AU: Magshot

[Grand_dm]

In my AU campaign I plan to make it a precursor to the Gauss Rifle using Helm Core data.

Question for the group: Has anyone updated the Magshot in their own campaign to make it a tad more interesting?

My gut reaction is to increase the range bands.

[AlphaMirage]

I mean how interesting do you need it to be. It's range and damage is actually really good for its size and weight.

[Grand_dm]

I mean how interesting do you need it to be. It's range and damage is actually really good for its size and weight.

I don't really want to debate the Magshot, it's been done ad nauseam in other threads. Our group thinks it's really low on the list of choices so we want to make it a little better.

[AlphaMirage]

Double it's damage, half it's ammo. Then it's pretty potent

[Liam's Ghost]

It's hard to judge what you're hoping for, so my first instinct would be to go with your gut and bump up the range.

Personally, I feel like the biggest weakness of the magshot is that it explodes, and because people tend to put it in batteries with other magshots, can just outright kill the pilot through sympathetic detonations. So maybe get rid of that trait?

[Grand_dm]

It's hard to judge what you're hoping for, so my first instinct would be to go with your gut and bump up the range.

Personally, I feel like the biggest weakness of the magshot is that it explodes, and because people tend to put it in batteries with other magshots, can just outright kill the pilot through sympathetic detonations. So maybe get rid of that trait?

We struggle with the two crit spaces per Magshot. And almost always that you're just better off with an SRM2 that can also use special munitions. Or for that matter just another Medium Laser.

[Liam's Ghost]

Have you considered battle armor Magshots using the rules in "Ghosts of Obeedah?"

That would drop them to one critical slot and a quarter ton.

[Grand_dm]

Have you considered battle armor Magshots using the rules in "Ghosts of Obeedah?"

That would drop them to one critical slot and a quarter ton.

I have not seen those yet! Downloading it now.

[Grand_dm]

I may just reduce the critical space to one, which is probably what it should have been.

[Grand_dm]

Personally, I feel like the biggest weakness of the magshot is that it explodes, and because people tend to put it in batteries with other magshots, can just outright kill the pilot through sympathetic detonations. So maybe get rid of that trait?

Yep, having popcorn inside your Mech makes them pretty much junk. 2-hits from feedback to your Mechwarrior makes them not worth it.

[DevianID]

Ive always been cool with ammo explosions being bad things for the health of a mechwarrior, but all the little magshot nonsense explosions really hurt my suspension of disbelief.  There isnt electrodes in your brain, so the feedback being electrical to me was always nonsense.  The only feedback you should feel is the massive pressure wave of a giant explosion knocking you around in your pressurized hull as the ammo explosion violently changes the shape of everything around you.  BUT... a little dinky 2 point gauss magnet quench having the same visceral impact of a big autocannon belt that knocks tank turrets into the air doesn't sit well with me.  I think it would be fine to have an improved magshot that didnt explode at all.  Like... battle armor that get killed dont explode when carrying ap gauss or mag shots.  I dont think any lore has ever described an elemental's arm getting blown off when the BA gauss got crit.

[Grand_dm]

Ive always been cool with ammo explosions being bad things for the health of a mechwarrior, but all the little magshot nonsense explosions really hurt my suspension of disbelief.  There isnt electrodes in your brain, so the feedback being electrical to me was always nonsense.  The only feedback you should feel is the massive pressure wave of a giant explosion knocking you around in your pressurized hull as the ammo explosion violently changes the shape of everything around you.  BUT... a little dinky 2 point gauss magnet quench having the same visceral impact of a big autocannon belt that knocks tank turrets into the air doesn't sit well with me.  I think it would be fine to have an improved magshot that didnt explode at all.  Like... battle armor that get killed dont explode when carrying ap gauss or mag shots.  I dont think any lore has ever described an elemental's arm getting blown off when the BA gauss got crit.

It really makes no sense to be honest. Why even publish something for the game that is nigh unusable? The only conclusion is they did not want them used in bulk. They take up two critical spaces and explode - seems intentional.

[DevianID]

The only conclusion is they did not want them used in bulk.

Upsettingly, the first thing they did is mount like 10 minigauss on things.

[Grand_dm]

No military would ever mount some tiny interation of a weapon that could kill a pilot from explosion feedback.

Not a great balancing tool for the Magshot or even the AP Gauss.

[Retry]

No military would ever mount some tiny interation of a weapon that could kill a pilot from explosion feedback.

Not a great balancing tool for the Magshot or even the AP Gauss.

At least you have to be shot at for a Magshot to kill yourself.  HVACs don't even need that...

[Grand_dm]

At least you have to be shot at for a Magshot to kill yourself.  HVACs don't even need that...

They are all abitrary balancing tools too. Why not just let ballistics be good?

[Retry]

I agree wholeheartedly.