Or at least significantly lessening its importance, such that it provides defensive bonuses (entrench etc) but isn't at all necessary to attack (ambush, snipe, etc).

Do you guys like this mechanic? When comparing the gameplay of my sniper and my sorcerer, I find that the necessity of crouching into virtual "cover" before doing anything is quite cumbersome. It makes the class play 'clunky' in my opinion. Particularly during ops.

I, personally, would not change the mechanic. I enjoy it and it doesn't feel awkward or clunky to me whatsoever. The only thing I would do with it, is tweak the knock-back ability tied to it.

I don't understand how taking cover for that is a necessity but I can manage. This goes along the same lines as what you are describing but it's the only thing "clunky" to me in regards to the cover mechanic.

EDIT: PvP POV

I, personally, would not change the mechanic. I enjoy it and it doesn't feel awkward or clunky to me whatsoever. The only thing I would do with it, is tweak the knock-back ability tied to it.

 

I don't understand how taking cover for that is a necessity but I can manage. This goes along the same lines as what you are describing but it's the only thing "clunky" to me in regards to the cover mechanic.

 

EDIT: PvP POV

Yeah, cover pulse. I was just in a hardmode Hammer Station on my sniper the other day and was thinking, during the last boss fight, that knocking the adds off of the platform requires getting up, running over, and then crouching before you can activate it. Whereas on the sorc, it's just a question of running over and knocking them off. One fluid motion vs start stop start.

Yeah, cover pulse. I was just in a hardmode Hammer Station on my sniper the other day and was thinking, during the last boss fight, that knocking the adds off of the platform requires getting up, running over, and then crouching before you can activate it. Whereas on the sorc, it's just a question of running over and knocking them off. One fluid motion vs start stop start.

Personally, love the cover mechanic. It's great for PvP therefore I would never remove it but there are some abilities that require it and some that don't which makes me like whaaaa? Overall, it's one of my favorite perks to any class in the game.

Cover is awesome!

Playing my other ranged alts always makes me miss my Sniper with it's sweet and sexy unleapable, uninterruptable, ability nonpushbacky Cover system! Ooooh! Yes! YEEES!!

<3

Had a Gunslinger early on that I found clunky using. Decided to roll a Sniper a couple of months back. Have gotten used to it and actually find it wonderful. Not in the sense that I couldn't do without it, but it adds something different to ranged DPS classes.

At times it's an excuse;

"Of course my DPS parse looks like crap! I had to move all the damn time and I kept getting the 'Huge Grenade'!"

"Don't complain about my DPS when you can't position the boss and I constantly have to move in range of him!"

Things most other DPS classes complain about, but I feel it's twofold on the Sniper since you're severely limited to what you can cast out of cover. Especially if you're specced for MM.

But as Svii mentioned, there are benefits to it. Never being interrupted(unless stunned/cc-ed by bosses), can't be leapt to, etc. Also, with MM(I'm an MM Sniper for the most part, unless doing dailies with Engi), Entrench offers a fantastic 60% AoE damage reduction along with the usual immunity to knockback and a host of other nasties. And all of that is only possible while in cover. All in all, once you get used to it. I think you'll agree that it's a nice mechanic.

I always feel really comfy crouching with my lil' shield up. Regardless of where I am, be it in front of a huge disgusting creature, or the desert or even a swamp with muck under my boots.

This used to come up quite a bit near launch. Most people new to the class hated the mechanic, and most Sniper/Gunslinger mains learned to love it.

The problem with getting rid of it is that it would be a HUGE nerf to Snipers, especially in PvP. However, simply transferring the benefits (such as leap immunity) to us 100% of the time would be an overwhelming (and overpowered) buff. You could make it optional (abilities don't require cover, but using it gives you the extra benefits), but that wouldn't really solve the problem. Anyone who knew what they were doing would still use it as often as possible. Even in PvE, the extra defense adds up against trash adds, and the ability pushback prevention is a really strong benefit that often gets overlooked.

I would agree that Cover Pulse requiring cover is a bit clunky though. Although I could see why they want it to require cover, it would not entirely surprise me if they removed the requirement at some point as a Quality of Life buff, similar to the change to Ballistic Shield.

Helpful tip: Go to your Preferences and bind "Take cover in place" to an easy to reach key, I use "F" and Shift+F for Covered Escape. Dot NOT use the skill on your bar, it is terrible. This little adjustment makes a world of difference

Agreed, this makes is much easier to deal with. I have my keybound to non-cover quickbar 1 and I don't mind cover at all on my GS or Sniper.

This used to come up quite a bit near launch. Most people new to the class hated the mechanic, and most Sniper/Gunslinger mains learned to love it.

 

The problem with getting rid of it is that it would be a HUGE nerf to Snipers, especially in PvP. However, simply transferring the benefits (such as leap immunity) to us 100% of the time would be an overwhelming (and overpowered) buff. You could make it optional (abilities don't require cover, but using it gives you the extra benefits), but that wouldn't really solve the problem. Anyone who knew what they were doing would still use it as often as possible. Even in PvE, the extra defense adds up against trash adds, and the ability pushback prevention is a really strong benefit that often gets overlooked.

 

I would agree that Cover Pulse requiring cover is a bit clunky though. Although I could see why they want it to require cover, it would not entirely surprise me if they removed the requirement at some point as a Quality of Life buff, similar to the change to Ballistic Shield.

Pretty much this.

I love cover and the utility of it and would hate to see it go. It's a major reason why I love playing Gunslinger so much.

As everybody has said;

it's fine as it is imbo.

Helpful tip: Go to your Preferences and bind "Take cover in place" to an easy to reach key, I use "F" and Shift+F for Covered Escape. Dot NOT use the skill on your bar, it is terrible. This little adjustment makes a world of difference

Take cover in place = Middle mouse button

The standard roll into cover, banished since Hutta.

OT, I've never figured out what cover fire does. Anyone know?

Yea, hated it at first. One bar from 55 now and I'm used to it. Still kinda annoying, but a LOT less annoying than ability push back on my sorc, especially crushing darkness in lightning spec.

yeah, i know some ranged dps who would love to take cover off of your hands if you guys don't want

Take cover in place = Middle mouse button

 

The standard roll into cover, banished since Hutta.

 

 

OT, I've never figured out what cover fire does. Anyone know?

this was answered a long time ago in one of those weekly Q&Ss they used to have, and someone said it was a dev mod tool that was never supposed to make it to live. they still haven't gotten rid of it lol.

yeah, i know some ranged dps who would love to take cover off of your hands if you guys don't want

The Commandos who (like the devs described it) are supposed to feel like an artillery?

Keep cover and cover pulse the way it is. Here's why: Cover Pulse is the ONLY 360 degree knockback in the game. Would you like to lose that and be like the hapless sorc that has to be facing a frontal cone to do a knockback?

No, thank you.

Keep it the way it is.

Keep cover and cover pulse the way it is. Here's why: Cover Pulse is the ONLY 360 degree knockback in the game.

Jet Boost

http://www.torhead.com/ability/dK8kTM6/jet-boost

Jet Boost

 

http://www.torhead.com/ability/dK8kTM6/jet-boost

Ok, fine, the only 360 degree knockback that doesn't deal damage (thus not break your stuns) in the game .