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Will the B'rel Retro's Cloak Ever Function As It Should?
kolbrandr
Member Posts: 266
So for those that do not know, the B'rel Retrofit is supposed to be the infamous bird of prey that can fire while cloaked.
In game, this isn't quite the case. Basically it uncloaks for a 3 second window before recloaking. I'm not sure why the decision was made to have it work like that, but it does. However, with new and better ships coming available for both sides, maybe it is time to make it work like it should (no decloak).
My thoughts:
1. This could easily be a part of the fleet system. Call it "Enhanced Battlecloak Upgrade" or whatever, and allow folks to grind for it.
2. It would probably be easier to just fix it outright. This would at least give it a cooler gimmick to make it worth buying as opposed to a fleet ship, or hell even the (free) Hegh'ta. Yeah it "kinda" works like it says...but let's face it, it is fairly lame. If you're not getting a console, at least make it's gimmick cool.
3. Actually making use of the ability is difficult and risky. As it should be. This would not be overpowered. Go throw just torpedoes against a player and see how well it works for you.
4. This would not be an unfair advantage any more than it is now. In addition to the "only torpedoes" thing, the players who can find you during the 3 second window would find you without it. Most players can't even find you in the 3 second window anyways. They will be unaffected. Player skill and ingenuity is a much greater factor even as the cloak is now. This would not change. (This is complement to the skilled feds to whom I am referring, by the way). The ones without that skill weren't going to see the b'rel anyways.
So is there anyone who agrees? Or am I way off base, here?
In game, this isn't quite the case. Basically it uncloaks for a 3 second window before recloaking. I'm not sure why the decision was made to have it work like that, but it does. However, with new and better ships coming available for both sides, maybe it is time to make it work like it should (no decloak).
My thoughts:
1. This could easily be a part of the fleet system. Call it "Enhanced Battlecloak Upgrade" or whatever, and allow folks to grind for it.
2. It would probably be easier to just fix it outright. This would at least give it a cooler gimmick to make it worth buying as opposed to a fleet ship, or hell even the (free) Hegh'ta. Yeah it "kinda" works like it says...but let's face it, it is fairly lame. If you're not getting a console, at least make it's gimmick cool.
3. Actually making use of the ability is difficult and risky. As it should be. This would not be overpowered. Go throw just torpedoes against a player and see how well it works for you.
4. This would not be an unfair advantage any more than it is now. In addition to the "only torpedoes" thing, the players who can find you during the 3 second window would find you without it. Most players can't even find you in the 3 second window anyways. They will be unaffected. Player skill and ingenuity is a much greater factor even as the cloak is now. This would not change. (This is complement to the skilled feds to whom I am referring, by the way). The ones without that skill weren't going to see the b'rel anyways.
So is there anyone who agrees? Or am I way off base, here?
Post edited by kolbrandr on
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A sci vessel or even a good FED player who knows what he is doing can declock a brel easily. I had a 15 minutes battle session with a FED surian sci player who was using sensor scan and other sci powers (I really don't know much about sci powers as I don't play sci career at all) to declock me most of the time although I was running with full aux power and clocking consoles.
Also, it would be nice if our brel won't be declocked when we get a message from our bridge officer. It is just annoying. Is pwe going to fix it or do we need to wait for next 100 years?
Ain't Nobody Got Time for That
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So I think it could use a boost. Feds just need to learn to play better. Making an ability fairly lame to compensate for player's lack of skill isn't necessarily a good balancing scheme. (I say this fairly, I think, as I play Fed 95% of the time. Teaming on fed side is usually [though not always] sad. Klingon side is usually much better. Facts of life.)
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Watching it just recently was what reminded me of how lame our version in STO feels, and inspired me to write this post.
The B'Rel's bane should be the Cloak Seeking Torpedo from the C-Store along with various other cloak debuffs.
LTS, here since...when did this game launch again?
I'm glad you asked. You see, those types of players don't beat it anyways, even as it stands right now. Luckily for them, you can only fire torpedoes while cloaked, and while it is possible to make a setup that will punch through shields and hull with torpedoes only, it relies on a certain amount of ineptness in the Target in order to work as it can be easily tanked if you're playing and alert (shields reduce torp damage to one quarter).
Most people run with guns on their b'rel and would need to uncloak to blow you up anyways. Hence why the lvl 40 bird of prey is often touted as superior. Also, as has been stated, there are a number of ways to decloak ships. Most new players probably have a boff that can do it and don't even realize it.
Really for me, this change is about actually making the b'rel's gimmick actually be cool. The way it is now is just not very cool at all. I would love an all-around buff, but I can certainly do fine without it. As I said, this particular issue wouldn't really buff the ship, and is more about cool factor.
Broken stuff from basic gameplay that has been in since day 1. Still unfixed, regardless of how many bug reports sent.
Pathetic.
How about this gets added along with every Fed ship being able to shoot a HY torpedo that can track it's 'tailpipe'.
That was in the movies too right?
But you're not of the legendary caliber of Kirk, Spock, Scotty, et al. So no dice
Actually, the weapon is in the game already. But you dumb feds don't want to use it.
I was waiting for that!!
And you're not the legendary General Chang in what was (IIRC) a unique vessel!!!
:P
It would be rather simple to beat the thing even if you can't decloak the enemy. It's jsut firing torpedos. Have minimal power to shields and your good to go.
Master using it and you can have this!
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What if there are 5 of them hunting you in Kerrat all using 40% penetration Transphasics?
Yeah, If only they would put that on a console or something. It would be perfect for one of the C-store upgrades ships or something.
Master using it and you can have this!
Be black on the right side. Add properly colored Cheron to the game today!
50% to shields and engineering team 1?
Master using it and you can have this!
Be black on the right side. Add properly colored Cheron to the game today!
Totally agree; this needs to be fixed somehow. What's the technical limitation hosing this?
No doubt. Since when does anyone fire one torpedo, though? Every launch extends the timer out. If the timer were any shorter, we'd be blinking on and off like a lightbulb... barely enough time for the effect to play out. I'm sure there would be a game performance hit doing it that way.
No argument there.
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Not that i don't love spamming plasma mines from under cloak and all that, but as is thats abou the only thing it can do that gives it any kind of PVE edge over the basic lv40 BoP.
http://www.stowiki.org/Universal_Consoles#Ionized_Gas_Sensor
Anyone can ^
And for only 600 CP, whereas the B'Rel costs 1600 CP.
And it can be fitted on any ship while the B'Rel cloak is limited to the B'Rel.
And it can be used early in the game, while the B'Rel is only at lvl 50.
And the Nebula Class can use a Tachyon Detection Grid.
And can be searched out by in-game skills that only cost in-game currency.
That's the thing though. there are so many ways to decloak a ship it isn't even funny. It isn't really relevant in PvE play but if you are going to be in PvP you can bet PvPers are going to be aware of all the tricks and have them equipped. Heck The Ion torpedo isn't even the only device that decloaks. The nebula refits have it too.
Everyone was sooo worried about the Klingons cloak that they basically nullify it for PvP. Then people turn around and wonder why PvP is so broken.
Master using it and you can have this!
Be black on the right side. Add properly colored Cheron to the game today!
Absolutely agreed.
And as soon as the Fed PvEers quit asking for broken TRIBBLE that ruins PvP.
Never. :rolleyes:
Edit:
I do think the cloak should function as originally intended or even be buffed up.
Oh yeah, THIS annoys the TRIBBLE out of me... I'd love to see this fixed.
Erm no it doesnt.
You see the nose light up as the torp fires out of it but thats it.
The decloak while communicating is just nuts and should be fixed anyway....
Actually it took several torpedoes to destroy the BoP. Sulu targeted the explosion and fired, and then several torpedoes hit the BoP before it was detroyed.
pyrophile: I got news for you, bud. Every career has methods to decloak enemies. You don't have to be a Sci captain. Plus there is the emissions seeking console if you felt inclined to buy it, which isn't even neccessary due to the aforementioned powers being available.