Nekros 2.0 - Creatively And Easily Balanced

[Burnthesteak87]

I'd like to discuss and offer alternative ideas to the actual Nekros' Kit.

 

First of all in my opinion the fact Nekros is meant by the community as a supportive Warframe doesn't mean it mustn't deal damages at all.

Second, a supportive role isn't filled just by bringing generic utilities for the party, but also by inflicting Debuffs and negative Statuses.

Third it's sad that Nekros is tied to the "farmer" role because Desecrate offers a so nice utility and the other skills are outshadowed by other Warframes.

 

> These are the main changes and the easier to apply, they would give more control to the Player, turn Nekros into an aggressive support and into a more useful, more active and decisive team member even in high level missions:

 

> S O U L  P U N C H :
 

1) Raise a Shadow if the target is killed;

2) Deals 50% of target's maximum Vitality;  ~Death Touch

OR

3) Deals massive Finisher Damages; ~DeathTouch

4) The targeted enemies/area now gets an higher threat value for Shadows (so they'll manage to focus it).

with CONS:

5) Raise it's cooldown (from 0 to 5-7 secs)

6) Remove the Projectile and the ragdoll mechanic.

 

> T E R R I F Y :
 

1) The skill now has no / a lower cooldown, the first cast will make targets run, the second will make them stun or cover them in fear on the place.
FIXED IN THE LAST NEKROS TWEAK

 

> D E S A C R A T E :
 

1) Make it apply a 100% Viral Proc AOE around the corpse on succesfull Desacration. 

 

> S H A D O W S   O F   T H E   D E A D :
 

1) Make the Shadows being more strong. Higher level.

2) Make Shadows responsive on a command to make them focus the target area chosen by the player (Soul Punch maybe?). (DPS factor).

 

Given it's spammy nature, raise the base Power on Nekros.

 

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Here's also a list of ideas and balance alternatives I've taken reference from:

 

> SOUL PUNCH:

(ACTUAL main role: limited 'Crowd Control'; secondary: tiny DPS).
 

The skill which needs more work. Actually it's a single target skill with firstly a limited, not so reliable AOE 'CC role', and secondary a 'tiny DPS factor'.

It should be made as a single target spell able to deal massive damage (finisher or life% based damage) and/or spawn a shadow on target's death, maybe giving it a short Cooldown instead of raising its cost. Thus making it similar to a "Touch of Death" themed skill and putting it in synergy with the rest of the skillset (Fuel for Desacrate and Shadows of the Dead).

Even if the CC mechanic sounds so cool, it's not so much reliable.. Leave the CC role to Terrify.

 

> Suggested Changes:

PROS

1) Raise a Shadow if the target is killed;

2) Deals 50% of target's maximum Vitality;  ~Death Touch

3) Deals massive Finisher Damages; ~DeathTouch

4) If not on Desacrate, maybe it should apply 100% Viral Proc.

5) The targeted enemies/area now gets an higher threat value for Shadows (so they'll manage to focus it).

CONS

1) Raise it's cooldown (from 0 to 5-7 secs)

2) Remove the Projectile and the ragdoll mechanic.

 

> TERRIFY:

(ACTUAL main role: 'Crowd Control'; secondary role: 'Utility', 'Debuffer') 

 

Another skill that needs a good chunck of work.

CONS

1) Makes targets running and hard to hit.

2) It's lackluster as a CC, because the first wave will be hit, the second will trample you.

3) It has no chance compared to Radial Blind, Rhino Stomp, etc.

 

A real change should be done on Terrify, because in its actual state it's pretty meh. Its cost isn't worth the effect. I'd rather having a Radial Blind instead of this. 4x multiplier on unaware targets (better than armor reduction), standing still targets, targets unable to attack you. And not just the nearest 5-6 around you.

Maybe it should also buff teammates or shadows.. Just remember Valkyr's Warcry, Rhino's Roar, Volt's Speed work on your shadows. Imagine to give Terrify a similar effect so to synergyze. 

 

 

> Suggested Changes:

PROS

1) Make targets cover in fear/stand instead of running. 

2) The skill now has no/a lower cooldown, the first cast will make targets run, the second will make them stun or cover them in fear on the place.

3) Make it a Toggled Aura draining energy, similiar to Nyx's Absorb. It fears enemies who's getting inside the area/shooting/line of sight to the Nekros and drain more energy with each proc.

4) Make it a ground effect like Oberon's Hallowed Ground. Haunted area? SotD particles running around? (Bastille like?)

5) Make it apply some AOE buff to the team and the Shadows.

CONS

1) Sacrify the 20% armor reduction.

2) Reduce it's range and duration.

 

Description change ideas:

"It fills the air with paranoia/panic inducing volatile substances/visions."

 

> DESECRATE:

(ACTUAL main role: team UTILITY; secondary: Indirect Healing and Energy)

 

It's okish.

I'd like to see it spawning Gas Clouds/Viral Procs on a successful desecrate anyway.

 

CONS

It pidgeonholes Nekros to the "farmer" role.

 

>Suggested Changes

PROS

1) Make it apply a 100% Viral Proc or a Gas Area on successful Desacration. 

2) Make it apply a 100% Blast Status.

CONS
1) It doesn't roll Mods or WF parts anymore. Yes for ammos, energy Orbs, life Orbs, Life Supports, Energy for Excavators.

2) Don't raise its cost.

3) Raise its cost just if by assuring 100% success.

4) Maybe add a small cooldown.

 

> SHADOWs OF THE DEAD: 

(ACTUAL Main role: 'supportive UTILITY skill with some kind of CC functionality')
 

The real point is Shadows of the Dead is a subpar skill: actually it works as a meat shield or a distraction for alive enemies, pretty like what a Nyx does pressing the #3 key instead of killing, spending ammunitions, finding a safe place, channeling a 3 second casting spell and waiting shadows to start doing the work... And don't forget Shadows actually sit right in your shooting line...

It's a nice mechanic storing souls of the enemies to resummon them, but all these tortuous actions should be AT LEAST worth more than a Nyx Chaos. Like raising stronger shadows so it can be of some use in the late game. Or at least supported by your other skills. Like a DeathTouch-SoulPunch.

A nice idea would be to insert a mechanic to actually increase the strenght of summoned Shadows, maybe scaling with a max number of stored souls.. Or maybe successing in desecrating some corpses.. Or even giving Soul Punch an effect to focus shadows' attacks on a target area..

 

PROS

1) Shadows attract enemy fire.

CONS

1) Subpar to Nyx's Chaos. Higher cost, less efficent mechanic.

2) Shadows' AI being bugged, uncontrollable, shooting to walls.

3) Shadows block line of sight.

4) You can't summon Eximuses.

 

> Suggested Changes:

PROS

1) Make the Shadows being more strong. Higher level.

2) Make Shadows responsive on a command to make them focus the target area chosen by the player (Soul Punch maybe?). (DPS factor).

3) Make Shadows of the Dead being able to synergize with other Nekros' Skills. (Shadows' corpses yet are affected by Desacrate) (Making Soul Punch a Death Touch skill would help SotD mechanics) (Make Terrify buffing the shadows/Running faster).

4) Make it mark enemies to work similiar to Saryn's Venom or Ash's Bladestorm. Marked enemies (get a Viral proc?) will spawn Shadows on death. (Death Mark/Hex theme)

CONS

1) ...

 

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Some ideas on Augments :

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/310986-nekros-20-creatively-and-easily-balanced/?p=4037366
https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/310986-nekros-20-creatively-and-easily-balanced/?p=4332034

 

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Edited May 21, 2015 by Burnthesteak87

[Burnthesteak87]

Edit/Update.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Burnthesteak87

[Archon_Moros]

Soul punch and Terrify absolutely need work. However, I'd rather keep desecrate as being purely utility. I'm playing Nekros to be a support-CC. He's not Vauban or Nyx.

[Keiiken]

My biggest complaint about desecrate is the fact that you have to choose between it and all your other abilities.

Leave your other abilities useful and desecrate saps all your energy in a few casts even with streamline the chance to desecrate is too low to make it viable.

Add fleeting expertise and now the only ability that near usable is Soul Punch which is so much crap you might as well  drop it for survivability mods and rely on your weapons for damage.

[Burnthesteak87]

Note that if Shadows would follow a command to attack a determinate enemy mob / area it would still be a valuable dps tool.
It would be really similar to the Halls of Mirror of the Mirage.

[Guest Tehnoobshow]

Note that if Shadows would follow a command to attack a determinate enemy mob / area it would still be a valuable dps tool.

It would be really similar to the Halls of Mirror of the Mirage.

No, it wouldn't be, because enemies health scales faster than armor. It takes a level 20 Heavy Gunner 3 whole minutes to kill itself.

[Burnthesteak87]

Oh well, just imagine 3 Heavy Gunners' Shadows focusfiring another Heavy Gunner or an Eximus or a Boss.
Just imagine.
That's also why i suggested to make Shadows of an higher level.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Burnthesteak87

[Burnthesteak87]

Update.

[Keiiken]

How about a less drastic change to Nekros that would help in late game especially.

 

Have all enemies killed within desecrate range regardless of whether its by the nekros count when summoning shadows but give kills by the nekros a higher priority.

That way you are just about guaranteed of having the ability to summon shadows at all times but can still focus on killing the big heavy enemies to have the strongest shadows possible.

 

A Nekros can with a balanced build can use desecrate often if they want (though not spam it) but still be able to summon some shadows for cover when the squad cannot or will not protect them.

A pure summoner(max power/duration) Nekros build would allow you to more easily summon your maximum number of shadows.

[Burnthesteak87]

If you read it correctly it's not that drastic change.
The main drastic change must be done on Soul Punch, which can become a killing utility and a tool to focus the attention of your summoned Shadows.
Then you can focus an heavy target to attempt killing it and getting his soul. It would start a chain reaction.

I feel that the system you are suggesting regarding the death count for shadows avialable to summon is a bit abstract and hard to define.
If they would make Soul Punch a tool which allows you to make sure kills it can become a tool with more utility and synergy.

For what concerns Desacrate, Imho it should also stop rerolling loot tables for Mods, Materials and Warframe pieces.
It's something that pidgeonholes the Nekros in the farmer role, a sign of bad design and an unnecessary tool.

Edited October 1, 2014 by Burnthesteak87

[Cyberspace100]

Some very familier changes to my rework. I like it, Desercrate should still roll mods though, thats why people use it (imo).

 

Heres my rework.

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/317601-lets-finish-this-tenno-nekros-shaman-or-spademan/

 

good job. +1

[Burnthesteak87]

Given the new augment system here's some ideas to make Nekros more viable.

☻ Terrify Augment: (Prey on the Weak, Hecatomb, Harvester of Sorrow -thanks Metallica-)

"Killing targets affected by Terrify garants:

1) A stacking X% damage buff to teammates and friendly units/Shadows for Y seconds.
or
2) Refilling your own shield by X%, stacking and increasing its capacity by Y% for Z seconds. (Consider Overshield too)
or
3) Spawning additional Shadows of the Dead."

Consider the max number of targets which can be affected by terrify...
This would promote more teamplay and would give a new twist to this ability.

☻ Terrify Augment:  Harvester of Sorrow.

Terrify also drains Over Time 15% (fixing numbers to balance) of the affected enemies Vitality to heal Over Time the Nekros and its team.
(Similar to Overload - Capacitance)


☻Shadows of the Dead Augment:  Tyranny, Torment, ...

1) Shooting or SoulPunching Shadows send them into frenzy with a X boost to movement speed and attack speed for Y seconds.
(Imagine shooting with Stug or Torid to make a live bombcarrier)
(Imagine this applied by both enemies and the Nekros himself)

2) Shooting your Shadows makes them grow (Nukor-like effect) till they Explode for ... X damage or Blast/Viral proc.

☻Shadows of the Dead or Soul Punch Augment: Dominus.

Your Shadows focus their attacks on the last enemy hit by Soul Punch.
(Even if I think it should be part the standard Skillset yet)
 

Edited May 21, 2015 by Burnthesteak87