CCP recently detailed coming changes to various aspects of EVE Online. They are continuing the process of streamlining module tiers for ease-of-use, as well as a nerf to sentry drones to counter the power of drone platforms in the current meta.
CCP Fozzie just announced the upcoming Sentry Drone changes for the Carnyx expansion:
Hey everyone! For our Carnyx release at the beginning of June we’re planning on making some moderate tweaks to sentry drones, part of our ongoing process of massaging drone combat into a healthier place in the meta.These are a very specific and limited set of changes that we believe will benefit the game, but it’s important to know that these are explicitly not intended to be a “once and for all” fix for every problem related to sentries. There’s no such thing as a balance silver bullet.
The main goals of these changes are to further improve the intra-class balance between sentry drones (smoothing out the progression in tracking speed and compressing the damage spread a bit) and slightly reducing the power level of some sentry fits and doctrines, especially for Bouncers and Curators that are quite dominant in a few areas.
Current plan is:
Gardes: -25% Optimal, +33% Falloff, -3% Damage, -6.67% Tracking
Curators: -3.1% Damage, -13% Tracking
Bouncers: -3.3% Damage, -12.5% Tracking
We welcome feedback as always!
The second and arguably more important set of changes i streamlining or armor and shield module tiers.
The pattern of change according to the forum post :
- Remove the clearly superfluous ’50mm’ and ‘micro’ size categories.
- Consolidate ‘Named’ modules from meta levels 1-4 into two variants within meta level 1 – a ‘compact’ variant and a ‘restrained’ variant.
- Maintain the general positioning and power level of Tech II variants in the families.
- Place ‘Storyline’ variants in a place that is somewhere between the ‘compact’ and Tech II variants in terms of relevant stats.
- Significantly enhance the appeal of ‘Faction’ variants with substantial relative easing of fitting and increases in bonuses, while maintaining relatively low penalties.
- Establish diversity within the ‘Faction’ variants by adjusting stats in broadly in line with thematic notes as far as available tuning allows.
This consolidation of modules will not truly eliminate the micro/50mm modules, but will however rename them and rework them to make more sense. The 50mm will be converted into ‘Storyline‘ 100mm variants with low fitting requirements, and lessened penalties. Micro shield extenders will see a similar merge by becoming small shield extenders in the same way.
CCP Delegate Zero has prepared a listing to show the proposed changes in detail :
Armor Plates Module Tiericide
Shield Extender Module Tiericide
For players eager to see these changes in action; they are already live on the Singularity test server.