EVE Devblog: Revised Nosferatu Mechanics and Khanid mk 2 on the Test Server

[Tommy Suharto]

For Revelations 2.2 we are planning to revise the effect for Nosferatus and implement Khanid mk 2. As you may know, both changes are now out on the test server so you can try them out if you're interested. Juicy details below.Nosferatu Changes

In their current implementation Nosferatus not only neutralize cap of the targeted ship, but also leeches energy for your own ship. For instance a Heavy Nosferatu I gives you 8en/s and the peak recharge rate of a Megathron is about 20en/s with good skills, so a single Heavy Nosferatu I gives you about 40% increase in cap recharge rate. Even if the Nosferatu didn't leech energy it would still be a useful module since it can neutralize a capacitor at no (energy) cost to yourself. The problem, then, is that Nosferatus allows one to both leech energy off a target and at the same time neutralize its capacitor. This makes the Nosferatus too powerful since there is no compromise involved.
To address this issue we have changed the effect on Nosferatus (but not on Energy Neutralizers) in order to make the Nosferatu less powerful as an Energy Neutralizer without affecting its ability to leech energy. Under the new system, the amount transferred by a Nosferatu is based on the relative capacitor charge levels (measured in percent). Energy is only transferred while the charge percentage of the targeted ship is higher than the charge percentage of the ship that activated the Nosferatu. This means that the target is no worse off (energy wise) than the attacking ship.
For instance, if a battleship with 30% capacitor left activates a Nosferatu on a frigate, then the frigate is not drained below 30%. In other words, the Nosferatu would not drain the capacitor of the frigate completely, though an Energy Neutralizer would do the job nicely (but at an energy cost to the battleship). It is, however, still possible to use Nosferatus to drain a target if one is willing to sacrifice ones own energy to do so.Khanid mk 2

The Khanid ships currently suffer from a lack of direction. They have mixed laser and missile hardpoints and a bias towards shield tanking, but with armor bonuses. To rectify this, Khanid mk 2 (as originally suggested by Sarmaul -- much love for this awesome idea!) focuses on missile combat and armor tanking exclusively. This overlaps somewhat with Caldari missile ships, but the revised Khanid ships focus more on close range combat with bonuses to rockets/heavy assault missiles (and hopefully torpedos eventually). The Caldari ships remain superior at longer ranges due to missile velocity and flight time bonuses and their higher CPU output for Standard/Heavy Missile Launchers. Generally speaking, the new "Khanid bonuses" are:

• 5% bonus to rocket/heavy assault missile damage per level,
• 5% bonus to armor resistances per level and 5% reduction of capacitor recharge time per level.

Most Khanid ships do not favor any particular damage types, which increases flexibility with respect to damage types. Their damage output is higher than that of their Caldari counter parts when using non-kinetic rockets/heavy assault missiles, but lower with kinetic standard missiles/heavy missiles. The armor resistance and capacitor recharge bonuses enables the Khanid ships to field very tough tanks, which helps them to better survive at close range where they are most effective. Sensors have in general been adjusted for slightly shorter range. The mass and maximum speed on the Vengeance and Sacrilege have been improved so they can close in on their targets faster, though they remain slightly slower than their traditional Amarr equivalents. The Impel (deep space transport) and the Curse (combat recon) have not been changed as they are already in line with Khanid mk 2. The changes for the other Khanid ships are listed below.Malediction (Interceptor)

• Hardpoints: 3 launchers (+1), 3 turrets (no change)
• Fitting: 135tf (+10tf), 35mw (no change) Sensors: 925mm scan res (+25mm), 18,500m max targeting range (-4,000m)

Bonuses

• 5% bonus to rocket damage per FF level
• 5% bonus to armor resistances per FF level
• 5% reduction of signature radius per Interceptor level (no change)
  5% bonus to missile EM damage per Interceptor level (no change)

Lacks the range of the Crow, but has a bonus to armor resistances, a better capacitor and better speed. CPU is tight when using standard missiles. Vengeance (Assault Ship)

• Hardpoints: 4 launchers (+2), 3 turrets (no change)
• Fitting: 160tf (+10tf), 43mw (-5mw)
• Sensors: 655mm scan res (+55mm), 38,000m max targeting range (-7,000m) Propulsion: 235m/s (+5m/s), 2,000,000kg (-75,000kg)

Bonuses

• 5% bonus to rocket damage per Amarr FF level
• 15%/10% bonus to shield/armor resistances per Amarr FF level (no change)
• 5% bonus to armor resistances per AS level
  5% reduction of capacitor recharge time per AS level (no change)

Lacks the range of the Hawk, but is faster and tanks better due to its slot layout and bonuses. CPU is tight when using standard missiles. Anathema (Covert Оps)

• Hardpoints: 2 launchеrs (+1)‚ 2 turrets (no change)

Bonuses

• 5% bonus to rocket damage per Amarr FF level
• 5% reduction of capacitor recharge time per Amarr FF level
• -98% to -100% reduced CPU need for cloaking device per Amarr FF level (no change)
  10% reduction of duration time of Astrometric modules per Amarr FF level (no change)

Weapons are largely useless on Covert Оps frigatеs‚ but the Anathema has none the less been given a Khanid flavor for the sake of consistency. Heretic (Interdictor)

• Hardpoints: 6 launchers (+1), 4 turrets (no change) Fitting: 230tf (+19tf), 57mw (-9mw)

Bonuses

• 5% bonus to rocket damage per DD level
• 10% bonus to explosion velocity per DD level
• 10% bonus to missile velocity per Interdictor level
  10% Interdiction Sphere Launcher RОF pеr Interdictor level (no change)

The Heretic has similar bonuses to the Flycatcher‚ but the rockets only damage bonus and the low CPU makes rockets more suitable than standard missiles. The Explosion velocity bonus makes the Heretic better for taking down high speed targets vs. low speed, low signature radius targets for the Flycatcher.Sacrilege (Heavy Assault Ship)

• Hardpoints: 5 launchers (+2), 4 turrets (no change)
• Fitting: 400tf (+50tf), 1030mw (-70mw)
• Sensors: 260mm scan res (+25mm), 50,000m max targeting range (-10,000m) Propulsion: 205m/s (+30m/s), 12,000,000kg (-155,000kg)

Bonuses

• 5% bonus to Heavy Assault Missile damage per Amarr CC level
• 5% bonus to armor resistances per Amarr CC level (no change)
• 5% reduction of capacitor recharge time per HAS level
  5% reduction of missile launcher RОF pеr HAS level

The improved speed and mass helps getting the ship in close‚ though it remains slightly worse than for the Zealot. The armor resistance and capacitor recharge bonuses allow the Sacrilege to field a very hard tank, which helps it to compete against blaster ships (with its relatively lower damage output). Damnation (Command Ship)

Revised, see this blog

• Hardpoints: 5 launchers (+1), 2 turrets (-2) Fitting: 440tf (no change), 1300mw (-210mw)

Bonuses

• 5% bonus to Heavy Assault Missiles per BC level
• 5% bonus to armor resistances per BC level (no change)
• 5% reduction of capacitor recharge time per CS level
  3% bonus to Armor Warfare Links per CS level (no change)

Relatively low damage output compared to other fleet command ships, however the reduction of capacitor recharge time enables the Damnation to tank better than any other fleet command ship.
As always, the above changes are not final and subject to change if they turn out to be overpowered or under-performing. Оf coursе we would like to hear your feedback on the Nosferatu and Khanid changes (from Caldari pilots too). More balancing changes for Revelations 2.2 to follow.
Update Aug 28 changes in bold.

More...