Let me start of by saying that the idea of the Cytoscrambler, while not exactly well suited for a pirate faction, is nonetheless a really neat idea.
We don't get many weapons that play with the idea of limited range, and arguably the Cytoscrambler is the first Thermal weapon (outside of the mining laser) to experiment with this. However, the payoff from this tiny 500m range is very limited. Let's look at the upsides versus the downsides shall we?
Upsides:
+ Slightly higher (~16%) DPS against shields than other small thermal weapons at sub ~300m ranges
Downsides
- Extremely limited range
- Extremely inaccurate
- Limited to small hardpoints
- Lower DPE (damage per energy) than everything at more than 100m range
- DPE only exceeds beam laser at 100m range or less
- Zero damage to hull and modules
As such, the Cytoscrambler is only "better" when the following conditions are met:
DPS means virtually nothing for a small ship fighting a big ship. What matters is DPE (damage per energy), as one volley will not be enough to take down the shields. Since the Cytoscrambler fails on this, it fails on everything else.
So what should be done? If it is left the way it is it will simply go unused.
Make the Cytoscramber a reason to use small ships with an ancillary unique effect
Slightly higher shield damage will never be a reason to use a small ship, when you can get higher damage, more versatility and better range with a large weapon on a Vulture or the like. And I don't think we'd WANT the cytoscrambler the be an incredibly overpowered small weapon.
So instead of a flat buff to damage, give the Cytoscrambler a unique, useful effect that gives it flavour and gives a niche role, to small manoeuvrable ships in pirate wings. Getting and staying within 500m of a twisting and fighting enemy while shooting them with a laser shotgun is no small feat, so the effect should be pretty powerful(especially compared to the 3km range Module Disruptor). Some ideas, any one of which could make it at least worth looking into:
Even one of these changes would make the Cytoscrambler a far more interesting and worthwhile weapon to use, on par with the interesting and powerful effects we've seen from numerous other weapons. It would give wings a reason to take on a small "fighter" to be able to deploy these powerful effects up close, making ships like the Eagle, Sidewinder and DB scout a niche role in combat that they've heretofore been excluded from
We don't get many weapons that play with the idea of limited range, and arguably the Cytoscrambler is the first Thermal weapon (outside of the mining laser) to experiment with this. However, the payoff from this tiny 500m range is very limited. Let's look at the upsides versus the downsides shall we?
Upsides:
+ Slightly higher (~16%) DPS against shields than other small thermal weapons at sub ~300m ranges
Downsides
- Extremely limited range
- Extremely inaccurate
- Limited to small hardpoints
- Lower DPE (damage per energy) than everything at more than 100m range
- DPE only exceeds beam laser at 100m range or less
- Zero damage to hull and modules
As such, the Cytoscrambler is only "better" when the following conditions are met:
- On a small ship with small hardpoints
- Fighting a large ship with low manoeuvrability and speed (AKA Anaconda or maybe Python)
- With ancillary weapons or a wing for when the shields do go down
- For the few seconds before your weapons capacitor is drained
DPS means virtually nothing for a small ship fighting a big ship. What matters is DPE (damage per energy), as one volley will not be enough to take down the shields. Since the Cytoscrambler fails on this, it fails on everything else.
So what should be done? If it is left the way it is it will simply go unused.
Make the Cytoscramber a reason to use small ships with an ancillary unique effect
Slightly higher shield damage will never be a reason to use a small ship, when you can get higher damage, more versatility and better range with a large weapon on a Vulture or the like. And I don't think we'd WANT the cytoscrambler the be an incredibly overpowered small weapon.
So instead of a flat buff to damage, give the Cytoscrambler a unique, useful effect that gives it flavour and gives a niche role, to small manoeuvrable ships in pirate wings. Getting and staying within 500m of a twisting and fighting enemy while shooting them with a laser shotgun is no small feat, so the effect should be pretty powerful(especially compared to the 3km range Module Disruptor). Some ideas, any one of which could make it at least worth looking into:
- Cancel FSD charging while being hit with it (pirate synergy)
- Or inhibit Shield recharge, from both normal recharge and Shield Cell Banks while being hit by it (synergy with original idea of weapon, makes small ships useful in wing pvp)?
- or if it hit the enemy's exposed hull, caused instant cargo hatch malfunction (pirate synergy, faster than limpets but requires weapon slot)?
- or if it caused the enemy to slow down (pirate synergy)?
- Or if it caused sensor malfunction for ~20s after being hit with it (small ship synergy, spreads confusion without being OP against an aware target)?
Even one of these changes would make the Cytoscrambler a far more interesting and worthwhile weapon to use, on par with the interesting and powerful effects we've seen from numerous other weapons. It would give wings a reason to take on a small "fighter" to be able to deploy these powerful effects up close, making ships like the Eagle, Sidewinder and DB scout a niche role in combat that they've heretofore been excluded from
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