Advent shield mitigation tech a bit too good?

Not calling for a nerf, just discussion.

from Sins Forums
I haven't played the release of sins much yet (been playing since beta 2 though), however I was playing as the advent (going for the advent military researcher, that is really hard to get, too. No empire techs at all, ouch) and their last shield tech seems a bit too good. Going from max 60% shield mitigation to 75% seems a bit much. I know it's not exactly easy to get, but still, especially for cap ships, it makes the Advent WAY harder to kill, especially if your using the shield recharge ability on the colonizing ship.

I sent a level 9 colonizing ship into the pirate base, and it lasted forever, at least 5 minutes. This was versus around 20 corsairs and a bunch more of the other ships. It's shields didn't even go down until it ran out of antimatter so it couldn't use the shield restore ability anymore.

I don't think it was just the shield restore ability, I think a lot of it was the mitigation. Automatically taking off another 15% of all incoming damage on all ships seems a bit much. Has anyone gotten this tech in MP, or faced someone who had it?

I am *not* whining for a nerf or anything, just seeing if anyone else thinks the same. Maybe instead of extending the range of mitigation, it should just add 2.5% per tech or something (for a total of 5).

Could someone better at math give me the formula for how to figure out how much shield mitigation multiplies the basic HP/shields (because thats what it basically comes down to, the more mitigation, the more health, as taking less damage means that your shields and hull are basically worth more)? 60% mitigation more than doubles the standard health, I know that (as a 100 damage weapon mitigated by 60% becomes a 40 damage weapon, more than cut in half). So making it 75% should make all hull and shield points worth 4x as much, right (not 4x as much as 60%, just 4x as effective as no mitigation at all)?

Sigh, my head hurts now.....
23,738 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
Humm, I only see a tech giving 2% at one point (and I highly doubt it gives an additional 13% for the second point) when I checked the tree. I imagine the second point would be either 4 or 5%, unless it is indeed bugged to give 13% on the second point, I think you're seeing things.
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
It gives 2% extra BASE mitigation, but it also extends the RANGE of mitigation. Normal ships have a max shield mitigation of 60%, with both upgrades it becomes 75%. Shield mitigation increases drastically as ships take damage, the more damage, the faster it increases.

edit to add that's 2% for each of the 2 upgrades, for a total of 4, but it increases the max amount by 7.5% per tech, which is the problem).
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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
To answer your question (a few days late)

To get the multiplier to Effective HP you do 1 divided by the fraction that is not absorbed.

so 60% would be 1 / .4 = 250% of base health
75% would be 1/ .25 = 400% of base health

So if it is 60 to 75% as you say, then it results in a ship that lasts 60% longer than a ship without the upgrades.

and considering a single capital ship firing at a target can easily push a ship to the mitigation cap, you don't have to worry much about the stuff under the mitigation cap.
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
Personally, I like the idea. It encourages players to spread their fire a little more... :D
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
Yeah, I dig the way it plays. Currently, when playing vs Advent, I do a lot of non-focused fire until a unit's shields fall, and then there's a big rush to put that one down. Rinse-repeat.
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top
You do realize that the shield mitigation is still there when their shields are down, right? Or, at least, that's what the manual says, and it seems to be correct.
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
I didn't, no... as that doesn't make much sense to me :p
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
the idea is that vibrations are used even on the hull to cancel out damage


in any case the advent are all about spreading the damage around, or else. just look at the Iconus Guardians.
Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top
i havent looked intently but i'm somewhats sure it only adds 4% onto the max, coupled with the culture bonus you can get it higher. and i'v noticed capital ships end up with a higher max than normal frigets.

are you sure you didnt have the culture bonus?