Sorry for the lenght of my post but I got an idea that I think is wonderful, and I want to make my point ^^
If you don't like long mechanics rants, just accept the simple fact that this perk sucks and go straight to the second part, where I propose something better.
1. Criticism of Adrenaline RushIt is a defensive perk available on level 6, but at the same level there is a better perk available - Toughness.
Quick example, you have 240 HP and get shot 10 times with 20 damage. For adrenaline it's 10% damage reduction starting from half HP. For toughness it's 5% + 2 DT working all the time:
Adren.: 240, 220, 200, 180, 160, 140, 120, 102, 84, 66, 48
Tough: 240, 223, 206, 189, 172, 155, 138, 121, 104, 87, 70
How about larger damage: 4 shots with 60 damage:
Adren.: 240, 180, 120, 66, 12
Tough.: 240, 185, 130, 75, 20
Toughness wins. Notice that I chose value that end exactly in 50% HP for Adrenaline, to make it perform as well as possible. In reality it would be even worse. Also, if you have less than 50% HP in battle you would rather heal yourself as soon as you can, which would negate the whole perk again. ALSO, with bursts toughness would work even better thanks to DT. To make it even funnier, toughness has much smaller build requirements (4 EN vs 5 ST).
It's really hard for me to imagine a build that would take this perk. I have a tank doctor build with no combat abilities whatsoever, only made to run around, troll and survive as many shots as possible, and I would not take it! There are better options for tanks. At level 9 there is another, even better Toughness perk available. And from level 12 there are Lifegivers. At level 24 there is so many good perks available that I doubt anyone would take this.
Ergo: in the current form this perk is completely pointless.
2. Proposition for something betterOf course you could try to fine-tune this perk to make it worth taking for someone, but I would like to propose something that IMHO is much more interesting idea than yet another perk with a simple DR bonus.
First of all, what is adrenaline - it's a hormone responsible for
FIGHT or FLIGHT response. I checked Wikipedia, and it is a pretty damn awesome thing. It increases heart rate, respiration, it acts on nearly all body tissues to mobilize all the energy you have left and makes you a hero for a short moment.
It lets you do things that normally you wouldn't be able to perform.
And how does it work in CBT (from what I know)? It works like additional shitty armor available when you are half dead. Hardly exciting.
Probably a better name for such perk would be "Please don't kill". Definitely it is NOT
this.
Hold on, we are getting close to the point.
What are the effects of fight-or-flight response? There are many, among of them:
- Acceleration of heart and lung action
- Liberation of nutrients for muscular action
- Constriction of blood vessels
- Shaking
Sounds familiar?
What item in Fallout could cause similar effects?
Think people, THINK!!!
OK, some of you probably already know what I'm talking about.
If you don't know yet,
here is the answer.
Proposed mechanics:
+1 AP when less than 50% HP
+1 more AP when less than 25% HP
And that's what true Adrenaline Rush should in my opinion be ^^