How I Would Rebalance 6 Pack
Jul 6, 2023 17:19:56 GMT -5
Cdr. Crimmins, Eradicator1, and 2 more like this
Post by 079 on Jul 6, 2023 17:19:56 GMT -5
A little while back in a Discord call after a 6 Pack fight night had concluded, the crew and I were talking about the long-discussed topic of Android 6 Pack and some of the questionable practices they do, namely them constantly changing their rules and testing new equipment with little regard for consistency and their group's long-term health. And well, I said towards the end that I, despite never actually playing any Android, really do have their liberal mindset in a lot of ways. Everyone knows 6 Pack is not perfect, especially in terms of equipment balance, but the real interesting part is how people approach tackling this subject. I think where I differ from Android at large is that they constantly want to make real solutions to even the smallest perceived problems, while I mainly like to stay in the theoretical. I know the 6 Pack meta is really quite fine as-is, and even restrained changes to it will invariably make people mad. But, I still find it fun to imagine what I would do to 6 Pack if I magically had control over all of the equipments' stats, which is what I shall outline here. Normally I like to do I things with everyone's interest in mind (a realistic approach, if you will), but for this, I instead felt like doing what I myself want. As a result, this is not a simple rebalancing of 6 Pack, but a pseudo-reimagining of it. Some people (probably most people honestly) would do things differently, but to me, that is where the fun comes in, as it prompts discussion. I know Cdr. Crimmins and Eradicator1 are the only ones here who care about 6 Pack, but I find them to be enough for a good exchange, plus this sort of thing is just fun for me to do. Without further ado, let's get going!
So in my pseudo-reimagining of 6 Pack, I had 3 core principles in mind while doing all of my balance changes. The first one is the farthest-reaching and most difficult to fulfill, but the other two indirectly aid in fulfilling it, so it is not too bad:
1. I want all robots and weapons to viable without the aid of special rules (Casual Night)
2. I want all robots and weapons to have a unique identity, with each being very distinctive and their own kind of fun to play
3. I want the robot weight classes and weapon ranges to all be very distinctive, with little overlap, to make battles more dynamic and variety-filled
The first principle is the obvious one to strive for, and the third is one most can probably also get behind, but the second is where the bulk of my liberties with the rebalances stems from. As it stands, I think some robots (Bolt and Gepard, Vityaz, Golem, and Boa, and Natasha, Fury, and Butch) are too similar, some weapons (Nashorn, Trebuchet, Noricum, and Zenit) could be changed a bit to make them embrace their core concept more, and other various equipment could use some usability improvements to increase their appeal. Thus, several pieces of equipment have more drastic changes than mere stat buffs or nerfs, such as altered properties or even gaining new properties. As such, in addition to general overviews for each grouping of equipment, I have included individual explanations for each equipment piece's rebalance, with the more drastic changes getting more thorough reasoning. And lastly before getting into the changes themselves, I have fully embraced an idea I have talked about in voice chats for a while, which is that I am against strictly buffing equipment to be on par with the most powerful equipment, as that essentially creates a power creep. Instead, I have the solid but not super powerful equipment pieces be the templates, with more powerful equipment being nerfed and less powerful equipment being buffed accordingly. I think this aids significantly in preserving the feel of 6 Pack gameplay, as well as make some of the more drastic changes be more palatable. And with that final large note out of the way, it is time to get into the meat of this post: the changes themselves!
Light Robots
Medium Robots
Heavy Robots
Light Weapons
Medium Weapons
Heavy Weapons
Hardpoint-Mounted Shields
And well, there it is, how I would rebalance 6 Pack! I am sure this is not perfect, but I do think, in my humble opinion, that it beats the already decently varied meta by a good margin. Something I realized I was going while making these rebalances was that I was pushing robot, weapon, and shield stats to all be multiples of 5 and, when appropriate, 10, because I of course have a bit of OCD with that kind of thing. However, I actually like the clarity it brings to everything in the end, as with my rebalances, several robots share durability values, speed values, and sometimes both, which I think actually makes 6 Pack more accessible. There are less unique values to memorize/keep track of, and all of the values are easier on the brain (in the current meta, some robot durability values and weapon damage values are oddly specific). I bet this is a byproduct of Pixonic buffing things by percentages rather than exact amounts, which is fine on its own, but I bet a lot of people would appreciate all the numbers being cleaned up a little. I also think robots sharing a stat or two helps a little to encourage experimentation, as when a player is not too satisfied with a robot, he/she can be queued in to good alternate choices by their similar stats.
As I said the beginning, this is all just how I would do things. I bet other players will disagree with my handling of some equipment pieces (particularly the ones I made more drastic changes to), and if I wanted to be more crowd-pleasing with my changes, I would really have to stick to just stat changes, as some players are, in my opinion, a little too obsessed with keeping the status quo. Regardless though, this was a lot of fun to make, and I bet it will at least be a fun read to other 6 Pack members, and maybe even some matchmaker players who would also enjoy the buffs (besides heavy robots, of course). With that though, that all from me, so thanks for reading and maybe let me know how you would do things! I love hearing others' thoughts on things, especially things that are open to interpretation. As always, I look forward to the (small in this case) discussion!
So in my pseudo-reimagining of 6 Pack, I had 3 core principles in mind while doing all of my balance changes. The first one is the farthest-reaching and most difficult to fulfill, but the other two indirectly aid in fulfilling it, so it is not too bad:
1. I want all robots and weapons to viable without the aid of special rules (Casual Night)
2. I want all robots and weapons to have a unique identity, with each being very distinctive and their own kind of fun to play
3. I want the robot weight classes and weapon ranges to all be very distinctive, with little overlap, to make battles more dynamic and variety-filled
The first principle is the obvious one to strive for, and the third is one most can probably also get behind, but the second is where the bulk of my liberties with the rebalances stems from. As it stands, I think some robots (Bolt and Gepard, Vityaz, Golem, and Boa, and Natasha, Fury, and Butch) are too similar, some weapons (Nashorn, Trebuchet, Noricum, and Zenit) could be changed a bit to make them embrace their core concept more, and other various equipment could use some usability improvements to increase their appeal. Thus, several pieces of equipment have more drastic changes than mere stat buffs or nerfs, such as altered properties or even gaining new properties. As such, in addition to general overviews for each grouping of equipment, I have included individual explanations for each equipment piece's rebalance, with the more drastic changes getting more thorough reasoning. And lastly before getting into the changes themselves, I have fully embraced an idea I have talked about in voice chats for a while, which is that I am against strictly buffing equipment to be on par with the most powerful equipment, as that essentially creates a power creep. Instead, I have the solid but not super powerful equipment pieces be the templates, with more powerful equipment being nerfed and less powerful equipment being buffed accordingly. I think this aids significantly in preserving the feel of 6 Pack gameplay, as well as make some of the more drastic changes be more palatable. And with that final large note out of the way, it is time to get into the meat of this post: the changes themselves!
Light Robots
It is clear to everyone what light robots should be: fast scout machines that outmaneuver their opponents instead of outgun them. However, light robots suffer from being, well, too light. In addition to giving up health, they also give up firepower for their speed, which simply is just too much to be worth it. Worse yet, some medium and even heavy robots have the speed to rival light robots, making them all the less appealing. When approaching the light robots, I decided that the best approach would be straightforward stat buffs, as that is what the light robots are lacking in. With large durability and speed boosts across that board, light robots are now faster than anything in the other weight classes, and are defined more by a lack of firepower than a lack of firepower and durability. Combined with the changes to the other weight class' members, I think light robots will finally be worthwhile in high-level play.
Destrier
Durability: 70000 hitpoints (+10000)
Speed: 65 kph (+15)
New Feature: 30000 durability energy shield with 1250 durability per second recharge rate
Yeah, I am coming out swinging with giving the first robot quite the buff! In addition to the expected stat buff, I also gave Destrier a weak energy shield, something unprecedented for light robots. I did this so Destrier both can have its own unique identity, and so it can (ironically) remain closer to its current incarnation. Like how it is right now, Destrier has low firepower and stats, but the shield justifies these shortcomings.
Cossack
Durability: 80000 hitpoints (+26000)
Speed: 75 kph (+22)
Jump distance increased from 105 meters to 120 meters
Cossack was simple to rebalance, just getting a (quite substantial) set of stat buffs. The robot is still a dedicated beacon runner, but is not fragile to the point of uselessness and has the speed to offset its lack of power. I decided to buff the Jump Ability as well to make sure it remains faster than walking, keeping this robot’s distinctive grasshopper-style movement intact.
Schutze
Durability: 90000 hitpoints (+15300)
Speed: 65 kph (+10)
Players like to think of Schutze as a heavy light robot, but its current stats do not reflect that. Several light robots are more durable than it, and its speed is just too low for what players would want to do with it. With these buffs, Schutze is faster but still among the slowest light robots, which it makes up for by having the highest durability of the light robots, thus fully realizing the vision of it being the heavy light robot.
Gepard
Durability: 85000 hitpoints (+9000)
Speed: 75 kph (+17)
This robot was an interesting one to rebalance, as it serves as a sort of middle ground between robots like Bolt, Jesse, and Stalker. However, it currently is tough to use over any of them, particularly Bolt, because its stats are currently too low. Thus, Gepard has been buffed accordingly, now being a simple light robot (simplicity was always its strong suit) that makes up for its lack of abilities and features with high stats.
Jesse
Durability: 85000 hitpoints (+15000)
Speed: 75 kph (+17)
Jesse is a bit of a strange robot, as it really only sees use with specialized setup like Aphids and Spirals. I am fine with keeping it this way, as that is the robot’s identity, but have given it sizable buffs to make it more worthwhile as a general use robot in addition to making it better at its unique jobs. It is now like Gepard in having high stats, which offsets the inconveniences of the Quick Draw ability.
Stalker
Durability: 80000 hitpoints (+17000)
Speed: 75 kph (+11)
Ability cooldown reduced from 16 seconds to 10 seconds
A very well-defined robot, Stalker was quite easy to rebalance. Its speed was buffed in accordance with other light robots’ buffs to keep it as one of the fastest, and its health was similarly buffed to keep it up to standard. The big change was, of course, significantly buffing the Stealth ability. I always thought the cooldown was too long and really squandered Stalker’s potential, so I lowered it to really let it be the nuisance it always wanted to be!
Gareth
Durability: 70000 hitpoints (+15000)
Speed: 75 kph (+17)
Shield: 120000 hitpoints (+10000)
Gareth, much like Stalker, was an easy rebalance, as it has long carved out its own niche in 6 Pack and was relatively balanced when compared to the other light robots. Thus, all it needed was some handy buffs to keep it in line with its peers.
Bolt
Durability: 80000 hitpoints (+9500)
Speed: 70 kph (+15)
Ability cooldown increased to from 5 seconds 10 seconds
Ability charge capacity increased from 1 charge to 2 charges
Bolt was very interesting to rebalance, since it has quite the stranglehold on light robot meta in its current state and already has a solid identity. But at the same time, it needs some buffs of its own. I decided to solve this problem by looking to Bolt’s cousin Heachi, and giving that robot’s ability to Bolt. Now, Bolt’s ability still has the utility and nuance of before (with arguably even more nuance now), but does not step in the way of robots like Gepard. Combine this with the appropriate stat buffs, and I am quite happy with the way Bolt turned out with this rebalance.
Destrier
Durability: 70000 hitpoints (+10000)
Speed: 65 kph (+15)
New Feature: 30000 durability energy shield with 1250 durability per second recharge rate
Yeah, I am coming out swinging with giving the first robot quite the buff! In addition to the expected stat buff, I also gave Destrier a weak energy shield, something unprecedented for light robots. I did this so Destrier both can have its own unique identity, and so it can (ironically) remain closer to its current incarnation. Like how it is right now, Destrier has low firepower and stats, but the shield justifies these shortcomings.
Cossack
Durability: 80000 hitpoints (+26000)
Speed: 75 kph (+22)
Jump distance increased from 105 meters to 120 meters
Cossack was simple to rebalance, just getting a (quite substantial) set of stat buffs. The robot is still a dedicated beacon runner, but is not fragile to the point of uselessness and has the speed to offset its lack of power. I decided to buff the Jump Ability as well to make sure it remains faster than walking, keeping this robot’s distinctive grasshopper-style movement intact.
Schutze
Durability: 90000 hitpoints (+15300)
Speed: 65 kph (+10)
Players like to think of Schutze as a heavy light robot, but its current stats do not reflect that. Several light robots are more durable than it, and its speed is just too low for what players would want to do with it. With these buffs, Schutze is faster but still among the slowest light robots, which it makes up for by having the highest durability of the light robots, thus fully realizing the vision of it being the heavy light robot.
Gepard
Durability: 85000 hitpoints (+9000)
Speed: 75 kph (+17)
This robot was an interesting one to rebalance, as it serves as a sort of middle ground between robots like Bolt, Jesse, and Stalker. However, it currently is tough to use over any of them, particularly Bolt, because its stats are currently too low. Thus, Gepard has been buffed accordingly, now being a simple light robot (simplicity was always its strong suit) that makes up for its lack of abilities and features with high stats.
Jesse
Durability: 85000 hitpoints (+15000)
Speed: 75 kph (+17)
Jesse is a bit of a strange robot, as it really only sees use with specialized setup like Aphids and Spirals. I am fine with keeping it this way, as that is the robot’s identity, but have given it sizable buffs to make it more worthwhile as a general use robot in addition to making it better at its unique jobs. It is now like Gepard in having high stats, which offsets the inconveniences of the Quick Draw ability.
Stalker
Durability: 80000 hitpoints (+17000)
Speed: 75 kph (+11)
Ability cooldown reduced from 16 seconds to 10 seconds
A very well-defined robot, Stalker was quite easy to rebalance. Its speed was buffed in accordance with other light robots’ buffs to keep it as one of the fastest, and its health was similarly buffed to keep it up to standard. The big change was, of course, significantly buffing the Stealth ability. I always thought the cooldown was too long and really squandered Stalker’s potential, so I lowered it to really let it be the nuisance it always wanted to be!
Gareth
Durability: 70000 hitpoints (+15000)
Speed: 75 kph (+17)
Shield: 120000 hitpoints (+10000)
Gareth, much like Stalker, was an easy rebalance, as it has long carved out its own niche in 6 Pack and was relatively balanced when compared to the other light robots. Thus, all it needed was some handy buffs to keep it in line with its peers.
Bolt
Durability: 80000 hitpoints (+9500)
Speed: 70 kph (+15)
Ability cooldown increased to from 5 seconds 10 seconds
Ability charge capacity increased from 1 charge to 2 charges
Bolt was very interesting to rebalance, since it has quite the stranglehold on light robot meta in its current state and already has a solid identity. But at the same time, it needs some buffs of its own. I decided to solve this problem by looking to Bolt’s cousin Heachi, and giving that robot’s ability to Bolt. Now, Bolt’s ability still has the utility and nuance of before (with arguably even more nuance now), but does not step in the way of robots like Gepard. Combine this with the appropriate stat buffs, and I am quite happy with the way Bolt turned out with this rebalance.
Medium Robots
With all of the changes to light and heavy robots, I decided that medium robots are largely fine where they are. There are of course many changes to these robots, but they are easily the least drastic among the three weight classes. Most of the changes boil down to small bumps to increase their appeal over heavy robots, as well as fix some strange stat discrepancies within the current state of this weight class. As a result, the well-rounded mediums fall into place as just that within the meta, complete with a more diverse lineup to make choosing which to use all the more interesting.
Vityaz
Durability: 130000 hitpoints (+2400)
Speed: 40 kph (+2)
Vityaz is a very historic robot in 6 Pack, being the definitive well-rounded robot (alongside Griffin) and remaining surprisingly usable thanks to some buffs from Pixonic. Not wanting to stray too far from that proven archetype, I simply gave Vityaz stat buffs to keep it in line with the rest of the medium robots, saving the more drastic changes for other robots. Now, Vityaz is fully realized as a solid robot whose high stats offset its lack of abilities and features.
Golem
Durability: 105000 hitpoints (-2000)
Speed: 40 kph (+2)
New Ability: Stealth with 8 second duration and 16 second cooldown
This robot was perhaps the hardest of all to rebalance, as I had a very distinct desire for it. I wanted to give Golem something to fully bring it out of Vityaz’s shadow, thus giving it its own identity, but I of course did not want to change the robot too much. I then had the amazing idea seen above: give Golem a Stealth ability akin to Stalker. I always envisioned Golem as the token oddball robot, with its strange hardpoint configuration and more abstract design, so having a novel Stealth ability is quite fitting in my eyes. Now Stealth can no longer be relegated to one light robot, and Golem can retain its low stats, but for good reason now.
Boa
Durability: 150000 hitpoints (+10000)
Speed: 40 kph (+2)
I had thought about revamping Boa in a similar manner to Destrier and Golem to distance it from Vityaz a bit more, but after further consideration, I decided to just give it a set of stat buffs. Boa has its niche with the fast tank archetype, and since Vityaz was made to be an all-around robot and Golem was given a substantial makeover, a simple durability and speed boost was all that was needed to solidify Boa in its niche. Besides, like Vityaz, changing this robot too much would just feel wrong!
Gl. Patton
Durability: 115000 hitpoints (+10000)
Speed: 40 kph (+4)
Gl. Patton in its current state feels kind of wrong to me, as it has much lower stats than Vityaz and even Golem, something its unique hardpoint configuration really does not justify. With a decent set of stat buffs to bring it in line with the aforementioned robots, Gl. Patton can be more than a mere platform for Mangum, Aphid, and Gekko batteries.
Doc
Durability: 115000 hitpoints (+8000)
Speed: 50 kph (+4)
Doc is interesting in that it largely fits into the all-around robot role Vityaz does, but of course does so in a completely different way. Doc lacks durability, but has above average speed and a nuanced ability to make up for it, which I of course persevere here. Doc is still a bit on the fragile side, but now has even more speed to make itself be a little more appealing.
Rogatka
Durability: 115000 hitpoints (+11000)
Speed: 60 kph (+5)
Ability cooldown increased from 7 seconds to 10 seconds
Rogatka was a tough robot to balance because the light medium robot archetype archetype it occupies is, in some ways, disruptive to the meta. Alongside the Rhino and (to a lesser extent) Bolt, Rogatka is largely responsible for the relegation of light robots in the current 6 Pack meta. Thus, I had to be careful when buffing it, or this problem would continue. I decided to address this problem while still keeping Rogatka up to standard by making it less reliant on its ability. A micro durability boost and small speed boost keep Rogatka as the fast medium robot without infringing on light robots, with the nerf to the jump ability doing the same as well as differentiating it from Cossack a little more.
Galahad
Durability: 100000 hitpoints (+3440)
Speed: 45 kph (-1)
Shield: 135000 hitpoints (-3000)
Galahad honestly feels about perfect in terms of its balancing, so I only made small changes to make it fit in with its peers a little more and infringe on Gareth a little less. Galahad is now overall a little tougher due to having some durability transferred from its shield to its more important hull durability, which is offset by a micro speed nerf.
Carnage
Durability: 100000 hitpoints (+16000)
Speed: 35 kph (-1)
Shield: 55000 hitpoints (+3000)
Shield Regeneration: 2000 hitpoints (+440)
Ability speed boost increased from +66% to +86% (+30 kph)
The biggest victim of the recent buffs to plasma weapons, Carnage is definitely in need of some attention. While I want to preserve its risk/reward niche, I also think it is clear that there currently is too much risk for the reward. Thus, I have given it a substantial health boost and increased the Rush ability’s speed boost, which combined with my nerfs to plasma weapons, should make Carnage a much more attractive robot. Additionally, I made the shield tougher to scale it with my buffs to rocket weapons. To make sure Carnage is not too good now though, I gave it a micro speed nerf and kept its ability cooldown high.
Fujin
Durability: 100000 hitpoints (+7000)
Speed: 40 kph (-2)
Shield: 105000 hitpoints (+1000)
Shield Regeneration: 3150 hitpoints (+30)
Movement speed during ability reduced to 15 kph
Like Destrier and Golem, I decided to take Fujin in a bit of a different direction than simply matching it to its peers. Like Galahad, I think Fujin is about perfect balance-wise, but I wanted to evolve its concept a little more. I personally view Fujin as a heavy medium robot, even more so than Boa, and decided to realize that here. I scaled its shield with my rocket weapons buffs and gave it a sizable durability boost, but in exchange for speed. The small speed nerf puts Fujin in line with the other slower medium robots, and the increased speed penalty during Sentry Mode helps keep things fair for my rebalanced heavy robots. Now Fujin really is the defensive sentinel it is already imagined to be!
Vityaz
Durability: 130000 hitpoints (+2400)
Speed: 40 kph (+2)
Vityaz is a very historic robot in 6 Pack, being the definitive well-rounded robot (alongside Griffin) and remaining surprisingly usable thanks to some buffs from Pixonic. Not wanting to stray too far from that proven archetype, I simply gave Vityaz stat buffs to keep it in line with the rest of the medium robots, saving the more drastic changes for other robots. Now, Vityaz is fully realized as a solid robot whose high stats offset its lack of abilities and features.
Golem
Durability: 105000 hitpoints (-2000)
Speed: 40 kph (+2)
New Ability: Stealth with 8 second duration and 16 second cooldown
This robot was perhaps the hardest of all to rebalance, as I had a very distinct desire for it. I wanted to give Golem something to fully bring it out of Vityaz’s shadow, thus giving it its own identity, but I of course did not want to change the robot too much. I then had the amazing idea seen above: give Golem a Stealth ability akin to Stalker. I always envisioned Golem as the token oddball robot, with its strange hardpoint configuration and more abstract design, so having a novel Stealth ability is quite fitting in my eyes. Now Stealth can no longer be relegated to one light robot, and Golem can retain its low stats, but for good reason now.
Boa
Durability: 150000 hitpoints (+10000)
Speed: 40 kph (+2)
I had thought about revamping Boa in a similar manner to Destrier and Golem to distance it from Vityaz a bit more, but after further consideration, I decided to just give it a set of stat buffs. Boa has its niche with the fast tank archetype, and since Vityaz was made to be an all-around robot and Golem was given a substantial makeover, a simple durability and speed boost was all that was needed to solidify Boa in its niche. Besides, like Vityaz, changing this robot too much would just feel wrong!
Gl. Patton
Durability: 115000 hitpoints (+10000)
Speed: 40 kph (+4)
Gl. Patton in its current state feels kind of wrong to me, as it has much lower stats than Vityaz and even Golem, something its unique hardpoint configuration really does not justify. With a decent set of stat buffs to bring it in line with the aforementioned robots, Gl. Patton can be more than a mere platform for Mangum, Aphid, and Gekko batteries.
Doc
Durability: 115000 hitpoints (+8000)
Speed: 50 kph (+4)
Doc is interesting in that it largely fits into the all-around robot role Vityaz does, but of course does so in a completely different way. Doc lacks durability, but has above average speed and a nuanced ability to make up for it, which I of course persevere here. Doc is still a bit on the fragile side, but now has even more speed to make itself be a little more appealing.
Rogatka
Durability: 115000 hitpoints (+11000)
Speed: 60 kph (+5)
Ability cooldown increased from 7 seconds to 10 seconds
Rogatka was a tough robot to balance because the light medium robot archetype archetype it occupies is, in some ways, disruptive to the meta. Alongside the Rhino and (to a lesser extent) Bolt, Rogatka is largely responsible for the relegation of light robots in the current 6 Pack meta. Thus, I had to be careful when buffing it, or this problem would continue. I decided to address this problem while still keeping Rogatka up to standard by making it less reliant on its ability. A micro durability boost and small speed boost keep Rogatka as the fast medium robot without infringing on light robots, with the nerf to the jump ability doing the same as well as differentiating it from Cossack a little more.
Galahad
Durability: 100000 hitpoints (+3440)
Speed: 45 kph (-1)
Shield: 135000 hitpoints (-3000)
Galahad honestly feels about perfect in terms of its balancing, so I only made small changes to make it fit in with its peers a little more and infringe on Gareth a little less. Galahad is now overall a little tougher due to having some durability transferred from its shield to its more important hull durability, which is offset by a micro speed nerf.
Carnage
Durability: 100000 hitpoints (+16000)
Speed: 35 kph (-1)
Shield: 55000 hitpoints (+3000)
Shield Regeneration: 2000 hitpoints (+440)
Ability speed boost increased from +66% to +86% (+30 kph)
The biggest victim of the recent buffs to plasma weapons, Carnage is definitely in need of some attention. While I want to preserve its risk/reward niche, I also think it is clear that there currently is too much risk for the reward. Thus, I have given it a substantial health boost and increased the Rush ability’s speed boost, which combined with my nerfs to plasma weapons, should make Carnage a much more attractive robot. Additionally, I made the shield tougher to scale it with my buffs to rocket weapons. To make sure Carnage is not too good now though, I gave it a micro speed nerf and kept its ability cooldown high.
Fujin
Durability: 100000 hitpoints (+7000)
Speed: 40 kph (-2)
Shield: 105000 hitpoints (+1000)
Shield Regeneration: 3150 hitpoints (+30)
Movement speed during ability reduced to 15 kph
Like Destrier and Golem, I decided to take Fujin in a bit of a different direction than simply matching it to its peers. Like Galahad, I think Fujin is about perfect balance-wise, but I wanted to evolve its concept a little more. I personally view Fujin as a heavy medium robot, even more so than Boa, and decided to realize that here. I scaled its shield with my rocket weapons buffs and gave it a sizable durability boost, but in exchange for speed. The small speed nerf puts Fujin in line with the other slower medium robots, and the increased speed penalty during Sentry Mode helps keep things fair for my rebalanced heavy robots. Now Fujin really is the defensive sentinel it is already imagined to be!
Heavy Robots
As expected from the trends of the previous two weight classes, with the light robots getting big buffs and medium robots getting small buffs, the heavy robots are where the smallest buffs and some nerfs come in. Heavy robots are generally defined as powerful but slow and the best brawlers, but in my opinion, this definition does not fit what they actual are. In the current 6 Pack meta, heavy robots are generally the end all be all of robots, with robots like Lancelot, Fury, Griffin, and Rhino dominating their respective battlefield roles and making alternate choices difficult to justify at times. If anything, they are the well-rounded, versatile weight class instead of the medium robots, as they possess by far the most durability and firepower while still having decent speed. I decided to fix this issue by making heavy robots be more like the aforementioned definition: powerful but slow. While these robots all got decent durability boosts to keep them ahead of medium robots in that aspect, they all got massive speed nerfs across the board. Thus, while heavy robots still are the best brawlers and generally dominate midrange, they are kept in check by having their battlefield influence limited by their speed. Now, heavy robots must be played with a more defensive mindset, controlling choke points and defending critical locations while faster machines push the front line. Now if heavy robots try to control the whole battlefield by themselves, they will be unable to intercept beacon runners and disruptors exploiting weak points in their battle line. The old principle of heavy robots trumping all once they get somewhere still holds true, but now that they take a lot longer to get there and other robots can escape easier, the dynamics of battle become much more interesting and variety is encouraged.
Leo
Durability: 190000 hitpoints (+21700)
Speed: 15 kph (-17)
Leo was an interesting case, as like Vityaz and Golem, I personally think it and Natasha are a bit too similar. So, I decided to address this by pushing Leo more into its niche of being a tank. Leo’s already low speed took one of the biggest hits of any heavy robot, but in exchange for its already high durability getting one of the bigger boosts of all the robots. Now Leo is the bonafide tank of 6 Pack, sacrificing speed and versatility for supreme survivability!
Natasha
Durability: 150000 hitpoints (+24000)
Speed: 20 kph (-15)
I view Natasha as the Vityaz of heavy robots, being a simple yet solid robot that is highly adaptable. I have embraced that here, making Natasha have high stats to clearly communicate that it is the all-around robot of this weight class.
Fury
Durability: 140000 hitpoints (+20000)
Speed: 15 kph (-20)
Unlike most other robots, my treatment of Fury does it little favors. In addition to nerfs to its choice weapons, I have also brought Fury itself down a peg, giving it one of the smaller durability boosts and the biggest speed nerf of all heavy robots. This forces Fury to be played more conservatively, ensuring this midrange-focused robot does not exceed its intended capabilities.
Butch
Durability: 155000 hitpoints (+22400)
Speed: 25 kph (-14)
I find Butch to be like its sibling Doc in that it complements Natasha the way Doc complements Vityaz: two different approaches to the same combat role. However, the long cooldown of Butch’s Quick Draw limits its effectiveness compared to Natasha, something I am compensating for by letting it have even higher stats than Natasha. Butch should now be even more rewarding to those who experiment with it over the comparatively simple Natasha and Fury.
Griffin
Durability: 140000 hitpoints (+23600)
Speed: 25 kph (-10)
Ability cooldown reduced from 22 seconds to 20 seconds
Griffin, like Fujin, is a robot that I decided to take in a bit of a different direction without outright redefining it. While classical views of 6 Pack picture Griffin as the definitive all-around robot, modernists like myself consider it to be an ambusher, alongside Carnage and Bolt. While I wanted to preserve its decent versatility, I decided to push Griffin more into this ambusher role a bit more. Griffin was given one of the higher durability boosts of the heavy robots to address how I thought it was just a little too fragile, as well as a small buff to its ability. Now Griffin is more reliant on its ability for movement, which will encourage an ambusher playstyle.
Lancelot
Durability: 135000 hitpoints (+10000)
Speed: 20 kph (-12)
Ability speed boost increased from +66% to +120% (+25 kph)
Ability cooldown increased from 14 seconds to 20 seconds
Shield: Left/Right Plate have 80000 hitpoints (+100) & Center Plate has 100000 hitpoints (+2000)
Lancelot, the undisputed king of the current 6 Pack meta, definitely needed some checks placed on it. It received on of the smallest of durability boosts for heavy robots, and its average speed was massively nerfed. Its ability has a much longer cooldown, it has one of the lowest base speeds in 6 Pack, and its Rush speed is also a little lower than before, which I think firmly puts Lancelot in its place. Lancelot must now be played with greater care and has a smaller reach on the map, limitations appropriate for a brawling-focused heavy robot.
Rhino
Durability: 140000 hitpoints (+11000)
Speed: 20 kph (-15)
Shield: 175000 hitpoints (-12000)
Shield hitbox activates 1 second sooner
Ability speed boost increased from +100% to +200% (+40 kph)
Rhino needed to have special attention done to its rebalancing, as like Rogatka, it is guilty of lessening light robots’ appeal, but too severe nerfs would kill its own appeal. Luckily though, the general nerfs to heavy robots’ speed did much of the work here, as Rhino’s lower Assault Mode speed means it is pushed out of the light robots’ realm when brought in line with its peers. I also decided to give Rhino a usability improvement with a faster-acting shield to make it a more competent brawler, something appropriate for a heavy robot, while nerfing the shield’s durability to compensate.
Raijin
Durability: 180000 hitpoints (+7000)
Speed: 20 kph (-14)
Shield: 135000 hitpoints (-5700) per shield
Shield hitbox activates 1 second sooner
Able to move at 10 kph during ability
Ability damage boost reduced from +40% to +30%
Raijin’s rebalance should be among the least surprising of the big changes here, as it has been long believed that the usability improvement of letting it walk during Bastion Mode to be all that it needs. I of course concur and have implemented that here, and the speed nerf should keep this change from being too far-reaching. To ensure Raijin does not infringe on Fury though, Bastion Mode’s damage boost has also been lessened. Lastly, I decided to give Raijin the change Rhino also got where its shields activate sooner, but are a little weaker in exchange. Raijin is a bit weaker relative to other robots than before, but the added flexibility should more than make up for it.
Leo
Durability: 190000 hitpoints (+21700)
Speed: 15 kph (-17)
Leo was an interesting case, as like Vityaz and Golem, I personally think it and Natasha are a bit too similar. So, I decided to address this by pushing Leo more into its niche of being a tank. Leo’s already low speed took one of the biggest hits of any heavy robot, but in exchange for its already high durability getting one of the bigger boosts of all the robots. Now Leo is the bonafide tank of 6 Pack, sacrificing speed and versatility for supreme survivability!
Natasha
Durability: 150000 hitpoints (+24000)
Speed: 20 kph (-15)
I view Natasha as the Vityaz of heavy robots, being a simple yet solid robot that is highly adaptable. I have embraced that here, making Natasha have high stats to clearly communicate that it is the all-around robot of this weight class.
Fury
Durability: 140000 hitpoints (+20000)
Speed: 15 kph (-20)
Unlike most other robots, my treatment of Fury does it little favors. In addition to nerfs to its choice weapons, I have also brought Fury itself down a peg, giving it one of the smaller durability boosts and the biggest speed nerf of all heavy robots. This forces Fury to be played more conservatively, ensuring this midrange-focused robot does not exceed its intended capabilities.
Butch
Durability: 155000 hitpoints (+22400)
Speed: 25 kph (-14)
I find Butch to be like its sibling Doc in that it complements Natasha the way Doc complements Vityaz: two different approaches to the same combat role. However, the long cooldown of Butch’s Quick Draw limits its effectiveness compared to Natasha, something I am compensating for by letting it have even higher stats than Natasha. Butch should now be even more rewarding to those who experiment with it over the comparatively simple Natasha and Fury.
Griffin
Durability: 140000 hitpoints (+23600)
Speed: 25 kph (-10)
Ability cooldown reduced from 22 seconds to 20 seconds
Griffin, like Fujin, is a robot that I decided to take in a bit of a different direction without outright redefining it. While classical views of 6 Pack picture Griffin as the definitive all-around robot, modernists like myself consider it to be an ambusher, alongside Carnage and Bolt. While I wanted to preserve its decent versatility, I decided to push Griffin more into this ambusher role a bit more. Griffin was given one of the higher durability boosts of the heavy robots to address how I thought it was just a little too fragile, as well as a small buff to its ability. Now Griffin is more reliant on its ability for movement, which will encourage an ambusher playstyle.
Lancelot
Durability: 135000 hitpoints (+10000)
Speed: 20 kph (-12)
Ability speed boost increased from +66% to +120% (+25 kph)
Ability cooldown increased from 14 seconds to 20 seconds
Shield: Left/Right Plate have 80000 hitpoints (+100) & Center Plate has 100000 hitpoints (+2000)
Lancelot, the undisputed king of the current 6 Pack meta, definitely needed some checks placed on it. It received on of the smallest of durability boosts for heavy robots, and its average speed was massively nerfed. Its ability has a much longer cooldown, it has one of the lowest base speeds in 6 Pack, and its Rush speed is also a little lower than before, which I think firmly puts Lancelot in its place. Lancelot must now be played with greater care and has a smaller reach on the map, limitations appropriate for a brawling-focused heavy robot.
Rhino
Durability: 140000 hitpoints (+11000)
Speed: 20 kph (-15)
Shield: 175000 hitpoints (-12000)
Shield hitbox activates 1 second sooner
Ability speed boost increased from +100% to +200% (+40 kph)
Rhino needed to have special attention done to its rebalancing, as like Rogatka, it is guilty of lessening light robots’ appeal, but too severe nerfs would kill its own appeal. Luckily though, the general nerfs to heavy robots’ speed did much of the work here, as Rhino’s lower Assault Mode speed means it is pushed out of the light robots’ realm when brought in line with its peers. I also decided to give Rhino a usability improvement with a faster-acting shield to make it a more competent brawler, something appropriate for a heavy robot, while nerfing the shield’s durability to compensate.
Raijin
Durability: 180000 hitpoints (+7000)
Speed: 20 kph (-14)
Shield: 135000 hitpoints (-5700) per shield
Shield hitbox activates 1 second sooner
Able to move at 10 kph during ability
Ability damage boost reduced from +40% to +30%
Raijin’s rebalance should be among the least surprising of the big changes here, as it has been long believed that the usability improvement of letting it walk during Bastion Mode to be all that it needs. I of course concur and have implemented that here, and the speed nerf should keep this change from being too far-reaching. To ensure Raijin does not infringe on Fury though, Bastion Mode’s damage boost has also been lessened. Lastly, I decided to give Raijin the change Rhino also got where its shields activate sooner, but are a little weaker in exchange. Raijin is a bit weaker relative to other robots than before, but the added flexibility should more than make up for it.
Light Weapons
Light weapons were an extremely important hardpoint type to balance right, as these would inform how I rebalanced the other weapons. Luckily though, I did not significantly struggle to rebalance any of them, as I knew for the most part what I wanted to do with them. None of these buffs or nerfs are too drastic, as I think weapon balancing is much easier to mess up than robots, and I do not think the imbalances are as dire. Nonetheless, there are a lot of buffs to the lesser used weapons and a few nerfs to the overbearing ones. Some where straightforward stat changes, while others had their properties further altered to make using them be more satisfying than what a simple stat buff would provide.
Punisher
Damage: 260 damage per bullet (no change)
I think Punisher is a perfectly balanced weapon, so I simply left it as-is.
Pinata
Damage: 1000 damage per rocket (+164)
Magazine decreased from 17 rockets to 16 rockets
Reload time decreased from .88 seconds per rocket to .8 seconds per rocket
Pinata has felt a little weak as of late, only being really good in large groups or as an auxiliary weapon, so this buff should make it more freestanding.
Magnum
Damage: 1350 damage per plasmoid (-190)
The 8.7 buff made Magnum a bit too strong, so I am essentially reversing that nerf to make more room for Punisher and Pinata.
Aphid
Damage: 10000 damage per volley (-270)
New Feature: slight splash damage (5 meters)
Aphid was weirdly inconsistent with its damage and, in my opinion rather strangely, was blocked by physical shields, so I am solving both issues by giving it splash damage, but with a small damage nerf to keep it from being too good.
Molot
Damage: 435 damage per bullet (-1)
Molot is about perfect balance-wise, but I still gave it a micro nerf to keep it from possibly taking over the midrange scene with the Zeus and Trident nerfs.
Gekko
Damage: 1900 damage per charge (+180)
Gekko is on the cusp of greatness with its damage, so I gave it a bit of a damage boost to push it over the edge!
Gust
Damage: 3900 damage per shot (+468)
Gust is a favorite of mine, but it definitely could use a little love, so this boost gives it that as well as scaling it with Pinata’s buff.
Pin
Damage: 1650 damage per rocket (+90)
Fire rate increased to from 2.5 seconds per rocket to 2 seconds per rocket
Pin has good damage, but is slow and thus clunky to use, an issue that I shall resolve, along with giving it a small damage boost to match Tulumbas’ damage.
Spiral
Damage: 2000 damage per missile (+530)
Reload time decreased from 12 seconds to 10 seconds
New Feature: slight splash damage (5 meters)
Spiral has long been a worse-off Aphid, so I am giving it a similar splash damage buff to improve usability, as well as a much-needed faster reload and damage buff to also bring it up to par.
Noricum
Damage: 750 damage per rocket (+80)
Reload decreased from 15 seconds to 10 seconds
Noricum has always been a meme of a weapon for its low damage, so a damage buff and massive reload buff should let have much more a presence on the battlefield.
Punisher
Damage: 260 damage per bullet (no change)
I think Punisher is a perfectly balanced weapon, so I simply left it as-is.
Pinata
Damage: 1000 damage per rocket (+164)
Magazine decreased from 17 rockets to 16 rockets
Reload time decreased from .88 seconds per rocket to .8 seconds per rocket
Pinata has felt a little weak as of late, only being really good in large groups or as an auxiliary weapon, so this buff should make it more freestanding.
Magnum
Damage: 1350 damage per plasmoid (-190)
The 8.7 buff made Magnum a bit too strong, so I am essentially reversing that nerf to make more room for Punisher and Pinata.
Aphid
Damage: 10000 damage per volley (-270)
New Feature: slight splash damage (5 meters)
Aphid was weirdly inconsistent with its damage and, in my opinion rather strangely, was blocked by physical shields, so I am solving both issues by giving it splash damage, but with a small damage nerf to keep it from being too good.
Molot
Damage: 435 damage per bullet (-1)
Molot is about perfect balance-wise, but I still gave it a micro nerf to keep it from possibly taking over the midrange scene with the Zeus and Trident nerfs.
Gekko
Damage: 1900 damage per charge (+180)
Gekko is on the cusp of greatness with its damage, so I gave it a bit of a damage boost to push it over the edge!
Gust
Damage: 3900 damage per shot (+468)
Gust is a favorite of mine, but it definitely could use a little love, so this boost gives it that as well as scaling it with Pinata’s buff.
Pin
Damage: 1650 damage per rocket (+90)
Fire rate increased to from 2.5 seconds per rocket to 2 seconds per rocket
Pin has good damage, but is slow and thus clunky to use, an issue that I shall resolve, along with giving it a small damage boost to match Tulumbas’ damage.
Spiral
Damage: 2000 damage per missile (+530)
Reload time decreased from 12 seconds to 10 seconds
New Feature: slight splash damage (5 meters)
Spiral has long been a worse-off Aphid, so I am giving it a similar splash damage buff to improve usability, as well as a much-needed faster reload and damage buff to also bring it up to par.
Noricum
Damage: 750 damage per rocket (+80)
Reload decreased from 15 seconds to 10 seconds
Noricum has always been a meme of a weapon for its low damage, so a damage buff and massive reload buff should let have much more a presence on the battlefield.
Medium Weapons
This group of equipment is perhaps the one I have the least to say about, as all of the rebalances are really just reflecting the rebalances made to the light weapons. Whatever light weapons got buffed or nerfed, their medium counterpart got a similar treatment. However, I did use this as an opportunity to bring weapons like the rocket launchers closer to their old selves, as they really got the short end of the stick from Pixonic over the years.
Punisher T
Damage: 430 damage per bullet (no change)
Like Punisher, I think Punisher T is the embodiment of perfect balance, so I am leaving it be.
Orkan
Damage: 1000 damage per rocket (-45)
Magazine increased from 25 rockets to 32 rockets
Orkan was a fun weapon to rebalance, as I can bring it closer to its classic mechanics. In exchange for a slight damage nerf to match Pinata, its magazine has been significantly increased, thus making it much stronger overall. However, since firing speed has not been increased, this buff should not be overbearing.
Taran
Damage: 1300 damage per plasmoid (-174)
Like Magnum, Taran went a bit overboard with the 8.7 buff, so I simply reversed that buff to put Taran back in line.
Molot T
Damage: 655 damage per shot (-5)
Like Molot, I think Molot T could be a bit too appealing with the Zeus and Trident nerfs, so I gave it a preemptive micro nerf.
Storm
Damage: 6000 damage per shot (+753)
Even more so than Gust, Storm seems like a neglected weapon, so I am fixing that as well as scaling Storm with Orkan with this sizable damage buff.
Tulumbas
Damage: 1650 damage per rocket (+22)
Fire rate increased from 1.1 seconds per rocket to 1 second per rocket
Like Pin, Tulumbas needed a fire rate boost to improve usability, and I gave it a micro damage buff to boot so it and Pin can have the same damage.
Hydra
Damage: 2000 damage per missile (+372)
Reload time decreased to 10 seconds
New Feature: slight splash damage (5 meters)
Like Aphid, Hydra has been a very lacking medium weapon, so I improved usability with some splash damage, a damage buff, and a shorter reload time.
Punisher T
Damage: 430 damage per bullet (no change)
Like Punisher, I think Punisher T is the embodiment of perfect balance, so I am leaving it be.
Orkan
Damage: 1000 damage per rocket (-45)
Magazine increased from 25 rockets to 32 rockets
Orkan was a fun weapon to rebalance, as I can bring it closer to its classic mechanics. In exchange for a slight damage nerf to match Pinata, its magazine has been significantly increased, thus making it much stronger overall. However, since firing speed has not been increased, this buff should not be overbearing.
Taran
Damage: 1300 damage per plasmoid (-174)
Like Magnum, Taran went a bit overboard with the 8.7 buff, so I simply reversed that buff to put Taran back in line.
Molot T
Damage: 655 damage per shot (-5)
Like Molot, I think Molot T could be a bit too appealing with the Zeus and Trident nerfs, so I gave it a preemptive micro nerf.
Storm
Damage: 6000 damage per shot (+753)
Even more so than Gust, Storm seems like a neglected weapon, so I am fixing that as well as scaling Storm with Orkan with this sizable damage buff.
Tulumbas
Damage: 1650 damage per rocket (+22)
Fire rate increased from 1.1 seconds per rocket to 1 second per rocket
Like Pin, Tulumbas needed a fire rate boost to improve usability, and I gave it a micro damage buff to boot so it and Pin can have the same damage.
Hydra
Damage: 2000 damage per missile (+372)
Reload time decreased to 10 seconds
New Feature: slight splash damage (5 meters)
Like Aphid, Hydra has been a very lacking medium weapon, so I improved usability with some splash damage, a damage buff, and a shorter reload time.
Heavy Weapons
Honestly, this group of equipment was perhaps the funnest of all for me to rebalance, as not only was it among the most in need of attention in my eyes, but also presented the most potential to really broaden the horizons of 6 Pack. As it stands, only around half of the total equipment pieces see regular use by lots of players and several are essentially extinct, a much worse situation than the other two hardpoint types. Thus, in addition to much-needed stat buffs, I also changed the properties of these negated weapons so they are more appealing to the average player. And of course, this hardpoint type is perhaps the most guilty of having a select few equipment pieces overshadowing the rest, and like the heavy robots being nerfed, those problematic weapons were nerfed as well to lessen the need for crazy buffs.
Thunder
Damage: 9520 damage per shot (no change)
Unlike its siblings Gust and Storm, I think Thunder is perfect balance-wise, so I am choosing not to fix what is not broken.
Trident
Damage: 4000 damage per rocket (-692)
Splash radius increased from 10 meters to 20 meters
Trident has been in Zeus’ shadow for a little while now, but with Zeus getting such a harsh nerf, Trident needs a little nerf of its own to stay balanced relative to Zeus. However, a much wanted usability improvement with better splash damage will be done as compensation and to really give this weapon a unique identity.
Zeus
Damage: 11000 damage per shot (-2539)
Zeus, more than any other weapon, has gotten out of control with repeated buffs from Pixonic. Thus, it is getting its comeuppance with an equally sizable nerf to cut it down to size.
Trebuchet
Damage: 15000 damage per fully charged shot (+1220)
Charge time reduced to 12 seconds
Trebuchet has a lot of potential as a long range weapon, but still needs help to have that potential be realized. With a small damage boost and shortened charge time, it should finally be a proper competitor to Zeus.
Kang Dae
Damage: 8500 damage per shot (+2930)
Kang Dae has always been rather sad to me, as its rebalance to being an 800 meter weapon had so much potential. With a damage buff and the Zeus nerf, Kang Dae can finally enter the ranged scene as a Zeus and Trident counter worth considering.
Nashorn
Damage: 9000 damage per shot (+2440)
Reload time decreased to 8 seconds
Nashorn seems like an interesting weapon, being a long range bombardment cannon instead of a true sniper weapon, but it both reloaded a bit too slow and had lackluster damage. With these changes, it can now properly fill that role.
Zenit
Damage: 1900 damage per rocket (+424)
Reload time decreased from 15 seconds to 10 seconds
Zenit has proven surprisingly capable at times, but those times are far too few and far between. With a damage buff and significantly decreased reload time, Zenit can keep the barrage up for longer now and be more impactful.
Thunder
Damage: 9520 damage per shot (no change)
Unlike its siblings Gust and Storm, I think Thunder is perfect balance-wise, so I am choosing not to fix what is not broken.
Trident
Damage: 4000 damage per rocket (-692)
Splash radius increased from 10 meters to 20 meters
Trident has been in Zeus’ shadow for a little while now, but with Zeus getting such a harsh nerf, Trident needs a little nerf of its own to stay balanced relative to Zeus. However, a much wanted usability improvement with better splash damage will be done as compensation and to really give this weapon a unique identity.
Zeus
Damage: 11000 damage per shot (-2539)
Zeus, more than any other weapon, has gotten out of control with repeated buffs from Pixonic. Thus, it is getting its comeuppance with an equally sizable nerf to cut it down to size.
Trebuchet
Damage: 15000 damage per fully charged shot (+1220)
Charge time reduced to 12 seconds
Trebuchet has a lot of potential as a long range weapon, but still needs help to have that potential be realized. With a small damage boost and shortened charge time, it should finally be a proper competitor to Zeus.
Kang Dae
Damage: 8500 damage per shot (+2930)
Kang Dae has always been rather sad to me, as its rebalance to being an 800 meter weapon had so much potential. With a damage buff and the Zeus nerf, Kang Dae can finally enter the ranged scene as a Zeus and Trident counter worth considering.
Nashorn
Damage: 9000 damage per shot (+2440)
Reload time decreased to 8 seconds
Nashorn seems like an interesting weapon, being a long range bombardment cannon instead of a true sniper weapon, but it both reloaded a bit too slow and had lackluster damage. With these changes, it can now properly fill that role.
Zenit
Damage: 1900 damage per rocket (+424)
Reload time decreased from 15 seconds to 10 seconds
Zenit has proven surprisingly capable at times, but those times are far too few and far between. With a damage buff and significantly decreased reload time, Zenit can keep the barrage up for longer now and be more impactful.
Hardpoint-Mounted Shields
The hardpoint-mounted shields were an interesting case, as they are a bit different to balance than the weapons. On one hand, they should be buffed to scale with the weapon buffs, but on the other hand, buffing them too much will lead to an abundance of shields when people often think the current meta is too shield-heavy. I decided to take a middle ground of sorts, where the shields were buffed, but not buffed as much as the weapons, meaning they are a little weaker overall and thus should not be overbearing on the meta.
ECU
Durability: 120000 hitpoints (+8000)
New Medium Counterpart: 160000 hitpoints
ECU has always seemed just a bit short balance-wise, so a buff to make it be on par with Gareth’s buffed shield seems appropriate. I also would introduce a long-overdue medium hardpoint version with enhanced durability to make it worthwhile on those hardpoints.
Ancile
Durability: 65000 hitpoints (+3000)
Recharge: 1900 hitpoints (+40)
Ancile was about perfectly balanced for my liking, so I gave it a small buff to scale it a bit with my rocket buffs, though it now is a bit weaker overall versus those weapons.
ECU
Durability: 120000 hitpoints (+8000)
New Medium Counterpart: 160000 hitpoints
ECU has always seemed just a bit short balance-wise, so a buff to make it be on par with Gareth’s buffed shield seems appropriate. I also would introduce a long-overdue medium hardpoint version with enhanced durability to make it worthwhile on those hardpoints.
Ancile
Durability: 65000 hitpoints (+3000)
Recharge: 1900 hitpoints (+40)
Ancile was about perfectly balanced for my liking, so I gave it a small buff to scale it a bit with my rocket buffs, though it now is a bit weaker overall versus those weapons.
And well, there it is, how I would rebalance 6 Pack! I am sure this is not perfect, but I do think, in my humble opinion, that it beats the already decently varied meta by a good margin. Something I realized I was going while making these rebalances was that I was pushing robot, weapon, and shield stats to all be multiples of 5 and, when appropriate, 10, because I of course have a bit of OCD with that kind of thing. However, I actually like the clarity it brings to everything in the end, as with my rebalances, several robots share durability values, speed values, and sometimes both, which I think actually makes 6 Pack more accessible. There are less unique values to memorize/keep track of, and all of the values are easier on the brain (in the current meta, some robot durability values and weapon damage values are oddly specific). I bet this is a byproduct of Pixonic buffing things by percentages rather than exact amounts, which is fine on its own, but I bet a lot of people would appreciate all the numbers being cleaned up a little. I also think robots sharing a stat or two helps a little to encourage experimentation, as when a player is not too satisfied with a robot, he/she can be queued in to good alternate choices by their similar stats.
As I said the beginning, this is all just how I would do things. I bet other players will disagree with my handling of some equipment pieces (particularly the ones I made more drastic changes to), and if I wanted to be more crowd-pleasing with my changes, I would really have to stick to just stat changes, as some players are, in my opinion, a little too obsessed with keeping the status quo. Regardless though, this was a lot of fun to make, and I bet it will at least be a fun read to other 6 Pack members, and maybe even some matchmaker players who would also enjoy the buffs (besides heavy robots, of course). With that though, that all from me, so thanks for reading and maybe let me know how you would do things! I love hearing others' thoughts on things, especially things that are open to interpretation. As always, I look forward to the (small in this case) discussion!
