angle-of-deflection, which will reduce the number of Novas that re-acquire target lock after being hit with flak.
- Mass: 100 -> 75
A simple change to reduce the number of flak hits needed to deflect torpedoes. The lower mass will also result in a higher angle-of-deflection, which will reduce the number of Novas that re-acquire target lock after being hit with flak.
Neutralizer & Scorcher Bombs
- Damage and Power Usage halved
- Moved from Class 1 (Bomber Torpedo) to Class 4 (Bomber Heavy) slot
Through this change, we hope to add a bit of diversity to the Class 4 slots, especially as they will now be appearing on SHFs as well as Bombers. Previously, the choice on Class 4 slots was largely between light bomber guns and Hellfire Pods, whereas now there will hopefully be more competition for these limited slots. This change is also intended to reduce the chance of Scorcher insta-kills on snubs, and overall simply improve the variety of Bomber and SHF loadouts.
- Damage and Power Usage halved
- Moved from Class 1 (Bomber Torpedo) to Class 4 (Bomber Heavy) slot
Through this change, we hope to add a bit of diversity to the Class 4 slots, especially as they will now be appearing on SHFs as well as Bombers. Previously, the choice on Class 4 slots was largely between light bomber guns and Hellfire Pods, whereas now there will hopefully be more competition for these limited slots. This change is also intended to reduce the chance of Scorcher insta-kills on snubs, and overall simply improve the variety of Bomber and SHF loadouts.
This post was supposed to go live with the patch, apologies for the delay.
This post went live before the patch, apologies for any confusion.
That's all for this patch. As always, all changes made above and previous will be monitored on-server for further tweaks, and you can expect additional balance passes to follow alongside future patches.
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