Putting the elemental in elemental master: A Chroma rework

[redbaron11]

So remember when you were still a noob to Warframe, reading through the codex of Chroma and all his magnificence as this badass dragon who commands the elements. After grinding out the relays and waiting eagerly for your dragon to cook in the foundry (or buying him with plat), you jump into a mission with your candy cane colored dragon, run up to the first grineer you see and smash that 1 key anticipating that pitiful grineer to get burned to a nothing but a pile of ash and... he stutters a bit before moving aside and shooting you in the face 🤔😒.

Lets be real Chroma even in his prime (no not that prime but that still applies) never felt like a true master of the elements sure he was a tanky mofo but it always felt more like you were controlling a suit of armor then the elements.

To me nothing Chroma does really screams elemental master and there are so many frames that do what he does better (Mesa and Zephyr are better tanks then Chroma wtf?). My design is to make Chroma into a tank that uses elemental status effects to debuff enemies, He regains the tankiness to be played in high level solo missions but also gets better utility for team play.

Below is my take how to rework Chroma.

 

• Passive: Would remain the same, energy color = elemental effects of abilities.

 

• 1st Ability: Specteral Scream

New 1st ability: Now called Dragonic Adaption (maybe Sentient hide,leave any suggestions)

Press to activate, upon activation Chroma's skin is enveloped in a second elemental skin combining with his energy color influencing the output of his other abilities. Holding down 1 (like Vauban's 2) will cycle through another of the base elements combining with his energy color. This ability would retain the cast animation of Chroma's 2/3 as a visual indicator with an elemental sound effect.

My Chorma's passive is the bread and his 1 is the butter of his overall kit and play style. Since Chroma is supposed to be the "master of the elements" he should rightfully be able to command them, being able to change secondary elements at will allows players to adapt (you know that word lathered across Chroma's wiki, codex, quest, toast) to enemies mid battle and will (as you will see below) allow players more command over changing situations.

 

• 2nd Ability: Elemental Ward

New 2nd Ability: Now called Elemental aura

Mostly this is a well needed visual update. I propose taking a page out of Skyrims book and apply a similar visual effect to the Dragon Aspec shout. An energized layer coating Chroma with cosmetic variance based on base element, think Khora's spikes when she cycles her 3 but more Godzilla like.

• Cold: would make snowflake spikes 
• Electric: sharp edged spikes with surges of energy
• Toxic: maybe spores?
• Heat: molten volcanic pillars.

An added bonus to this visual is when you cycle Chroma's 1st a pulse of color based on element will surge through the spikes as a visual indicator.

As for the ability itself I think it should function almost the same as it does now. Chroma gains an aura of effect based on elemental alignment, when enemies strike Chroma they are applied with a debuff based on current element. The major changes would be reverting it to a solo buff and adding a new new effect.

• While Active, Elemental Ward multiplies all defensive stats by X percentage

The reason for this new effect is due to the changes I make to his 3rd ability explained below.

 

• 3rd Ability: Vex Armor

New 3rd Ability: now called Vex Fury

When cast Chroma stores a percentage of received damage up to a maximum of X  percent (if his 2 is up the spikes will intensify in glow based on stored damage otherwise his torso will glow) At any point Chroma can recast 3 to release a furious roar causing an explosion dealing status effect based on elemental alignment of his passive and if it's active his 1.

Chroma does not mitigate or convert any received damage into defensive stats

As stated above the reason Chroma's 2nd ability got the new effect is due to the fact Chroma's new 3rd is now entirely focused on AOE enemy manipulation instead of damage mitigation.

Now before all you Eidolon cheesers start reeing in the comments the augment for this ability will convert the stored damage to weapon fire instead of a blast so calm your Lankas.

Anyway this ability will make Chroma an overall better team player but also give solo players a way out of tight situations. Forgive my foul language but this ability will have great synergy with Chroma's 1 and 2 as followed..

• Combined with his 1 the AOE status effect of Vex Fury will change depending on what Chroma's 1 is set to, i.e. cold passive/toxic 1= viral explosion etc. Each having a different effect on enemies.
• Combined with his 2 active extends the blast radius at the cost of shattering and ending his 2.

Effects for each status

• Cold - Applies a slow to shielded/armored enemies, freezes flesh
• Electric - staggers enemies
• Heat - blast of flat damage
• Toxic - Applies a DOT to unshielded enemies
• Blast - knocks down enemies
• Corrosive - shreds armor
• Gas - Slows unshielded organic enemies (infested unaffected)
• Magnetic - Temporarily takes down electronic units (EMP blast)
• Radiation - Confuses enemies for brief period
• Viral - Applies a debuff to enemy damage

The great thing about these effects is how it allows players to utilize all status effects for different reasons and making use of previously low tier status effects such as magnetic.

 

• 4th Ability: Effigy

New 3rd Ability: Unyielding breath

Chroma's old 4 is about as memorable as Primed Regen, nobody cares for it and the best thing about it is the before/after Jenny Craig body Chroma gets. I want to make him into a true elemental dragon with his 4th ability. ("plays Who will know by Shiro Sagisu") 

Chroma charges the dragonic fury within himself releasing a blast of elemental energy on enemies, the blast increases in ability power and lowers in efficiency the longer his 4 is active. The damage output is based on what combination Chroma's passive and 1 are in, Chroma cannot cast other abilities and is unable to run/jump while his 4 is active.

While Chroma's 2 is active if Chroma depletes his energy he can maintain the blast at the cost of shields. Once shields are depleted the blast will end and Chroma's 2 will also end.

If Chroma's 3 is active it can be triggered to instead fire absorbed damage through his 4 and focusing the blast into a concentrated beam, this does however significantly decrease the efficiency of Chroma's 4 and after the damage is of his 3 is depleted ends Chroma's 3.

(reeee synergy)

Like Chroma's 3 his 4 has major variance in dps based off his passive and 1, this ability is meant to be the hot sauce of Chroma's kit and is where the majority of his dps would come from.

Yes this is a godly version of Chroma's current 1st ability but with a lot more emphasis on elemental effects, yes there is a lot of synergy with other abilities BUT it isn't necessary when using his ult. That synergy is for those who want to play Chroma with full maximization of his 4th ability and for mad power trips. 

 

• Conclusion

Yes this would cause a (necessary) power vacuum for Eidolon hunting but it comes at the addition of a powerful warframe we can use for both solo and squad play. His abilities all get great visual updates i think we can all agree are both needed and would be appreciated, and we get to see the mighty dragon frame fully embrace his true nature as a master of the elements. 

Chroma is my favorite warframe in the game but I barely ever use him simply because he's not fun. He's outclassed by frames that do what he does better and more and It's for this reason I think he needs a change in career.

If you read to the end thanks for taking the time to read through this, i've put a lot of effort into this over the past few months so I hope your rng keeps in your favor, and please comment your thoughts on my ideas for Chroma's rework and let me know what you think should be changed at all I'd love to get a health discussion going.