The Turret/Drone build conundrum.
Having watched a few videos of people doing legendary using a full squad of agents all using a variation of the same build(Assault Turret/Striker Drone), I decided to give it a try myself.
Just as a point of reference, I don't really do groups. As a result, I haven't even set foot inside a legendary except one time, just to get completely annihilated. So take that into consideration when reading this:
My original intent was to have a build that I could farm challenging content with all directives turned on except Cool Skills(which is a broken directive, and a completely different topic). When that ended up being TOO easy, I decided to take the build into heroic.
The TLDR version is that this is probably the most stupid, brain-dead easy build I've ever played.
I mean, even using only a pistol to counter-act "Ammo Hoarders", with enemies firing special ammo, no healing, and no radar, I was able to safely sit behind cover and plink away at enemies while they almost completely ignored me in favor of trying to kill my turret and drone. Watching Cleaner axe-rushers chase around a drone was pretty funny for awhile, I'll be honest. But when the heavies just stand there and stare up into the sky because they don't know what to do, I started to wonder how broken this really way. When enemies of all types started running straight past me at less than 10 feet, or stand still in confusion while I shot them.....I started to think that maybe this wasn't all that good.
On the one hand I think that having a build that creates these types of situations is good, especially for newer players, or those with bad aim. It will let them farm gear and SHD levels with relative safety.
On the other hand, I'm not sure that having this much power while being able to basically AFK is actually good for the game.
Really what it comes down to is a failure of the enemy NPC AI. NPCs should not just stand there while I shoot them in the face from 5 feet away because the NPC can't figure out how to path to a drone or turret. I like that turrets and drones and other skills are this effective. I really do. The amount of damage that the drone and turret are doing is awesome! But not when it takes all engagement and thinking out of the gameplay. I'm glad that NPC heavies can't just one-shot my turrets, but I'm not happy that NPC heavies will just sit there and stare at the turret at their feet and do nothing.
Basically the entire thing needs some refinement. What do you guys think?