An idea to change Boom Blast

If you have been playing with the new patch, you will probably have noticed that explosive Chirons now appear much later in the game and that the double explosion bug has been fixed, meaning that they can’t one shot-kill anything anymore.

Also, as far as I know, the Arthons with grenade launchers are basically gone.

So… Perhaps it’s time to review the player’s capabilities with explosives?

What if Boom Blast was changed to launching 3 grenades with the GL or with the mounted rocket launcher at a single location with reduced precision, to make it more of an area of effect skill? At the cost of 3APs/6WPs and no range bonus.

2 Likes

Hrm… That’d be awkward, because the mounted rocket launcher only has two ammo.
That and it changes what the skill does. As it is Boom Blast does one of two functions: Fire two volleys (The only weapon it affects that isn’t 1/turn usage is the grenade launcher, of which you use 2 AP to use under influence. Suppose with a mounted launcher you can reach 3 shots), or facilitate movement when using arcing explosives (And the terrain in general is very unfriendly toward arcing shots).

Honestly i’d be more interested in some change that kept the range increase, which is the most interesting part of the skill as it gives you access to shots you’d otherwise not have.

1 Like

I’m with Julian here. I don’t use Boom Blast to spam grenades, I use it to increase Range.
Frankly, I’d happily lose the ‘use 3 times’ aspect of it as long as it kept the range.

I like your idea.
Anyway, with Boom Blast, either AP reduction or increasing the range should be eliminated.

As Boom Blast is currently, it allows the player to stand in the initial position and shoot 2 bombs on the other side of the map without LOS.

This makes the game too static and therefore less interesting.

I see nothing wrong with Boom Blast as it currently stands. It’s use is not only for explosive Chirons, other Chirons are as problematic (Goo for example). On top of the that, there are occasions where one is trying to save civilians, but they are clear across the map, and sometimes on the other side of buildings. One may not have a chance to move the ground troops in enough time to not lose WP as civilians are wiped out. It’s a good tool for shredding armor (which gets ever more reinforced as the Pandorans evolve). Speaking of armor, it’s a good tool for stripping armor on the Scylla as well.

Again, I know you (and others) don’t care to hear this, but if you don’t like it for your play style – don’t use it. Why shoehorn you methods of fighting onto all players?

1 Like

Honestly, I currently don’t see a big problem with Boom Blast and for me it is not OP. It is a good skill for heavies at Level 5, that’s all for me. Maybe take down the range increase to 20-30% or so, anything more would make it a useless skill.

Then tell us a good idea, only eleminating abilities is not a solution.

I’ve almost never used boom blast; generally the cost of using it vs the benefit makes it not worth it other than in very special situations.

Try the following. Bring two Heavies with GL and mounted launchers on any mission, except nests/bases.

Use a soldier with high perception to spot enemies.

If the enemies are more than 40 tiles away, wait for them to come to you. If they are under 40 tiles away, have the Heavies cast Boom Blast. You now have 6 artillery strikes.

If any enemies survive, use assault to mop it up.

Or wait another turn, and do it again, and then mop up.

It’s a template that works on most missions.

@mcarver2000 we have had this discussion many times. The existence of an optimal strategy shoehorns many players into using it.

Why bother with anything else if every turn each soldier can lob 3 explosive projectiles without LOS at a distance of nearly 40 tiles? (and that without going into stuff like Rapid Clearance, Adrenaline Rush, or the new Onslaught).

To be fair this is what was done with Quick Aim. On release it also provided a 25% bonus to aim, and it was definitely the right decision.

Why should Boom Blast provide both a reduction in AP and an increase in range?

EDIT: The point of my suggestion is to make Boom Blast deliver a single, very powerful artillery strike, instead of 3, so it would make sense to use it situationally against a large group of enemies/one large enemy, not to clear the map by nading individual enemies/small groups.

1 Like

Such statements are counterproductive because they stifle any discussion and argumentation.

I have.

I write it down in a little more detail.
Option 1: 3AP per bomb, 3-4WP, increasing the range
Option 2: 2AP per bomb, 3-4WP, -

I also said this:

@Voland’s idea would be cooler and tactically enriching

EXACTLY!

You are taking this out of context. You and others are wishing to tailor the game into “the” game that you want to play, to match your playing style. There are other players that have a different approach to their tactics (and you may feel that their choices are incorrect - but it’s their choice). Again, why the attempt to shoehorn all players into what you perceive to be the perfect play style?

The joy of PP is that it can be played many different ways. Why restrict this flexibility to suit one group of players only? There’s no harm in one not wanting to use Boom Blast and there is no harm if one wishes to use it. I am not trying to stifle anything, I am simply voicing my opinion, as you are stating yours.

2 Likes

So the answer is to nerf nerf nerf. Remove the usefulness of the skill completely so that you achieve the following

  • The strong builds are blocked
  • The skill is completely useless unless you use the strong builds mentioned above

In the extension, let’s just replace every single weapon with the starter AR, and then remove every skill, that way people wont use good combos. The fact that some combos are strong isn’t enough reason to nerf them into oblivion.

Does the skill really become useless? What do you want out of the skill, what result to do you want to achieve?

I’m trying to make suggestions here that make the game better, like many others. I am not concerned with my preferences.

It’s about giving the game position changes and drama, making the game more DYNAMIC overall. It is a goal for a wide audience.
Skills that are extremely effective from the starting position make the game look very STATIC, similar to RB sniper, which is already well documented with videos and comments. I want PP to be a success and in my opinion such skills hurt.

2 Likes

I get your point and it does have merit. As it stands almost any skill, or weapon, can be used to an extent to make things static. I’m also of the mind that one doesn’t take a paper knife to fight against a tank. Boom Blast has legitimate uses, and of course can be abused.

1 Like

Because in my opinion it is not that strong as you describe.
Edit:
To be more precise, the skill is strong but also very situational, very often I can’t make a good usage of it.

For me personally after the nerf of Rage Burst (that was good IMO), Boom Blast is the one to go for my heavies.

Maybe a completely alternative proposal by changing the level of the heavy skills:
1-4 stays the same
5 - Inspire
6 - Rage Burst
7 - Boom Blast (without any change)

Hi Voland, what do you think:
Does PP really need a “common skill system” for all Difficulties?

Maybe you should choose the Beginner and the Veteran as part of “play and have fun”?
Dabble = 1Lv Study / Teach (Hero / Legend = Tactics)

PS
No time and no resources

It’s a tactical turn base game!
So Tactics are fun to me and many others.

1 Like

When Chirons start showing up with 40 armor on most parts, Boom Blast as is, is tactical choice I want to be able to make.

1 Like

This is Phoenix Point … (talking about high expectations and then continuous disappointments) …
In any talk about changing skills, there are always fans who are “too used to” (rearranged their thinking) to the broken skills from the release. I don’t see any big problem leaving the learning difficulties (Big / Vet) unchanged. For Learning and Smooth Transition.
Let “delicate balance” = Tactics start with the Hero.

Yes you are right. Even a game with the most absurd and broken game mechanics will have its fans. Holding on to wishes of such fans (I don’t mean that badly) unfortunately leaves the game in the same broken state.

1 Like