Chroma Prime is not a fun Warframe

[CazadorDeWulf]

On paper, Chroma Prime's abilities are pretty rad sounding, but in practice... Just absolutely underwhelming.

A duration-based team buff that scales with damage incurred and has quite a limited range...?

An efficiency-based and very minor speed buff with also limited range? In fact, a totem? Stationary!?

Breath that doesn't deal any sort of viable, real damage, and also doesn't visually satisfy in ANY way?

A weapon damage buff?

Please rework the abilities so that they are, in execution, every bit as grandeur as they seemed on paper, because he is just a very lackluster Warframe that merely buffs stats, and not even helpfully most of the time. I'd like the fire breath to actually be fire breath, and if that cannot happen due to "epilepsy warnings" then maybe, JUST maybe, implement a "additional FX" option that can be ticked on or off which can restore the intended FX and give a better representation of the range and instances of said fire breath attack. Also, ffs buff it, it can hardly kill anything and functions as an even worse CC than Nezha's 1.

[Xzorn]

Most people want his 1st and 4th abilities to be useful and there have been countless ideas around it.

Instead his eHP got nerfed into the ground and the only reason he has a team buff was damage control over what was done to him.

I found Chroma to be pretty fun before they changed him. Sure, he was still just a weapons master but he was more interactive and his mechanics made more sense. Now you just watch two buff timers and the whole brawler mini game of hit me and I'll hurt you is gone. It was a scramble change due to Eidolons and it shows.

There's not really much to add that hasn't been said a hundred times. Just search Chroma rework / buff and you'll see what I mean.

[CazadorDeWulf]

ah yep looks like you're right, plenty of people have more to say on the topic, plus they clearly know more about his history than I do

I had no clue he was nerfed, either, that is a shame.

[Flames21891]

1 hour ago, CazadorDeWulf said:

ah yep looks like you're right, plenty of people have more to say on the topic, plus they clearly know more about his history than I do

I had no clue he was nerfed, either, that is a shame.

He wasn't really nerfed, he was fixed. His calculations for Vex Armor were bugged, causing the multipliers to produce much higher values than shown or intended. It only became super obvious when people started using him to one shot Eidolons so it quickly grabbed the dev's attention. In exchange, they gave his abilities a lot of QoL improvements. Did you know that before the "nerf" Vex Armor was not recastable? Yeah, you were forced to wait for it to fall off and THEN recast it, meaning it forced you to rebuild all your buffs again every 50 seconds or so. He also couldn't perform actions freely while using his Spectral Scream, and Vex Armor only buffed him, not the rest of his team.

DE also admitted that this was a bit of a bandaid fix and would look into properly reworking him to make it so he doesn't have two dead abilities, but there are also a lot of toher frames that need a rework more than him right now, so it might be a while.

[Dark_Chroma_Prime]

13 minutes ago, Flames21891 said:

He wasn't really nerfed, he was fixed.

Nerfed. If they had him fixed, they would have changed the additional multiplied elemental damage, but instead of this they changed the calculation completely.

[Xzorn]

I would call going from 126k eHP  >  66k eHP a nerf.

DE also created the bug which caused his damage buff to double dip in a previous math fix, a bug that's still present in the game.

So technically they didn't even fix anything. Not fully.

The "QoL" to Vex is what helped make him very boring to play. Least for me. You no longer have to keep track of his shield and health while taking damage at the right time in order to deal out greater damage and take far less damage ( Like rage Brawlers are supposed to work ). Now you simply press 3 before the timer runs out over and over with no real consequence in how you play. There used to be a big difference between playing Chroma and playing Chroma well. Without a well primed Vex armor Chroma would take considerably more damage. Now thanks to Adaption I hardly notice when it's not even on in terms of damage intake.

[(PSN)FriendSharkey]

[(PSN)LoisGordils]

Chroma is stale, unfun, boring and uninteresting. A shame considering how amazing his Prime is.

[XenMaster]

Examples of rework for Chroma's Spectral Scream and Effigy.

 

1. Both abilities now deal damage based on enemy's max health.

 

2. Spectral Scream now instance cast, similar to Banshee's Sonic Boom wide and range attack, Chroma will breathes elemental and procs it on enemies, dealing 20% (max health) chosen elemental damage.

 

3. Effigy stay stationary, its attack similar to Ignis (same it was), but deal 10% max health chosen elemental damage.

 

4. Effigy also gain new rework its crowd control (Crowd Dispersion and Stun AOE).

 

Crowd Dispersion will weaken enemies by taking 50% extra damage.

 

Stun AOE open up finisher attack for 10 seconds.

 

5. Effigy gain one new nuke type AOE. Similar to "Spectral Scream rework from number two idea", Effigy breathes elemental and dealing 20% max health. Upon getting proc status effect, additional mechanic occur by proc random secondary elemental. (If heat is chosen through colour palette, Gas, Radiation or Blast will be chosen to proc after the Spectral Scream's first proc.

[Teridax68]

I perhaps wouldn't try to disparage the range on his 2, as even without it it's a pretty strong buff, but altogether I agree: Chroma for sure is a powerful and useful frame, one who clearly has a niche in the current metagame, but his kit I'd say is not actually all that fun in practice: two of his abilities aren't worth using (i.e. his 1 and 4), and his other 2 are duration-based steroids, causing his entire gameplay to boil down to timer management (which is also the main reason why I think Octavia has little real gameplay). He could definitely use an update to his kit to make him more complete and engaging to play, though at the moment there are also several other frames out there whose abilities are uninteresting and either too weak or just out of place in the current meta, and so who should likely be higher on the priority list (e.g. Vauban).

[CazadorDeWulf]

Not to shill but feel free to post your own thread on the topic, or other topics that share these opinions; one thing in common is that current Chroma is not OK. I mean, there are many other Frames on the list, too... but idk, if you want Chroma rework paste threads in here I'll drop a like or upvote if they're reasonable. Otherwise this is just quiet noise that won't likely ever be seen and I appreciate all of the input on the thread so far.

[000l000]

Let be honest a second, Mesa isn't much fun at all for the same reasons, the only thing that helps him is that his fourth power is active and so is slightly funnier to use (minus the annoying blur mechanics).

First powers are worthless but this is quite a common flaw many frames share. One interesting solution is to create a synergy between the first power and some others, so you still use it after having unlocked stronger abilities.

Second, Active buffs are the worst. Managing a single timer is already quite annoying (Gara for example) but manageable. Two active powers that are also buffs is redundant and boring - This powers should be automatically refreshed under some circumstances the same way Gara can refresh her shield with her fourth power. Casting active buffs again and again and checking timers all day long isn't much fun - This is true for Chroma or Mesa but also for Harrow (who is basically a timer frame ^ ^).

I don't think that Chroma's 4 is a bad power, problem is that the only active/direct damage power he has is his 1 and it's a terrible one. Make his breath better scale and more effective, add some synergy with his 4 such as combined breaths or whatever and Chroma would be way better.

[DrivaMain]

2 hours ago, 000l000 said:

 

I don't think that Chroma's 4 is a bad power

Actually it’s worse than you think, in terms of survivability casting 4 is basically a death wish in high level missions because of the whopping -50% (that is multiplicative and takes effect after vex armor scorn buff) armor reduction, as soon as your vex armor duration ends you are DEAD. The Second bad thing about the ability is that the damage and usefulness of the sentry is not enough to justify the high energy drain.  

I truely don’t understand why DE gave chroma a very huge disadvantage when he cast effigy like seriously -50% armor reduction for an ability with a very high energy drain? Ultimate ability for an offensive frame should be destructive and useful, not a very huge  disadvantage. If the effigy benefits from Vex Armor Fury buff then that is a good fix.

Edited January 17, 2019 by DrivaMain

[Dark_Chroma_Prime]

9 hours ago, CazadorDeWulf said:

Not to shill but feel free to post your own thread on the topic, or other topics that share these opinions; one thing in common is that current Chroma is not OK. I mean, there are many other Frames on the list, too... but idk, if you want Chroma rework paste threads in here I'll drop a like or upvote if they're reasonable. Otherwise this is just quiet noise that won't likely ever be seen and I appreciate all of the input on the thread so far.

you mean sth like this?

DE put most of the chroma rework ideas into this thread, but arent listening to us.

[(PSN)Hellhound1637]

Oh ya totally agree... chroma needs a re work.

I'll use him from time to time to do survival relics. Modded right he's still almost invincible(staying away from 4). If you have unaru(sp?)focus School he benifits from the wisps. Sure the gameplay is repetitive, but he can muscle through content if your stuck.

Maybe until they do his fix, make it a little Easier to get him. Building regular chroma is a feat in itself.

[Sharkgoblin]

On 2019-01-16 at 8:45 PM, Xzorn said:

Most people want his 1st and 4th abilities to be useful and there have been countless ideas around it.

Instead his eHP got nerfed into the ground and the only reason he has a team buff was damage control over what was done to him.

I found Chroma to be pretty fun before they changed him. Sure, he was still just a weapons master but he was more interactive and his mechanics made more sense. Now you just watch two buff timers and the whole brawler mini game of hit me and I'll hurt you is gone. It was a scramble change due to Eidolons and it shows.

There's not really much to add that hasn't been said a hundred times. Just search Chroma rework / buff and you'll see what I mean.

the funny thing is that chroma still one hit eidolons lol

[BlachWolf]

On 2019-01-17 at 1:26 AM, (PS4)FriendSharkey said:

This (though I would change some other things), but with the elemental shift, that also something everyone wants.

[MirageKnight]

On 2019-01-17 at 3:07 PM, COATTOQUALUNQUE said:

the funny thing is that chroma still one hit eidolons lol

So basically, Chroma is a one-trick pony dragon.

I like Chroma, but God's teeth the utility of his kit is badly situational and restrictive.

[Mach25]

On 2019-01-18 at 5:32 PM, MirageKnight said:

So basically, Chroma is a one-trick pony dragon.

I like Chroma, but...the utility of his kit is badly situational and restrictive.

*Chroma is offended again.*

"I guess I'm 2 unclassy, 2 restricted and 2 situational to share these courtside tix I just bought wit u. 😠" - Chroma

I agree, he very much needs a rework and made into a proper dragon, not..whatever the heck he's supposed to be at this point in time. Any recommendations? As for myself, here are mine:

When you tap 1, which we will call Charge, his wings will come out and he'll go forward in a chosen direction if airborne - if he's on the ground, he will simply dash forward slashing with his energy claws - it functions like Excal's slash-dash ability. His 2nd ability should be an exalted claw weapon to maintain his dragon theme. Third will be his effigy ability (to maintain his defensive capabilities).

That weaksauce mewling of his has to go - I'd like to see his super squeek "spectral scream" turn into a proper fourth ability that fires a massive 160 degree conal damage of fiery/icy/toxic/shocking energy that applies huge damage and status to all enemies in range of about 30m at base (scalable with range and strength mods). It can burn through a huge amount of energy to prevent spamming and it should stack increasing elemental damage to leave its mark on the battlefield. Tap 4 while airborne and you'll stop in midair and cover the area in your conal elemental attack - you'll remain airborne and the energy will still drain, but you'll be able to cover a lot more of an area (since you're in the air) and the player be able to control the area you're facing.

For visual illustration, this is how his fourth should be (using fiery breath after devouring too many tortillas and hot salsa while waiting for Pablo's Vauban rework):

 

 

Edited February 2, 2019 by Mach25

[Castlefrost]

Ever done a assassination sortie lvl Ambulas b4? Wtb a trido? Chroma is awesome but like most frames, he has a certain area of forté. Like how thankful players are for Limbo's in MD sorties but Angry AF when in Defense.

[(PSN)big_eviljak]

On 2019-01-16 at 1:22 PM, CazadorDeWulf said:

On paper, Chroma Prime's abilities are pretty rad sounding, but in practice... Just absolutely underwhelming.

A duration-based team buff that scales with damage incurred and has quite a limited range...?

An efficiency-based and very minor speed buff with also limited range? In fact, a totem? Stationary!?

Breath that doesn't deal any sort of viable, real damage, and also doesn't visually satisfy in ANY way?

A weapon damage buff?

Please rework the abilities so that they are, in execution, every bit as grandeur as they seemed on paper, because he is just a very lackluster Warframe that merely buffs stats, and not even helpfully most of the time. I'd like the fire breath to actually be fire breath, and if that cannot happen due to "epilepsy warnings" then maybe, JUST maybe, implement a "additional FX" option that can be ticked on or off which can restore the intended FX and give a better representation of the range and instances of said fire breath attack. Also, ffs buff it, it can hardly kill anything and functions as an even worse CC than Nezha's 1.

His range is great if u mod for it. Plus hes incredibly fun, if you kno what your doing.

[(PSN)ForNoPurpose]

19 hours ago, (PS4)big_eviljak said:

His range is great if u mod for it. Plus hes incredibly fun, if you kno what your doing.

Agree.

As for these lovely nonsenses about how tactical he was when you couldn't refresh his buff, what is so tactical about stopping gameplay to hurt your self with explosives? Yes chroma still is a buff timer babysitter but its far more efficent now.

And yes the vex calculations were a fix, not a nerf. It was well known that DE is lazy with stuff that has a otherwise minimal impact on the game. They did not care and did nothing becauee nothing really was affected by it. Just because it was left in for a while does not make it a feature 🤣.

Yes his 1 needs a proper buff, ideally along the lines of other beam weapons. His 2 could use a flat 100% status chance on the aura. And his 4 could use a bit of what his 1 needs. Quite frankly all he needs are quick adjustments that could be done and tested in an afternoon 😋 but again DE is lazy.

 

But hot damm are you people totally not understanding this frame.. his 4 is this games best turret and can stunlock and kill thanks to it recieving a damage buff from his 3. even his 1 is buffed by vex! That is built in synergy, better than a lot of frames have.

Edited January 20, 2019 by (PS4)ForNoPurpose

[Gurpgork]

22 minutes ago, (PS4)ForNoPurpose said:

And yes the vex calculations were a fix, not a nerf.

Bugs, and by extension, bug fixes, are not balance neutral, especially if they affect the power of a Warframe to such a drastic degree. We can have the semantics debate all we want, but the fact of the matter is that Chroma is now weaker than he was before the change, regardless of why the change was made or how warranted it was.

That’s not to say that bugs shoudn’t be fixed, but that doesn’t mean we need to act like it was a business as usual kind of change. 

Edited January 20, 2019 by Gurpgork

[GrimAtrament]

chroma's kit is in fact kinda dull its the reason i stopped playing him as my main. his 1 and 4 are useless.  3 and 4 basicly have not appealing visual effects. (well exept that thing lighting use to have, but it got removed.)

[ZodiacShinryu]

2 hours ago, (PS4)ForNoPurpose said:

And yes the vex calculations were a fix, not a nerf.

They didn't "fix" it, they changed it. They basically "corrected" the problem by substituting an apple with an orange rather than getting a new apple. It was multiplicative but now it is additive, that isn't just a fix of the calculations. They could have left it multiplicative (we wouldn't be having the Roar vs Vex discussions quite as frequently)... but they didn't. No matter what would have happened it would have been a change of efficacy thus his strength removed (which is a nerf, justified or not).

2 hours ago, (PS4)ForNoPurpose said:

But hot damm are you people totally not understanding this frame.. his 4 is this games best turret and can stunlock and kill thanks to it recieving a damage buff from his 3. even his 1 is buffed by vex! That is built in synergy, better than a lot of frames have.

"Best Turret" is relative, after all the 'rosiest smelling crap is still crap in the end'. It is an energy hog that 'randomly' (it is a windowed timer without the augment) stuns and that randomly attacks single targets (yes it is not AoE). Unless you mean procs which by that it is element dependent and single target (just as random). I honestly can't say for sure how much (if at all) Vex helps Effigy but it still takes around 2k energy to kill a level 120 corrupted Heavy unit. And his 1 will always be trash even with Vex boost as long as its aiming is wonky and it locks you into a stance (like exalted states). When you could just use a Lato and easily surpass your 1s output with everything it makes you do... its not good.

22 hours ago, (PS4)big_eviljak said:

His range is great if u mod for it. Plus hes incredibly fun, if you kno what your doing.

Its okay but you then sacrifice other aspects allowing every other amp frame to close the gap (which isn't extremely large to begin with). But fun is what you make it.