Part of the implant rework involves making a decision about the relative potency of the rare and MC5 implants over the top level 'normal' implants.
On one hand, we want as many players to be able to engage in PvP at high level. Not everyone at that point has/can obtain the 'Tier 4' rares such as the Marine or Special Forces or the 'Tier 5' MC5s. As a result they should not offer significant bonuses above the Tier 3 implants.
On the other hand, these are the top level implants in the game, are considerably harder to obtain and should therefore afford higher benefits.
Here's some options to mull over; they are by no means the only avenues open, I just want to outline the main possibilities as I see them. Feel free to offer alternatives.
- Rare and MC5 implants should only offer a token bonus, unrelated to the main benefits of their Tier 3 originator.
Eg. If the Co-Ord 3 gives +5 Dex, the Special Forces and the CCP might give +5 Dex and +10/20 respective bonus to transport, hacking or vehicle use. The availability of a 'second' or 'third' implant of the same type in itself increases setup variation and is a bonus of a kind.
- Rare and MC5 implants should do what the Tier 3 implants do, but just a bit better.
Eg. The Special Forces might give +6 Dex or +5 Dex and +10 PC/RC.
- Rare and MC5 implants should afford bonuses significantly above those of the Tier 3 implants.
Eg. The Special Forces might give +6 Dex and +15 PC/RC and the CCP +7 Dex and +15 PC/RC.
- The Rares and MC5s do something different.
Ie. They offer something that the different Tier 3 implants do not.
Of course how much more potent they are over the Tier 3 implants is still an issue.
My personal preference (let that be clear), is for the first option. In a similar vein that that WoC weapons should not be inherently better, I feel the Rare and MC5 implants should be a little 'extra' at high level. Otherwise it makes the Rare and MC5 implants too much of a necessity for endgame viability.
I am fully aware however, of the time and effort that goes into obtaining them. Is +20 HCK over something that cost 50k from BTFSM worth it?
I'd like to have as much variation in viable implant types as possible. Unless we expand both rares and MC5s to cover the entire range that the Tier 3 implants do, making them significantly more powerful decreases the number of viable implant/setup choices. If we do expand the range, the we close off the capped/near-capped but unequipped players from endgame.
Floor is open.
//Edit: Someone with access please move this to the vedeena discussion section.