
Wendy_Go |

I just want to say this feat is a hidden gem that maybe should be lower level and then expanded on at higher level. Angled Shot really upped my AA game and the thinking I had to do when lining up shots. I think maybe it (and the other similar "increase you AA" abilities) should be level 4 instead of Punishing Salvo, and PS could be level 12!
I don't think Line weapons are very popular for Soldiers, but IMO they should be. I took a soldier using a Zero Cannon as their only weapon through Empires Devoured and felt it was very effective.
At level 10 it was good because I got 15 shots from an Advanced Battery. I juiced my movement by completely negating my armor penalty (Mobility Enhancer) and running Speed Suspension and using ampules for the rare times (happened once) that I wanted to fly. I was moving more than the rest of my group combined (including the Solarian) and it was fun. I didn't use Punishing Salvo very often, which encourage me to use meta-attacks like Covering Fire.
Eventually I think the GM figured out how to make it harder for me to line up 2+ enemies, say by parking them all in corners. I was moving less and just dumping my 3rd action on Punishing Salvo, doing high single target damage and not using meta-attacks. YAWN. And that's how most soldiers play from level 4 up, as I understand.
At level 12 I picked up Angled shot and suddenly I could tag those corner lurkers, bounce off the wall behind them, and also tag a second baddy. When I didn't have to move to do it, I could use punishing salvo, so now the GM was moving to prevent me from getting to both hit two targets with AA and use PS.
I think if the levels at which I had gotten Angled Shot and Punishing Salvo were reversed, it would both drop level 4-12 DPS and put more focus on Meta-strikes than just maxing DPR with PS. It encourage thought and movement from a class that otherwise easily becomes a no brain turret and improves a weapon (Zero Cannon) that otherwise seems sub-standard (though probably isn't once you upgrade ammo capacity, even just with advanced batteries).
As a side note, When I mentioned this ability in a PF2E discord, the caster players were all drooling at the idea. Something similar would make a very good spellshape, or could just be the basis of an interesting new spell, or a cool ability for wands that cast line spells, or probably implemented in a dozen other ways.

Wendy_Go |

I did some editing that I lost due to time out, but the more I think about it, the more I think "Angled Shot" should be a basic function of line weapons. Line is currently seen as under-powered and all the weapons that use it are either clearly intended for the soldier (two handed, 2 bulk) or have frankly OBSCENE ammo consumption. Juicing these weapons so that they can affect an extra target or hit somebody around a corner on occasion is perhaps exactly what they need to make up for their lack of just easily dropping an area covering template to hit multiple targets.