Suggestion: new class, the Gunslinger

[sirburton]

Hi guys, this is a suggestion to all modders working on Xcom2 and LW2
What about a new class focused on pistols?
I've never found pistols any useful both in vanilla and in LW. But pistols are certainly among the most -charming- weapons.
So the gunslinger might be the answer!
These could be some of the unique features of the Gunslinger:
1) A gunslinger xcom can carry from 1 to 3 pistols. More pistols might lead to a movement penalty that could be reduced via build or something
2) Gunslingers rely on fast movements and unique skills focused on crit chances and burst combos
3) Gunslingers can use special ammo without having it costing an inventory slot or a movement penalty. Or maybe they can apply a different special ammo for each pistol they take in battle.
4) A skill could allow the gunslinger to use a sawn off shotgun in addition to standard pistol/s (max 2 pistols + 1 sawn off)
5) There could be special pistols that only gunslingers can use. It would be also nice to port/implement new pistols, like some classic and timeless revolvers and magnums
6) Some "far west" new animations like, using right hand to fire with pistol on left hip and vice versa and so on. Or maybe the iconic "2 hands, 2 pistols" firing at the same time, but maybe it would be too hard to create as an animation.
7) A Gunslinger can decide which pistol to use, and each pistol will have its first recharge as a free action

These could be the pros, while a clear con would be the fact that pistols can't be modded.
What ya think guys?

[Devon_v]

Pistols with special ammo were insane in vanilla.

Light every enemy in sight on fire? Tear through half a Sectopod with one soldier? Yep, pistols did that.

I kinda figure that's why Sharpshooters lost the whole right side of their original tree.

I do think a balanced Gunslinger would be fun though.

[sirburton]

I wouldn't like both scenario. Giving fire to every enemy, or giving an almost KO to a sectopod with a pistol xcom is unrealistic. Every class has its deal. Gunslinger should be made to handle different situations, like groups of -weak- enemies.
A skill like "fire at every enemy in sight who has half or less hp left, also gain +30 crit chance per every shot"
Or somethig like "fire at an enemy, if you hit it you gain a second shot that will hit for sure and apply a random ammo effect- poison, fire etc- "

[Devon_v]

I wouldn't like bot scenario. Giving fire to every enemy, or giving an almost KO to a sectopod with a pistol xcom is unrealistic. Every class has its deal. Gunslinger should be made to handle different situations, like groups of -weak- enemies.
A skill like "fire at every enemy in sight who has half or less hp left, also gain +30 crit chance per every shot"

I'm saying that's what they used to do.

[sirburton]

I wouldn't like bot scenario. Giving fire to every enemy, or giving an almost KO to a sectopod with a pistol xcom is unrealistic. Every class has its deal. Gunslinger should be made to handle different situations, like groups of -weak- enemies.
A skill like "fire at every enemy in sight who has half or less hp left, also gain +30 crit chance per every shot"

I'm saying that's what they used to do.

Ye I got that! I mean, I wouldn't like that scenario both on vanilla and in LW. It is part of the "unrealistic phenomenons" that happen in Xcom2. Like a soldier missing an enemy who is just one tile behind him in a 90° corner/cover situation. LeL
What ya think of the 2 skills I just posted?

[LoadStar81]

I just don't see this happening, not because it isn't an interesting idea, but because it would require a whole new set of animations to make look decent. The only reason the gunner has a rifle-style grip on the heavy weapons is so that they can share the same animation assets with the rest of the soldiers in your squad, and they only use the other set of grips when firing, meaning they only need one animation sequence for that stance: switch from rifle to gunner stance, fire, switch back.

I think a gunslinger could be a lot of fun; heck, they might make great officers due to the abundance of free-action and doesn't-end-turn abilities that could go with them. I just don't know if it's practical to make them happen.

[Krosly]

Your gunslinger class sounds like something straight out of a moba/owerwatch.

[sirburton]

Your gunslinger class sounds like something straight out of a moba/owerwatch.

Never played overwatch and have no idea of what moba is lel

[Greenburger]

Haven't read the whole thread but it was exactly what I wanted to say too.

I hope Pavonis is reading this. I just started playing XCOM 2 again, and I haven't played Long War 2 yet, and I seriously question how soon I will do that now that I've found out there are no gunslingers in the game.

I think gunslinger is my favorite class now, and I hate how they're technically a sharpshooter (playing vanilla). I'd really like to have a class that is pure gunslinger, with pistols as main weapons and upgrades.

From what I gather around the web gunslingers from vanilla are considered OP, esp vs robots like sectopods if you give them bluescreen rounds, and that's the reason they're absent from long war.
That's not a big issue to solve, and Pavonis are more than talented enough to do so (buff sectopods, if they aren't already buffed in LW2, is an easy fix).

So I really hope they add Gunslinger class to LW2, not having it is almost a deal-breaker for me.

[Devon_v]

Haven't read the whole thread but it was exactly what I wanted to say too.

I hope Pavonis is reading this. I just started playing XCOM 2 again, and I haven't played Long War 2 yet, and I seriously question how soon I will do that now that I've found out there are no gunslingers in the game.

I think gunslinger is my favorite class now, and I hate how they're technically a sharpshooter (playing vanilla). I'd really like to have a class that is pure gunslinger, with pistols as main weapons and upgrades.

From what I gather around the web gunslingers from vanilla are considered OP, esp vs robots like sectopods if you give them bluescreen rounds, and that's the reason they're absent from long war.
That's not a big issue to solve, and Pavonis are more than talented enough to do so (buff sectopods, if they aren't already buffed in LW2, is an easy fix).

So I really hope they add Gunslinger class to LW2, not having it is almost a deal-breaker for me.

You can make your own Gunslingers in the AWC. All the perks are there, and you can pick any class as a base, AND pick their perks as well.

[sirburton]

Haven't read the whole thread but it was exactly what I wanted to say too.

I hope Pavonis is reading this. I just started playing XCOM 2 again, and I haven't played Long War 2 yet, and I seriously question how soon I will do that now that I've found out there are no gunslingers in the game.

I think gunslinger is my favorite class now, and I hate how they're technically a sharpshooter (playing vanilla). I'd really like to have a class that is pure gunslinger, with pistols as main weapons and upgrades.

From what I gather around the web gunslingers from vanilla are considered OP, esp vs robots like sectopods if you give them bluescreen rounds, and that's the reason they're absent from long war.
That's not a big issue to solve, and Pavonis are more than talented enough to do so (buff sectopods, if they aren't already buffed in LW2, is an easy fix).

So I really hope they add Gunslinger class to LW2, not having it is almost a deal-breaker for me.

You can make your own Gunslingers in the AWC. All the perks are there, and you can pick any class as a base, AND pick their perks as well.

Ye but that would be just a "technician carrying a pistol" or a gunner or any other class. It wouldn't be a proper new class pistol-focused with its own skill tree.
We need in order:
- a real pistol skill tree
- more pistols available to be used
- possibility to carry more pistols
- couple of new animations, even if very simple

[Greenburger]

Also, aren't the AWC perks random?

[nightwyrm]

Also, aren't the AWC perks random?

The order you get them in is random, but you can get all of them.

[Sines]

Personally, Gunslingers in Vanilla were good primarily because of Bluescreen Rounds. BS have been nerfed, and training a soldier in the AWC to sling-guns takes too long to be viable. Venom and Dragon Rounds aren't too shabby though. Also, they have only the same set of abilities they did before, when Long War classes are now more powerful in general.

They were the volume of fire class. Lightning Hands + Regular Shot + Regular Shot/Fan Fire/Showdown allowed you to fire off tons of shots per turn. They exceeded at finishing off a group of enemies exposed (and damaged) by a grenade (another reason why they're weaker in LW2, since grenades themselves have been nerfed). Ranger and Gunner fill that slot reasonably well. Not quite as good, but still pretty solid.

I'm not sure how the Pistol could be made more useful, without making it ludicrous. I think that it could be reasonably improved by reducing AWC Training time, and allow it to be used in place of a traditional secondary (in addition to still being available for utility slots).

[Toosdey]

No offense but it sounds like a marry sue class with no drawbacks. Also with the AWC perks for pistols, a pistol based class doesn't really have a place here.