[Ron] More Ion Weapons

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Currently the only method of causing EMP damage is in the grenades and the rifles. IPC's are unaffected by stun weapons, and can take multiple clips from ballistic weapons and still function. All of a security officer's standard equipment is almost useless against synthetics. Making addtional specialized tools for countering synthetics will fit the theme of specialization and cost/benefit to tool selection. Just letting us charge stunsticks to damage synthetics or something would take away any sort of strategy when dealing with synths. If we have additional tools, you have to choose between them and standard equipment, which can have a major impact on how you are able to handle later encounters.

It would strengthen the narrative of the growing arms race between more powerful synthetics and countermeasures to them. We have combat drones, terminators, and now everyday baseline shells wandering around with only extremely specialized equipment able to take them down.

Ion Prod

A stunstick specialized for use against synthetics, produced by NT's RnD department for a Jargon weapons contract. When activated you can strike a synthetic with it which detonates a low-intensity ionic pulse through the synth that 'shocks' its systems, causing a system freeze. This 'stuns' the synthetic for several seconds. On harm intent it also beats the shit out of them like a stunstick can. When turned off it boops the synth harmlessly. When used on a human they feel nothing, but they can feel a brief jolt of pain if they have robotic organs or limbs. Excessive use can cause minor damage to the positronic brain. Hitting the head of a synth can cause brain damage and blindless. Hitting limbs can cause them to spark and malfunction briefly. Hitting the groin triggers a sexual assault charge. One spawns in each security locker.

NT EMP Glaive

A Hegemony-designed weapon reverse engineered by NanoTrasen in a flagrant act of corporate espionage. It is an energy glaive, basically a two handed e-sword. It has the ability to detonate an EMP burst in a single tile in front of you while double-wielded while also causing its regular damage. You can't enable or disable the charges - everytime you hit with it an EMP pulse pops off. It has 3 charges before the EMP cells burn out, leaving you with a still-very-intimidating weapon. It has the 33% chance for its own pulse to short-circuit itself on every use, shutting it off and making it useless in fighting.

Being two handed it doesn't give you the ability to deflect projectiles or pair it with a shield. It comes available as a level 8 RnD weapon, one in the armory, and cargo.

Izweski Glaive

A Hegemony-designed weapon specializing in dealing with the inevitable synthetic invasion. It is similar to the NT bootleg but it has 10 charges with no chance of burning out and the ability can be disabled so you can use it tactically. Also it's got fucking sick ass engravings on it. It will be available for events, a high profile weapon, raiders, mercenaries.

X-19 Dual Rifle

Designed by NanoTrasen RnD for a contract with Jargon to supply the Tup Commandos, this laser rifle has the unique ability to switch between laser and ion firing modes. It comes with 5 shots. The ion pulse only affects a smaller area than the specialized ion gun - it is for use against single targets and has little Crowd Control potential. It is available as an armory weapon.

X-20 Dual Rifle

An upgraded X-19 with a 10-shot capacity. It is available as a level 7 RnD item.

EDIT:

Ionic pulse =/= EMP

Ion storms are established to generally mess up synthetic systems. Ion storms cause t-comm disruptions and can send stationbound AI on the fritz. It is consistent to have an ion weapon cause a stun or otherwise mess with a synth without causing it to explode and drain its whole battery.

Edited August 21, 2017 by Marlon Phoenix

[veradox]

[3:57 PM] veraknocks: @Jenpai Sackboot lvl 8 is too high for a five shot rifle

[3:57 PM] veraknocks: its not necessarily difficult when you know tf you're doing in R&D but it can take a while

[3:57 PM] veraknocks: 6-7 is better

[3:57 PM] veraknocks: i can just buy a bulldog that i need for levels and do better than an ion laser

[3:58 PM] veraknocks: ion melee sounds retarded

[3:58 PM] veraknocks: shouldve just made it so IPCs get affected by flashes too

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

ok

[driecg36]

I very much like the idea of rifles that switch between ion and laser, but i feel like 5 shots is a little low, especially considering it's a weapon locked behind RnD.

I feel like the 5 shot version could very well be within the standard armory gear rotation (maybe even the 10 shot version tbh). I think making an "ion weapon" crate that you can order from cargo would work splendidly for this, having 2 X-19s, 2 ion rifles, and 2 EMP nades. for 60-70 points.

Ion melee weapons are a little weak and wouldn't really work in a sec role, but would be really cool in the hands of antags like mercs and raiders.

[Snakebittenn]

If we had any of these weapons (Which I'd prefer we didn't) I'd prefer them to be antag items.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

The X-19 could be a standard armory item, and it could have a superior X-20 version locked behind RnD that is 10 shots or more.

[whiterabit]

ion + laser is a bad idea imo

oh whats that milord you have a laser rifle let me just ion you then toggle to my lasers and ripperoni

ion rifles are stronk outside of ipc combat because of their ability to ruin the day of people who specialize in tech stuff but putting that and a lethal opportunity in the same package is 0/10

with that said I'm all for adding more ways to take down ipcs because as of right now [asasyntheticplayer] there's not enough ways to take them down without going ham

[driecg36]

Maybe a "lite" ion effect is in order. Doesn't permanently disable tech/decharge it, just makes it unusable for a few seconds. Could be used to stun IPC's without damaging them.

Though I do think the main use for a mechanic like this would be against combat ninjas, who are a colossal pain to deal with when there's only one ion rifle on the map.

Edit: the X-19 should have this, and honestly a few more things. Maybe an "ion taser" that has exactly this effect, but the armory only gets one or two?

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

That is the benefit of the X-19. It's major advantage is that it can do exactly what you just said. It's cost is it has very limited uses. At worse you get hit with an emp then 4 lasers - some of which may miss, before they have to switch weapons. It is also heavily countered by ballistics. The e-pistol also has 5 shots, and it hardly kills people.

It's upgraded brethren is the scary one, but, I mean, RnD can already make railguns and 1-hit-kill bee guns.

[GreenLightbulb]

Engravings... Offer no tactical advantage whatsoever.

That said, I do like the idea of more ways dedicated to dealing with filthy synths and I find the descriptions of the melee-based weapons interesting to my brain box.

[Butterrobber202]

Malf AI Cyborgs would get fucking raped by these weapons.

[Ron]

I'll be doing some/all of these in a research content/general content update I'm currently working on. Feel free to continue discussion over the balance and other ideas regarding the guns as it'll be a while before I get around to coding these specific weapons in.

[Butterrobber202]

Malf AI Cyborgs would get fucking raped by these weapons.