Ok, today we talk about melee and unarmed chars. They're too weak, too useless in gang war, and it's really not good, Black Isle wanted all kind of chars in Fallout 2 have their own special power and technics. Let say, Sniper have the deadly instant death and blinded effect + biggest range 50, Rocketeer have their knockdown with range 40, Plasma gunner have very big damage output like Light Support Weapon gunner with everage range, Thrower have very deadly damage output and knockdown effect at range 15, and what about Melee + Unarmed???
They can just fight at range 1 or 2 (if that's Super Sledge), and what they have for exchange that disadvantage? Nothing! In turn based, they maybe ok, but war gang in towns or any realtime battle just not the place for them. The attack animation make the low AP cost advantage gone, and they have no effects, no knockdown until critical hits but it's very rare. In contrast with Thrower + Plasma grenade, 1 throw to someone wearing MA2 will result 50-70 HP (tested), with 11 AP, they can throw 4 grenades before stop throwing, and nearly every grenades have knockdown effect, which means 200-280HP at the start of the fight with 2-3 knockdown. Ok, Thrower have knockdown, 60 damage, range 15 - melee have range 1, and no effect, damage just 1x-2x (Ripper hit MA2), so ... ?
You will say : oh, come on, then you can just make a thrower char and play it, forget about melee ! No, Fallout 2 means every playing style have their own unique power, no one is god because everyone is god !
I know that Fallout 2 have a weapon perk that gives knockdown and knockback effect, which Super Sledge was intent to have. But I tested it, a melee char or a Melee Mercenary, with 20 hits, only 1 became Knockdown, and there was no knockback !
The only guys that have better knockdown is Death Claws, but it's still rare, only 1/6 of their attacks have knockdown when attack a Sniper with 5 ST 4 EN and no Stonwall perk.
Do you think that you can fire a Sniper Rifle/Light Support weapon/Plasma Rifle when Jackie Chan is attacking you with his unarmed attacks? You think you cant ? Dont lose your faith, at least in Fonline, you can do that !
Ok, here's my suggestion : check out the perk for knockdown and knockback effects, if it still working, double or even tripple their chance, so melee or unarmed can have about 30% knockdown chance and some bonus from Strength, Super Sledge have 30% knockback and knockdown chance. Dont say it's too much, because someone have Stonewall and Quick recovery nearly wont suffer from it (like Bigguner, Thrower etc), and those suffer from it is stupid Sniper / Long range fighters that let Jackie Chan gets near
.
Come on, I think we should improve melee and unarmed chars, also the critters, not as much as player chars, but at least more than they have now. A Deathclaw can kill a Enclave or Brotherhood with ease, but in Fonline, he cant, he's just a little chicken that players hunting for easy exp !!! Where's the Justice? Dreadful Big bad Deathclaw only have 2xx HP and the little humanoid Enclave have 627 HP with 75% crit chance???
I dont know much about programing, but I think changing that perk is possible, and devs can do it easily.
If you have better ideas to improve melee/unarmed chars, please post it here, we must find a way to help these chars !
P/s : I'm a long range fighter, for those who think I'm acting on my own interests.