General [Suggestion] On-foot plasma weapons with innate phasing headshots?

[M4RTH4]

So y'know how the plasma foot-bound weapons are supposed to be kinda general purpose? Except how one of them is kinda sorta not really good for literally anything, and that the shield gating kinda limits all but one?
How about a thing that rewards some skillfull play: Headshots with Plasma-based weapons have phasing.

Why?

• The Plasma Sniper don't really feel like a sniper, but going for headshots totally works cuz it's a sniper rifle. OHKO with a headshot with the Plasma sniper would be a difficult feat, but a rewarding one.
• The Plasma Pistol clearly feels like a 6-shot revolver, like a .44 magnum. Being quick on the draw in close range (and with a skillful headshot) could have you walkin' into the sunset with nary a scratch.
• The Plasma Assault Rifle shouldn't OHKO, obviously, but giving its headshots some phasing damage might bring it into a comfortable niche and have it actually see some use rather than it just being... well, crap at its job; Damage is pitiful, recoil kicks like a drunken mule, but if you can control it and dome some melons then maybe just maybe it might be decent enough to even pick up.
• The Plasma Shotgun can already OHKO, shields or not.

I may not be the best to word it out, but hopefully my point came across okay. The foot-based Plasma Weapons (barring the assault rifle) are all really strong, but why not reward skillful play with 'em?

 

[Caydran]

Good idea, but I want "Smart" shot ammunition. Use materials synthisis to manufacture.

Then, through the sight, you point at the head and fire.

It remembers your aim dot location and hits the head only.

Certainly, in 3309, we can have these.

DARPA Smart Bullets

 

[Screemonster]

If there are any on-foot weapons that need a buff, the intimidator, executioner and tormentor are not among them.

I'd be interested in seeing a laser long-rifle that could kill a generic worker but not a guard, then give it the ability to blast targets through windows. That'd make it a niche assassination tool for taking out soft targets in closed buildings without becoming totally unbalanced in general combat (well, aside from being a one-shot shield-stripper)

A kinetic heavy pistol / long rifle would be another interesting one to consider - a one-shot against unshielded targets (with a faster projectile than the tormentor/executioner) when fully upgraded, but would struggle punching through shields.

It's kinda odd that nearly all the high-damage, slow-firing bursty weapons (the one outlier being the L-6) are also the ones with the most versatile all-round damage type. The extra DPS from the plasma guns even makes up for the inefficiency of not using the optimised damage types.

 

[Gordon Freeman IV]

So y'know how the plasma foot-bound weapons are supposed to be kinda general purpose? Except how one of them is kinda sorta not really good for literally anything, and that the shield gating kinda limits all but one?
How about a thing that rewards some skillfull play: Headshots with Plasma-based weapons have phasing.

Why?

• The Plasma Sniper don't really feel like a sniper, but going for headshots totally works cuz it's a sniper rifle. OHKO with a headshot with the Plasma sniper would be a difficult feat, but a rewarding one.
• The Plasma Pistol clearly feels like a 6-shot revolver, like a .44 magnum. Being quick on the draw in close range (and with a skillful headshot) could have you walkin' into the sunset with nary a scratch.
• The Plasma Assault Rifle shouldn't OHKO, obviously, but giving its headshots some phasing damage might bring it into a comfortable niche and have it actually see some use rather than it just being... well, crap at its job; Damage is pitiful, recoil kicks like a drunken mule, but if you can control it and dome some melons then maybe just maybe it might be decent enough to even pick up.
• The Plasma Shotgun can already OHKO, shields or not.

I may not be the best to word it out, but hopefully my point came across okay. The foot-based Plasma Weapons (barring the assault rifle) are all really strong, but why not reward skillful play with 'em?

I have wanted 1 shot crit weapons forever. Almost Every other FPS game has a weapon type or 2 (usually snipers and shotguns) that reward good aim with 1 shots. I was thinking more along the lines of a railgun sniper with a half second charge time then a hitscan bolt (50%thermal,50%kinetic) that pierces shield and will 1 shot to the head or 2 shot to the body. Similar to a linear fusion rifle in Destiny 2. (Just with a 8x scope as opposed to reflex sight)

 

[Gordon Freeman IV]

If there are any on-foot weapons that need a buff, the intimidator, executioner and tormentor are not among them.

I'd be interested in seeing a laser long-rifle that could kill a generic worker but not a guard, then give it the ability to blast targets through windows. That'd make it a niche assassination tool for taking out soft targets in closed buildings without becoming totally unbalanced in general combat (well, aside from being a one-shot shield-stripper)

A kinetic heavy pistol / long rifle would be another interesting one to consider - a one-shot against unshielded targets (with a faster projectile than the tormentor/executioner) when fully upgraded, but would struggle punching through shields.

It's kinda odd that nearly all the high-damage, slow-firing bursty weapons (the one outlier being the L-6) are also the ones with the most versatile all-round damage type. The extra DPS from the plasma guns even makes up for the inefficiency of not using the optimised damage types.

Do plasma weapons do absolute damage like Ship PAs?

 

[Screemonster]

Do plasma weapons do absolute damage like Ship PAs?

They appear to have their own damage type, that suits can be resistant to separately from thermal and kinetic.
Generally speaking, shields are better at resisting kinetic than plasma and better at resisting plasma than thermal, while suits are the other way around.
As for the effect on ships... on-foot weapons have only 10AP so unless you're running a completely stock lightweight hull and let them dump their entire ammo reserve into you at point blank range, you're not going to be in any danger.

 

[M4RTH4]

If there are any on-foot weapons that need a buff, the intimidator, executioner and tormentor are not among them.

I'd be interested in seeing a laser long-rifle that could kill a generic worker but not a guard, then give it the ability to blast targets through windows. That'd make it a niche assassination tool for taking out soft targets in closed buildings without becoming totally unbalanced in general combat (well, aside from being a one-shot shield-stripper)

A kinetic heavy pistol / long rifle would be another interesting one to consider - a one-shot against unshielded targets (with a faster projectile than the tormentor/executioner) when fully upgraded, but would struggle punching through shields.

It's kinda odd that nearly all the high-damage, slow-firing bursty weapons (the one outlier being the L-6) are also the ones with the most versatile all-round damage type. The extra DPS from the plasma guns even makes up for the inefficiency of not using the optimised damage types.

The buff would mean nothing if you can't make use of it, it's skill-based.
Snipers and high-damage sidearms in other games tend to One-shot kill on headshots, balanced by being unwieldly and hard to use in general, usually coupled with long reload times, low magazine capacity, god awful hip-fire accuracy, and/or a slow rate of fire, along with limitations for specific ranges, IE the pistol's damage would fall off much sooner. The Executioner and Tormentor fit the respective roles.

The Intimidator can already OHKO, headshot or not. Plus, it's a shotgun, you want center mass for that.