Rudder & Gear Lube Rework

Without these items, some ships provide really uncomfortable experience of playing the battlebay (Defender, Fixer).
It is possible to play, but you hate the game

The problem is that the actual benefit from these items is too low comparing with a shield.
So players have to choose: to control their ship conveniently or to play effectively.

My idea is very simple: add Rudder and Gear Lube some percent of HP bonus from the standard shield. Of course, shield skills won't work on these items.
In this way, they will become more competitive, and players will have a better gameplay.

The amount of % should be adjusted in order not to make these items too OP.
I think it should be around 50-60%.

That is the simplest realization, any other ideas are welcomed as well.

 

it would be cool just to unite these two items. Like "Rudder Lube". And then this item became useful!)
it would be a decent defenders buff!

 

will be good any change, because now don´t make any sense use them...over the other option.

 

Here are two simple solutions that would make these viable:
- allow +HP and +Defense perks to be placed on Rudder/Lube (instead of just Shields) - if I got +600 HP on my maxed Rudder, I'd probably use it!
- add talent(s) for Rudder/Lube that add HP and/or Speed stats to the item

(and because blue slots are at such a premium, I also liked the suggestion to just combine them...)

 

So here's my question. Let's assume Rovio gave everyone a new blue slot (for instance, by making it so Turbo isn't mandatory any more). What would you put in that blue slot? I gave this some thought and as much as I recognize how handy a rudder would be, I'd still go with shield/bandages. Actually, I'd still go with turbo almost no matter what they did with it. Every bullet I evade with turbo is 600hp at my current infamy. That means if it saves me from 2 hits during the entire match it paid off a big shield.

I could be wrong but my sense is that offense has overpowered defense in this game so evasion is all the really remains.

 

There's a speed-cap, so I wouldn't agree that I'd use Turbo.
And I also may not agree that offense has overpowered defense, otherwise that would lead to mass-use of Rudder (wouldn't it?).
I think the shields are in pretty good balance compared to offense...
But I just think the Gear Lube & Rudder are not in a good balance with ... any of it.
Lube & Rudder should be buffed (imo). I was suggesting integrating HP & Speed via Crew Talents and/or Perks...

 

I hadn't thought about that. If they kept the speed cap the same and increased the base speed that would necessarily minimize the potential value of Turbo.

Insofar as the value of other defenses vs. speed, in a game where one-shot is a common occurrence, then avoidance is really the best and only option. It's what drove me to dual turbo on my shooter. It's what made me swap from shooter to speeder. It's why my lowly little speeder with 1750hp is much more durable than my single-turbo shooter with 3300hp.

*** edited to add ***
We may be having a difference in viewpoint based on infamy range.

 

I agree with all of that.
I do think base speeds are so atrocious, that it makes Turbo absolutely necessary.
And that's also exactly why I maxed my (now Epic T4) Turbo as fast as I could, and will take it to 50 ASAP! (By doing this, I haven't needed a 2nd Turbo...)
Raising base speed and making Turbo have less overall effect is an interesting suggestion (and probably a good one)... but there's a lot to consider there, as it would have different impacts on different mk-ships at different infamies...

Being 1-shot is a very rare occurence at my Infamy (~3000) where basically everyone has 3500+ HP (but average is probably more like 5500 - even excluding Defenders). Avoidance is indeed huge, but your Speeder isn't just faster on base speed, it has Overboost and Nitro, which are WAY more valuable than Shields.
But... now we're not comparing apples-to-apples, because Nitros are yellow, and Shields are blue...

Anyway....
Yeah....
Buff Rudder & Lube...

 

I wonder why Rovio hasn't given a significant buff for these 2 items. They have been notorious for nerfing overused items and buffing underused weapons.

But these two are an exception. Poor guys.