defibrillators shouldn't make people drop their items

[IPingu]

Defibs currently drop any item a person is holding if they are defibbed, and defibbing being instant means that people can easily disarm a person with just a click of the button. A guaranteed and instant way to make someone drop their item is very powerful against people like security and nuke ops, and even traitors to be able to steal their weapons without much trouble if you are fast enough or stealthy enough to sneak up. Its quiet annoying to be on the receiving side of it since there is no way to prevent a person from defibrillating you unless they are already down on the floor dead, and logically it doesn't make much sense. A defib should constrict your muscles and make you hold onto your weapon rather than let go of it and drop it.

So id suggest to make it so that the defib rather than making you drop the weapon, it just stuns you for the same time but doesn't make you fall to the ground where you lose your currently held items. This wouldn't change much at all about the defib for medical use and prevent it from being a powerful combat item unless emagged.

[zjdtmkhzt]

Adding combat utility was the whole point of that change though.

[kyle2143]

I didn't actually know why it needed combat utility at all. Like, I don't mind it, but I also didn't mind when it was only able to shock people when they were in crit.

[NOOT]

it is a bit gimmicky. maybe keep the functionality on emagged defibs? or make it so that it takes two defib hits in quick succession (ie 2 defibs) to trigger knockdown

[KikiMofo]

Wasnt the defib only suppose to be able to be used on non heart attack people if it was emagged or was a combat defib?

[Azrun]

I think the use of do_disorient instead of weaken + forced laydown & standup + remove stamina to allow for the defender to benefit from their equipment would allow for some form of counterplay through prep (equipment).


I'd prefer shock but then that would be really weaponizing it.

make it so that it takes two defib hits in quick succession (ie 2 defibs) to trigger knockdown

This is an interesting option though.

[Lady Birb]

wait, you can shock people with non-emagged defibs now?
what the fuck why the fuck no no no no no no

[mbc]

this defibrillator ability was added alongside a bunch of other weapon/tool changes, done with the intent of giving average crew jobs tools that were actually decent in a fight instead of trash/situational. Around this time we also saw buffs to previously-super-weak items like the circular saw, deconstruction device, gas tanks, etc.

if general opinion is that its too strong I would go pretty lightly on this one, do something like have it equally disarm the person using the defib at the same time as their target. Or have a longer action delay after the zap.
Or do that 2-hit idea NOOT suggested?? May require some other defib mechanics to be changed though, otherwise cooldown makes it impossible to do without 2 defibs.

wait, you can shock people with non-emagged defibs now?
what the fuck why the fuck no no no no no no

yeah it's been in the game for more than a year at this point.
since you seem unfamiliar with how it works, i do want to mention its not a "shock" in the electrical hazard sense, it's functionally a disarm with 100% hit rate and a long cooldown in-between attacks.

[unfunnyperson]

Little bit off topic but I’d like to suggest that defibs shouldn’t reveal arcfiends as easy as they do now. It’s a little too easy to arcfiend check.

[getbrecked]

considering the very very long cooldown for the defib, the instant disarm feels pretty balanced. security has ranged weapons to deal with someone trying to defib them and take their weapon.

[BatElite]

I'm personally a big fan of current defibs, it works as an opener for combat (or to delay someone if you want to flee) but you can't exactly win the fight with it.

Realistically I don't think people would bother emagging a defib for combat anyway, traitors have a lot of options (and AFAIK the nerds just try to steal sec gear instead)

[Frank_Stein]

Douse the person in liquid, then defib for the stun?

[Froggit_Dogget]

I think defibs are fine the way they are. They aren’t a problem, because they are only given to doctors, with 1-2 spare on station that usually end up in the cryo pods. They give doctors a shitty way to fight back against rampagers, especially now when killing a doctor gives you an auto mender.

They arent that strong either, sure it makes someone drop whatever theyre holding, but your holding a defib and they arent. Theyll get the item back 9/10 times. Defibs also have a very visible in-hand sprite, so its very easy to see someone walking up with a defib.

[Flaborized]

Defibs also make a unique sound when pulled out (that no other item makes) to give another tip that someone is trying to use a defib on you. It's not totally useless, but it's not really that strong. I think the crew having means to items like that is good

[Cal]

I think it's fine.