It’s my first topic in the Player Features & Ideas section, and I would like to share an idea for a new type of module that would benefit armor ships (yes, the title and name might be misleading).
So, introducing the Shield Nullifier !
This module would, as indicated by it’s name, affect the shielding technology equipped on a ship in different ways. Here would be the perks of this module :
Fitted in Rigs slots, as it will deeply change a ship behavior, will still putting another weight for Tech II ships which have less rig slots. The module itself could have a Calibration cost of 300, to limit effectiveness on Faction vessels, while still permitting “light” rigs to be fitted, like resistance or trimark pumps.
Shield modules are working at zero effectiveness. This include Shield Extenders, Boosters (Boost Amplifiers), Hardeners (passive and active), Rechargers and Rigs. Damage Control is still functionnal, but doesn’t grant any bonus to shields. They can still be fitted on a ship.
Drops every shield resistance (except Thermal) to 0%, much like Polarized weaponery, but only affect the first defensive layer of a ship. Thermal stay at 1% (explanations below).
Shield capacity is massively reduced, depending on the size of the ship. Example, a Maller would only have 10 HP, an Harbinger would have 30 HP, and an Abaddon would have 80 HP.
Finally, the principale quirk of this module : Armor plates and Layered Plating give a lot more HP and Armor repairer repair more armor per cycle
Can only be fitted to Cruisers (Recon Ships and Logistics Cruisers excluded), Battlecruisers (Command Ships included), Battleships (Black Ops excluded) and the faction variants of those ships.
Now, let me explain myself a bit.
The point of such module would be to improve greatly armor tanking capabilities of a ship, while rendering its shields virtually useless. Concerning the fact that shield capacity isn’t recuded to 0, or Thermal resistance is still at a mere 1% is more lore related, as shields act as barrier against light environmental defense, notably protecting the armor and hull from solar rays.
Capital vessels aren’t affected, because a module like that would affect big alliances capital fights waay too much.
So, what are your thoughts on that, please ? I’m pretty new to this, so try to be constructive in your answers, I’ll try to improve my module as best as I can
EDIT : I misread your post and thought you wanted a module to shut off other ships resists etc.
Your actual concept is not as bad as all that, but in my opinion this module would be a requirement not an option on an Armour ship. Anyone who opted for resistless shields over more armour buffer would lose. I think this is still way OP, since there are already implants for a bit more buffer / active reps if that’s your bag. Also it would make a few higher tank hulls like T3 pretty much win machines, since they can already achieve silly tanks as it is (My CLOAKY!! Loki that active tanks 2500-3000dps stood still for example).
No worries, the name is quite misleading, it’s true ^^
Indeed, specialized E-WAR modules and advanced ships that could mess with an enemy resist profil could be interesting, but technically, Phenoma Generators can already obliterate a certain resistance to improve another
Also, it’s true that Strategical Cruiser can already achieve ridiculous tanks, even when they do not use the Subsystems that should encourage such fits. It’s true that Legion and Proteus doesn’t really need another module to improve the armor eHP, even if that mean rendering the shield layer basically useless.
I think the basic issue is that armour ships don’t need their shields anyway, so no real loss in exchange for sweet armour boosts. I spent my first 3 years in EvE flying armour exclusively. When you armour tank, shields are nothing more than a flashy red warning that your actual defences are about to be scratched. It would be almost 0 loss to swap the entire sheild for a little bit more armour, because my armour has bad ass resists and my sheild has the defensive capacity of a wet paper bag with some grease smeared on it.
No thanks. It requires a ground up overhaul of pretty much all ships.
What you want is already what happens when you fit your ship for armour and not shield. The shields are weak but the armour is tougher.
Edit-
Counter proposal. Make it a low slot. 40ish cpu, 1pgrid. Cannot be fit at the same time as a damage control (or make it a type of damage control). Removes shields or greatly reduces shield hp and adds slightly more armour resists than a damage control, maybe a small armour hp buff. It provides no structure or shield resists. Cannot be fit on freighters.
The point? Better armour ehp and resists for active tanks and fleets with logi. But lower overall ehp, opening you up to being volleyed or getting killed faster without logi.
Well, I don’t really see where the module require to overhaul every damn ship. Fitting it on most Caldari (and some Minmatar) vessels will render them useless because shields are their primary defenses, but could permit some new armor tanked ships.
The module itself will modifie the shield traits of a vessel, no need to destroy the current tanking algorithm because of a module.
The problem with your proposal is that shields are already essentially ignored for armour tanking ships. So your proposed module would nerf something that is already useless while it buffs something that is one of the main focus of the ship. The only way to make it balanced would be to offer only a small buff, so that it is comparable to fitting an extra plate or hardener or, as above/below, damage control.
Lose almost nothing to gain “a lot more” of something significant? Why would you say no? It’s way too powerful as proposed.
This is a much better approach. Replacing a damage control (a trade off with interesting possibilities like for PvE or fleet logi) is good, and it could not cause diminishing returns with other res modules, only with the reactive hardener, which is another layer of trade off.
Indeed, the proposition of Daichi_Yamato is interesting.
Keeping an extremely small amount of shield HP is something I want to keep on that module, as it won’t give free intel to enemies when they see a ship with only two layers of defenses.
It’s a buff to every armour tank ship. Why would you not fit one to any ship you armour tank? And shield ships will fall behind in balance. So they too will need to be rebalanced.
This is balancing 101. A buff to one thing is a nerf to it’s competitor.
Some kind of shield equivalent or ‘rival’ would likely be necessary (the asb to the aar). But these modules shouldn’t be the ‘only’ choice. They shouldn’t be so powerful that every armour ship will fit one because the alternatives just don’t compare (if it’s a rig, there should be a real decision between this rig or other rigs). Hence the idea to make them alternatives to the damage control.
Alright, I came up with this according to your opinions. I’ll try to make a shield version, but maybe not on this topic, as it would be a bit out of subject
Shield Nullifier
Can only be fitted on Cruisers (except Strategical Cruisers), Battlecruisers and Battleships.
Cannot be fitted at the same time as a Damage Control module.
Shield related modules (Extenders, Boosters, etc) are working at zero effiency. Shield resistances are set to 0%.
Shield HP is reduced to an extremely small number, to keep three layers of defenses when the ship is locked.
Armor resistances are improved by 25%.
Armor plates and Layered Plating give 10% more HP, but the mass penalty is bigger.
So, what do you think of that new version ? There’s certainly room for improvements, I’d like to hear your opinions
Nothing in eve gives this much to all resists. It would be way too strong! Especially as a passive module. The reactive hardener is already pretty great with 30 to two resists and no stacking penalties for PvE, a module with +55% to all resists would be a must have. Most armor ships will either have more HP in armor from plates (so +55% is way better than 40% in structure) or fit active rep which will hugely benefit from this (in terms of repped ehp per second), and that’s before the other bonus you listed.
Something like +25% to all resists might work. Not quite as good as a reactive module, but covers all 4 resists and confers other bonuses.
