On Friday, October 23, CCP released a devblog entitled “Vat Out Of Hel,” providing some details regarding the Phoenix Quadrant’s first major balance changes to supercapitals. These changes were hinted at in the quadrant’s announcement blog alongside a fun and provocative YouTube trailer, both of which debuted on October 14 at the start of this new quadrant. The devblog provided no date for the incoming supercarrier changes, though some reasonable speculation suggests that the update will land on November 10, two weeks after Team Talos’ upcoming Howling Interdictors balance change on October 27.
The patch-defining change across all supercarriers is the introduction of a module called the “Tactical Capsuleer Recloner.” This module can be fit to all supercarriers and allows a fleet member to respawn inside a ship held within the respective supercarrier’s Ship Maintenance Bay (SMB). Any pilots using this respawn function must consume a new booster – the Nanoheuristic Clone Mapper – before initiating such a respawn function, though the source of such boosters has yet to be announced.
Other changes to supercarriers are also being introduced in this same patch. These changes include a 100% increase in SMB space across all hulls, from 2.5 million m3 to 5 million m3, as well as a change to the hull bonuses of the Aeon and Wyvern, with both hulls moving from a 5% fighter damage bonus to a 7.5% bonus. Other changes incoming are a 10% increase to Heavy Fighter hitpoints, and a 10% reduction in base speed and a 10% signature increase for Light Fighters.
This major patch also includes a number of visual changes to all supercarrier hulls. All hull models will double in size, and will see a significant texture and effects improvement as well, with specific alterations to engine and holographic effect visuals.
There are, of course, some concerns from the playerbase regarding the sheer lack of detail provided by CCP in this devblog. Some players are concerned about the widespread usefulness of this new supercarrier module, given that the function relies upon in-game drugs that have an as-yet undetermined source and effective time. Other concerns about supercarriers in large fights are the sheer size increase of supercarrier hulls, which will result in an increased probability of these ships bumping away from allied ships when jumping to a cyno, and the use of effects to demonstrate a supercarrier with the new Recloner module, as many players turn off effects to increase client performance. These concerns stem primarily from the major nullsec conflict that is currently ongoing, given that many recent fights have included Time Dilation, which has negatively impacted at least one new supercap-related strategy.
The impact of these changes on New Eden is, as always, a questionable scenario, and INN will endeavour to bring you all the news about this patch as it lands. Meanwhile, let us know what you think about these changes in the comments below!
