I'm almost certain I've seen something like this before…

A quick glance through the legion leaderboards shows that most of the top legions contain something like 85% excavators, 10% fixers, and 5% other. This isn't surprising, given the huge long-term benefits that the excavator profession brings and the advantages to base defense that fixers give.

Profession-specific modules and abilities, especially for the less popular professions, could bring more variety and balance to the game. These can be made available via high-level missions, or more legion missions (yay!).

The factors I considered while thinking of some of the suggestions:
1. The game currently heavily favors the SSB strategy. Big, bulky researched ship modules are losing importance due to zero-space shipbuilding artifacts from artifact production. Something needs to be done to make researched modules relevant again - increasing their strength, finding some way to decrease the effects of the shipbuilding artifacts, or both.
2. Given enough strong hitters, there isn't a base in the game that won't go down in an 8-hour lock. Bases are supposed to be hard to take down.
3. Planet defense is becoming increasingly irrelevant as ships in the game gain higher attack. Make it so defense is necessary, either by making planets easier to find, by giving defense-boosting abilities, or both.

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Let's start with biologists. With the exception of bonuses from installing the Vorean planet artifacts, this profession is useless; as someone who majored in biology as an undergrad, I find this to be very insulting

Biologists should be familiar with the use of biological agents in war, so why not have modules available to them that target a ship’s crew? (yes, this is piggybacking off of senatorhung’s Bane NPC idea)

For example, biologists could get a defensive gun similar to the T-Plasma Gemini cannon, except that the effect targets crew (excluding engineers because they’re cool people xD): a ship attacking the biologist that's equipped with the weapon has a 2% chance per gun (3 guns max) of having 10% of their non-engineer crew temporarily paralyzed. This effect would be stackable, and removable by a slight jolt of energy to revive the paralyzed crew or null fuses/containment cages. Alternatively, there could be an offensive weapon with an activated ability that temporarily increases the biologist's crew by a certain percentage, or temporarily decreases the enemy ship's crew by a certain percentage (e.g. 25%).

This could be applied to base abilities, as well - e.g. introduce a 4-hour ability that can only be activated with 3+ loyal biologists in the legion, and would result in a small chance (1%?) that any attacking ship will have a percentage of their non-engineer crew paralyzed, stackable and removed by energy or fuses/cages.

The base ability could also be implemented as an immediate, repeatable effect, like the Remote Intrusion: cost = 3 ability points; for every loyal biologist in the defending legion, a “top damager” in the attacking legion will have a percentage (50%?) of their crew… so 30 loyal biologists = the 30 top damagers paralyzed. The paralyzed crew can be revived via a large jolt of energy (500?) from a legionmate, or would recover on their own after x amount of time.

(Maybe OP, and definitely annoying, but it could make base battle strategies very interesting… and would be a really funny way to troll a strong legion xD)

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We have planet-upgrading races, so why not have ship-upgrading/base-upgrading professions?

Builders build things, so they could get a special ally with the ability to continue upgrading researched attack/defense modules past the 100% that Havoc Coils and Ryelis Fuel Tanks provide - e.g. a 10% or 20% increase with 40-hour cooldown, max 500%. This would be a pretty good counter to the suggested biologist profession additions, too.

It would be interesting if the ability could be applied to base attack/defense modules, as well (with restrictions, of course - e.g. the base-module upgrading ability has a 40-hour cooldown, which can only be activated on the base by one builder at a time... and only the base module or the player module could be upgraded once a player's timer expires, not both).

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Excavator/Fixer are already pretty popular choices, so I'll just leave those as they are for now... I think a fair number of ships also switch to explorer for scan runs, too, so it's not really unpopular (at least, not so unfavorable compared to biologists/merchants)

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Governor = ability to upgrade planet attack/defense/population structures? Idk lol. Halp? A governor should be able to mobilize resources quickly in the event of a planet invasion, right?

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Guards should be available to Aerlens lol. Aerlens are the defensive specialists, after all...........
Guards get +20% invasion defense to planets.

There could also be an additional base ability to increase base defenses - e.g. 20% increase if there are 3+ Guards - while the base is locked and damaged (kind of like the Inverse Energy Vortex ability right now).

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I think there was previously a suggestion to Hackers having to do with basing, but can't really remember what it was. Do they have increased chances of crit hacking planets? If not, that could be a good ability - e.g. give them an upgradeable module with an activated ability that once maxed, increases the chances of crit hacking planets for an hour or so, with a 40-hour cooldown.

Also, it would be interesting if Hackers had specific offensive base abilities available to them, to balance the base defense suggestions - e.g. something like an ion storm charge or orbital mass-disrupter for enemy bases, in which enemy base defenses are decreased by 15% for an hour, or enemy base attack decreased by 30% for two hours (not stackable).

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Merchants are another of those really useless professions. Since merchants come in contact with a lot of different kinds of ships, they should get a limited-duration ability that decreases the chances of common/uncommon NPCs spawning, or spawns one rare or extremely rare NPC onto their battle tab (Governor = increased chances of planetary events, so merchant = increased chances of spawning rare NPCs ).

Merchants can maybe increase base production, too? Like 1% per merchant or something...

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Miners should have an ability to increase (e.g. double or triple) EM from mining pulls for a limited duration, and/or increase the base's EM pull (if there's mining production). More suggestions? I don't think increasing EM alone would increase the appeal of being a miner lol, even with the increases in EM demand lol.

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Physicists should have a shield module that makes them resistant to Krionite Torpedoes and Chaostatic Inhibitors

It would be nice also if they had an activated ability to double their own base's shield recharge rate or halve the enemy base's shield recharge rate for an hour or two. Or four.

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I think bringing back the artifact-raiding abilities and making them specific to Raiders would be cool (and would make merchants' increased cargo spaces more relevant, since more cargo space = more junk artifacts that can be held = decreased chances of a good artifact being raided), but it would seriously hurt the lower ranks by possibly encouraging the alerting of lower-ranked/lower-production ships

As for base abilities, maybe give Raiders an activated ability to raid the enemy base for shipment points, in addition to the base crate? Again, though, I can see this weakening small legions that are already frequently disabled, so I'm not totally sure what to do about this one.

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Saboteurs are great in large groups for lower/mid-level legions, but don't really have many individual advantages and definitely lose their appeal at higher ranks. They could get an upgradable module (for every time a planet is sabbed) that has an activated ability, once maxed, to deal massive damage to enemy ships (e.g. a random value between 25% - 40% of an enemy ship's combined shields and hull)... This could make for some very interesting planet defending strategies.

Alternatively, expand the sabotage ability to traps on a ship. One trap is destroyed at random, ability cooldown = 8 hours (possibly even 4 hours).

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Finally, Spies – perhaps temporary planet-cloaking ability? For example, an ability to increase a planet’s cloak by 500 for a week (similar to the Zolazin shrouds), with 40-hour cooldown. <= weak suggestion, I know.

Not sure about the base part lol. Maybe another base offense ability? My brain is running out of energy xD

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Comments/critiques? Stuff is too overpowered? Underpowered? Not important to focus on? Bring it on!

Funny thing about Biologists, their population bonus is still bugged (enhanced max pop shows but only generates the pop up to the original max, whether by cloning pod or naturally.) after all these years.

+5% more crew would probably be a better bonus than +30% planet pop though in my opinion.

+1 ..something along these lines for sure. Otherwise the 'alternative' races are primarily useful in getting medals, but not as long term lay choices...same with professions.

+1 !!

i like the biologist with bioweapons going on the offensive

hackers ... drops the lowest possible base scan out of the pool (so a hacker in a level 7 base who base scans would no longer see level 5's ??)

http://galaxylegion.com/wiki/index.php/ ... ase_Combat

merchants ... once every 8 hours ... can make 1 bid on an auction in the GTC and win it immediately

i like the trap removal suggestion for saboteurs

spy ... once every 24 hours can determine the last activity time of 1 planet owner

Did not read it all but it sounds like a good idea. Especially if it creates more balance and variety to the game play.

would no longer see level 3's? it's either 3's or 4's

cuz a level 9 base still see's 4's

+1

Without going through all your ideas individually, Id say that some of these ideas might need tweaked but overall I love the idea and most of the ideas you've put forth I think are good.
I also think that many of the races need tweaked as well, not just the professions.
Most of the races/professions out there are hardly used. There definitely needs to be something that makes ALL races/professions more appealing to people. As it stands, there are a few races/prof that dominate the game and the others seem to be there just to make it "appear" that we have more choices. All races/professions should have enough appeal to people that they all are actually used more.

Dan should definitely look into something like this imo.

I like many of your suggestion, you are never going to get the raid one though that aspect of the game was taken out for a VERY good reason. As far as spy's go, why not a 1 per 20 hour passive cloak bonus to planets? say a fixed 10% or 100 (which ever is more)

I love all the thought and work you put into this. Unfortunately, even if all your good ideas were implemented, we'd still see the vast majority of high-AP players choosing Excavator as their profession.

With respect, that's a lot of effort to go through when everybody's gonna look at those new options, say "Hey, cool!" then continue on as Litheor, Talth, or Konqul Excavator.

I compleatly disagree people would totaly go spy for limitless free passive cloak buffs on their planets.

You might get some takers if it was a permanent passive ability on all planets. As it is, though:
If you get in the right legion and have a pulse, IFGs aren't that hard to come by; if you are at all active, you should be able to get 5 IFGs every 40 hours without any problem at all.

What would be more beneficial to you: 500 extra cloak for a week, or 10% extra artifact every hour, on the hour?

If you answered "500 temporary cloak," you are in the wrong legion, have a very low activity level, or have terrible artifact production.

my option was different than that (very weak) 500 weak buff, it was a 10% permant buff (or 100 which ever is higher) once ever 20 hours (with no cap!) Fab plants cap out this would not.

Yeah, your suggestion is way too overpowered, especially if you can use it more than once per planet.
On the subject of spies, there are already some successful and canny higher rankers using it admirably to cloak their ship out of sight.
Would pass on Koolaid's details but I can't for the life of me find him...

I fail to see how its OP at all compaired to 10% more APH the ONLY relevent stat in the game.... you want something to compeat with excavator it NEEDS to be good, this would qualiy as "make a choice" factor in that Talth can't be spys..... and you have a REAL choice to make security or production.

Quite simply, excavator does not provide a permanent bonus.
Nor do any of the other professions in the game. Nor should they.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, you are also completely incorrect about the "make a choice" part.



So I think it would be completely OP because someone like me would happily sit for 3 weeks as Litheor/Talth spy, giggling with delight as I added the equivalent of considerably more than 8 Stealth Screens worth of cloak bonus wherever I like.
Just way too OP.

I disagree excavator effectively gives a HUGE permanent bonus, they give you 10% aph, which generates 10% more prisoners/brackets/Xchargers/androids a far more permanent and long lasting effect then minor stealth that will slowly grow obsolete as more and more scan mod's are released by dan.

The Excavator bonus disappears as soon as you are not Excavator, just like Fixer, Spy, Raider...
I won't go on to list all the professions in GL but you might see a pattern emerging.
Your suggestion would not.

In addition, cloak has never and will never become obsolete as "more scan mods are released by dan".
The addition of extra % cloaking mods and extra passive scan artis has kept pace with the increased max scan.

It is also handy to remember that theoretical max scan is only available to each player for a total of 15 minutes in their entire GL career.
So while theoretical max scan increases, practical max scan much less so... the sky is not falling. In short, cloak still rocks.

In relation to Excavator, after a certain period of time AP is quite literally the only way to grow your ship.
Without it, your ship stagnates while others grow. This will not change, so Excavator will always be a highly desired profession.

Having said that, a quick look through the leaderboards will also show a decent spread of Fixers, Governors, Explorers and Spies with the occasional Hackers, Physicists and *shudder* Builders as well.
It all comes down to goals and choices.

However, I would have no problem with a temporary buff (in line with every other profession) to the planets of spies.
Instead of Chiaro's modest initial proposal, I would suggest a 10-30% cloaking bonus to all your planets while you are a spy, similar to the way Xecti works.

Governer - Empire buidling

Invasions and colonizations cost 50% less

Deigobene I really disagree with you on the issue of permanency



(for sake of argument lets assume we have solid storage that overflow is not an issue, however the point is true regardless)
Lets say you have 25K AHP. as an excavator you get 2.5K free AHP, (10%) Now that means that 60,000 AP a day or 420,000 a week since I think its 96650 AP to get a full set of x1 of everything, On average, lets say you get 4x of each artifact. That means each way as an excavator you get 4 sets of prisoners, that adds 12 rank points. ) Once you finish being an excavator it will NOT take away that 12 rank points, they are yours to keep forever (much like all the permanent stat bonus you just got) despite the fact that you ONLY got them because of your higher APH from your trade. Similarly the miner profession also is a permant effect in that you gain extra credits/EM that STAYS after you change professions.

I get what you are trying to say Draxiss but it is equally true of everything that you earn and do during all the professions.
You do not lose planets scanned while Explorer, nor suffer disables that would otherwise have been inflicted while Fixer, nor return extra Raids or Hacks taken while Raider or Hacker.
Those things happened, they just don't continue to happen afterwards.

I think my alternative suggestion was more than fair as a temporary effect, as all professions are and should be, imo.