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[Wyvern]

So, I recently released an alpha version of a mod: Corvidae Light Industries, and one of the included hulls uses LR PD Lasers.

Let's go through the problems:

One: They cost an absurd 100 flux per second.  Well, okay, I'm designing this hull to have LRPD as built-in weapons; I can just increase the base vent rate.  Let's ignore this problem.

Two: They can't stay on target.  Even with Advanced Turret Gyros, they lose lock constantly.  Alright.  Built-in hullmod that doubles the tracking rate of all beam weapons.  Solved - at least as long as you're willing to also install Advanced Turret Gyros.  Moving on.

Three: Even when they can stay on target, they don't reliably kill missiles.  Sometimes they'll kill salamanders, that have nice long arcing flight paths that keep them under fire for quite a while.  Sometimes they won't.  Hrm.  Well... the ship has a High Energy Focus system; if you're willing to use that to boost your PD, then your PD will actually work.  I guess.

However, other hulls don't have the same advantages.  I'd like to point out that the damage on LRPD (as well as the basic PDLaser, as well as all of the burst PD weapons, not to mention the humble mining laser) were originally set when you got bonus energy damage from high flux levels - and these numbers were never updated when that feature was removed.

I don't have any specific suggestions for fixes - any changes would require playtesting that I haven't done outside of the one case described above - but the LRPD in particular clearly needs help; as it is, it's simply not worth using if you have any choice in the matter.

[DownTheDrain]

I thought it was generally agreed on that LRPDs are beyond hope, so I'm not sure why you'd want to use them as built-in weapons.
Why use built-in PD at all for that matter, unless the turret is hidden or the weapon ship-specific?

That said, I mostly agree with your assessment. It's one of those weapons that I never even consider if I have any alternative whatsoever.

I'd like to point out that the damage on LRPD (as well as the basic PDLaser, as well as all of the burst PD weapons, not to mention the humble mining laser) were originally set when you got bonus energy damage from high flux levels - and these numbers were never updated when that feature was removed.

I was not aware of that, but it explains a lot. Thanks for pointing it out.

[Harmful Mechanic]

Try 60/90 dmg/flux per second. Feels pretty nice - not perfect, but quite a bit better.

[MesoTroniK]

While I agree that some of the PD beams could probably use a little bit of help.

LRPD shines in fleet engagements where ships provide cover to each other. An overlapping kill box of LRPD lasers will make mincemeat of many types of missile threats at a range far beyond the reach of ballistic PD... Especially if you stack range enhancing hullmods (including Advanced Optics).

And in the end, energy PD is not supposed to be extremely high performance for if it was it would not segue with the strengths and weaknesses of the different tech levels of ships and would throw balance into chaos.

[King Alfonzo]

Not to mention that a LRPD can also double as a short-ranged tactical laser, which I think is the main reason it hasn't been improved; if you do, you could have on your hands a possibly broken weapon.

[DownTheDrain]

Not to mention that a LRPD can also double as a short-ranged tactical laser, which I think is the main reason it hasn't been improved; if you do, you could have on your hands a possibly broken weapon.

It's not just a matter of less range.

Tactical Laser,taclaser,1,200,1000,75,,,0,20,4,,,,ENERGY,,75,0.1,0.1,,,,,,,2400,,,,,,18

LR PD Laser,lrpdlaser,2,400,800,50,,,0,75,5,,,,ENERGY,,100,0,0.25,,,,,,,3600,,,,,PD,19.5

Be that as it may, I don't need a buff for the LRPD, I'll simply continue to not use it.
The stats look pretty bad to me and I've never really encountered a situation where fleet tactics allowed it to "make mincemeat of many types of missile threats".

[HELMUT]

I haven't yet finished the part 5 in my "overall feedback" thread, but i'll quote what i (will) say about the LRPD.

The LR PD Laser is the PD Laser upgrade that offer a double the range bonus. On the other hand, it also double the flux and reduce the DPS. Clunky to use, as it tends to generate undesirable flux by targeting enemy ships. While its ability to intercept threats is better than the PD laser, it is only marginally so. Can be useful when boated on a dedicated PD platform, like the Centurion, for covering allied ships, but not much more.

I didn't had your issue with their inability to stay on target though. Did you had Advanced Optics with it? It lower the turning speed of beam turrets. There's also the possibility you tested it in campaign against ships with Missile Specialization making missiles too fast even for the LRPD.

Still, it stays a pretty underwhelming PD option. Maybe the next update will makes them more useful, as fighters will be more dangerous and missiles slower (due to the skills reworks). Also, an hypothetical 25 ships limit removal would allow for PD boats in the fleet, which works well with this weapon.

Other than that, an ideal buff for the LRPD would be to give it the ability to fire "over" allied ships like fighters can. Not sure if Alex would be willing to do that unfortunately.

[borgrel]

i dont use LRPD

but that is because there are better options:
:- if i have few slots for pd i use Burst PD
:- if i have many slots i use tac lasers and turret gyros and integrated PD AI

the only use for LRPD (IMO) is if u dont have the OP to use burst PD instead ..... but that doesnt mean LRPD doesnt have a niche.

I just chose to have lower OP missiles or a smaller primary weapon than skimp on PD

[Dark.Revenant]

Ignoring traversal speed, sweeping arcs, and overlapping fire, the LRPD laser is approximately 25-33% better than the PD laser at taking down missiles.  As in, it does 25-33% more damage to a missile heading straight for it, over the course of the laser's range.

The main problem is it costs more OP, turns slower, and uses triple the flux per damage.  If it had merely two of those disadvantages, it might be a useful weapon (such as costing more OP and turning slower but using the same amount of flux -- which is still less efficient than the PD laser, by the way -- or having a lower turn speed and worse efficiency but being offered for the same OP as a normal PD laser), but instead it's not a side-grade but a down-grade.  100 flux/second is not trivial at all; spamming it on an Odyssey will spin its flux out of control!

There's also the problem that it's just below the Burst PD, which does almost 3 times more damage than the LRPD laser while charges last, and even its "depleted" fire is not that much lower than the LRPD laser's sustained fire.

[DatonKallandor]

LRPD could fire at two missiles at once and it might be okay, but as it stands it's really bad.

[Cycerin]

With a small buff the LRPD would be a good "dedicated PD" weapon. Right now I never use it. Its design sweetspot would be that you wouldnt put it as a one-of on a random loadout without making it slightly suboptimal, while rewarding heavy investment in them on a dedicated PD ship that doubles as a beam boat. More OP than the standard PD laser, less efficient, better at keeping missiles down from further away.

[Linnis]

Tho it is a pretty awesome weapon to shoo away those pesky drones.

I wouldn't mind just seeing it get straight up more damage, and no turning speed reduction while firing.

[Wyvern]

Honestly, beam PD is a case where I really miss the old increased damage from high flux mechanics.  It made an interesting effect: when you were at low flux, your PD weapons were largely ineffective, and you had to take missile hits on shields.  But when you were riding at high flux and really needed your PD working - it did!  (There was also a nice crossover point where burst PD went from taking out missiles in two shots, to taking out missiles in one shot.)

I thought it was generally agreed on that LRPDs are beyond hope, so I'm not sure why you'd want to use them as built-in weapons.
Why use built-in PD at all for that matter, unless the turret is hidden or the weapon ship-specific?

That said, I mostly agree with your assessment. It's one of those weapons that I never even consider if I have any alternative whatsoever.

That's actually (part of) why I'm using them as built-in weapons; it's a gun I never ever use anymore - I wanted to see if I could make a ship where it actually worked.  And it's a built-in because the ship it's on is supposed to be relatively light on offense but strong on defense - and if I made the ship have the flux stats to use LRPD and just gave it small slot turrets, someone would come along and install IR Pulse Lasers or Antimatter Blasters and make the ship much more potent than it's supposed to be.

[Schwartz]

If it turns more slowly, then that's what kills it. Damage, flux, OP and range are a -little bit- on the expensive side but manageable if you have a ship that can fit them. But it needs the turn speed of regular PD Laser or it's gonna run into the same problem that Tac Laser runs into.

[Alex]

Bumped up the turn rate to match PD Laser, not much of a reason now to keep it lower.

But, yeah, it's meant to be a weapon for a dedicated PD ship that compromises its direct combat ability to be a better escort/support ship. Which is a fairly limited role right now, but it should still, imo, be evaluated in that context. If it's largely not a good choice on a "regular" ship, that's ok.