So, I think we all know by now, Ice Breaker is coming back! But some players might not be aware that the Ice Breaker has had some changes that might affect its PvE and PvP usability. First, it only holds six rounds. Period. This means you have less overall DPS on a boss and makes it vastly less viable to basically any sniper rifle in the PvE meta. The change to the weapon I am suggesting would not only fix these key issues with the Ice Breaker's ammo limits, but it would also make it feel even more exotic.
First, a way to increase the stability. This can be done with either the muzzle perks or a change to the middle column of perks to include something like perfect balance or fitted stock to replace Send It or maybe Quickdraw or Snapshot. This would help players learn to manage their shots with Ice Breaker before taking off the training wheels and switching to Snapshot.
Next, an addition to the intrinsic perk, No Backpack. In its current state, No Backpack restricts Ice Breaker from picking up special ammo bricks to instead recharge ammo over time. This is both the gun's greatest strength and incredibly annoying weakness. This is great because, like other snipers, you don't have to run around gathering ammo, instead you can camp behind a rock for what feels like half an eternity and wait for your six shots to recharge. So my change would not only keep players from taking the camping approach to the gun and just sit around for a little bit while shots recharge, but it would also add a new Exotic feel for the gun as it returns to the Loot Pool.
My change is adding the caption: "Special ammo pickups will add up to six supercharged shots to the magazine for a short time". Each special ammo brick will add one additional round to the magazine, ONLY when it is completely recharged for five seconds. The way this is displayed on the gun is increasing the brightness of the ammo charge meter on the gun (located under the scope when held and on the top of the scope when shouldered) depending on the amount of charged shots in the magazine. Say, for example, three supercharged rounds are charged: The first, second and third bars on the meter would be noticeably brighter, but also slowly dissipate for five seconds while the supercharged shot is available.
Finally, the supercharged part of the change. The supercharged rounds would do bonus damage (2x the damage in PvE and 1.25x in PvP*) and trigger the Ice Breaker perk on a hit, instead of a kill, causing a massive explosion on hit that would ONLY damage nearby enemies, not the enemy that is hit by the supercharged shot itself.
Thank you for reading my ideas for changes to the Ice Breaker. I've loved this gun since Year 1 when I got it from a Legendary Engram. So you can understand how excited I was when it was revealed to be returning next week! Anyway, enough rambling. Hope you understand the reasons for these changes and let me know in the comments whether or not you think these changes would be good or not and maybe some changes you'd like to see instead of this one (Not including a change to the Dunemaker skin. We all know no one likes it.).
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Have you played year 1 and got it? Its as good as a year 1 galli dont change it!