Lex Prime Needs A Buff

[Arabaxus]

As of right now, even though Lex Prime is a Prime weapon, there's no reason to really choose it over the Marelok.

 

The fact Lex Prime has 85 Physical base and Marelok has near double of that, 159, with the Marelok being a clan-tech weapon and Lex Prime a full-blown Prime weapon is kind of ridiculous. Even with the little to no puncture damage Marelok has, the fact it does so much more raw damage pretty much makes it obsolete. 

 

Not only that, but let's compare the Marelok and Lex Prime with some other stats.

 

 

Rate of Fire: Lex Prime(LP): 2.1; Marelok(MK): 2

Mag Size: LP: 8; MK: 6

Reload: LP: 2.3; MK: 1.8

Crit Chance: LP: 20%; MK: 15%

Crit Damage: LP: 2.0x; MK: 1.5x

Status: LP: 20%; MK: 30%

 

Now you say that I can choose the Lex Prime for Grineer due to its innately much higher Puncture damage that would give it an edge over Marelok. I propose otherwise.

 

Let's look at two exactly same builds, with Lex Prime and Marelok:

Lex Prime: http://goo.gl/aTWzWc

Marelok: http://goo.gl/RpNiKt

 

We will use relatively cookie cutter pistol builds involving:

Hornet Strike

Lethal Torrent

Barrel Diffusion

 

And because we are focusing on Puncture, which is mainly Grineer, which consists of mostly Armor, we select Corrosive Damage so:

Pathogen Rounds

Convolusion

 

Here are visuals to complement my statements:

 

And to supplement said damage:

Magnum Force

Heated Charge

and Ice Storm

 

All of which should be relatively basic and self explanatory for a demonstrative damage comparison build.

 

Supposedly I should be selecting Lex Prime for Grineer since Puncture's bonus to Grineer with Lex Prime's innate higher Puncture damage.

 

However, the damage tables suggest otherwise.

 

Here is Lex Prime's Damage Table:

 

And here is Marelok's Damage Table:

 

Here you can see that I can completely ignore damage multipliers, be it buff or debuff, simply because Marelok has such more raw damage.

 

Therefore, what I suggest is that, instead of nerfing Marelok and go through the trouble of handing out Legendary Cores to everyone and everyone's dog and having them complain about nerfs, we buff the Lex Prime.

 

The only problem I have with the Lex Prime is that its base damage shies away in comparison to the Marelok. Although things like Lato, Magnus, and regular Lex being outshined by Marelok and Lex Prime is reasonable and nothing out of the ordinary due to the nature of shop versus Clan Tech and Prime weapons, two weapons that serve similar purposes, here two physical damage pistols, Clan Tech should not so clearly outshine the Prime variant.

 

So what I propose is that we raise Lex Prime's damage. Leave the other stats intact, so there are distinctions between it and the Marelok. Don't increase it's status capability or anything. Increase its base physical damage to at least 130, with the majority of it being puncture based.

Currently as it stands, with base damage of 85, the Lex Prime's damage distribution is 80% Puncture, 10% Slash, and 10% Impact. I propose we keep this ratio but increase the damage to 130, so we give it a new distribution of:

 

Damage:

Impact: 13

Puncture: 104

Slash: 13

 

and thus it would not be simply outshined by the Marelok, even for Grineer, which impact is focused towards.

 

 

[(PSN)StoneRevolver]

Which is why you should save your formas and potato for the Aklex Prime

[Arabaxus]

Which is why you should save your formas and potato for the Aklex Prime

 Don't get me wrong I'd love an AKLex Prime but it's not a thing yet.

[Cinderprime]

by all means make this true DE! Lex Prime needs this so much it hurts!

[(PSN)MoriartyHaaaiii]

Grineer, which impact is focused towards.

 

Puncture for grineer. Or did you mean something else?

 

I'll agree its not as strong as I'd like it to be, but the ak version that we'll hopefully see in U14 could be pretty darn good.

We just have to be careful of powercreep, where just because the marelok is amazing, doesnt mean everything else has to keep up. I think the propsed changes put it in a good place though.

Edited July 6, 2014 by (PS4)MoriartyHaaaiii

[NightSniper]

I think it should be a crit weapon, solely meant for crits. And make it have a larger crit, not just 2 times damage, but three to start out with. It should most likely have around 35-40 percent crit chance.

[inthephonebox]

I like that you put a lot into this, but really, in my opinion, all the Lex prime needs is a crit chance buff; enough to make up for the poor secondary crit mods and allow it to stand out as a prime. With correct modding it would be nice to get the Lex up to 100% or more crit chance, since the Lex was originally the crit pistol; and with so many primaries capable a red crits, it would be nice to get a decent crit secondary. I also completely disagree with the Aklex in general, since dual wielding hand cannons doesn't seem practical, but that's just me. 

[Lady_Khaos]

You completely glossed over that Lex Prime is better for crits. So yeah, in a non crit focused build of course Marelok will do better.

[sneakatone]

I posted a forum about this when the lex prime came out and no one was for it for some reason. I thought the same, it should be stronger.

[(PSN)CrimsonShinku]

I like that you put a lot into this, but really, in my opinion, all the Lex prime needs is a crit chance buff; enough to make up for the poor secondary crit mods and allow it to stand out as a prime. With correct modding it would be nice to get the Lex up to 100% or more crit chance, since the Lex was originally the crit pistol; and with so many primaries capable a red crits, it would be nice to get a decent crit secondary. I also completely disagree with the Aklex in general, since dual wielding hand cannons doesn't seem practical, but that's just me. 

that's my favorite part of the aklex though, the recoil IS insane as it should be for a hand cannon. firing at max speed means you have to move the reticle after the first shot.

 

and it's not only marelok OP, the akmagnus are also insanely good compared to the lex prime. half the damage but it's spread along all types, and fires 4 times as fast, also has better crit chance, status chance.

Edited July 6, 2014 by (PS4)CrimsonShinku

[taiiat]

Marelok is the problem.

 

LexP isn't.

 

LexP has fantastic specs. Marelok is just powercrepe².

[Arabaxus]

You completely glossed over that Lex Prime is better for crits. So yeah, in a non crit focused build of course Marelok will do better.

 

Crit Focused Builds; Pistol Gambit, Hollow Point, and Target Cracker

 

Lex Prime:

http://goo.gl/UF5oec

 

Marelok:

http://goo.gl/ZSM0oX

 

 

So yeah in a crit focused build, Marelok still does better.

[inthephonebox]

Not only does the marelock do better but I am pretty sure the Akmagnus do better as well. Currently there are a number of prime weapons that have little to no benefit over there standard counterparts, and for all the work we players put in to obtaining them, they should be more than cosmetic, seeing as there is a lore reason for them to be better (ie. undiluted lost orokin tech). And while powercreep is a recognized problem secondaries have always lagged behind primaries, and I'm not sure their designation as 'secondary' should be justification for that. Lex Prime really does need a crit boost to help define it as the crit secondary it was meant to be. 

[Arunafeltz]

The only thing I would touch about Lex Prime is the critical chance. Lex Prime has a fairly small magazine and very high accuracy, being able to score more consistent criticals would make it very suitable for a headshotting playstyle.

[Warriorrogue]

I'd advise against magnum force. Bane mods provide more power then they do.

And again, with hollow point.

But, it does need a buff IMO.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Warriorrogue

[Flackenstien]

A base damage buff, and possibly a Crit chance buff would be awesome.

Hell, they could even slow the gun back down to the way normal Lex is if they feel it'd be too strong.

[VDeorsum]

You completely glossed over that Lex Prime is better for crits. So yeah, in a non crit focused build of course Marelok will do better.

This^^^

[Oliverus]

Which is why you should save your formas and potato for the Aklex Prime

This Idea is Awesome

[TwiceDead]

You really cant compare any weapon in the game to the Marelok.

Lex Prime is amazing as it is, however as soon as you compare anything to the Marelok, and I mean anything at all, the Marelok makes the opposition pale, every time, every day, all day, all week, the entire month, for the rest of the year. 

 

In short, nerf Marelok. 

[Garuger]

You built it wrong and cant everything be as good as maerlock so stop comparing them.Such a bad built, not to mention LEX PRIME IS A CRIT WEAPON .If Marelock is the King Lex prime is the queen this is how you PROPERLY BUILD THEM 

 

Lex Prime : http://goo.gl/T7lf6p

 

Marelock : http://goo.gl/h4QvWC

 

Yes marelock will do more damage but Lex Prime can 2 shot a level 80 Heavvy gunner and i am quite happy with that 

[Vanadium]

You really cant compare any weapon in the game to the Marelok.

Lex Prime is amazing as it is, however as soon as you compare anything to the Marelok, and I mean anything at all, the Marelok makes the opposition pale, every time, every day, all day, all week, the entire month, for the rest of the year. 

 

In short, nerf Marelok. 

 

This ^

 

The marelok is the cut down version of a rifle that does more damage than the rifle (what?). Not that it should do less, but 40 (33%) more damage over the exact gun it's modified from, with no other changes than a shorter barrel and magazine placement, should not be doing more damage (I'm sure there's crit and status chance changes, but whatever).

 

At 120, the marelok with it's split between impact (generally inferior to puncture and slash) and slash (not a great damage type to take against the Grineer and the Void) would probably be balanced with the Lex Prime's 68.5 puncture (really great in the Void/Grineer/robutts, not great against Infested), 20% crit/status chance, 8-round mag, perfect accuracy (my Marelok misses sometimes), etc.

 

I know this was a "Buff LexP" thread, but since OP decided to compare the LexP with an OP weapon, I think it's better to address the powercreep rather than creating more powercreep. That might make everything balanced, but it also forces DE(Ltd) to tweak a not-great difficulty system, rather than focus on revamping a bad system when all the weapons are comparable by "tier" (whatever the tiers are). Right now there are more weapons in need of buffs than weapons in need of nerfs because of the weapons that should probably be nerfed (or should never have been so OP in the first place). The fact that the Marelok does all this damage and is accurate at range (mostly), makes it more powerful than the Brakk (which was also OP before falloff nerf). The LexP could probably use 10 more damage considering how difficult the items can be to acquire, but I'd also like to see weapons that trivialize other weapons (not by a little, like the Soma, but by a lot, like the BoltorP and the Marelok) be brought down from their godtiers.

[Garuger]

This ^

 

The marelok is the cut down version of a rifle that does more damage than the rifle (what?). Not that it should do less, but 40 (33%) more damage over the exact gun it's modified from, with no other changes than a shorter barrel and magazine placement, should not be doing more damage (I'm sure there's crit and status chance changes, but whatever).

 

At 120, the marelok with it's split between impact (generally inferior to puncture and slash) and slash (not a great damage type to take against the Grineer and the Void) would probably be balanced with the Lex Prime's 68.5 puncture (really great in the Void/Grineer/robutts, not great against Infested), 20% crit/status chance, 8-round mag, perfect accuracy (my Marelok misses sometimes), etc.

 

I know this was a "Buff LexP" thread, but since OP decided to compare the LexP with an OP weapon, I think it's better to address the powercreep rather than creating more powercreep. That might make everything balanced, but it also forces DE(Ltd) to tweak a not-great difficulty system, rather than focus on revamping a bad system when all the weapons are comparable by "tier" (whatever the tiers are). Right now there are more weapons in need of buffs than weapons in need of nerfs because of the weapons that should probably be nerfed (or should never have been so OP in the first place). The fact that the Marelok does all this damage and is accurate at range (mostly), makes it more powerful than the Brakk (which was also OP before falloff nerf). The LexP could probably use 10 more damage considering how difficult the items can be to acquire, but I'd also like to see weapons that trivialize other weapons (not by a little, like the Soma, but by a lot, like the BoltorP and the Marelok) be brought down from their godtiers.

Nerf anything you want i have plenty forma weapons for that  occasion i fear nothing NOTHING I SAY

[Monolake]

Yep I was also hugely disappointed .  Marelok is pretty much the same class high damage slow fire rate marksman pistol but significantly better.  And even easier to get (just join a clan). Lex P is pretty but  not worth maxing, just a mastery fodder weapon.

The only thing is Lex prime has no mastery requirement (afair)

 

Ak-Lex prime?  Will it be like AkBronco prime? 

 

Nerfing Marelock a bit wouldn't be such a bad idea, but only after freaking mastery 0 Boltor Prime and the 20000 dps AOE abomination of MIRV-pistol get balanced.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Monolake

[Garuger]

Yep I was also hugely disappointed .  Marelok is pretty much the same class high damage slow fire rate marksman pistol but significantly better.  And even easier to get (just join a clan). Lex P is pretty but  not worth maxing, just a mastery fodder weapon.

The only thing is Lex prime has no mastery requirement (afair)

 

Ak-Lex prime?  Will it be like AkBronco prime? 

 

Nerfing Marelock a bit wouldn't be such a bad idea, but only after freaking mastery 0 Boltor Prime and the 20000 dps AOE abomination of MIRV-pistol get balanced.

 

Lex prime is a crit pistol the max difrence between Marelock and Lex is around 2k damage wich it is not that high . Lex prime can 2 shot level 80 heavy gunner it is not just pretty is lethal maybe learn to mod first instad of scraping weapons because you dont know how to use them 

Edited July 7, 2014 by Garuger

[SquirmyBurrito]

but only after freaking mastery 0 Boltor Prime and the 20000 dps AOE abomination of MIRV-pistol get balanced.

 

This. I have a friend on PS4 who just got a Boltor Prime, he just ruined (pretty much) every other primary weapon in the game for himself.