Perpetuum Blog Syndicate robots: The final wave

The final 4 robots of the new Syndicate line make their debut in patch 3.8.3, alongside of numerous balancing changes. In this blog we'll take an in-depth look at all these updates - spreadsheets warning ahead!HelixClass: Light robot specialized in electronic warfare"The Helix is a good all-rounder when it comes to electronic warfare. While it may not be the toughest bot around, combining a light chassis with an assault-class undercarriage makes it probably the fastest."SlotsHead slots: 3Leg slots: 2Chassis slots: 3 (2x light turret/misc, 2x light/medium misc)Bonuses (per extension level)3% increase to EW strength3% reduction to EW modules accumulator usage-0.10 to surface hit size1% reduction to firearms cycle time+2 to signal maskingNotable statsAccumulator: 350 AP @ 120sec rechargeCPU: 220 TFReactor: 170 RPArmor: 725 HPPassive resistances: 45 points universally (31%)Surface hit size: 3 mLocking range: 350 mSensor strength: 110 Hw³Signal detection: 75 rFSignal masking: 120 rFCargo capacity: 3.75 USlope capability: 56°Mass: 6000 kgBase speed: 129.6 kphSyndicate Supplies cost80 TM tokens80 ICS tokens80 ASI tokens800,000 NICCallistoClass: Mech specialized in electronic warfare"Employing our own technologies and incorporating all the knowledge that we have gained from the Nian factions, the Callisto is an elusive and flexible mech for tackling and shutting down enemy units."SlotsHead slots: 4Leg slots: 4Chassis slots: 3 (3x light/medium turret/misc)Bonuses (per extension level)3% increase to EW strength3% reduction to EW modules accumulator usage-0.10 to surface hit size1% reduction to firearms cycle time+2 to signal maskingNotable statsAccumulator: 2600 AP @ 360sec rechargeCPU: 450 TFReactor: 700 RPArmor: 1350 HPPassive resistances: 45 points universally (31%)Surface hit size: 6 mLocking range: 400 mSensor strength: 120 Hw³Signal detection: 110 rFSignal masking: 110 rFCargo capacity: 7.5 USlope capability: 45°Mass: 16500 kgBase speed: 95.4 kphSyndicate Supplies cost700 TM tokens700 ICS tokens700 ASI tokens8,000,000 NICLegatusClass: Heavy mech specialized in firearms"Alluding on its appearance our engineers have nicknamed it "Doc". Aptly so, as the Legatus can administer a swarm of good old glowing hot bullets at a relatively long range for those in need. And that without writing out a prescription."SlotsHead slots: 4Leg slots: 6Chassis slots: 6 (2x light/medium turret, 2x light/medium turret/misc, 2x light/medium turret/misc/industrial)Bonuses (per extension level)3% increase to firearms optimal range3% increase to firearms damage-0.20 to surface hit size1% reduction to firearms cycle time+3 to passive resistances9% reduction to NEXUS modules accumulator usageNotable statsAccumulator: 3850 AP @ 720sec rechargeCPU: 370 TFReactor: 1200 RPArmor: 3750 HPPassive resistances: 45 points universally (31%)Surface hit size: 9 mLocking range: 350 mSensor strength: 90 Hw³Signal detection: 90 rFSignal masking: 90 rFCargo capacity: 12 USlope capability: 45°Mass: 34000 kgBase speed: 72 kphSyndicate Supplies cost2,000 TM tokens2,000 ICS tokens2,000 ASI tokens20,000,000 NICMetisClass: Heavy mech specialized in combat support"Exceptional energy output and defense capabilities - two traits that turn this heavy mech into an indispensable powerhouse on the battlefield. The Metis is the holy grail of remote support, which usually makes it a primary target in the eyes of enemy commanders."SlotsHead slots: 6Leg slots: 6Chassis slots: 6 (2x light/medium industrial, 3x light/medium misc/industrial, 1x light/medium turret/missile/misc)Bonuses (per extension level)3% reduction to engineering modules cycle time3% increase to armor repair amount3% reduction to accumulator recharge time1% increase to armor hit points-0.30 to surface hit size9% reduction to NEXUS modules accumulator usageNotable statsAccumulator: 3800 AP @ 360sec rechargeCPU: 600 TFReactor: 1200 RPArmor: 5500 HPPassive resistances: 45 points universally (31%)Surface hit size: 13 mLocking range: 230 mSensor strength: 100 Hw³Signal detection: 70 rFSignal masking: 70 rFCargo capacity: 21 USlope capability: 45°Mass: 60000 kgBase speed: 66.6 kphSyndicate Supplies cost4,000 TM tokens4,000 ICS tokens4,000 ASI tokens40,000,000 NICBalancing changesTuning module rebalancingThe last patch introduced diminishing returns when using tuning modules in the form of exponentially increasing accumulator usage. The changes were a bit on the brute force side, so in 3.8.3 we are refining this concept further and create some diversity between tuning module tiers.There is now an efficiency difference between tiers (efficiency meaning what you get from the module for the accumulator used). T1 and T3/T3- have balanced efficiency, T2/T2+ have higher efficiency (meaning the energy usage penalty is less than the provided bonus), and T4/T4+ have low efficiency (energy penalty is higher than the bonus).In practice this means that if you want to go for maximum bonuses using multiple high tier tunings, you'll experience exponentially higher accumulator usage with every additional tuning. However, if you are concerned about accumulator stability, you can choose lower tier tunings, which provide lower bonuses, but at much better efficiency, with lower accumulator usage penalties.ARMOR REPAIR TUNINGSThe additional remote repair accumulator penalty has been removed, as the armor repair penalty also affects remote repair modules.To make things more simple, cycle time modification has been removed (hence all the 1s in the "After" table here) so the new balance is done using only accumulator modification and repair amount modification.BEFORETIERAcc MODRepair MODCycle MODT01.31.10.97T11.31.30.95T21.31.30.95T2+1.31.350.95T3-1.31.40.92T31.31.40.92T41.31.50.9T4+1.31.550.9AFTERTIERAcc MODRepair MODCycle MODRatioT01.41.110.79T11.21.211T21.11.211.09T2+1.151.311.13T3-1.41.411T31.41.411T41.61.4510.91T4+1.71.5510.91INDUSTRIAL TUNINGSBEFORETIERAcc MODGather MODT01.31.1T11.31.3T21.31.3T2+1.31.35T3-1.31.4T31.31.4T41.31.5T4+1.31.55AFTERTIERAcc MODGather MODRatioT01.41.10.79T11.21.21T21.11.21.09T2+1.151.31.13T3-1.41.41T31.41.41T41.61.450.91T4+1.71.550.91EnWAR TUNINGSEnWar tunings did not have a diminishing returns factor so far, quite the contrary actually. The more tunings you used, the better your drainers/neutralizers became. This is turned around with the new values, so efficiency is either balanced (T1/T2), or reduced (T3/T4) the more tunings you equip.This is more interesting for neutralizers since the used and neutralized energy amounts are more closer; for T4 medium tunings the turning point in efficiency (when you need to sacrifice more energy than the amount you neutralize) arrives at using 3x tunings. (For those curious, in the case of T4 medium drainers this theoretically happens at 17x tunings.)The difference between drained and neutralized energy modification has been removed.BEFORETIERAcc MODDrain MODNeut MODT11.11.11.2T21.11.11.2T31.11.131.23T41.11.151.25AFTERTIERAcc MODDrain MODNeut MODRatioT11.11.11.11T21.11.11.11T31.21.131.130.94T41.31.151.150.88WEAPON TUNINGSCreating a difference in accumulator usage modifiers between the weapon types was a bad idea, now all types of weapon tunings use the same values. This retains the specific accumulator usage traits of each weapon and creates the same efficiency reduction curve when using multiple tunings.The same tier efficiency ratio differences are used here as for repair and industrial tunings.Cycle time modification has been removed here as well, efficiency is controlled by only accumulator usage versus damage modification.BEFORE (magnetic weapon tunings taken as the example)TIERAcc MODDamage MODCycle MODT01.51.030.97T11.51.050.95T21.51.050.95T2+1.51.0550.95T3-1.51.0750.95T31.51.0750.95T41.51.0750.925T4+1.51.0850.925AFTER (for all wapon types)TIERAcc MODDamage MODCycle MODRatioT01.41.0510.75T11.11.111T21.051.111.05T2+1.051.211.14T3-1.31.311T31.31.311T41.551.410.9T4+1.71.510.88Medium firearm balancingLong range firearms (autocannons) were using disproportionally less energy than their short range brothers, so their accumulator usage has been brought in line.BEFORE (Machine gun vs Autocannon)MGCycleAccumulatorDamageDPSAccu per secDPS ratio*Accu ratio*T142160400.501.492.00T241160400.251.492.00T34217042.50.501.514.00T432135450.671.442.67ACCycleAccumulatorDamageDPSAccu per secT18221526.8750.25T28121526.8750.13T38122528.1250.13T48225031.250.25AFTER (Machine gun vs Autocannon - accumulator usage brought in line, tier cycle times equalized)MGCycleAccumulatorDamageDPSAccu per secDPS ratio*Accu ratio*T142160400.501.491.45T241.5160400.381.491.46T34217042.50.501.511.51T442.5180450.631.441.43ACCycleAccumulatorDamageDPSAccu per secT182.7521526.8750.34T282.0521526.8750.26T382.6522528.1250.33T483.525031.250.44* DPS and Accumulator ratio is MG/AC** DPS is calculated with using 1 damage ammos for simplicity's sake and doesn't consider ciritical hitsWeapon hit dispersion balancingIn order to widen the gap between light and medium weapons, the hit dispersion of guns and the explosion size of missiles got increased. This increases survivability of light robots against larger robots (if the latter use medium weapons, which they mostly do).WeaponBeforeAfterShort Laser816Long Laser818Short Magnetic1018Long Magnetic1020Short Firearm1222Long Firearm1020Compact Missile814Ballistic Missile916NEXUS module specializationNEXUS modules are being rebalanced to become a specialty for heavy-class robots. This is achieved by drastically increasing the accumulator usage of the modules, and adding a strong accumulator usage reduction bonus to the robots themselves. In practice this means that the following robots will be able to use NEXUS modules efficiently:GrophoSethMesmerLithusLegatusMetisRivelerSymbiontScarabNEXUS-related extensions will be reimbursed during the patch in order to let players reconsider their usage.Other changesIncreased the missile cycle time bonus of Troiar, Ictus, and Gropho from 1%