December 13, 2017 Hotfix

The Planetside 2 PC servers will be coming down at 5am (Pacific) / 13:00 (UTC) for a brief hotfix. Estimated downtime is 2 hours.

VE-S Canis (VS SMG)
Dev Note: We'll be reviewing the state of all three of the new SMGs after these changes go Live, to determine whether further adjustments are needed.
 * Unstable Ammunition headshot multiplier has been reduced from 2x to 1.2x
 * Unstable Ammunition projectile collision size has been scaled back a bit.
 * Unstable Ammunition now uses different particle effects.

Vehicle Adjustments

 * Vehicle Stealth (ESF/Liberator/Galaxy)
 * For these vehicles, the Stealth defensive certification will reduce the range Engagement Radar can detect the vehicle by 100m/200m/300m/400m.
 * Vehicle Stealth (Valkyrie)
 * For the Valkyrie specifically, the Stealth defensive certification will reduce the range Engagement Radar can detect the vehicle by 150m/250m/350m/450m.
 * Dev Note: Reducing the range of stealth's effectiveness versus Engagement Radar is intended to help promote target tracking while engaged with a target, while still allowing ambush playstyles to remain effective.
 * Liberator and Galaxy
 * Reduced the on-fire vertical thrust penalty so that these vehicles have a better shot at landing the vehicle while on fire.
 * M14 Banshee (Mosquito)
 * Direct damage from 150 to 100.
 * Dev Note: With the ability for an extended-magazine Banshee to one-clip other ESF, it became the go-to weapon regardless of role. This change moves shots to kill against ESF from 40 shots to kill to 60 shots to kill, and forces at least one reload against other ESF.
 * C150 Dalton (Liberator)
 * Damage from 1500 to 1200
 * Dev Note: Dalton was feeling a bit too juiced against ground vehicles post update, so we're bumping up their survivability a bit. MBT goes from 3 to burning and 4 to kill to 4 to burning and 5 to kill. Lightning goes from 3 to kill to 4 to kill. Harasser remains at 2 shots to kill, though composite armor moves that to 3 shots to kill.
 * Sunderer and ANT Resistances
 * Resist type 23 (Air to Ground) from 25 to 0
 * Dev Note: Against Dalton, this keeps Sunderers at 4 shots to crit and 5 to kill, and Blockade Sunderers remain 5 shots to kill. Zephyr and Hornets go from 11 to crit and 14 to kill to 8 to crit and 10 to kill. For ANTs, Dalton stays the same 4 shots to kill, while Zephyr and Hornets go from 9 shots to crit and 11 to kill down to 7 shots to crit and 8 to kill.
 * ESF Resistances
 * Resist type 23 (Air to Ground) from -75 to -125
 * Dev Note: This compensates for the damage reduction on the Liberator, and moves ESF a bit further along in the burning state when getting hit once by a Liberator round (2635 damage per shot previously to 2700 damage per shot now.) Zephyr goes from 4 shots to kill to 3 shots to kill. Hornets go from 4 shots to kill to 3 shots to kill.
 * Valkyrie Resistances
 * A2G resistance from -50 to 0
 * Dev Note: Coupled with the reduced Dalton damage, this changes Dalton from 2 shots to kill to 2 shots to crit and 3 shots to kill; Zephyr from 4 shots to kill to 5 shots to crit and 6 to kill; and Hornets from 4 shots to kill to 5 to crit and 6 to kill.
 * Resist type 8 (Aircraft Nosegun) from 75 to 80
 * Dev Note: This change slightly lengthens the time to kill against Valkyries with noseguns alone, providing a bit more survivability.

Lightning and Main Battle Tank adjustments
''Dev Note: The changes below address some of the Harasser's exaggerated survivability post CAI, as well as give AP a more stand-out place against other vehicles, while reducing the appeal of HESH as an all-rounder main cannon. Additional changes have been made to sharpen the edge on various weapons that were underperforming (or overperforming) at their intended role.''


 * C75 Viper (Lightning)
 * Minimum cone of fire from 0.5 to 0
 * Direct damage from 225 to 250.
 * Dev Note: This moves Sunderer and MBT from 23 shots to kill to 20 shots to kill; Harasser goes from 10 to 9 hits to kill. The cone of fire adjustments will max out the Viper's cone of fire while mag dumping in 3 shots, instead of 2, allowing for accurate shots from longer ranges while feathering the trigger, and extending the mag-dump range out slightly.
 * L100 Python AP (Lightning)
 * Direct damage from 600 to 650.
 * Dev Note: This moves Sunderer and MBT from 9 shots to kill to 8 shots to kill. Harasser stays at 4 shots to kill, but its pushed much deeper into its burning state on 3 shots.
 * L100 Python HEAT (Lightning)
 * Direct damage from 450 to 525.
 * Dev Note: This moves Sunderer and MBT from 11 shots to kill to 10 shots to kill; Harasser goes from 5 to 4 shots to kill, giving it the fastest time to kill of any main cannon versus Harassers.
 * Titan-150 AP (Vanguard)
 * Direct damage from 800 to 850
 * Dev Note: This moves Sunderer and MBT from 7 shots to kill to 6 shots to kill.
 * Supernova FPC (Magrider)
 * Direct damage from 700 to 750
 * Dev Note: Like with the Vanguard, this moves Sunderer and MBT down one shot to kill, from 8 to 7.
 * Supernova VPC (Magrider)
 * Blast damage from 1050 to 800
 * Dev Note: We've been seeing the Magrider have far and away more infantry kills than any other HESH equivalent, and feel that that's mainly due to its maneuverability at ranges infantry would normally be able to keep tanks at bay. We're removing the one-shot splash kill within 1 meter, while still retaining the highest splash damage of the Magrider's main cannons.
 * M96 Mjolnir (Vanguard/Harasser)
 * Direct damage from 100 to 90.
 * Dev Note: This adjustment reels back some of the power that was given to Mjolnir in the Nov. 20 update, while still retaining increased damage over the CAI launch version.
 * E540 Halberd (Harasser/MBT)
 * Indirect damage from 150 to 500.
 * Outer blast radius from 3m to 2m.
 * Headshot multiplier has been removed.
 * Dev Note: These changes give Halberd back its one-hit kill for bodyshots against non-Flak Armored infantry targets with 1100hp or less, as well as one-shot capabilities against non-Composite Armored Flash ATVs.

Bugs and Misc. Additions

 * Auraxium Holiday Hats should now be equippable.
 * Holiday Boost now shows the correct 14 day duration in the item description.
 * NSX-P Tomoe string has been replaced with the proper "Mystery Weapon" (it's still a mystery) string in the Exceptional II directive.
 * NSX-P Tanto now properly displays its name in the Exceptional II directive.
 * C4 and the Engineer's Ammunition Pack now have festive Auraximas reskins.
 * Phylactery can now be found in the implant drop table.
 * Phylactery should no longer resurrect a player multiple times if dying repeatedly within a short time.
 * Phylactery should now properly reset the timer on death.
 * Harasser Motorcade Bumper no longer appears in the depot.
 * Updated description for the RD-GG to reflect its gold-platedness and proper durations at each rank.
 * Removed a blank utility slot from MAX units in the loadout screen.
 * NS-357 IA now properly tracks weapon medal progress.
 * Squad Beacons and Waypoints should both now relay a message and audio indicator when placed or updated.
 * Squad Waypoints are now only visible by squadmates and the platoon leader (opposed to all squads seeing all waypoints.)
 * Bastion Fleet Carriers now appear on recently locked continents up to 1500m away.