A weapon that only damages shields, does not deal hull damage. Stats:

Shield damage: 20000
Hull damage: 0
Rate of fire: 1/s
Velocity: 200 m/s
Energy: 50
Port: Large
Grid: 20
Mass: 2000 kg
Autoaim: Excellent
Shots would look like the shots from the Teradons in Deneb.

Sold at Capitol stations at 20 Levi kills. Price 5 million credits + 20 crystals.

This would be a special anti-capship weapon designed specifically for deshielding capships. The grid ensures only 1 can be equipped on small ships, and the large port ensures only 1 can be equipped on capital ships.

The damage is dealt only to shields, so one-shotting ships is not possible.

Sold at Capitol stations at 20 Levi kills. Price 5 million credits + 20 crystals.

I don't know why most your suggestions include crystal as means to purchase in them. Prem subs don't have crystals.

5 million credits sounds like too little. Make it a manued item, but the mission tree to get access to it will require a levi kill badge. 50 levi level sounds a bout right. This weapon feels neutron bomby in origin, so things like avalons should be part of the recipe.

Give it massive concussion as well, so if a normal ship gets hit by it, it will flip out of control.

Damage: 1000
Shield drain: 20,000
Velocity: 180m/s (it is a anti capital ship weapon, it doesn't need to go fast)
Energy: 1000
Delay: 1.5s
Mass: 100kg (same as a capcannon)
Grid: 60
Targeting: Good

It should NOT look like BGTWKOA shots. Instead, make it look like a giant pcb shot. Similar in size to a capcannon shot.

This is a weapon that could make deshielding capships way too easy. So to balance that, the grid needs to be way high. If it does no damage, then it could be used in a NFZ with impunity. So make it do 1000 damage as well.

Also, understand that this weapon will be used to easily deshield levis/hacs/etc. That should be taken into account when making the stats up.

Who is this weapon meant to be used by? What role is it meant to fill? If it's meant to even the odds between capships and smaller ships, this might make it too easy. Goliaths are already not too difficult to take down with a group of players, and makes killing larger capships easier as well. If it is meant to be for capship vs capship combat it might be easier to balance, but it still would be a big power spike in player capship power. Typing all this out, it sounds like the weapon is OP, unless you set the stats in such a way that it's the only weapon you can use on your ship.

I don't think it should have the Levi Hunter badge attached to it. I suspect the overall percentage of the player base that takes part in levi hunts is pretty small, meaning this weapon would be unobtainable for most of the player population, and push more power to veteran players. Even going for the levi badge would take at least months.

I suspect the overall percentage of the player base that takes part in levi hunts is pretty small, meaning this weapon would be unobtainable for most of the player population, and push more power to veteran players.

Almost anyone who has a capital ship has plenty of levi kills. If you take part in a levi kill a week, you'll have 52, easily getting that 50 levi badge. To get a kill, all you need to do is get a single shot in on an unshielded levi. And then be in sector when the levi explodes.

and push more power to veteran players.

Being this is an op anti capital ship weapon, this should be something for veteran players. It should have a min of 50 levi kills. And it should have a long mission tree to gain access to the manu mission. And finally, there should be a limit of how many can be built in a month, to make them even more rare. Similar to the rarity of the Xang Xi Self-Propelled Concussion Launcher (can only be acquired once a week).

Also, on the comment about things being unattainable by non veteran players, new players already have access to very powerful weapons. As an example, i just made this video for you. I used a Revenant Mk1 (-/-/-/1/-) armed with two Yellow Jackets( -/-/1/-/-), and one stingray (-/-/-/-/-). Powered by a light powercell (1/-/-/-/-).

This setup deshielded a trident type m. https://youtu.be/V8Rgzaeq7Vk

Veteran players having access to OP weapons with huge tradeoffs takes nothing away from the power that newer players already have access to. It just gives said vets more choices in battles against other vets.

I could see a weapon like this being used in a trident. Being dumb fired (untargeted) against a target just forward, while targeted fire from turrets is taking place at the same time. Advanced tactics for advanced players.

This weapon should not be used by anyone in anything less than a goliath. And as I stated before, probably should be for trident and up classes of capital ships.

Damage: 1000
Shield drain: 20,000
Velocity: 180m/s (it is a anti capital ship weapon, it doesn't need to go fast)
Energy: 1000
Delay: 1.5s
Mass: 100kg (same as a capcannon)
Grid: 60
Targeting: Good

These stats make it a capship v capship weapon only. My point is to make a small ship v capship weapon. A weapon with a very niche use. Only to deshield, incapable of completing the kill. Capships still have an advantage here that they can deshield and kill using their turrets, which small ships won't be able to do.

I don't know why most your suggestions include crystal as means to purchase in them. Prem subs don't have crystals.
Because not all players are prem sub.

These stats make it a capship v capship weapon only. My point is to make a small ship v capship weapon.

Something that strong should only be capship vs capship. As i have already shown in that video, small ships, even on accounts only 30 minutes old, can already deshield capships. A weapon that you suggest should only be equipped by capship users.

With your stats, this is how it would be used: Dent pilot would order their goliath to attack their target with this equipped. Between this and their dent, the capship target would be deshielded almost instantly. Easy mode is on with this weapon.

With your stats, the weapon would be used to deshield capships while they are still in the nfz without triggering nfz violations. If you can't see the problem with that, then i don't know what to to tell you.

My stats would make it a dent only deal. Easy mode might still be on, but since the weapon is super rare, it wouldn't be seen in the wild as much. It should be a unmonitored space only weapon. If it is seen in a monitored sector for anyone but corvus, the user's standings should drop by 1600 points.

->With your stats, this is how it would be used: Dent pilot would order their goliath to attack their target with this equipped. Between this and their dent, the capship target would be deshielded almost instantly. Easy mode is on with this weapon.

I had not thought of this situation. A remedy for this could be: halve the shield damage and the grid. That way, it can continue to be used by small ships, still without any other weapons, while not allowing goli + dent owners to use this on their goli to get instant deshields, since in spite of lower grid the goli will still be able to equip only one of these.

->With your stats, the weapon would be used to deshield capships while they are still in the nfz without triggering nfz violations. If you can't see the problem with that, then i don't know what to to tell you.

Again, thanks for reminding me of this. So hull damage should be there, but really low. Not 1000. More like 200.

->If it is seen in a monitored sector for anyone but corvus, the user's standings should drop by 1600 points.
+1.

->Something that strong should only be capship vs capship. As i have already shown in that video, small ships, even on accounts only 30 minutes old, can already deshield capships. A weapon that you suggest should only be equipped by capship users

The dent in your video was not moving, and not defending itself. When it comes to actually deshielding a dent which is evading and fighting back, nothing short of a swarm rag and a skilled pilot can stand a chance of doing it.

Capships in VO have a lot of anti-small ship weaponry. Firecrackers, capcannons that can fire in spite of pcb, caprails that can one-shot many ships and which are practically undodgeable, and a shield which basically allows you to take your eyes of the health bar in situations where otherwise it would've been a matter of life and death. I think it's fair that small ships should have specifically designed Anti-Capship weapons as well.

The dent in your video was not moving, and not defending itself. When it comes to actually deshielding a dent which is evading and fighting back, nothing short of a swarm rag and a skilled pilot can stand a chance of doing it.

Most players after 30 days in this game can do what I showed in the video against a moving trident. If you can hit the broadside of a barn, you can deshield a capital ship. Stingrays, a noob weapon because you get it day one, move at 95 m/s, and if you stack with two launchers, a trident is easily deshielded.

I suggest getting a capital ship on the test server, and learning all their weaknesses. The current player capships are weak cargo freighters with easily defeated defenses. Low level players really don't need any OP weapons as you suggest.

Insta-deshield player caps for 100 energy? Sure, I totally don't see a problem with that. /s

Rarity is no balancing argument btw.

->I suggest getting a capital ship on the test server, and learning all their weaknesses. The current player capships are weak cargo freighters with easily defeated defenses. Low level players really don't need any OP weapons as you suggest.

I have flown a capship, fought a capship, defended a capship and attacked a capship. Golis are alright, but dents have too much shield and grid on them. I'm not talking about Anti-Capship weapons for new players. I'm talking about Anti-Capship weapons for experienced Anti-Capship fighter groups. This would give a boost to group fighting against capships since it makes deshielding and hull damage much more effective when done with 2 or more people.

->Rarity is no balancing argument btw.
Completely agree. The rarity/sub requirement/grind requirement of capships is no balancing argument for making them OP. Just as a lower license level SVG stands an equal chance to win against a high licences level X1 (assuming both pilots are equally skilled), a low grind non-capship should stand an equal chance against a high grind capship (assuming both pilots are equally skilled in their respective ships). That is not the case currently. My suggestion is to work towards making it that way.

If you were flying a capship, would you be ok with an NPC attacking you with this weapon? Since we all know the answer is no, it's probably time to put this suggestion to rest.

>Just as a lower license level SVG stands an equal chance to win against a high licences level X1 (assuming both pilots are equally skilled), a low grind non-capship should stand an equal chance against a high grind capship (assuming both pilots are equally skilled in their respective ships).

The SVG and X-1 are much closer than the Goliath and the Trident Type M, and I imagine that is intended.

Furthermore, the Goliath absolutely, right now, can beat the Trident. Is it rare? Of course, because just like how (I'll use a better example) a Corvus Marauder Mercenary can beat the SkyCommand Prometheus, the only way it's going to happen is if the player with the better ship screws up. The issue is that capships are so slow that pretty much any player can react to a situation and make the right call. In twitch combat it's impossible to make every input correctly, and a good player can exploit those mistakes, making the skill gaps in small ship combat very wide.

What you're suggesting is to make the gap between the Goliath and Trident so small that it's fundamentally worthless. What's more, the Goliath will actually end up being better. Think about it: The Goliath is faster and more maneuverable than the Trident. It could easily get within the range to use this weapon, deshield the Trident, and then get far enough away to pelt it with weapons until it either retreats or dies. The only parallel I can think of is adding a small-port weapon that does 25000 damage. You would technically have made a higher-skill player (in a less powerful ship) able to beat a lower-skill player (in a more powerful ship). He's likely able to aim that weapon better. But it's not a satisfying win, and it's not fun to die to.

-1.

->If you were flying a capship, would you be ok with an NPC attacking you with this weapon? Since we all know the answer is no, it's probably time to put this suggestion to rest.

The answer is actually yes. I would definitely like NPCs to be more capable of fighting capships. Since they can't be made intelligent/skilled enough, let's give them enough firepower for it.

->What you're suggesting is to make the gap between the Goliath and Trident so small that it's fundamentally worthless. What's more, the Goliath will actually end up being better. Think about it: The Goliath is faster and more maneuverable than the Trident. It could easily get within the range to use this weapon, deshield the Trident, and then get far enough away to pelt it with weapons until it either retreats or dies.

What is not included in this is the ability of Tridents to use this weapon as well, which would allow it to deshield the goli faster than it gets deshielded. And the fact that it can fire volleys of 2 caprails on a goli, whereas the goli can fire max 1 caprail. AND the dent has significantly more armor than a goli. Even after the goli has deshielded the dent, it will probably not be able to run away because it would be PCBed. A dent can pcb and damage the goli at the same time, but the goli can only do one of the two. Honestly how do you see the goli getting buffed above the trident here? Both can use the suggested weapon, but the dent has more firepower to back it up, significantly more armor and shields to withstand the attack, and (in non-combat situations) can haul cargo at about 1.4x the speed [1.5x capacity but lower speed]. It is waaay more powerful than a goli. And that won't change if the suggested weapon is put into the game.

What will change is the small ship/capship imbalance. It will make a group of fighters fighting a capship much more capable. A solo small ship pilot trying to take down a dent would still be better off with the traditional swarm rag. What it encourages is group combat.

> A solo small ship pilot trying to take down a dent would still be better off with the traditional swarm rag. What it encourages is group combat.

I'm curious to understand why you think that a weapon that takes a single slot to deshield a dent within a second needs a group to follow up? Or how a swarm rag that needs to go reload while the dent flies away would be more efficient?

It would need multiple shots to deshielded a dent. Dent shield is more than 10000. The swarm rag would be more efficient since it can equip one or two blasters as well as the missiles. But a ship equipped with the suggested weapon would not. It would be much more effective at deshielding, but much less effective at killing solo. Thus encouraging group combat.

. And the fact that it can fire volleys of 2 caprails on a goli, whereas the goli can fire max 1 caprail.

Golis can fire two caprails at the same time.

It will make a group of fighters fighting a capship much more capable.

Non capital ships are already highly capable. Join one of the major combat guilds (Itan/fAMY/@X/SKV/ONE) in the game, and they will teach you how to use fighters to kill a capship very quickly with weapons already available in the game. You might be surprised how fast those guilds can destroy player capships. Just because you have not learned to do so yet, doesn't mean others don't already do this.

The swarm rag would be more efficient since it can equip one or two blasters as well as the missiles.

The rag is already highly effective at killing capships. For example, place two stingrays in the large ports. Then chain fire pcb and charge cannon. The stingrays easily deshield the dent, while the pcb and charge cannons kill the dent and disable its energy using weapons (capswarms/caprails/etc) . A skilled pilot can do this by themselves against a trident.

It would be much more effective at deshielding, but much less effective at killing solo. Thus encouraging group combat.

Any weapon as strong as you suggest will discourage group play.

> But a ship equipped with the suggested weapon would not. It would be much more effective at deshielding, but much less effective at killing solo. Thus encouraging group combat.

But see, that's exactly the point where I disagree. A swarm rag needs 2 large ports with missiles to deshield while a single large port with your suggested weapons would be enough. You would even be able to solo a Capella's shield with that. But we seem to be going in circles on this one so let's agree to disagree, I stated my opinion.

I am really unsure on the shield damage stat since there are no exact numbers available on the shield max value and shield regen rate of capships. My idea for this would be that two of the weapon on a single ship, firing at 1/s and 50 energy per shot, on a Heavy cell, will be able to deshield a dent just as the cell drains completely, provided no energy is used on turbo and all shots hit. So it would take about 10 seconds of uninterrupted non-turbo perfect shooting to deshield a dent. And the ship would be unable to equip any hull damage weapons since two of this would use up all grid.

And the ship would be unable to equip any hull damage weapons since two of this would use up all grid.

Turreted ships have neutron blaster mk II's built in.