Let's Discuss Shaft!

[GuidoFawkes 2,361]

anyway if you guys are interested in the current shaft stats you ca check it on the RU wiki...

they only decreased reload by a little bit but weak damage is now 25% and they also decreased maximum effective range by a little.

[thethiefofvictory 339]

Not sure why people think Shaft was nerfed...

 

Anyways. Shaft is pretty good with Wasp or Hornet, and imo this update favours the mobile snipers more. Oh, and it's arguably the best combo for Juggernaut :P

 

@Diesel :lol:

[gokuMI6 1,290]

Not sure why people think Shaft was nerfed...

 

Anyways. Shaft is pretty good with Wasp or Hornet, and imo this update favours the mobile snipers more. Oh, and it's arguably the best combo for Juggernaut :P

 

@Diesel :lol:

Mobile sniper's need to play like fire/Freeze now i think with this Update

before they could play like Smoky

[DieselPlatinum 5,121]

I don't know if I said this before but, the nerf deters people from spamming the arcade shots after delivering a full powered snipe shot until the target is dead.

[Reddkuest 76]

I don't know if I said this before but, the nerf deters people from spamming the arcade shots after delivering a full powered snipe shot until the target is dead.

Yeah, unless relatively close, arcade shot is now almost useless to finish far off tanks, so may as well move and do something else, and pray someone else get that flag bearer.

 

Otoh, it is slightly better at close range.

[splitterpoint 10,986]

Lol I need to get a little used to this new weak damage. I was shooting people at 50 damage per shot.

[wolverine848 13,097]

Lol I need to get a little used to this new weak damage. I was shooting people at 50 damage per shot.

So... kinda like smoky beyond "optimal" range (sans the 1-in-5 critical)

[splitterpoint 10,986]

So... kinda like smoky beyond "optimal" range (sans the 1-in-5 critical)

Yeah I guess, someone said its arcade shots are like a pistol. I think that's a pretty good example. Up close it still does stock-Thunder damage with higher reload.

 

My Smoky deals around the same damage at long range indeed lol.

[gokuMI6 1,290]

Yeah I guess, someone said its arcade shots are like a pistol. I think that's a pretty good example. Up close it still does stock-Thunder damage with higher reload.

 

My Smoky deals around the same damage at long range indeed lol.

So Shaft is kind of Upgraded smoky with scope ?

[enri_chill 265]

So Shaft is kind of Upgraded smoky with scope ?

And no crit hits:(

[gokuMI6 1,290]

And no crit hits:(

Ah yes

Smoky with the M1 alt 

[Strikechard123 241]

needs a buff

[DieselPlatinum 5,121]

needs a buff

In what way?

[thesquarerootof2 165]

needs a buff

tf no. I'd even say it needs a nerf. 

[splitterpoint 10,986]

It already recieved a nerf, Shaft does minimal damage in arcade shots. This is what made it so versatile, now it's a true sniper.

 

I am constantly comparing enemies against eachother and decide who to pick out. It's a good thing you can still kill enemies at one blow and instantly take the supplies with them. If if didn't have this feature I would leave the turret in the garage.

[railguniz4noobz 2,394]

It already recieved a nerf, Shaft does minimal damage in arcade shots. This is what made it so versatile, now it's a true sniper.

 

I am constantly comparing enemies against eachother and decide who to pick out. It's a good thing you can still kill enemies at one blow and instantly take the supplies with them. If if didn't have this feature I would leave the turret in the garage.

Minimal damage at range. Up close, the turret stupid powerful. It's just barely behind thunder in terms of DPS.

[splitterpoint 10,986]

Minimal damage at range. Up close, the turret stupid powerful. It's just barely behind thunder in terms of DPS.

Lol if it weren't for that, Shaft would be a potatoe. One trick pony; Target practice for enemies. It needs to defend itself up close.

 

I am glad it does 720 damage up close every 2 seconds, There's no splash damage!

[railguniz4noobz 2,394]

Lol if it weren't for that, Shaft would be a potatoe. One trick pony; Target practice for enemies. It needs to defend itself up close.

 

I am glad it does 720 damage up close every 2 seconds, There's no splash damage!

The only reason arcade mode exists is to give shaft a way to do any damage at close range because of the sniping delay. Railgun can be easily deflected with a turret such as hammer, so it has to run or find a way to stabilize itself. There is no reason shaft should be this strong up close considering it has insane damage output at medium range.

[splitterpoint 10,986]

The only reason arcade mode exists is to give shaft a way to do any damage at close range because of the sniping delay. Railgun can be easily deflected with a turret such as hammer, so it has to run or find a way to stabilize itself. There is no reason shaft should be this strong up close considering it has insane damage output at medium range.

So what would you suggest? Make one kill in sniper mode and wait out to be killed by Freezes, Twins and whatnot? Nah man Shaft would be crippled and quite boring to play between all these hulls on nitro.

 

I see myself using arcade shots a lot. Most of the hulls are so fast, they reach you before you can get back into scope mode.

 

I think the arcade shots are fine the way they are now, useless at long range but very capable at short and somewhat- medium. I am not going into scope mode for these enemies, no way I can keep up my aim.

[thesquarerootof2 165]

"Minimal". Shaft's arcade is nearly the DPS of Thunder. 

 

Shaft rivals magnum in terms of op-ness at long range anyways. It deals the second-highest burst damage in the game. It would probably be OP even if you removed the arcade shot; the number of snipes it would make would still outnumber the times it dies from being close-ranged. 

 

There's a long-range turret in this game that can't one-shot anything without double damage or waiting until m2 and paying a bunch of crystals and must eyeball all of its shots, in addition to displaying a prominent trail that tells literally every single person on the map their exact position every time they fire. If this turret has to be absolute crap at short-range (which it usually is), I think a turret that can one-shot (or very almost one-shot) medium hulls WITHOUT double damage and gets a SCOPE to aim should be even more crap at short-range. 

Edited July 31, 2018 by thesquarerootof2

[splitterpoint 10,986]

That's a bit biased don't you think?

Reload is much much higher, you can't move in scope and the view and aiming speed are very limited.

Scope mode is not so versatile but perfect for killing indeed. I love how it can pick out specific targets one at a time.

 

The Railer has massive knockback, piercing ability and can drive while shooting.

[thesquarerootof2 165]

Reload is much much higher, you can't move in scope and the view and aiming speed are very limited. 

It deals much much much more damage. See below for the movement thing. Aiming speed is fast enough that you can catch up with most things as long as it isn't right under your nose. Limited view is a very lenient tradeoff for how much damage it does and how reliably it can deal that damage, and anyways it's easily made up for by finding a good spot. 

 

 

The Railer has massive knockback, piercing ability and can drive while shooting.

Massive knockback won't help Railgun defend itself against anything other than occasional Shafts and other Railguns. Piercing is uncommon enough that it's not a big plus. I agree that Railgun's mobility is a major plus, however I still think this is outweighed by Shaft's many other advantages. 

 

 

Scope mode is not so versatile but perfect for killing indeed. 

I actually disagree with the first point. Scope mode is VERY versatile. You can choose exactly how much damage you want and avoid wasting reload. This is a huge advantage Shaft has over Railgun. 

 

Shaft snipes and kills better than Railgun and also requires less skill. The very least they could do is not make it so it ALSO does a much better job of defending itself than Railgun. 

[LittleWillie 3,199]

Piercing is a major tactical ability cecause this is the counter to the heavy hull shielding Isida deal. Just like splash damage is the counter to a too-crowded defense luster around the goal.

 

As for knockback not being useful et real.  My Wasps are knocked over all the time if they manage to live.  I have had my titans knocked over when they catch you in the right orientation.  So let's keep it real.

 

IMO the damage dial on the game is turned up to 12. But that's what they want, a lot of blown up tanks not a careful tactical natch.

[thesquarerootof2 165]

Some research has shown that Shaft actually does the same impact force as Railgun. So Railgun doesn't even have that advantage. 

Edited July 31, 2018 by thesquarerootof2

[splitterpoint 10,986]

It deals much much much more damage. See below for the movement thing. Aiming speed is fast enough that you can catch up with most things as long as it isn't right under your nose. Limited view is a very lenient tradeoff for how much damage it does and how reliably it can deal that damage, and anyways it's easily made up for by finding a good spot.

And it should because the reload time takes like 19806 centuries. You should see the amount of light hulls passing by your view and you try to keep up; it's getting on my nerves sometimes. even M4 medium hulls are stupid fast at medium range. This is why I use mouse controls all the time; you've the ability to hold the laser and the view is increased as you move your mouse around by I'd say 30%, that's a pretty big advantage.

 

Unfortunately the laser itself does not move faster if you use mouse controls; for the long range it's oustanding and the aim is absolutely fantastic, but I believe arcade shots are neccesary to make Shaft capable of defending itself rather than being a sitting duck waiting for the yellow bar to fill up.

 

Finding the good spot is essential indeed, most deaths are caused by unlucky spawn placement in combination with enemies swarming the place or whatever; it does good when out of sight... kinda like a sniper hóh;

 

 

Massive knockback won't help Railgun defend itself against anything other than occasional Shafts and other Railguns. Piercing is uncommon enough that it's not a big plus. I agree that Railgun's mobility is a major plus, however I still think this is outweighed by Shaft's many other advantages.

Yes it will, I use Smoky. Smoky is a typical knockback gun; the alteration is fantastic in deflecting enemies chasing you or making them shoot the sky. Agree on the piercing part; that's probably as uncommon as Striker's salvo mode. I'd rather have splash damage in a situation where I can hit multiple targets.

 

I actually disagree with the first point. Scope mode is VERY versatile. You can choose exactly how much damage you want and avoid wasting reload. This is a huge advantage Shaft has over Railgun. 

 

Shaft snipes and kills better than Railgun and also requires less skill. The very least they could do is not make it so it ALSO does a much better job of defending itself than Railgun.

That's very true, the thing does 3000 HP damage in a couple of seconds + extra time saved for another charge. That's a win-win situation. Though it is just as easy to waste a full charge on a crippled Hornet or Wasp; not knowing their HP bar, that'd be the trade-off for such a massive damage output I guess. Finishing off targets with a 100% effective shot within their health bar (say 2803 on a Viking M4), with an arcade shot is practically impossible now. Ahh atleast it'll get you more points for the collaborative kill - or assist whatever you wanna call it.

 

Railers also have peek-a-boo; for the long range shots.. my reflexes aren't fast enough if they drive around and hit me from various locations :I

 

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Shaft requires not that much skill I agree, I think the biggest potential comes from picking the right spot with enough view so one doesn't have to sit there waiting all charged up in scope and have their DPS reduced just because of the waiting, yeah unless it's waiting forf a game changing kill on lets say a flag carrier who's about to expose him/herself.