So, we can have close range guns with massive damage (Autogun) long-range + AoE swords (Calibur charges, 4* Sealed Sword lines, etc) but we can't have a bomb that throws projectiles in a X & + pattern? My, OOO sure knows what to fix in this game, like, you know:

- Non-Nitronome bombs in the Blast Bomb path.
- Fixing Stun Status, for the PvP-only avaiable Haze Bomb line.
- Fixing the Ionized Salt Bomb (and not this way!)
- And some more things I am missing, and only talking about bombs.

Also, new bombs? Let me guess: New "Crystal Bomb" lines, one that stuns, one that puts fire, one that shocks.

Game balancing 101: Don't fix what isn't broken!

PD: This doesn't mean I am against that new pattern of attack, but just put it in another bomb, leave Crystal bombs be!

RSS "shrapnel" style has its own peculiar set of challenges and rewards.
I understand that this change is to stop people from having multiple shards hit an enemy. But truthfully, this really does take some skill to execute.

The cluster bomb idea should be used to revive bombs like heavy decon.

Why are you guys so fixed on changing RSS? Only Salt bomb is broken.

As long as this includes a FREAKIN ISB CTR I'll be happy.

I think everyone should withhold judgment on the bomb changes until we actually see how it turns out, and give it a shot.

I don't know...
I always hated shard bombs in PvP, but I never felt it was unfair. With this new change I feel Sun Shards aren't going to be as annoying as they were before, but I'll have to wait and see...
I feel the same as Roarr. Give this new mechanic to new bombs, keep RSS the way it is.

quick question: i got a crystal bomb recipe as a side project so this affects me,are the explosions going to be touching or is there a small safe ring?

I'm intrigued on how this 'ring' will work. Would it be a single-blow giant dark retribution, with a center blind spot and a ridiculous thin hit area that will require the enemy to land on a very specific spot and not move until those shards eplode to get hit?

@comparisons between catalyzer/pulsar vs RSS:
Just look at their playstyles.

Catalyzer/pulsar/valiance: Do you play like a gunner, or a bomber?

Catalyzers: you walk and spam shots, or you can lay charges on multiple enemies. You still have to shoot to detonate.
Pulsar: you walk and shoot, almost never charge.
Valiance: you walk and shoot with MINOR knockback per bullet. The recent patch only made the whole line consistent with the Valiance. The charge attack always knocked things back, but only recently was given a shinier explosion graphic.

None of these guns are really optimal for situations where you are in the middle, surrounded by enemies that are after you. Maybe catalyzer, but its blast radius in that situation is small. The rest are more suited for 'line' fighting than being surrounded.

RSS: Do you play like a gunner, or a bomber?

You walk around and charge, drop it where you think it can deal the most damage to a single enemy (or spread in a useful way). Bam, you're a bomber.
...or you can also play the way it's used in PVP - more like an 8-way elemental valiance than a bomb in usage. You can surround yourself with enemies and deal damage to a bunch of them, or snipe turrets and players with its long range shards.

snipe.
with a bomb.

:L

-----------------

I think the area of effect thing is kinda cool, but the thing that I think will come up is that you'll probably end up doing a little bit of damage over a larger area. Cool, if you're fighting like 10 enemies in a swarm around you (heh, swarm), but those areas are less common.
I'm a little worried the 2- explosion thing will make the bomb useless in PVP thanks to invincibility frames, much like how the Sudaruska/Triglav only do 1/2 of their double hit charge.

On one hand new bombs are always good and RSS was kinda OP (you really shouldn't be able to 1-and-2-shot Slags/Juggernauts in a 4-man group, even if you do have +max damage)

On the other I'm kinda nervous because what if the change makes one or more of my bombs redundant compared to the new bombs? I'll have wasted a lot of Crowns & Energy on nothing.

@Yukarie
Exactly what i have in mind. A SHARD bomb should shoot out shards.

This seems more like OOO wants to get rid of Radiant Sun Shard, but then it will create a dilemma because they have to compensate the players who currently have the bomb. As a result, they just wanted to keep the name, but totally replace its functionality.

The RSS has been around forever and yet they decided to just get rid out it.

It is so much easier to just say, "Hey guys, we will have a new bomb soon(which makes everyone happy because kids love new toys)," than just say "Hey I am gonna replace the current existing bomb with something else for the sake of my(Nick's) best interest. Feel free to discuss among yourselves, but it is very unlikely we will take into consideration."

RSS is what made me play this game for so long. I would probably not have bought a single CE pack without it, and I may never again.

Reason for the changes:
The current shard-style bombs are functionally, not very bomb-like. They are the standouts in the system we’ve tried to build whereby: guns fire bullets, bombs create areas of damage, and swords do a mix of the two. -Nick

ITT:

1) Its acceptable for swords to emulate bombs *and* guns while remaining swords.

2) Bombs may emulate neither even though they dont have a non-charge attack.

3) Guns may emulate bombs to a lesser degree but not swords.

~Luke

^as Aquajag says .. "Don't fix what ain't broken."
^and i agree completely with "Zolb" also :/
^and Lukehandkooler !! that is so true...i spotted that as well as the "reason" for changes ;D
Quote
"1) Its acceptable for swords to emulate bombs *and* guns while remaining swords.
2) Bombs may emulate neither even though they dont have a non-charge attack.
3) Guns may emulate bombs to a lesser degree but not swords.
"
my Cold Iron sword is max vs undead..and.. max ctr now...so..i will only use that mainly in charge mode...
...basicly...using...a sword as a bomb....want to remove/change that too ?
..the list could go on...

to me..it is not acceptable reason for changes to rss..
that original reason of the difference of rss bombs compared to normal bombs....was..
the ..reason why... alot of people like them !!..and have fun and enjoyment using them..
..and i really hope that enjoyment won`t not be removed!

...i hope ..whatever is going to happen with the gameplay of RSS will be ok...
but...i can already feel missing it....

..if it comes out..more fun..and more technical use..then .. cool....but..i cant see that happening,
if its like the last vanaduke nerfing update...then.. well... time to find a new game to play for me.

on 1 plus side... Nick has told us..that they will not make less damage per-shard... wich is one thing (with the 5* version coming back in to play)

also..i hope the UVs stay on the RSS-bombs we already have ! :) (i get upsed when my "ol`faithful" gets background changes !)

No Moon Shards 3*/Luminous Moon Shards 4*?

;-;

But rss can only hit 1 shard at range. Counting charge, fuse, and the speed of the shard, I'm damn sure a gun can do better single target at range. Which is what they're supposed to do.

+1 to leaving the Crystal bomb mechanic as is and placing the new mechanic in a new bomb line.

Nick, I would rather have variety over consistency. If you want to take away RSS then take toothpicks/Divine Avenger/Gran Faust/Rocket hammers/Polaris with it.

We saved RSS once and we can definitely try to do it again.

RSS also has that lovely bonus of interrupting turret attacks, wich means once you time the first shot, it's super effective.

But I worked long and hard for the UV CTR Very High on my RSS. If that gets removed, there will be a firestom of hellfury and nerdrage.

Guys I just realized something,

"Next, the damage values and damage types of these existing shard bombs will undergo changes to better suit them for their intended purpose. The rock salt bombs for example, will no longer be delivering piercing damage, which slime family monsters resist. They will instead be much more suited for defeating slimes. Again, it is not our intention to reduce the effectiveness of these bombs."

>RSS was meant for fiends

>changing damage types to suit intended purpose

Nick, please dont do what I think your going to do with RSS.

Judging by OOO previous track record for trying to change RSS this could be bad news.

Make a new bomb for all this and leave RSS alone please otherwise I honestly predict there may be a lot of ticked off bombers if these new bombs do not fill the gaping hole left by the soon gone RSS.

OOO left a bad impression on me due to how they tend to handle changes like these. OOO still has not quite earned back my trust.

@shadownox the post specifically has said that the "shards" will pass through enemies. So, no, they won't all stick on that Trojan. That has been made clear. The whole point of the change is to make it so shard bombs are no longer power-blasts against one enemy, but instead hit a variety of enemies at range. My key complaint is not that the proposed bomb doesn't sound like it's a good thing for bombers. It's that we don't need to lose the current wonderful thing that shards are.

+1 Oatmonster!! +1.

I am very pleased that OOO is willing to make changes to fix a weapon that is very much useless (really, only hipsters would use the ISB). Yet, changing the whole line play style would simply mess up the balance ((of the force!!)) of the classes.
While not very familiar with the 4* version, I can tell that the Sun Shards is a very useful and versatile bomb, with wide range and high possible damage output. And just by seeing the amount of times it killed me on LD and how it can instant-kills zombies on full party FSC, it surely is a fierce weapon on which many bomber loadouts can be based. Changing to the mine-like shards system would greatly increase AoE effectiveness of this bomb, but would render it useless for small groups of mobs.
Basically, solo bombers would have to rely only on Nitronome and DBB as an effective damage source against one or two mobs. I might be wrong, since I do not own any of these, but I do know that Vaporizer bombers work poorly against single mobs.
What in my opinion would be best is:
- Change the damage type of RSB line to a split between shadow/something else to make it at least usable against jellies, since we all could use a new shadow bomb;
- Maintain current shard system and make the 5* versions similar to ther 4* ones;
- Create a new line of bombs with said new shard system.
Of course, this is just my opinion. Anyone can feel free to disagree, since it might not be the bes solution.

*sigh*

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@Traevelliath Actually Nick said damage would be adjusted according to what they intended shards to be all along. Hard for me to think this means anything other than reducing the damage.

Also I think the posts turned negative pretty quickly if you look back... There's plenty of people excited about the new mechanic, but very very very few people expressing excitement about changing RSS.