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[BigBrainEnergy]

Another nerf suggestion. Hurray!
The monitor is really only held back by the fact that the AI uses fortress shields poorly, but even with that it is quite powerful. I've got an idea to tone it down a bit without ruining it: make the effect of flux shunt scale off hard flux. Something like:

Flux Shunt
This ship is able to dissipate hard flux when its shields are up, and the more flux it has the faster it can dissipate. When it has no flux built up it can dissipate hard flux at 25% of the normal rate, scaling up to 50% when its capacity is full.

This would make it a lot easier to keep it up at a hard flux level where weapons like ion beams and pilums are useful. They may not kill it, but you could much more reliably shut off the monitor's engines... and then kill it. The ship would still be useful in your fleet, especially if you have a spare officer with field modulation, but you may find it a little less ridiculous.

[PixiCode]

Flux shunt is fine as is imo, while still a ridiculous system when I have seen it used with other ships in the modiverse that do not use fortress shield, those ships are much more managable.

Monitor having a PPT nerf would help the 'issue' a fair deal, or giving it a nerfed version of fortress shield or something. Maybe, a version of fortress shield that... has... idk, something like your idea but for fortress shield and not flux shunt.

[BigBrainEnergy]

Reducing ppt is probably a no-go, given the monitor is designed to be a support ship that can hang out with larger ships.

[Doctorhealsgood]

nooo not the monitor pls ;_;

[PixiCode]

Reducing ppt is probably a no-go, given the monitor is designed to be a support ship that can hang out with larger ships.

Hardened Subsystems exists.

Even then, a hullmod that specifically nerfs safety overrides such as delicate machinery would provide a nice, small nerf.

Also I apparently forgot to actually finish my sentance on my post, whoops. Edited that up.

[BCS]

As someone who firmly believes that capital ships should never need escorts the only use for a Monitor I see is cheesing enemy AI.

I played with Monitors a bit back in the day and honestly they're not even all that good in their intended role. Flak cannons kill fighters very slowly because of the fragmentation damage type and even against incoming projectiles they leave a lot to be desired because of slow fire rate. Maybe if there was some way to "desync" the flak cannons so they alternate fire they'd do better. Or just give the Monitor one dual flak instead of two single flaks, that would help too.

As it is, in anti-fighter or anti-projectile or in anti-frigate(!) role Omen is so much better than the Monitor it's not even a contest(honestly the EMP Emitter deserves a nerf) at same cost.

[SCC]

Considering point defence and anti fighter weapons are different, it's no surprise Monitor isn't good against fighters.

[BCS]

Guess I must have somehow missed the entire category of "anti-fighter weapons" then.

[Sandor057]

The monitor is powerful... as a distraction. It lacks the means to pack a punch though and be an actual menace. Tone that down and what you get is a ship that still can't pose any actual threat to anything other than a Talon, yet is also not able to absorb all that much dakka. I believe it's currently acting as a very decent distraction, thereby fulfilling its function.

If you want to cheese it however, hit it with and Avoid command and your ships will disengage it. With a speed of 90 it will be unable to tie up frigates and a lot of destroyers. If it has SO, it will deplete its PPT trying to chase and tie down your ships.

[Doctorhealsgood]

I need an explanation as to what would be the point of nerfing the monitor. All it can do is not die and to set up the SO you need 20 OP out of 30. What can you even fit on those small universals to complement the built in flaks while having enough OP for vents?

[Amazigh]

What can you even fit on those small universals to complement the built in flaks while having enough OP for vents?

That's the thing, you don't!
"Optimal" monitor builds leave the universals empty, and min-max into flux dissipation/shield strength.
My putting weapons in the universals, it makes the monitor more likely to stop using fortress shield, which runs counter to it's role of "damage sponge"

You can get some use out of putting one or two weapons that pose a threat to armour to (further) mess with enemy AI, but it can quite often just be better to leave the mounts empty.
(it could even be argued that removing the built-in flak cannons would make the monitor better, as then there would be no reason for the AI to ever drop fortress shield)

[Draba]

I need an explanation as to what would be the point of nerfing the monitor. All it can do is not die and to set up the SO you need 20 OP out of 30. What can you even fit on those small universals to complement the built in flaks while having enough OP for vents?

"All it can do is not die" is a very good thing for 6 DP, but it can do more ofc
You can send a few monitors forward to tie up lots of enemy DP, rest of your fleet gets a big local advantage.
Glue them to enemy radiants to keep them away for a good while. Glue them to radiants to pressure their shields and block them. Glue them to Onslaughts for constant ion annoyance.
Send 2-3 to each flank and now the cruisers on the side can't be swarmed.
Might even kill a few missiles/fighters, but that's not their main job.

Something like this.
Ballistic mastery+elite PD, 2 LMGs for each monitor, they do >100K shield damage each in remnant battles. Replace an LMG with an ion cannon for less shield-heavy enemies.

"Optimal" monitor builds leave the universals empty, and min-max into flux dissipation/shield strength.
My putting weapons in the universals, it makes the monitor more likely to stop using fortress shield, which runs counter to it's role of "damage sponge"

It's a waste to throw away ~310 kinetic DPS, Monitor won't really die either way (as long as you don't suicide them into tach radiants with support).
LMG output really adds up with reckless officers.

As it is, in anti-fighter or anti-projectile or in anti-frigate(!) role Omen is so much better than the Monitor it's not even a contest(honestly the EMP Emitter deserves a nerf) at same cost.

They have very different roles, Omen dies in 2 seconds if you try to use it instead of a Monitor.
Monitor is the safest frigate for bogging down strong capitals or multiple smaller ships, and the best crutch for any fleet with ships that can't handle being swarmed.

[Doctorhealsgood]

I need an explanation as to what would be the point of nerfing the monitor. All it can do is not die and to set up the SO you need 20 OP out of 30. What can you even fit on those small universals to complement the built in flaks while having enough OP for vents?

"All it can do is not die" is a very good thing for 6 DP, but it can do more ofc
You can send a few monitors forward to tie up lots of enemy DP, rest of your fleet gets a big local advantage.
Glue them to enemy radiants to keep them away for a good while. Glue them to radiants to pressure their shields and block them. Glue them to Onslaughts for constant ion annoyance.
Send 2-3 to each flank and now the cruisers on the side can't be swarmed.
Might even kill a few missiles/fighters, but that's not their main job.

Something like this.
Ballistic mastery+elite PD, 2 LMGs for each monitor, they do >100K shield damage each in remnant battles. Replace an LMG with an ion cannon for less shield-heavy enemies.

"Optimal" monitor builds leave the universals empty, and min-max into flux dissipation/shield strength.
My putting weapons in the universals, it makes the monitor more likely to stop using fortress shield, which runs counter to it's role of "damage sponge"

It's a waste to throw away ~310 kinetic DPS, Monitor won't really die either way (as long as you don't suicide them into tach radiants with support).
LMG output really adds up with reckless officers.

As it is, in anti-fighter or anti-projectile or in anti-frigate(!) role Omen is so much better than the Monitor it's not even a contest(honestly the EMP Emitter deserves a nerf) at same cost.

They have very different roles, Omen dies in 2 seconds if you try to use it instead of a Monitor.
Monitor is the safest frigate for bogging down strong capitals or multiple smaller ships, and the best crutch for any fleet with ships that can't handle being swarmed.

Under this build how much pressure can they take? Does it work without officers or is it forced to use reckless? Would you say it is OP?

[Draba]

Under this build how much pressure can they take? Does it work without officers or is it forced to use reckless? Would you say it is OP?

Without TA/elite PD the damage output goes down quite a bit so might be better to remove the weapons as suggested above (losing helmsmanship/field mod/combat endurance also reduces survivability a lot).
Aggressive or reckless, aggressive is more fire-and-forget reckless does more damage. I generally don't use unofficered ships (derelict feels OP, support doctrine weak to me), monitor is still decentish with a main officered tank that way.

On a flank with a bigger ship shooting up enemies 1-2 will be all you need.
Standalone have to get a feel for it and check the loadouts, 2-3 ties up basically any frigate/destroyer mix, lots of brilliants or a radiant+some chaff as long as not too many tachs are involved.

They do feel OP to me. They absorb a huge amount of fire for the DP wherever they are and distract/suppress shields for your other ships (occasionally getting in the way, but it's well worth it).
2 monitors can be sent wherever something is too far forward, problem solved. 1-2 to help champion/dominator on the flank with wraparounds, problem solved.
The game is noticeably harder when I'm not using them.

[gG_pilot]

The monitor is really only held back by the fact that the AI uses fortress shields poorly, but even with that it is quite powerful.

What exactly is the power of Monitor ship? Endless kiting ?
You should try Afflictor build for kitting it is even better, cheaper, does more damage and dont need pilot.