Failsafe

[Corporal Ravioli]

Now that Alliance has been out long enough to fully acquaint myself with the new tools, I've become very fond of the Failsafe Kit.

I most often utilize Failsafe as a replacement for the Spanner (so typically that means Mallet, Failsafe, Ext/Chem), which I find does not affect my play-style very much at all. As head engineer, it allows me to act both preemptively and reactively. Preemptive in that I can slap a gweebo on most everything before combat, or reactively to repair low-pressure damage (>50% HP). It has also been HUGE for when the pilot needs to abuse the engines, because I can prep them beforehand and continue onto other things.

Since I already have Chem cycles and Spanner strats in my head, adjusting to the Failsafe was an absolute no-brainer.

The largest risk that Failsafe poses is a gradual health recovery over an instant one, and that it has less rebuild power than Spanner. Both are easily addressed by playing preemptively, Mallet, utilizing the rebuild special, and collaborating with the rest of the crew. I've never had regrets bringing it over the Spanner for ANY match, that's for sure.

What do you think? Praise and gripes? Success stories? FAILURE stories?

As well... I think about the possibility of incorporating the Failsafe into PVP a lot these days. With some adjustment, it certainly appears to be a viable addition.

[Naoura]

I've certainly had plenty of success with it, mostly on use preemptively and on engine burns. It's a really good tool, but I'm not confident enough in my personal skill to run a kit like that, especially on some ships. Generally, I'll run it with a Spanner, just as back-up, and you can double it up with the Failsafe for tap-repairs.

As for PvP... not certain about that. I feel like it could make for abuse of burns on ships that really, really need it, even if you're limited on rebuild. Certainly, you could balance it a little, but... still. It's the very principle that makes it a big worry.

A modified Armor Kit, now. That I want to see. Just give it -20% to all incoming damage rather than just tossing some free health on, and I can see it coming across.

[Corporal Ravioli]

especially on some ships.

Galleon had me crying but it was fantastic until both balloon and armor broke. Pilot can offer support with balloon, but the crutch really was the big fat armor. Tradeoff is it goes down way less often if you can keep up. 

I'll run it with a Spanner, just as back-up, and you can double it up with the Failsafe for tap-repairs.

This is fascinating. I haven't discovered the most common tool arrangement for Failsafe yet, but I appreciate that our intuition has us approaching the tool from opposite directions.

Maintaining a few Failsafe'd components with a Spanner definitely makes sense - it reminds me of when the tool assisted with rebuilds. Different application, same general concept. Choosing Spanner over Mallet means you can rebuild quicker, but sacrifice immediate health for a larger recovery over time. My kit allows me to have both the preemptive Failsafe and the oh-shit mallet, but I eat dirt if my whole station explodes. It almost makes me wonder what an engineer team with both kits would be like. Junker with Spanner on bow/below deck and Mallet on aft, perhaps?

Maybe I haven't seen much of a solidified Failsafe loadout because everyone is finding their own special pocket to tuck it into. Just about the only crappy repair tool you could stick with it is Pipe Wrench or redundant fire control, as far as I can tell.

That increased potential for creativity is primarily why I'm fantasizing a PVP Failsafe tool. It would certainly be a paradigm shift that steers gameplay into new territory. Buff Failsafe Moonshine Stamina Squid anyone? Hey, that /does/ sound positively ridiculous! It'd need work...