Off the bat I’d say:
- remove " +xp " skills. They are useless and SP waste in the long run. With objectives and rivals, getting 31 lvl is a matter of grinding.
- merge “hacker” specialization with “remote hacking” skill with actual machine hijacking being 2nd or 3rd tier. This way we can bring this skill in current state closer in it’s value “cost - effectiveness”.
- “tech” branch should be reworked first and we need more “crafter” skills now. If we count point #2, we get free specialization “slot”, which we we can fill it with “Frugal Crafter” (example name) speciality. It has any of this or combination of: more output with same resources, cheaper crafting with same output, more resources from scrap/less items for same amount of resources
So after some time passed things have changed and I’d like to resume this talk with hope of imprvement for games comfort and quality.
I’ve been pondering about this for a while and some recent talks on forum inspired to write this post about skill tree overhaul. I’ll start slowly with shuffling thing around on the existing system and leaving numbers as is in most cases. So my suggestion of skill tree:
Combat branches - mostly unchanged, due being straightfroward and GZ’s gunplay itself is good enough.
Marksman - single shot bias, skills tailored for better gun handling.
Specialization is redundant to existing skill in same brach, though. Suggestions: 1) crit hit chance; 2) increased effects of ammo by % and/or decreased penalties of ammo type (HP/SP ammo gets increased multiplier for component damage, FMJ gets better penetration and so on).
Vanguard - good as is, since can’t add more, and DR skills/specs wouldn’t fit elsewhere.
Support branches - First major shuffle, that eliminates XP skills. Listed skills aren’t organized in sequence.
Medic: staight heal self or others - Healer, Heal Amount, Revive Speed, Last Man Standing (+DR on low health).
Specialization being same. “Throwing distance” skill is “floating” - it may stay as (1 tier med) or could be moved to the neighbour branch, that is…
Tactician (working title) - revolves around “marking” and throwables.
Throwing accuracy (let’s keep it, I guess), Enemy Marking, Designated Target, Explosive Damage (moved from Tech). “CBRN training” - similar to Last Man Standing, but about elements (fire, toxic, gas etc resistances).
Specialization: “Commander” changed and moved to Tech, instead “(untitled)” - straight buff of throwables in that order - duration, AoE radius, effect strength, probably damage). Flares/smokes burn longer and affect a bit wider, 'nades get better AoE, radios are louder (longer reach) etc.
Survival branches - also got rid of XP skills. Mostly unchanged.
Swap “Health amound” and “Running Speed”, which make more logical and distinct branches of “Endurance branch” and “Mobility branch”.
“Commando” Specialization could be more rewarding. Like “high skill = high damage” - doubled damage when not “in combat” state or in other word “in combat” voids the buff. This includes traps placed by Commando, “first shot” on unsuspecting machine or even damaging (flanking) machine, that skirmishing with other player, as long Commando isn’t “in combat”. This should encourage stealth playstyle and offset limitations on “weaker” guns like hunting rifles and silencers. Preceding skills in branch will be a great help.
Tech braches - or I’d call “filler branches”. Utility, both in and out of combat.
Hacker: revolving around knowing your enemy and hitting where it hurt most.
Tech View, Component Damage, EMP AoE/Power (duration);
Remote Hacking: 30s, but tiers increase chances and/or decrease cooldown. Stun/confuse machine, effectively temporary removal from combat.
“Malware”: injecting malware interferes with machines’ algorithms and routines. Malwared machine loose effectiveness due to interferences until effect wear off. T1 - hacked machine acts as lure/distraction by randomly shooting/shouting (basically free flare/firework) that attract nearby machines to gather robots in vicinity or divert fire from players (hacking Seekers now making sence). T2 - hacked machine starts actively targeting nearby machines, unlike “semi-randomly” with firework it’ll target anything but players withing targeting range.
Specialization: “Rewire” - interact (around 3-5s) with unsuspecting (white light) or disabled machine (emp/melee) to permamently gain control over affected machine. Process greatly stresses and overloads robot’s internal systems both hardware and firmware. Effect: machine becomes ally, operational at full capacity, however load will damage internals (only “component” type hitboxes) at random, but at constant rate 2% of total structural health per second (50s if machine was intact). This way machine will inevitably expire and constantly loose it’s health and components, the longer it lives.
Scavenger: self-explainatory, about getting more resorces.
Lock Picking, Ammo salvage, Component Salvage,
“Frugal supplier” - buff the deployables, similar to “Commander”, but buff is less and more items affected: +1 charge to Ammo Pack (making max potential ammo weight equal to 1 kg, a weight of AP’s one unit; currently it’s 0.75 kg), PRP (heal amount should be buffed by Medic), Spawner Radio. Longer and wider attracting power for Boombox and Horns, probably some aoe/dmg buff for mines/cannisters.
+1 free slot (salvage more other items?..)
Specialization: same, it just needs QoL buff - ticks are “throwable” (size and weight should allow that), there are different types, based on who you gutting (apoc machined get “stingers”, FNIX likely to have on 'em strong explody ones etc) and 1-3 per one looted machines.
So let’s talk about it.