[Level9Drow]

I wasn't sure if I should put this in suggestions or feedback, but I decided to post this here since I don't have any detailed suggestions on what to do about this underwhelming gun. Just a few ideas.

I say this with disappointment, her Novera is THE WORST gun in the game. The "bullet" damage is horrible (1-2 damage) but you would think it would compensate somehow, as the other two weapons she has have. The problem is the other weapons she has give decent range for her infected swarm to transfer health to you. Her default has ok-ish range but the infection lasts a long time so you can hit them for about 10 damage, run in while they're infected and then CQC. Her uncommon makes a cloud with fantastic range, the cloud is stationary to balance the power of the weapon. I see most people use this weapon over the Novera, which is very indicative of the issue.

I wondered why no one used the Novera but then I tried it out, i even tried working with it to understand it. Nope, it is the worst gun, and here's why. The Novera has abysmal infection range, which wouldn't be bad if it lasted a long time, but it also has an incredibly short infection time. So you may shot gun plast them for 2 damage but by the time you run up on them to CQC the infection duration is over. Which means you have to shoot them when you are already in CQC range to get the benefit from the infection. This makes the other two guns WAY better. Now admittedly when you "charge" the Novera is becomes good, but to "charge" it you have to be in an extremely vulnerable position to do it.

The Novera is outclassed by it's two counterparts because it doesn't have a functional practical use. The default gun is best to CQC because you can shoot your target from a distance or medium range then run on them and fight them, or play keep away near them while draining them. So it's better for this than the Novera, it has infection range and duration. The second gun, the cloud one you can fight from a distance. Both weapons beat the Novera at their specialties with no risk of being vulnerable like the Novera. Even IF someone could make the Novera work a bit using skill and caution, the other two would benifit more from that skill and caution. They'd still be better off using one of the other two depending on what they're trying to do.

I think the Novera could use a buff. Because it doesn't merit it's "rare" status, it is actually the worst gun. I suggest at least one of the changes below:
1) Raise the damage on the shots, maybe to 10-15
2) Increase the duration of the infection, at least as long as the default gun.
3)If not the above changes make the infection damage VERY high or tick VERY FAST, because you have to be in their face for it to work.
4)Make it so you can reload without losing the bonus damage from it's feature ability. Often I get it to work and I have 3 shots left and when I reload it's all gone. This is silly that there is a threshold in the first place. You risk the most with this weapon to get that ability to proc, why would there need to be a reload cancel at all. I understand there is the little line that tells you when you can and cannot reload, but this is an arbitrary penalty for a gun that is already lacking and defeated by it's two less rare counterparts. This should be removed for a QoL reason.

Anyways, that's my feedback for this weapon.

[TheBrentWoody]

*Usage Notes*

You can charge the gun by Infection/CQC. You can reload before it maxes out to have a full clip of 80 damage bullets that fire rapidly.

[TheBrentWoody]

Use it in conjunction with the card that allows you to charge health ability with movement. Melee first, with low infect, then reload before you max out for a full clip of killing craziness. The problem with this particular gun being that it is SO good, when it is good, because the range on that eighty damage is great, the fire speed is great, and the only down side being that you can't infect.  It's a good gun, but its too good, so it requires lots of set up to be there. It will kill a hades soldier in 3 shots, which is only beaten by the Pepper Pot in 2, Aura Mortis, Harec's Base, Shae's Guns (New Phax takes 2 shots, Focus Takes 4 well placed.)  Doldren can kill in 2 shots. (3 shot clip). No one else has the ability to kill 5 hades soldiers with one clip in rapid succession. 

The buff to infection range would ease the set up, but it is a  great gun if you want to wholesale slaughter some folk after you've already risked enough to set it up.

[LordDraco3]

Yeah I'm not a fan of it either. I agree that it could use a buff during its uncharged state, the infection effect needs to last wayyyy longer and/or maybe up the swarm range.

The suggestion of faster damage ticks and leaving the duration/range as-is would be interesting as well, like a melee-ranged Warm while they are infected.

[Level9Drow]

*Usage Notes*

You can charge the gun by Infection/CQC. You can reload before it maxes out to have a full clip of 80 damage bullets that fire rapidly.

But you have to get extremely close to to charge it, and also too close to practically charge your bonus health bar as well. The range is abysmal. And for this reason the default is better for this. The reload mechanic is also an inconvenience, I'm aware of the line that indicates when it's safe to reload. I'm arguing that this shouldn't be there and it should either make a set number of shots "empowered" or not have a duration.

Also, the gun sucks. The two other guns, as well as every other gun in the game, are all better. It's just too weak. And for it to be strong you have to really risk a lot for it to be any good. But if you'r going to do that, why not just use the other two guns and risk less for a more effective strategy?

There's only two scenarios of use for HIVE, CQC with a single target, like another raider of elite (or minion), or fighting large groups. For CQC the best gun is the default, because the duration and range of the infection is better, giving you more ways to maneuver and fight in CQC or you can shoot them and run around them, dodge them or hide from them while your infection goes to work. for mobs of enemies the uncommon (forgot the name of it) is better because you can shoot large clouds at a distance at the AI mobs.

The Novera has no use beyond a proc it has IF you risk everything. When it procs it may be nice, but it isn't consistent enough to be a better weapon and you cannot acquire the proc easy enough for it to outshine the other two weapons. You can't run into mobs and shoot all of them with the shot gun blast, the range of the infection is too short, even if you hit multiple targets, and so you're basically CQCing with one mob while the rest take you apart. Again, the other gun (cloud one) is better, and to be honest, so is the default, for this.

The added proc is nice, but it rquires HIVE to be a weak and useless for the times in between. And 80 a shot, even rapid, isn't all so great that it would merit being virtually nothing in between. It needs a buff. Not a buff when it procs, it needs to be useful even in between procs.

[Level9Drow]

If cards can improve the downtime effectiveness then it may be great. But, it sucks that you have to spend gold and chance just to test some cards out and see how much they will improve range, duration, ect... I would like to know what I'm going to get before throwing away 1250 gold over and over on an unknown number of reshuffles.

[Level9Drow]

Yeah I'm not a fan of it either. I agree that it could use a buff during its uncharged state, the infection effect needs to last wayyyy longer and/or maybe up the swarm range.

The suggestion of faster damage ticks and leaving the duration/range as-is would be interesting as well, like a melee-ranged Warm while they are infected.

Agreed. And it really becomes worthless at higher difficulties because you die so much trying to set up the proc on the weapon it becomes a liability more than a "cool weapon" on proc. You can be more careful but then you don't get the proc as much and are useless as an ally and sit around and do 2 damage all day with ZERO health charge. At a certain point after "risking" the proc set up and dying too many times the 80 damage isn't worth it.

Again, the other two weapons are just vastly more better. 

[TheBrentWoody]

It absolutely is a liability for the set up. Most the rare weapons are.

[Quanrian]

Well regardless of weapon choice for a character you're going to make some sort of sacrifice that could go so far as changing what Cards you use.

[Level9Drow]

Well regardless of weapon choice for a character you're going to make some sort of sacrifice that could go so far as changing what Cards you use.

Well there are a few ways to respond here.

1) The devs described the weapons as side-grades and not necessarily UP-grades. This means the other weapons you get should be at least as good as the default.
2) Isn't the "sacrifice" the Blueprint earned through gameplay, then the rank earned playing antagonists (for some of this playing antag is a HUGE sacrifice) and finally the gold paid?
3) You are correct to a degree. I had to get the increased  swarm rang card which unproved things a bit. I could survive a bit and dance around and get the charge. I'm still trying to figure out what faction card can facilitate this gun, but I'm sure the increased swarm range is a mandatory "must" for the Novera.

You guys have any suggestions for the Wardog Faction cards?

[TheBrentWoody]

They still are side grades. The grenade gun does no damage while your ability is active. But has unlimited infect range.

The first gun is middle ground for infect, gun damage, infect range.

The Novera is super deadly from a good distance with some preparation. The usage of it is timing oriented, you need to have it prepped when you need it, then can pop the over heal and kill everything

[Level9Drow]

And I would be ok with this IF the Novera didn't cause you to risk death over uselessness in order to set it up.

But anyways, the guys I usually roll with said they see an improvement with the new card. They were pissed when I chose Hive again, reminding me of how much the Novera sucks and why I shouldn't be using it. The last few times I did I tied over and over again. But I told them I changed some cards and wanted to try it out. After laughing that I was using them as guinea pigs they noticed improvement. So I'm recanting my criticism a little, but I think it still needs some sort of usefulness on the downtime between the set up.

[TheBrentWoody]

The extended infect is nice. The 40% less melee damage by infected is nice. The special charge on run is good.

The faction card seems like reducing damage or capitalizing on your heals would be best. So, however you can stay alive during the down period, which I would think would be the faster running while shooting, the heal on melee, or the heal after being shot

[Level9Drow]

Yea, right now I have the extended infection for character card, and heal on melee kill.

Previously I had the one that reduced damage from the last target you infected with increased consecutive melee. This was a build I made to counter antagonist and elites. But with Novera the infection wouldn't last long enough to get the reduced damage, LOL. I would die a LOT wit these card and the Novera.

EDIT: Hey guys, thanks for the feedback and input. It's really making me think about the Novera. It was because of the feedback that I went back in to re-card her, and as a result, improvements.

[TheBrentWoody]

I think the consecutive melee would be better as something that lends survivability until you hit kill time with the shotgun.  Personal flavor, though. For me the grenade gun is the melee build gun.