[Jimmie Allen]

So i wanted to make this thread to discuss buffs in general and how to use them and their effectiveness.

I really want to emphasize that no one should ever underestimate the use of buffs in this game because I have seen first hand that they can be some serious tide turners.

Soldiers:

Armor Piercing Ammo:
This is a must have. It would be irresponsible of a soldier t go into a gun fight without this.

Kevlar Vest:
Also a must have. Simply put, imagine a heavy soldier with kevlar vest and upgraded health. Indisputably the best tank in the game. But that does not mean that kevlar vest is exclusively useful for heavies. It is useful for all body types.

Engineers:

Weapon buff:
I would assume people understand how useful this buff is. This buff should always be prioritized over land mines and turrets, specially seeing as how bad the turrets target enemies.

Kevlar Vest:
This is probably the main reason why I am writing this thread. i have noticed many online players do not use kevlar vest. I feel that is a big mistake. Moreover, I think the number one priority of any and every engineer should be to buff medics with kevlar vests. Yes, KV (kevlar vest) to medic should be of higher priority than WB (weapon buff) to any other player.

Medics:

Improved life buff:
An extremely important buff. Although, I personally feel that this buff should not be handed out all willy nilly. Reason being, i think resurrection is much more important than health buff. Even still, i think it should be a priority to medics to self buffs themselves in order to keep themselves alive. A dead medic cannot rez other people...

Adrenaline boost:
Hardly a buff, but i will still discuss it. Not a useless skill, but requires way too much coordination to work. Give buff to an ally and use him as a decoy to drive enemy fire away. Although potentially useful, it is everyones choice if it is worth the supplies.

Metabolism:
Quite possibly the most useless buff in all the game. It really isnt useless, but it definitely should not be used when instead you can use it for resurrecting an ally or buffing someone.

Speed Buff:
Personally, i think this buff is also quite counter productive. Obviously, there are plenty of situations where speed buff is useful. The problem with this skill is that it is not permanent. Why waste a full pip on 5 seconds longer speed when you have other skills that are permanent.

Operative:

They have no buffs. How lame. They should have the medics speed buff. Have it self administrate and permanent.

[Celestine Stardust]

Really nice subject for discussion!

I can comment on medics at the time,just reached lvl 20 and i played medic 99% of the time so i can say that i prefer using the common buff of adding one pip,to as many as possible.
After that,nope,i don't use Adrenaline/Metabolism or Speed buffs cause they take out my supplies and i need to have supplies to resurrect and keep buffing.

As you said,if in a team with coordination and plan/tactic,then speed buff can for sure being used and have an effect.

I have another char lvl7,Soldier,so when i know i'll be able to comment on this class too.

P.S.: I would agree very much with the Kevlar Vest comment though.

[Beulah Bell]

I find adrenaline good when my teamate is planting an HE since he can't die while putting it up. Although he dies like right after the timer starts, it's still good. At least he isn't killed before the charge goes up.

[Nicole Kraus]

I find adrenaline good when my teamate is planting an HE since he can't die while putting it up. Although he dies like right after the timer starts, it's still good. At least he isn't killed before the charge goes up.

Props, man. That is a very ingenious use for that skill. I never would have thought about it. I hope more people shine some light on new perspective on how to use skills.

[Emily abigail Villarreal]

Props, man. That is a very ingenious use for that skill. I never would have thought about it. I hope more people shine some light on new perspective on how to use skills.

Glad to be of help. But I still find metabolism useless and plan to sell it out for a laz nade.

[Rude Gurl]

Operatives should get the adrenaline, metabolism and speed buff imo. And the ability to use em all on them self, that would make them more usefull as the guy/scout behind enemy lines i think they are.
And i think a light operative would be funny as hell,

not that i hate operatives, i play em all the time but still think they are a bit underpowered

[Shannon Lockwood]

Operatives should get the adrenaline, metabolism and speed buff imo. And the ability to use em all on them self, that would make them more usefull as the guy/scout behind enemy lines i think they are.
And i think a light operative would be funny as hell,

not that i hate operatives, i play em all the time but still think they are a bit underpowered

The metabolism and adrenaline makes sense for a medic to give out. Not so much for the operative. Besides, the operative is more helpful as a sabotage the enemy class than a buff your teamate class.
Engineer- area denial
Soldier- main fighting force and enemy clear out
Medic- team support and revival
Operative- sabotage the enemy and cause mayhem

[Multi Multi]

The metabolism and adrenaline makes sense for a medic to give out. Not so much for the operative. Besides, the operative is more helpful as a sabotage the enemy class than a buff your teamate class.
Engineer- area denial
Soldier- main fighting force and enemy clear out
Medic- team support and revival
Operative- sabotage the enemy and cause mayhem

Maybe your right, but as a self buff i think it could be quite usefull.

The game is still so new so people have to figure out tactics and stuff like that. Im sure SD didnt make the game imba we just need to figure it out.

[dell]

Operatives are definitely not underpowered.

And when you're playing with AI friends, buffing the Soldier while he's planting a charge is the ONLY time to use Adrenaline.

[Stephanie Valentine]

Operatives are definitely not underpowered.

And when you're playing with AI friends, buffing the Soldier while he's planting a charge is the ONLY time to use Adrenaline.

Truth be told, operative is my least favorite class even though i see potential in it. Wanna give me a run down on the operative skills and how you feel is best to use them? I actually even have one huge question...Does the operative stay in disguise when he is hacking turrets and objectives, and when he uses iron sight for marking?

[Robert Bindley]

Truth be told, operative is my least favorite class even though i see potential in it. Wanna give me a run down on the operative skills and how you feel is best to use them? I actually even have one huge question...Does the operative stay in disguise when he is hacking turrets and objectives, and when he uses iron sight for marking?

Ironsighting, yes, but objectives, no.

You can mark mines without breaking Disguise, and I THINK you can use Homing Beacon as well, but not 100% on that one.

When I use Disguise, I use it to get past enemies and hack a command post, not because of the direct benefit to the team, but because someone coming back to recapture it means one less person trying to kill my teammates - then I move back to the frontline and cause some trouble.

Basically, on an offensive mission, I'll get in amongst the enemy defensive line, throw a Sticky, then open fire on someone else - the sticky will get enemies panicking at the very least, if not wound/kill someone - and my headshot from behind can usually incap one guy before anyone realises they're taking fire.

I wait to do this right before my teammates come in to attack the objective, or right after the attack has started, so as to be more likely to get away with it, and most importantly, to cause havoc in the enemy ranks right before they start taking fire.

Once we've cleared the objective, I drop Caltrops in the most likely route for the enemy to follow, and wait. Generally, a Light or two will show up from an alternative route before the main rush, and if you incap them and comm hack, you can disguise and move back towards their spawn to stall them some more. If not, you're just another gun with the caltrops to help hold the line - extra damage on anyone who crosses them fast, or a major slowdown on anyone who doesn't want to take the damage. Either way, they're easier targets for you and your teammates - and if you set up to be out of reach from the caltrop location, with a good view of an alternative route in, you can use the caltrops as an early warning device - the XP counter pops up when someone's crossing them, then you can turn around with a clear idea where your targets are.

On defense, I start off with Caltrops on the objective, then move out to stall the enemy, and comm hack pretty much immediately - It's less of a critical skill on offense, in my experience, but it's still valuable in certain situations.

[Victoria Vasileva]

Truth be told, operative is my least favorite class even though i see potential in it. Wanna give me a run down on the operative skills and how you feel is best to use them? I actually even have one huge question...Does the operative stay in disguise when he is hacking turrets and objectives, and when he uses iron sight for marking?

No, he does not stay in disguise, but once you're past the initial defenses of the enemy, it's really not that necessary to stay in disguise because if you're running around behind the enemy they don't notice you're an enemy because they're looking forward defending. Operatives are really good for messing up the enemy and creating chaos within their unit.
I like to disguise myself, find a turret to hack, come up behind about 3 enemies, throw a sticky grenade on one, slide tackle another and down him then run off and try to take out the 3rd. If I do that successfully, I'll lay low for a minute then do it all over again until I get downed. When I get downed I wait for an enemy to come up to me and I detonate my cortex grenade. I've gotten up to a triple kill a few times with it, the operative is very useful in my opinion. Especially if the defense is all clumped up together holding a choke point. :disguise:

[pinar]

i would like to know more details about the buffs.
for example how much the damage reduction of a kevlar is and how long metabolism lasts.
does anyone know?

[quinnnn]

Can someone help me, I BOUGHT the kev vest ability for my soldier, and engis can still give me a kev vest. Did my ability not work?

[Catherine Harte]

Can anybody tell me if my kevlar is actually working, because engies can still supply me with kevs.

[FoReVeR_Me_N]

And the ability to use em all on them self,

No,and this goes to Splash Damage Devs,if i understand your philosophy right then u should remove ALL self buffs.At least i hope that if any change/nerfing appear this will be in.

Keep Brink team-based,force players to play as a team.

Remove self buff from Medics too,two Medics in a team,if they are team-players,should buff each other,and when i am hit as a Medic i don't need to buff the moment u got health regeneration.

Remove all self buffs i say.

[Chloe Yarnall]

Can someone help me, I BOUGHT the kev vest ability for my soldier, and engis can still give me a kev vest. Did my ability not work?

I too have this problem, and I'm worried - If it didn't work, I totally wasted my chance at Double Mines.

[Solène We]

i would like to know more details about the buffs.
for example how much the damage reduction of a kevlar is and how long metabolism lasts.
does anyone know?

I would like to know this numbers also!

No,and this goes to Splash Damage Devs,if i understand your philosophy right then u should remove ALL self buffs.At least i hope that if any change/nerfing appear this will be in.

Keep Brink team-based,force players to play as a team.

Remove self buff from Medics too,two Medics in a team,if they are team-players,should buff each other,and when i am hit as a Medic i don't need to buff the moment u got health regeneration.

Remove all self buffs i say.

Oh god, Eresis. Dont say that! Imagine playing with a bunch of randoms that just refuse to play as a team. how would i get my buffs then?!

[Penny Flame]

Engineers:[/color]

Weapon buff:
I would assume people understand how useful this buff is. This buff should always be prioritized over land mines and turrets, specially seeing as how bad the turrets target enemies.

This.

When you spawn, spawn sprinting, and spawn buffing. When you get to the action, THEN you lay down your turret. Since there is no such thing as spawn camping in Brink, you can administer the buff to yourself as you are heading to the action. If you forgot and are almost in/already in battle, then hide and administer it!

BUT, if you have a gatling turret and are in the action...

Gatling Turret > Weapon Buff

[Michelle Serenity Boss]

Medic: Adrenalin boost is best used when a teammate is completing an objective. Buff so he doesn't die before the objective is completed. Win!

[Naomi Lastname]

Oh god, Eresis. Dont say that! Imagine playing with a bunch of randoms that just refuse to play as a team. how would i get my buffs then?!

Well it will a problem for all the team,so they'll understand they're doing something wrong.

To be honest this is the way i see the game,this game wants to "teach" us to play as a team.
So everything in it has to be in that direction & not the opposite.

[latrina]

Operatives should get the adrenaline, metabolism and speed buff imo. And the ability to use em all on them self, that would make them more usefull as the guy/scout behind enemy lines i think they are.
And i think a light operative would be funny as hell,

not that i hate operatives, i play em all the time but still think they are a bit underpowered

i mostly only play operative and loving the skill they come with. In the match I'm the one mostly taking the post and def them. which is strong to keep so ur team has the upper hand. I have had matches where i got behind emenies lines and hack there turret just so they can have it shooting right at them. One match hack one and had the whole looking crazy cuz it took them a while to notice it was the turret shooting them. Sticky bomb if the emeny didnt notice u then just throw that and be on our way while he panics.

[ashleigh bryden]

I like the Operative, especially with a light body type. I usually try to get in behind enemy lines with a disguise and cap command posts, or hack turrets along their avenues of retreat. If I can I'll run up behind them and toss a sticky bomb onto someone then cook a grenade off to knock them all down. If you do it right you get a double explosion that takes out all but heavy body types with health or kevlar buffs. Of course any survivors will most certainly turn on you but the cortex bomb is made for that spite kill. The Operative, despite the lack of buffs, is a force to be reckoned with in the right hands. Also of note I find the Operative with a light body type and silent running with silenced weapons is the only worthwhile sniper in the game. You can get behind enemy lines while your front line presses them. If you find a good spot to hunker in you can move between perches all day long nibbling at their flank. Props on the SMART system. It is a sniper's dream. Even though Brink is not a sniper friendly game because of the freedom of movement, it still provides some opportunities for sniping and I really enjoy that type of game play.

[Natasha Biss]

how do you swap between buffs?

at the moment i only have health/revive buff for medic but want to add the speed one maybe. i want to make this character the supreme medic

how do i set which buff to issue out?

[Dezzeh]

how do you swap between buffs?

at the moment i only have health/revive buff for medic but want to add the speed one maybe. i want to make this character the supreme medic

how do i set which buff to issue out?

Buffs are active abilities - they go on the d-pad. Press the button, and it swaps your normal buff option for the special buff.

Don't recommend teh speed buff though - Adrenaline would be a better option. A very short-term speed boost isn't really worth a full pip of supplies.