This week's update introduces a batch of armatures with shoulder mounted shields. These shields are smaller and weaker than handheld shields but can be used on supporting and filled armatures depending on the weapon. Since shoulder shields don't offer much coverage from projectiles, their best use is to deflect melee attacks on builds that otherwise would have no access to a means of parrying. Certain shields can also be used to body slam enemy Granvir when raised, inflicting damage based on total mass.
2.49.0
Major Features
Added 6 new armatures with shoulder mounted shields. Shoulder shields can be raised while the hand is empty, supporting a two handed weapon and while holding most weapons. Weapons that prevent the shoulder shield from raising when being held include those with wide or awkward grips incompatible with the raise pose like axes, scythes, and launchers. Some shoulder shield arms enable a light body slam effect when raised.
Minor Features
Added the BN01 Echo rifle, a tier 3 two handed rifle with high accuracy, an extremely small 2 round magazine and long reload time.
Reduced the ammo efficiency balance weighting of overkill prone weapons from 1.5x to 1.2x.
Increased the ammo efficiency balance weighting of ammo inefficient weapons from 0.5x to 0.66x.
Adjusted melee shield hits to directly consult the mech's active parries instead of directly taking damage and bouncing the attack regardless of its parry break strength. This change means shields not raised to block will no longer bounce melee attacks.
Fixes
Fixed certain lock on weapons not using their installation side to pick a control group preference.
Fixed upgrading enhancement levels applying incorrect stat value modifications.
Fixed upgrading enhancement levels on held weapons applying less of a performance modification than applying the same enhancement without upgrading an existing one.
Fixed being unable to apply melee damage boost enhancements to certain hybrid weapons.
Fixed carrying cases appearing with damage boost enhancements.
Fixed extra dummy supply Granvir spawning alongside the normal supply Granvir.
Fixed shields not applying difficulty based damage modification to incoming damage. The hitpoints of shields have been adjusted so their durability is the same on Hard 16+ escalation as before this change and stronger on lower difficulties and escalation. This adjustment also makes shields drastically cheaper to repair.
Fixed settings adjustments made during a campaign not being shown in the settings menu if it is opened later from the main menu.