Implemented Additional Vortigaunt Buffs

[Raptorian]

So Vortigaunts have been receiving a nice set of buffs over the past few days. When asking for some additional buffs, I was asked to make a forum post to gauge the player-base's opinions. Don't know if this is exactly in the right category, but I'll be going over two buffs I'd like to see implemented, and would like to see opinions/feedback.

1. A decrease in firing time for the vortibeam. I haven't measured the time of firing myself, but DeNuke has reported this to me; Currently, it takes three seconds to fire the vortibeam. This means in TBC, you have around 2 seconds to think / aim / position before firing, or else you lose your turn. This is on-top of our attack already costing 2 AP. In Episode 2, it takes vortigaunts one second fire the beam. Not only would decreasing the firing time give vortigaunts more time in TBC, it would make this faction that's abysmal in S2K possibly viable.

2. An inherent speed buff. As of now, I believe OTA are given a static boost to multiple stats (I think I saw +40? I'm not sure.) What I'd advocate for is a +20-+30 to Vortigaunts for speed. The most important reason for this change is that you are given a free movement token at level 30. With this, vortigaunts restrictions are lifted quite a bit, and they become much more viable than just a sentry-turret in combat. I wouldn't be pushing for this if leveling the speed skill wasn't incredibly difficult, and as such many vortigaunts are left being incredibly weaker than they should be, until they can get through the incredibly long grind.

While all opinions are appreciated, those that have played or fought against vortigaunts recently are most appreciated.

 

[Votton]

I'll tag @Robert as he's been doing the DMG buffs for the Vorts the last few days.

 

[emmet]

Vortigaunts dont need additional buffs. They are good as they are. If there is a situation where its 2 vortigaunts vs 1 cp, the cp dies in 1 turn while even if I dump my magazine on a vortigaunt's head, it wont die

 

[HOKI]

+support for everything excluding the speed boost. Afaik vortigaunts have 200 hp, a quicker vortibeam would be nice but speed boost is already pushing it imo, it'll make vortigaunts too OP.

 

[Raptorian]

Vortigaunts dont need additional buffs. They are good as they are. If there is a situation where its 2 vortigaunts vs 1 cp, the cp dies in 1 turn while even if I dump my magazine on a vortigaunt's head, it wont die

..That's because you're trying to 1v2 vortigaunts as a CP.

 

[Raptorian]

+support for everything excluding the speed boost. Afaik vortigaunts have 200 hp, a quicker vortibeam would be nice but speed boost is already pushing it imo, it'll make vortigaunts too OP.

Fair enough. That movement token is just incredibly vital, considering how little we can move otherwise.

 

[Equinox]

one could consider me to have a bias since i am a former vort lead, but the suggestions made here are reasonable. Vortigaunts have absolutely abysmal development put into them when compared to other factions. Their only weapon is the vortibeam because they arent allowed to use a gun, and they dont even have a set of claw weapons to use. This isnt even an issue of ic power balance however. Whats being asked is that vorts are given time to actually make a move. Two seconds? Thats leaving an IC penalty and going more into an OOC detriment which goes against what TBC is for.

The next is the speed, which I also understand. I could see vorts being given 30 speed. They are already made in lore to have a stronger more efficient digestive system that allows for faster and more easy muscle growth thanks to their warrior-type evolution. If anything i expect vorts to be as fast as OTA easily, but it can be kept lower to assume that
1. The free vort just starting to level speed is probably regaining nourishment from enslavement.
2. They can still just not care to maintain physical fitness, so theyll be beneath the average.

Either way, yes. Vortigaunts are supposed to be better than humans in certain areas and weaker in others, but the issue is that they arent actually made better. They already cant use guns. They only get a vortibolt, and even this is severely lacking. This is odd considering that, by correlation, theyre almost supposed to be an “OTA-lite” of Rebels.

 

[Equinox]

On the other hand, i could see vorts having their HP nerfed to, like, 125 if not just 100. They arent exactly more durable than humans in lore.

 

[Deleted member 2330]

here is my two cents (i am a vortigaunt player. So take this as you will)

When it comes down to to faster vortibolt fire, i think it's an extremely nessacary addition as the vortibolt takes forever to fire. This matters for two reasons. Number one is that vortigaunts are utterly useless in S2K. They cannot fire their vortibolt because the risk is too high for any reward, they might as well just be CMU with double health, not only that your vision is blocked when you open fire, which is incredibly annoying and makes your attack more inaccurate. The second reason is that the vortibolt takes 3 seconds to fire, when in TBC you only have five seconds. This barely gives you any time to stratergize and move as you HAVE to fire as soon as it is your turn. we ask from an 2-1 second decrease and to make the vortiboly not block your position

As for the speed increase. It may not seem too nessacary, i know. But too be fair it would not be too much of a big deal as long as it is a small increase, anywhere from 5-10%. Vortigaunts would need this speed buff because OTA could be called in any moment due to a citizen making a report, vortigaunts are constantly on edge as it is so easy to cause a sweep by just being up on the surface. This small speed increase will help with the vortigaunts survivability and will allow them to take more risks

 

[Raptorian]

On the other hand, i could see vorts having their HP nerfed to, like, 125 if not just 100. They arent exactly more durable than humans in lore.

Don't give them any ideas..

 

[Deleted member 2330]

On the other hand, i could see vorts having their HP nerfed to, like, 125 if not just 100. They arent exactly more durable than humans in lore.

No

 

[HOKI]

This is odd considering that, by correlation, theyre almost supposed to be an “OTA-lite” of Rebels.

Definitely agree with this. Vortigaunts should be 'equalizers' when it comes to fighting OTA.

On the other hand, i could see vorts having their HP nerfed to, like, 125 if not just 100. They arent exactly more durable than humans in lore.

I think it'd be more detrimental than good because they'd be fairly easy to kill if without armor (which would be very shitty for free vorts). I personally think that vortigaunts having 200 HP and no speed buffs is better. I'm not vortigaunt player though

 

[Fedora]

Either way, yes. Vortigaunts are supposed to be better than humans in certain areas and weaker in others, but the issue is that they arent actually made better. They already cant use guns. They only get a vortibolt, and even this is severely lacking. This is odd considering that, by correlation, theyre almost supposed to be an “OTA-lite” of Rebels.

This was essentially why OTA went out previously for Vort escapees and any sighting of a vort, they were meant to be on par with OTA pretty much until they got debuffed and thus OTA don't deploy for them.

 

[Raptorian]

This was essentially why OTA went out previously for Vort escapees and any sighting of a vort, they were meant to be on par with OTA pretty much until they got debuffed and thus OTA don't deploy for them.

I think these buffs still maintain the original intent of the debuff. For the first suggestion, I think that's just a no-brainer to add, as for the second I could see why people have their reservations.

 

[Raptorian]

@Aspect™ Should probably see this as well, being the one who works on our SWEP.

 

[The Milkman]

Fighting as a vortigaunt is literally Just banking on the hope that your enemies are out of position or blind enough to let you flank them. Otherwise, combat is impossible against other players. 2 AP per vortbeam means that you HAVE to have a good defensive position to be able to shoot someone, OR be willing to go up to them and sacrifice your HP just to get a hit in. And even then, CPs can simply run past your cover, shoot you, and then run back somewhere where you can’t get them. Meanwhile, you’d only be able to blast them if they’d made a mistake and let themselves sit in the open.

The shortened beam thing is a must if vorts are to be viable at all in S2K, the speed thing isn’t really a must since you can just level your speed anyways.

Though I’d love to see vorts get 3 AP instead of just 2, to add better fighting capabilities in TBC (plus it’d balance it so you couldn’t shoot 2 beams in 1 turn)

 

[Raptorian]

Fighting as a vortigaunt is literally Just banking on the hope that your enemies are out of position or blind enough to let you flank them. Otherwise, combat is impossible against other players. 2 AP per vortbeam means that you HAVE to have a good defensive position to be able to shoot someone, OR be willing to go up to them and sacrifice your HP just to get a hit in. And even then, CPs can simply run past your cover, shoot you, and then run back somewhere where you can’t get them. Meanwhile, you’d only be able to blast them if they’d made a mistake and let themselves sit in the open.

The shortened beam thing is a must if vorts are to be viable at all in S2K, the speed thing isn’t really a must since you can just level your speed anyways.

Though I’d love to see vorts get 3 AP instead of just 2, to add better fighting capabilities in TBC (plus it’d balance it so you couldn’t shoot 2 beams in 1 turn)

this young man is a very experienced shooter man, and his opinions should be treated appropriately..

 

[swagile]

I am ok with this personally.

My only gripe is a lot of the current roster of free vorts got pulled out of thin air, and we've had cases of free vorts who got killed being given their vort back a week later as a free vort.

If we're making vorts powerful, they have to stay dead when killed.

 

[nightshade]

Big agree.
The 3 second firing time seems very long, which might be part of the issue of the horrid delay of the actual beam which makes it near incredibly difficult to S2K as a vort. (Someone has a video showing this exact thing but I can’t post it rn)

I agree with the speed boost as well 100%. Vorts are very agile creatures in the lore.

The malnourishment argument for recently freed/enslaved vorts isn’t really much of an argument if it isn’t an argument for citizens because enslaved vorts are pretty much citizens at this point and have access to as much food as citizens do in regards to the stores.

 

[HOKI]

Big agree.
The 3 second firing time seems very long, which might be part of the issue of the horrid delay of the actual beam which makes it near incredibly difficult to S2K as a vort. (Someone has a video showing this exact thing but I can’t post it rn)

I agree with the speed boost as well 100%. Vorts are very agile creatures in the lore.

The malnourishment argument for recently freed/enslaved vorts isn’t really much of an argument if it isn’t an argument for citizens because enslaved vorts are pretty much citizens at this point and have access to as much food as citizens do in regards to the stores.

I agree with the agility thing, but it'd be too OP in TBC, since they have a lot of health.