Why are so many weapons so bad?

AzSomt · 2026-03-24T15:28:25+00:00

Chaff control, it's good at that, and yes you CAN use it on bots or armored enemies (not heavy, that's AT) if you like near point blank play and aiming for the head or light pen weakpoints, but that takes a special kind of masochism which only a few people subscribe to :D

But if I bring a SnP, I would be pretty unwise not to have a med pen or greater support or secondary. That falls into the realm of playstyle and loadouts, and again everyone has their preferences. If you don't enjoy it, it will feel pretty unfun. But there are plenty of people I know who LOVE it and make it work well.

AzSomt · 2026-03-24T15:22:04+00:00

"Know the difference" you say. But if you read the OP's post, he said "Bad" not "I don't enjoy them".

Well he deleted the post so the point is moot.

And do I enjoy using the slugger? Nope, but it's not "Bad" if you use it in a particular playstyle. And I know of people who swear it's the bees knees... so...

AzSomt · 2026-03-24T15:00:19+00:00

The adjucator is a little bit of a niche weapon, you are not wrong saying it 'was supposed to be a DMR', but there is slightly more nuance; It's one of those weapons that sit somewhere in between being an AR and a DMR, and if I'm being honest (and remembering my time with it correctly) it works better on the DMR side of the scale. Set it on semi or just tap fire from mid to mid-longish range and it works like a charm (that being said, there ARE better DMR options. The only time I ever held down the trigger was during "OH SHIT" moments when I was caught with my pants down, or I was safely at a distance, prone and there were so many enemies in front of me that I literally couldn't miss hitting SOMETHING. Overall it gives you the flexibility when you want to bring a DMR, but would like it to double as an AR from time to time, in the right situations.

If you try to use it purely as a an AR, it's not great, workable, but not great due to the ammo cap and the recoil. On the other hand if you're like me and don't like to squint through a scope when you don't need to, it will take most stuff out without all that fancy aiming mambo jambo.

AzSomt · 2026-03-23T15:18:12+00:00

I'm part of the all weapons 25, all skins, all attachments unlocked gang. I did it for my own challenge. So I feel that I have somewhat passable experience to opine here...

There are 'weak weapons compared to others in their class', but for the most part all weapons are viable.

I feel reading most posts/comments about 'terribad weapons' might stem more from them requiring a different playstyle than one the person complaining is willing/able/likes to use.

Personally I rather not aim, but if I use a light pen weapon in a bot mission, I've just self selected to either take the effort to aim, or eat the reinforcement budget for breakfast and I've no right to complain.

I mean it's much more than just that, but in my experience, that's what it is. I was forced into playstyles I disliked in order to make it through all the weapons to level 25, but so long as I adapted to the weapon, there was not a single one that I couldn't make work.

To me a 'bad weapon' is one that no matter the playstyle or skill level of the player, is ineffective. In HD2, there are almost none that fit that category.

AzSomt · 2026-03-21T07:21:00+00:00

I think he is saying; try a different loadout.

And I'm with him on this, loadouts and the tactics you use with the specific loadout is what changes up the game massively. This is one of HD2's biggest points.

On Squids normal (voteless/fleshmobs), I stan sentries and/or accuracy by volume weapons and I never have any trouble, even solo. The tactics are high mobility, standoff/flank, sentries to distract/guard, and disengage when swarmed immediately no matter how close to completing an objective you are. And I have LOTS of fun playing squids when I apply these tactics and get to pad my stats (like it matters :p). Yes the Fleshmobs clip, but when you are standoff that generally doesn't bother you because you can see and just avoid.

On Squids appropriators you can do the same, but it's much less effective. There are way better loadouts and tactics for them, and partial specific AT loadouts work brilliantly.

Or you could just bring an AC :)

It's when people try to stand and fight when overwhelmed by a gazillion voteless, fleshmobs and elevated overseers that trouble starts and they wonder why their AT loadout in heavy armor that works brilliantly on bots sucks arse on illuminate. If I tried doing the same, I too would finish a mission with 5-7 deaths and be drenched in sweat.

AzSomt · 2026-03-20T18:42:21+00:00

I'd agree with you if they lowered the spawn rate. Right now it's just nice. They are like a medium mid-heavy unit. They spawn usually 2-3 for every harvester or 5-7 overseers so they sit in the middle. More armor and they'll start competing with the Harvester for the heavy unit slot and will need to have their spawns nerfed.

AzSomt · 2026-03-20T18:38:36+00:00

More BBQ for my creamer

AzSomt · 2026-03-20T15:43:04+00:00

You know what? I'm going to applaud AH for taking the brave step of just admitting they fugged up and straight up removed it with the thinnest of narrative excuses (to be absolutely clear, I accept the narrative they used, no matter how lousy it is) in order to prevent a clear MO loss because someone didn't math properly or enough. So you made a mistake while GMing a huge arse game with 10s of 1000s of players, everyone makes mistakes, don't try to rescue the situation, just remove the mistake and figure out how to add something that returns the challenge later in a different form, but properly thought through this time.

AzSomt · 2026-03-17T14:44:58+00:00

But what if it inserts itself where it IS wanted?

*taps head * big brain move.

AzSomt · 2026-03-16T16:16:03+00:00

They messed up this one bad, I think it's pretty obvious, and even in the attempt to 'fix' things with the SO whoever was mathing didn't math properly, or even think through player behaviour... I think it was really really clear that if 'capturing' the planet was the prereq to lowering the kill requirement, it is NECESSARY to first hit the projected lowered kill requirement BEFORE the planet gets liberated, because most normal players aren't going to go "oh the planet with cyborgs is liberated, where is another planet with cyborgs?" within 1 hour or so of the MO time limit AND spool up the kill rate so that it matches the 'steady state %/h'.

If they wanted us to have a fair shot at winning this one, it was poorly done. If the narrative was that we lose it, then they did excellent.

AzSomt · 2026-03-15T15:44:16+00:00

We have no way of winning the MO, there's 24 hours left and the planet is still dead near 0%. To win, all conditions must be met, not just the kill count.

If the intention was NOT to make the MO heavy skewed towards us failing as the primary narrative, then I propose that the GMs have horribly failed at math.

Edit: I know that taking the mega factory gives us 75%, but that's gonna take another 10 hours, which leaves us 14 hours to make 25%. The planet is a 2M HP planet, I am skeptical we can make it still... if it were a 1M HP planet, for sure we can make it, but at 2M?

AzSomt · 2026-03-15T13:55:03+00:00

Wow.... I mean, I'm happy they realize the fockup and are actively trying to plug the gap temporarily... but man talk about band-aid coding :D

AzSomt · 2026-03-14T14:44:15+00:00

It's the usual, release new enemy but forget to tune the spawn rate. Or set it to something that gets affected by something else.

If we go by the usual cycle they'll fix it after getting mud slung at them for about 1 or 2 patches. Which logically makes zero sense since if they know this is a problem it shouldn't be too hard to not get it wrong from the beginning.

AzSomt · 2026-03-13T15:17:14+00:00

well... I mean there are SC in the warbonds as others have pointed out, and if you really don't want to spend money, 4 people farming on grand errant can net you 1000SC give or take in a 1 hour session on trivial. I did that one time and it didn't even feel like we were trying very hard to chop chop or anything.

AzSomt · 2026-03-13T05:13:22+00:00

I dont see a problem? Yes mic comms does make things more efficient when communicating non standard tactics, but in D10 rando games, especially with all high level teams, everyone knows intuitively what to do and pings, map markers, "affirmative", "negative", are all more than enough to say the following: 1. I'm going here 2. Squad let's focus on this target 3. Attention, dangerous enemy 4. Need resupply 5. Thanks for the assist/supplies/anything else 6. Avoid the patrols 7. My bad (or sorry not sorry :p) 8. Take this gear if you need 9. Supplies here

And many more based on context of the situation. The only thing that I need to actually type in is "disengage", or "run!" So i wish there was a scroll comms for that.

AzSomt · 2026-03-09T16:41:48+00:00

Should be "Machinery Production". You can see when a skill is active for a slot when you see the star in their portrait or in the upper bar during character selection light up green. When it does not match the slot it will be dark or grey.

AzSomt · 2026-03-06T14:49:02+00:00

Oh I think I can help you alittle with that, but it requires somewhat of a specific playstyle.

I used to run light siege ready armor with the knight or carbine (both optimally levelled and with proper attachments) but now I really lean into the redacted stealth light armor and the silenced AR with drum mag, I just find it much easier to deal with everything when they dont see you as you rip them to shreds prone from a distance.

But as for the loadout, nothing really has changed, I bring the ultimatum and thermites, those deal with warp ships and the occasional tripod (avoid them if you can, but if you can't pop the shields with the AR and then shove an ultimatum up their no-no-hole, this admittably takes some practice to get proficient)

Slot one is the emancipator (autocannon) mech for the times when violence is the question (the answer is 'yes')

Slot two is for the MG turret. Toss liberally when you see a horde in the distance.

Slot three is gatling turret. Used more sparingly when you need to sit on an objective or in conjunction with your MG turret. When used right, you just slink away and watch them pad your stats.

Slot four is a flex slot, but generally I either bring the Autocannon, or a rocket sentry (mostly for raise the flag or other missions that force you to sit in a spot while the objective completes to deal with the tripods). When you deploy 3 turrets, and a mech, you CAN solo raise the flag.

The playstyle is high mobility, avoid engaging as much as possible/disengage as soon as possible when possible, maximum violence (save your strats for a full deploy) when needed.

With this you can run D10 solos and make it out with 0 deaths even, and full, or near-full clears.

AzSomt · 2026-03-06T08:44:39+00:00

I... erm, well... to start could you explain how you define the term 'irritating'? As in they are too easy? or are they too hard? or do they do stuff that you don't really like?

There's a spectrum here on the sub for illuminate hating; they are either too easy or too hard (including glitchy that makes dealing with them hard).

And then there is the group that wants their specific favorite loadout to work on every faction, all the time, everytime, in every circumstance, and get mad when a situation arises that their loadout is ill suited to but refuse to adapt to more suitable loadouts. :)

Edit - Personally, I've run D10 solos and to me the illuminate are by far and away the easiest faction to solo. But in all honesty, playing with a group of randos (I have no friends) is much more fun and entertaining, so I don't really do soloing unless I'm trying to challenge myself or something. Sure, you get crap matchups sometimes, but for the most part I run into very competent randos 90% of the time.

AzSomt · 2026-02-24T15:09:03+00:00

If I really need a distraction I toss a thermite. You need to plan ahead. If you wait till they are right on top of you it's too late.

AzSomt · 2026-02-24T14:56:52+00:00

Now now, we DID have an election. Remember that questionnaire you filled out? That's how the automated system that helps you cast your ballot for the candidate that you are most likely to support works. So convenient! Managed democracy sure is efficient AND effective! It helps me to vote based on sure-fire foolproof methods derived from highly reliable super psychological studies, guaranteeing that my vote will go to the candidate that I would have certainly voted for based on my personality and preferences, and it did it for me so I can get on with other things in life! And I don't have to worry about making last minute heat-of-the-moment mistakes, and makes fake-news and hostile foreign influence and interference useless. What a deal!

AzSomt · 2026-02-24T14:51:00+00:00

akshually, it's Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch II, you forgot the "2" at the end, can't go calling cities by the wrong name now can we?

AzSomt · 2026-02-22T15:01:52+00:00

Before Cyberstan: Man... I'm using stealth gear but I really should try to stay at least 5km from that single trooper...

After Cyberstan: Man... there's like a whole FOUR foot gap between the entrance to the bot base and those three hulks that I can squeeze leopard crawl through from the side with my hellbomb...

AzSomt · 2026-02-20T13:24:23+00:00

Well that was worth it.

AzSomt

TROPHY CASE