+1 to the idea, -1 to the execution. I'd love to give suggestions, though, as the Syringe Gun is stupidly obsolete:
Keep in mind that I usually play VSH2, but I believe could be a good change for both gamemodes if handled properly.
The crossbow does a ridiculous amount of damage as-is (I believe around 320 at close range with crits), heals teammates, and makes Huntsman virtually obsolete as a weapon itself (if a Sniper could have a crossbow, even without the healing it would be more powerful than Huntsman due to the firing rate being faster on the Crossbow compared to the rate on Huntsman (~420 on crit + reload + a ~1.5 second delay in VSH2 numbers)). What I'd suggest is:
CRUSADER'S CROSSBOW
- Add an inverse drop-off to the healing function. Simply put, healing starts off at 40% and rises to its normal value based off of distance from the player. Suggestions for the distance in Hammer Units would be appreciated, as I'm too rusty to remember those values.
- Add the suggested 10% movement speed while equipped.
- Inverse drop-off does not apply to the amount of Uber given from hitting the boss from using the Crossbow.
SYRINGE GUN (Switch all Syringe Guns to stock by default)
- Increase the damage for each syringe to 25 in VSH2 numbers and give it crit damage in FF2, as it's stupidly weak (even for a support weapon). Last time I checked, each syringe currently does damage in the single-digits (and, rarely, in the low 10s).
- Hitting the boss with a syringe applies a global mad-milk effect that lasts 6 seconds, each consecutive hit only resetting the timer for the mad milk to run out.
- (If possible, I don't know jack about healing dealt numbers) Gives Uber based on ~4.5% of healing done while your Mad Milk is active in VSH2 and by 3% in FF2 (as weapons are more powerful and, as a result, heal more). If consecutive shots are made, the 4.5/3% is applied to the uber % every time 6 seconds is reached.
This might be viewed as weak, but let me remind you of the numbers: if your healing dealt in 6 seconds was 500 you would gain 22.5% in uber in VSH2 and 15% in FF2. If you keep up your Mad Milk and other classes benefit greatly, you also benefit greatly. This number does not apply when a class is being ubered, so abuse of this would be extremely difficult.
- Remove Uber being gained from damage to the boss.
- Heavily increase the potential distance of the arc. In its current form, the Syringe Gun is only viable at extremely close ranges in VSH and, I believe, FF2 (making it more geared towards damage if it was actually usable). Increasing the arc's power would considerably increase its viability in a support role. As a suggestion, maybe to 3x the current range?
This would create two play styles in the first slot instead of the current meta:
- Damage-Support class - Medics who wish to play a more damage-heavy support could use the Crossbow, which gives them more damage potential (+ Uber by damage) at the cost of support. However, there would still be viability to using the crossbow for healing based off of long-distance healing (but no longer being able to spam crossbow + medigun as it was previously).
- Mainly Support - Medics who wish to be a support class could use the Syringe Gun, which would apply mad milk for using it and rewards supporting your teammates over damage by giving Uber based off of the healing dealt by the Mad Milk.
:)