Drone Differences?

[Riddle78]

Playing the latest public version of TiTS,I decided to do something I didn't before; Make a Drone Specialist. I usually go for a Shield Specialist. Anyways. A quick walk on Smutosaurus reveals that I can get multiple different drones; I always knew about the Fenris Mk.I on Tarkus,but I can also apparently upgrade it to Mk.II,and have a choice between a Combat Siegewulfe and a Bimbo Siegewulfe? Again,according to Smutosaurus,the Combat Siegewulfe deals piercing damage,while Bimbo teases,and the Fenris Mk.I deals piercing,whilst the Mk.II deals piercing and electrical. However,besides damage types,I have no clue what the differences are between them.


-Are they any different in performance?


-If so,is the difference notable enough to be worth switching?


-They appear to have the self-powered tag; Does that mean they remain functional when my shields drop (Which is ALL THE FUCKING TIME)?


I'll more than likely stumble upon the new drones organically. I'm a bit of a habitual explorer. Though,I will be avoiding BimboWulfe,largely because I'm playing my Steele as someone who'd rather keep the sexiness to a more controlled environment. And because,in my experience,many of the game's biggest threats are just far too resistant/outright immune to lust attacks. Looking at you,Elevator Juggernaut.


So,yeah. The drones. Is there really any remarkable difference between the SteeleTech Drone (As I'm calling it),the Fenris Mk.II,and CombatWulfe?

 

[Ormael]

Self-powered tag mean that drone would always work as compared to drone attained by default from Drone perk for Tech that will only work as long PC shields are up. Which is usefull if you got quite often shields down then replacing default drone by one of thsoe you meantioned is a good thing as you not need to worry their will stop working (well there is option in specials to make them not attack - I think only one good thing that happened in drone matter in last year or so).


On drones itself...it's little to none difference which drone you would pick. So jsut pick which one you feel is coolest one. For more talks on drones you could look around TiTS subforum and read throu some of those threads. Their giving indeep analize of each drone characteristics, usefulness and in general all you need to know about drones.


Here one of recent drone related threads and here another one. In both you could find some posts about drones itself and much more on this specific path for techs called Drone user ^^

 

[Jacques00]

Are they any different in performance?

Yes, each drone has their own damage values.

If so,is the difference notable enough to be worth switching?

Maybe very minor, to the point where it just comes down to personal preference.


I can't edit the wiki at the moment, but the breakdown is as follows:


Base combat drone damage value is: 1 + level + (random value between 0 and ((2 + level) / 2). The "Attack Drone" perk will increase that base damage again by  +level.

• "Attack Drone" perk drone is the base damage, 100% electric
  
• Damaged Tamwolf is the base damage,  90% kinetic, penetrating damage flag, 3/10 chance of success
  
• Regular Tamwolf is the base damage, 90% kinetic, penetrating damage flag
  
• Tamwolf v2.0 is the base damage + 1 (corrected in the pull request #998), 80% kinetic, 30% electric, penetrating damage flag
  
• Combat Siegwulfe is the base damage + 1 + (random +1 or +0), 90% kinetic, penetrating damage flag
  
• Bimbo Siegwulfe is 20 tease damage
  
• Varmint is the base damage - 1, 75% kinetic, 25% corrosive, penetrating damage flag, 3/10 chance of success
  
• ACE Cannon is the base damage, 133% burning, laser damage flag, (unobtainable in-game)
  

Hope this helps.

-They appear to have the self-powered tag; Does that mean they remain functional when my shields drop (Which is ALL THE FUCKING TIME)?

Self-powered (at least for robotic drones) means that they do not require shields to function. However, having the "Attack Drone" perk will increase the max shield capacity by 3 * level while a robotic drone accessory is active (meaning if it is disabled in combat, the shield will drop to its normal maximum).

 

[Riddle78]

...Wait. I can get an attack Varmint? That's ridiculous,in all the best ways. But,that 30% success rate,while it makes sense,turns me right off of the thing. It's just not reliable.

 

[Jacques00]

...Wait. I can get an attack Varmint? That's ridiculous,in all the best ways. But,that 30% success rate,while it makes sense,turns me right off of the thing. It's just not reliable.

Yea, that's how it was outlined--in combat, it is supposed to perform like the damaged Tam-wolf, but with a different proportion of damage types.


As the game is still WIP, it is unknown if there will be any upgrades or alterations written for any of the drones in the future. I think Amara is the one that uses the ACE Canon in combat.

 

[lithit]

Yes, each drone has their own damage values.



Maybe very minor, to the point where it just comes down to personal preference.


I can't edit the wiki at the moment, but the breakdown is as follows:


Base combat drone damage value is: 1 + level + (random value between 0 and ((2 + level) / 2). The "Attack Drone" perk will increase that base damage again by +level.

• "Attack Drone" perk drone is the base damage, 100% electric
  
  
• Damaged Tamwolf is the base damage, 90% kinetic, penetrating damage flag, 3/10 chance of success
  
  
• Regular Tamwolf is the base damage, 90% kinetic, penetrating damage flag
  
  
• Tamwolf v2.0 is the base damage + 1 (corrected in the pull request #998), 80% kinetic, 30% electric, penetrating damage flag
  
  
• Combat Siegwulfe is the base damage + 1 + (random +1 or +0), 90% kinetic, penetrating damage flag
  
  
• Bimbo Siegwulfe is 20 tease damage
  
  
• Varmint is the base damage - 1, 75% kinetic, 25% corrosive, penetrating damage flag, 3/10 chance of success
  
  
• ACE Cannon is the base damage, 133% burning, laser damage flag, (unobtainable in-game)
  

Hope this helps.



Self-powered (at least for robotic drones) means that they do not require shields to function. However, having the "Attack Drone" perk will increase the max shield capacity by 3 * level while a robotic drone accessory is active (meaning if it is disabled in combat, the shield will drop to its normal maximum).

Quick question though, for the tamwolf and comnbat siegwulfe, you said "base damage +..." Which of the companions have the highest base damage then?

 

[Zavos]

Base combat drone damage value is: 1 + level + (random value between 0 and ((2 + level) / 2). The "Attack Drone" perk will increase that base damage again by +level.

The % is usually more noteworthy than the base damage since base damage has a margin of error of +-1 for all companions. The current best companions are Tam2.0(110%, penetrating, self powered) and Siegewulfe (90%, penetrating, self powered, [0.1xInt] evasion)
Although to be honest, shields are far, far better than drone. Drone tech's only truely noteworthy advantage aside from adding [level] to your drone attack is allowing you to get the offensive best in slot Tam2.0. Siegewulfe's 1...5 evasion is arguably more noteworthy than the 20% damage modifier gain, and Siegewulfe does not require Drone trait to acquire.

Edit: Here is a typical round of combat in Uveto. If i had the drone perk, Siegewulfe's damage increase would be 8, for 19 damage. Is an additional [0.9*level] damage per round worth [8*level] points of shield?

You land a hit on the female korgonne barbarian with your modded arc caster! The attack connects with the female korgonne barbarian! (H: -44)
You land a hit on the female korgonne barbarian with your modded arc caster! The attack connects with the female korgonne barbarian! (H: -50)

Siegwulfe brandishes her hardlight claws, putting herself between you and the female korgonne barbarian. “Don’t worry, master, I’ll protect you!” She lunges forward, sweeping her blades across her target. (H: -11)

 

[lithit]

The % is usually more noteworthy than the base damage since base damage has a margin of error of +-1 for all companions. The current best companions are Tam2.0(110%, penetrating, self powered) and Siegewulfe (90%, penetrating, self powered, [0.1xInt] evasion)
Although to be honest, shields are far, far better than drone. Drone tech's only truely noteworthy advantage aside from adding [level] to your drone attack is allowing you to get the offensive best in slot Tam2.0. Siegewulfe's 1...5 evasion is arguably more noteworthy than the 20% damage modifier gain, and Siegewulfe does not require Drone trait to acquire.

Edit: Here is a typical round of combat in Uveto. If i had the drone perk, Siegewulfe's damage increase would be 8, for 19 damage. Is an additional [0.9*level] damage per round worth [8*level] points of shield?

You land a hit on the female korgonne barbarian with your modded arc caster! The attack connects with the female korgonne barbarian! (H: -44)
You land a hit on the female korgonne barbarian with your modded arc caster! The attack connects with the female korgonne barbarian! (H: -50)

Siegwulfe brandishes her hardlight claws, putting herself between you and the female korgonne barbarian. “Don’t worry, master, I’ll protect you!” She lunges forward, sweeping her blades across her target. (H: -11)

Thx for the break down, plus with the addition of siegwulfe, i can see why a shield tech would be better.

 

[balitz Method]

The shield boosts are more advantageous at the moment but it does put all your eggs in that one basket. Classes are always being adjusted but the idea behind the drone specialization is to give tech specialists more attack types and options in general since their moveset is fairly limited and their total reliance on shields makes enemies who have shield-bypassing attacks or who can eat through shields quickly tougher than they are for other classes.

 

[Couch]

Shields have always been more advantageous. For a drone to be worth it, it has to do damage equal to a greater percentage of the opponent's HP than the percentage of HP Steele gives up by not taking shields. This requires a long combat, and most TiTS combats are short.

 

[Zavos]

You also need to factor in the fact that the only true sustain skill Techs have, Deflector Regeneration, scales with our shields.

 

[Ormael]

Well all fights that are not short have enemies usualy at boss tier and those..pretty much eating away/bypassing PC shields too. So that not helping at all since we got almost none of typical enemies that would require to have prolonged fight.