[Rework] Nyx: Buidling on the good, throwing out the bad

[KaeseSchnitte]

Based on ideas I had regarding Nyx newest rework, I'd like to suggest a rework of my own, that builds on parts I see as fitting, while disregarding parts I perceive as unfitting.

If you want a Tl;dr, only read the bullet points.


Nyx current rework, while brute-forcing her into viability, leaves much to be desired, especially because viability has been brute-forced on her. I hope that I can provide a much more thematically fitting rework  that works just as well, if not better than the current one.

To start off ridiculous, and I know this will never happen, I'd like to see DE to

• Put Nyx' abilities onto a new, more psychic looking Warframe and give Nyx more physical abilities.

The reason for this unrealistic suggestion can be found at the beginning of Warframe, when DE still planned to Rule 63 all Warframes and Nyx was conceptualized as the female equivalent to Excalibur. Since then, those plans have been cancelled and Nyx was instead developed to be a different Warframe.   

It irks me that a Warframe with a physique like Nyx, has a completely psychic set of abilities. Therefore, I'd like to give Nyx a more 'hands on' set of abilities, that better suit her physique. As for the look of the new, psychic Warframe, I'm imagining an angel that promises salvation for her enemies but turns demon on them as soon as they succumb to her power. Her look should reflect that theme.   

And now, onto more realistic suggestions regarding her abilities:

•  Evasion: Leave the passive as it is.

It's a good enough and fitting passive, as such, it doesn't have to be changed.

• Mind Control: Additionally to the current mechanic, if an enemy is mind controlled, pressing the ability button will force the enemy to try to get as close to the terrain Nyx' reticle is pointing at, while holding the ability button will end the effect of Mind Control prematurely.

This will give Nyx more control over the enemy who's, and I quote the wiki, mind she fully inhabits, which will become more important as I get into the next ability on the list, but already hopefully helps the mind controlled enemy to get to where the player wants it to be.

• Chaos: Now the new second ability, it works the same as it does currently, with the added mechanic that you can hold the ability button to cause all enemies affected by Chaos to attack the mind controlled target, if there is one in Affinity range of Nyx.

This simple but beatiful addition gives Nyx the power to be a literal crowd controller, as she can use both Mind Control and Chaos to get all enemies to mass in a space of Nyx' choosing. It also helps the mind controlled target to better hit enemies, with the downside that now all enemies attack Nyx' mind controlled target.

• New Ability: (tentative name: Cognitive Dissonance) All enemies affected by Chaos will stop in their tracks and stagger, completely forgetting whatever they were doing. When the effect ends, enemies will be forced to change their Alertness to 'minor alert' and then decide their next action. The aura of Ancients and eximus units will be suppressed/returned to its default state for a limited amount of time. The armor/shield remove/slow of the updated Psychic Bolts can be kept as an addition.

This crusher of a suggetion will give Nyx the, at least to my knowledge, unique ability to force enemies into a decreased Alertness level while doubling as a wide range, short duration stun and finisher opening. If the ability is considered too weak, the amor/shield strip/slow of the updated Psychic Bolts can be kept.

• Absorb: keeping the mechanic, but removing the harsh energy drain on absorbtion, Absorb will now force all enemies affected by Chaos to attack Nyx, overwriting Chaos' attack command, while Nyx keeps her heightened Threat Level while Absorb is active, affecting enemies unaffected by Chaos. Additionally, while Nyx still can't move as long as un-augmented Absorb is active, she can make use of all interactions, such as reviving or switching weapons, that don't move her or don't have her attack.

Looking at the numbers, it is pretty self-evident that Absorb is not meant to be a great damage dealer, but is mainly meant to provide invulnerability. I wanted to bring the psychic theme into this ability, so I added the mechanic that enemies affected by Chaos are forced to attack her. To round Absorb off, I also wanted to make it more useful in scenarios where you'd need invulnerability: reviving, switching weapons, reloading, hacking and so on.

In closing, I hope that my suggestion not only keeps the feel of Nyx' gameplay the same, but actually enhances it, giving players much more possibilities and applications for her playstyle. I aimed at showing DE that you can make a Waframe viable without brute-forcing unfitting but powerful mechanics onto a frame, by thinking about what unique feature the Warframe's theme lends itself to. For Nyx, my answer to this question was literal crowd control and the unique ability to drop the Alertness level.

[(XBOX)GearsMatrix301]

I’m sorry but how is absorb not supposed to be a damage ability? Without its augment your just a sitting duck which doesn’t exactly help you get out of whatever pinch your in that made you use it to begin with.

[KaeseSchnitte]

32 minutes ago, (XB1)GearsMatrix301 said:

I’m sorry but how is absorb not supposed to be a damage ability? Without its augment your just a sitting duck which doesn’t exactly help you get out of whatever pinch your in that made you use it to begin with.

The fact that the damage potential, coupled with the hefty energy drain, even for its time, is not impressive. This is further compounded by the statement DE made that Nyx is not supposed to be a damage frame. I want to move away from regular Absorb being so limited in its application by giving it synergy with Nyx' other abilities and also allowing the player to still perform certain actions while Absorb is active.

[(XBOX)GearsMatrix301]

12 minutes ago, KaeseSchnitte said:

The fact that the damage potential, coupled with the hefty energy drain, even for its time, is not impressive. This is further compounded by the statement DE made that Nyx is not supposed to be a damage frame. I want to move away from regular Absorb being so limited in its application by giving it synergy with Nyx' other abilities and also allowing the player to still perform certain actions while Absorb is active.

I remember Rev saying that it would receive “new math” to help it compete with other DPS 4s. Granted this was before the rework dropped and it clearly didn’t happen. I hope when’s DE returns they actually do go back and improve the conversion math.

[(PSN)LoisGordils]

11 hours ago, KaeseSchnitte said:

New Ability: (tentative name: Cognitive Dissonance) All enemies affected by Chaos will stop in their tracks and stagger, completely forgetting whatever they were doing. When the effect ends, enemies will be forced to change their Alertness to 'minor alert' and then decide their next action. The aura of Ancients and eximus units will be suppressed/returned to its default state for a limited amount of time. The armor/shield remove/slow of the updated Psychic Bolts can be kept as an addition

So, this ability is useless without Chaos? 0/10. You can't make an ability that ONLy works when another one is active. Make this skill a part of Chaos.

"Chaos: As is. However, holding down the ability button will erase the minds of enemies. Ending the mayhem and causing them to forget what had transcurred"

[(XBOX)xBLADEPANTHERx]

6 hours ago, (XB1)GearsMatrix301 said:

I’m sorry but how is absorb not supposed to be a damage ability

You know, just like how Chroma's vex armour is supposed to be a healing ability

[(XBOX)GearsMatrix301]

12 minutes ago, (XB1)xBLADEPANTHERx said:

You know, just like how Chroma's vex armour is supposed to be a healing ability

Technically elemental ward can be used to heal, but its not very effective.