I still feel that DF needs at the very least nerfed in it's breaking capabilities. Insanely high evasion makes primary weapons useless against DF being up, and the break makes secondaries useless against DF. There are, of course, ways around this. But the main reason I've all but stopped playing my beloved strikers is because of their sustained damage and lock dependence. DF is a double blow, as it makes sustained damage impossible (evasion counters most your shots) and breaks lock-ons. The scout that makes strikers practically useless by it's capability to 3 hit bombers has the capabilities to, when using its cooldowns, be almost unkillable. TT, which gives the scout the ability to 3 hit mastered bombers, also provides +8% evade + DF, which adds another +27% evade, + another +8% evade + a lock break + It's engine abilities, such as retros, that provide another +24% and in the case of retros, you can continue to fire on or get a lock on your target and is another lock break+ Lightweight that provides +5%, +2%, +2%, +2% evade + large reactor which makes it more tanky IF you can hit through all that evade above^ And as thus, strikers can't touch them. Strikers can't 3 hit a mastered bomber, strikers can't dodge, Strikers aren't nearly as fast and strikers run out of energy far quicker. Further, strikers can't compete in any department, any job a striker can do the t2 scout will do better, faster, and have a higher chance of surviving and continuing to be useful. Yet we are going to ignore this and argue that this clear lack of balance has nothing to do with why strikers are deemed "useles?" Yea, GG and that's why I never forum post. Still, I don't want the entire bloody scout nerfed, instead: I go back to my other suggestion, to make a shield specifically for lock breaks that doesn't stack insane amounts of evasion to boot. That way you can pick between being unkillable by gunships and everything else, or having a lock break to be more survivable when fighting under a node against bombers. Edit for clarification: the only class completely reliant on lockons for secondary weapons is strikers. This suggestion would improve their worth without a need to really buff them.

Just to clarify, I play strike fighters a lot. I've even gotten yelled at for it. None of my ideas or statements are in any way intended to be class bashing. As a striker pilot, I see often what the issues are. All of what I have stated, even things pertaining to other ships, are specifically to help strikers. Not to hate on other classes. Figured I would throw that out there.

The distortion field extra break loop continues, but no one (not even myself) has stated the obvious solution so far as I have seen. Maybe someone stated it and I missed it, idk. Solution: Remove DF's break or nerf it, and make a new shield. Chaff shields. Chaff shields should be, imho, as follows. Their shield ability would break locks by default. Yes. Their entire point would be to break locks. Buutttt, when you break the lock, it overcharges your shield and must reset. taking 2 full arcs of shield power. This should have no cooldown and should be based 100% on how much shield power you have at the time. This new component should be up for every ship that can equip DF, and should be up for the starguard, pike, and their counterparts as well. The shield should also be fairly strong in of its self to make up for the lack of evasion, but have a somewhat slower than par regen speed. T1 upgrade could be a buff to shield power pool, t2 an ups for regen, and t3 a choice between both higher shield and regen (Improved shielding) or a temporary speed boost (Scram jets) This way people can chose between if they want to have an ungodly amount of evasion via DF, or be able to take more punishment and break locks with Chaff Shields. It would also safe Strikers from themselves, if they so chose, and could assist their mobility issues when fully upped. Edit: this could even give shield repair drones a reason to exist.

Talking about this in GSF chat on pubside bastion, i came up with an idea. Instead of changing stats around. Why not make a weapon/ship/component weight system? Heavier weapons mess with turn and thrust rate. It's an idea, I'm not sayin' a good one, a rough one but I think if the kinks were worked out of it, it might balance the meta out quite a bit. Strikers and bombers, being designed to handle more weight anyways, would be less affected than, say, scouts.

I can't argue with the rainbow of pretty colors in the post above me (edit: on page 3) in any way shape or form. It is logical and points out every problem with strikers that I could think of off the top of my head - and more.

That is likely going to be a major downside to this thread. However, the next post does bring up a point about scouts using heavy weapons. Any gun that can 3 hit a bomber (such as BLC) should be considered a heavy weapon, and restricted to heavier ships (IE the bomber and gunship classes) I've spoken with several pilots on this subject and many seem to be in agreement. An example of why strikers are considered useless: I was in a match with a lot of decent pilots on our side, and the enemy team was decently outmatched overall. However, one sting using BLC's ended up getting 29 kills with only 3 deaths. This sting killed gunships, bombers, strikers, and other scouts. Melting my bomber in 2-3 hits. Out of his 3 deaths, i had 1 and 1 assist on him. Edit: The reason for me bringing this up is that no striker could do this, although gunships and bombers could come close to it. No striker has that kind of firepower or tankyness, so why then does a scout? When a single scouts offensive and defensive capabilities outmatch any strikers in every way, how can anyone be expected to play strikers? And I'm sure I just made more enemies by pointing this out.

My biggest issue with strikers isn't the class itself, it's how they compare to other classes. Their main issue is lock-on reliance due to their lack of speed, turn-rate, and range. In a world of two lock-breaks, tons of range, and speed. Strikers can only really fill one role, trolling. Essentially spooking gunships, damaging bombers, or keeping scouts occupied for a (very) short while. Best way to increase the use of the striker class with minimal effort? Set disto feild to only have a 33% chance to break locks. Watch as the striker makes a comeback, and listen to the cries of gunship and scout pilots everywhere as suddenly they don't have two guaranteed lock breaks. Watch them freak out as they only have a 1/3 chance of not being worried when they hear the lock-on. And I'm sure I just made a lot of enemies.