Pass-through weapons ridiculously OP, pls nerf.

[Whatever100500]

I mean this weapon property, found on lvl 3 Scorcher Rifle and probably elsewhere:
"Fire at a target, After hitting an enemy, the flaming shot passes through the target and hits any unit in a 3 hex line"

1) This increases your effective range by 3 tiles. For example, 7->10. You can target empty tiles with ALT too. AI is completely unaware of how this property works and seems to consider it's safe, when in pass-through range. So it just keeps turtling until dead.
2) This allows to ignore any cover or defense modifiers: seems when you target AOE effects, their hit chance against all targets is set based on the tile you target. So, target cover before enemy with 95% -> hit enemy behind it with 95%. Similarly if they are not in cover, target a tile 3 closer than a far away enemy, and ignore 3 tiles worth of range penalty AND defense mode too.

So 2 nerfs then:
1) Pass-through shouldn't go beyond weapon range.
2) Proper hit chance calculation for AOE, based on tile target is in (and target's properties like defense mode), rather than tile I used ability on.

 

[n3ctaris]

I would propose a different change that just removes the ability to target via ALT with pass through weapons. This at least makes it so you need to 'line up the shot' to an actual unit, so some counter play is involved.

The second option is something I would think is a bug, not a feature. It should function like AoE.

 

[Whatever100500]

Then I'd just trick the AI into taking positions behind exploitable cover. Gamy restrictions lead to gamy response. Imo being able to target anything is much better than arbitrary restriction, just need to work out edge cases like this.

Yeah, 2nd one is a bug. It affects any AoE weapons, judging by hit chance in log.

 

[n3ctaris]

Change the range to 5 would also solve this problem, as the enemy doesn't seem to have an issue engaging when you are within 8 tiles of range. Range 5 + 2 pass through making the effective range 5-7.

 

[Whatever100500]

Even more important than total range is the fact that AI is unaware of the effect. I could still kill 5-range or melee enemies while they hold position in cover they wrongly consider safe.
Though I don't want to nerf effect into making rifle less than basic 7 range one, since 5+2 would make targeting at range 6-7 depend on how directions align on hex grid. Pass-through range being limited by total range doesn't have such awkward drawbacks.

 

[Jean-Luc]

Yeah, the Scorcher is pretty crazy. Simply reducing its range to 5 (since it can still be extended to 8) might be warranted.

 

[n3ctaris]

Even more important than total range is the fact that AI is unaware of the effect. I could still kill 5-range or melee enemies while they hold position in cover they wrongly consider safe.
Though I don't want to nerf effect into making rifle less than basic 7 range one, since 5+2 would make targeting at range 6-7 depend on how directions align on hex grid. Pass-through range being limited by total range doesn't have such awkward drawbacks.

Holding position in cover will be an answer if the passthrough rules are fixed to reference the AoE accuracy. you can shoot all day and hit nothing while they are in cover if those rules are working properly.

So nerf the range and fix the bug.

 

[Whatever100500]

A lot of cover is destructible, 15 or 30 hp, which is not a big problem for a hero with good mods. I mean it doesn't cost me anything extra to damage cover along with enemy.

And even with cover bonus (which is not that high at 25%) target would eventually die, if AI fails to recognize situation as threat and holds position.

 

[n3ctaris]

A lot of cover is destructible, 15 or 30 hp, which is not a big problem for a hero with good mods. I mean it doesn't cost me anything extra to damage cover along with enemy.

And even with cover bonus (which is not that high at 25%) target would eventually die, if AI fails to recognize situation as threat and holds position.

I'm not saying these changes will make it so you cant exploit the AI... we will be able to do that regardless of weapon. It will just make is so the AI will at least react rather than just sitting like a lump dieing at range 10.