Vanilla Warframes vs. Primes - Community "Culture?"

[Galoain]

Does anyone still use the "Vanilla" versions of their Warframes after getting their hands on the Prime version?  Or is it just a generally accepted fact that if you have the Prime version of a frame, the only reason to hang on to the old one is if you haven't gotten it to max rank for Mastery points?  What's the community's generally accepted wisdom in this matter?

I'm just wondering if it's a waste of Forma and time to build up a Warframe that will probably just end up collecting dust if I find the Prime Parts to make the "I'm you but cooler" version, but am not at that point yet and aren't sure if a max-ranked, un-Forma'd Warframe will cut it until that point.

Edited March 14, 2020 by Galoain
Title Clarification

[Zeyez]

Prime warframes has some base stats higher than its vanilla counterparts, so its not wrong say that the usage of the latter becomes an really microscopic niche, specially because you can equip vanilla skin and helmet on prime variant

if its an waste? depends:

• if you pretend to pick the next prime acess warframe right away (on this case, Titania), then you should worry about it
• but if you want to maximize... Gauss, then just use your Formas, because no one will have enough willpower to hold it back for... like 3~4 years until they release its prime variant

[Galoain]

Yes, but what about instances where both the Prime AND regular one have been out for a while, such as Valkyr?

[AltheusV]

Not a waste at all, you get to enjoy playing the game (and some mastery) while you level the basic version, and then again when you build the prime.

If you have formas building constantly then you shouldn't run out and spending (not wasting) them is just using them for fun.

You don't have to be stingy with in game resources or time.

[Zeyez]

1 minute ago, Galoain said:

Yes, but what about instances where both the Prime AND regular one have been out for a while, such as Valkyr?

then, depends more on 3 things:

• how much you are willing to pay? (depending on case, it will cost more than 100 platinum per set)
• when each unvault will happen? (which will determine if you have enough patience or not to farm/wait for it)
• how high is the disparity between acquisition of vanilla and prime counterpart? (volt: buying blueprint on dojo vs paying platinum, Chroma: doing the quest, to the point you need access to Sedna's boss to build it or farm for it in fissures)

on Valkyr's case, you could apply one or two more things: minor lore (Prime is unscathed, vanilla has some damage on its appereance done by Alad V's experimentation) and fashion frame linked to it (doing more salvage style for vanilla, more honorable for Prime one)

 

but by one way or another, you need to raise both, since they, individually, grant some mastery points for your account

[Obviousclone]

I've got every frame primed and unprimed stored

Some of the primes don't let you properly use the base appearance. Banshee prime and Oberon prime are two examples of this where their frame-specific-armor of the vanilla version isn't available.

In the conclave, pretty much all of the prime frames have slight increases health/shield/armor stats but make the trade-off of losing 10% parkour velocity. This trade off is actually not worth it at all, ideal conclave loadouts run 110% or 120% parkour velocity so starting at base 90% compared to vanilla's 100% actually cripples the player and sets them at a disadvantage. Mobility is actually very important since you can both run away from fights you can't win and guarantee you chase down fights that you can win and being able to pick your battles is key for pvp.

And of course, there's fair chance that you get the vanilla before the prime, invest a reactor/forma/focus lens into it and then once you get the primed variant, you must make the choice to basically destroy that investment, which some choose not to do.

 

I personally run vanilla banshee over primed banshee because the statistical differences have never mattered enough and the game isn't balanced around the idea that using a prime is mandatory/required.

[Sunai_Moonswing]

I still hang onto Zephyr and limbo despite having their primes, mostly because they got me through the game. Do I still use them?... No, I need more loadout slots for that lol

[Fallen77]

_If you only care about appearance, then you just pick whichever looks cooler to you.

_if not, and the prime is out or announced (titania), there is 0 reason to touch the vanilla one once mastered, since it's a straight up inferior version (not by much, but still)

_if not, and there's no prime and it's not annonced, (assuming you really want to play that frame) just forma what is available now.

That said, I've been avoiding inaros for years now, since he's one of the few that can actually benefit from a little armor and health increase. Praying at every single prime access reveal, to no avail. But it's OK, next one is gonna be him (is what I say everytime, but I'm sure it's gonna be Nezha next, just to piss me off ^^)

[ant99999]

1. Fashion

2. Conclave

3. For the sake of collecting things

4. You like when Baro insults you

[FLSH_BNG]

I keep my vanilla frames even when I get the prime version. For fashionframe, different builds, lenses and auras.

Keeps some variety in the game, and lets me pick a frame and playstyle while still earning the focus affinity I'm looking for at the time.

[Redfeather75]

I admit I sell my normal frames when I get a prime. And I never aura/umbra forma a non prime. Nor do I make a loadout using a non prime frame.

Edited March 14, 2020 by Redfeather75

[Galoain]

So should I be able to handle the final battle of Sands of Inaros even if my vanilla Valkyr isn't potato'd or Forma'd and I'm just worrying too much because I've been banging my head against that fight for months now and my Rhino just can't handle it, or just bite the bullet and start asking around Warframe.Market for Valkyr Prime blueprints so I can make Valkyr Prime that will DEFINITELY get potato'd and Forma'd?

Edited March 14, 2020 by Galoain

[Shinigami_Greed]

I like gold and shiny things; vanilla frames get the boot once I obtain the prime to save on buying slots.

[(PSN)thowed]

1 hour ago, ant99999 said:

1. Fashion

2. Conclave

3. For the sake of collecting things

4. You like when Baro insults you

Wait, Baro insults you?  How'd I not know this.

[TheGodofWiFi]

I personally bin the vanilla version when the Prime comes out. Unless you're one for nostalgia and/or are a collector, then there is zero point in keeping them IMO. Primes have better stats and better looks (though not in every case with that last one, looking at you Cow-beron Prime).

Also it frees up a slot, so thats a plus.

Edited March 14, 2020 by TheGodofWiFi

[TheGodofWiFi]

35 minutes ago, (PS4)thowed said:

Wait, Baro insults you?  How'd I not know this.

Probably because you've been using a Prime when speaking to him. If you have no Prime items he basically calls you a dirty peasant.

[(NSW)Greybones]

I’ve yet to make a prime ‘cause I’m not rushing for it, so I’ve reactored and forma’d my basic ones a lot. Once I do get a prime, I dunno, I’ll probably keep both.

[(PSN)CrazyBeaTzu]

I just wait to put a buncha forma in a prime.

[Hayrack]

1 hour ago, TheGodofWiFi said:

Probably because you've been using a Prime when speaking to him. If you have no Prime items he basically calls you a dirty peasant.

"Some interesting gear you have Tenno, I guess minimalism is making a comeback?"

[(PSN)robotwars7]

3 hours ago, (PS4)thowed said:

Wait, Baro insults you?  How'd I not know this.

he also complements you if you use Inaros, due to the Quest and his history with that frame. I imagine he might need to change his trousers when we get Inaros Prime...

personally I just keep the prime, and that's the only one I think about investing in. even then most of my frames don't have much Forma on them at all, but then you don't need as many on Primes anyway. and if the Prime happens to be ugly, I slap a skin on it. 

[(PSN)STR8L8CED]

My friends and I run vanilla frames with MK-1 weapons or low tier weapons sometimes in survivals for the #*!% of it.

Edited March 15, 2020 by (PS4)STR8L8CED

[Galoain]

58 minutes ago, (PS4)robotwars7 said:

he also complements you if you use Inaros, due to the Quest and his history with that frame. I imagine he might need to change his trousers when we get Inaros Prime...

Though that would kind of make the lore in the Quest itself weird, since Primes are explicitly listed as the OG Warframes the Orokin developed, while the ones we use and build from regular blueprints are sort of reverse-engineered imitations.  The blueprints we get from the Quest are basic ones, so that implies the Inaros of legend was a basic one, and he was one-of-a-kind...where would that leave a hypothetical Inaros Prime, considering they're unlikely to go back and change the quest, especially as I can't imagine them giving out a free Prime?

Speaking of which, I FINALLY beat the last leg of the Quest with my aforementioned unpotato'd and unForma'd Valkyr!  I guess I really was worrying too much.  I didn't even NEED half the preparations I'd brought because Hysteria is just.  That.  STRONG!  I'll be saving my potatoes and Forma then, especially as I now have an Inaros to build!

41 minutes ago, (PS4)STR8L8CED said:

My friends and I run vanilla frames with MK-1 weapons or low tier weapons sometimes in survivals for the #*!% of it.

I've heard about people doing that.  Like, taking their Excalibur or Mag, using the default color scheme and MK-1 weapons, and then running around the early missions with new players, basically veterans disguising themselves as n00bs.  Never actually met one myself, but I think it's a charming idea.

[MythicPulse]

12 hours ago, Galoain said:

Does anyone still use the "Vanilla" versions of their Warframes after getting their hands on the Prime version?  Or is it just a generally accepted fact that if you have the Prime version of a frame, the only reason to hang on to the old one is if you haven't gotten it to max rank for Mastery points?  What's the community's generally accepted wisdom in this matter?

I'm just wondering if it's a waste of Forma and time to build up a Warframe that will probably just end up collecting dust if I find the Prime Parts to make the "I'm you but cooler" version, but am not at that point yet and aren't sure if a max-ranked, un-Forma'd Warframe will cut it until that point.

I treat it like this:

If you are chasing MR, you need to rank everything up to 30, all the original warframes, and all the prime frames.

I started around the time Octavia was released, and just had my 700th login to get my Zenith.  I quite enjoy cracking relics, so i have basically made / used around 600-ish forma by now.  I had Zephyr prime long before I got actual zephyr.

That said, I used a LOT of Loki before i got my hands on loki prime. and during that time, I sank a forma into him.  I don't regret it at all.  It made my invisibility time longer and let me enjoy my time playing loki more.

If you go out and just do random pub missions, over time, you will rack up a good collection of parts for vaulted prime weapons and prime frames.  After a while, you can look at your inventory or foundry and make a mental shopping list: i need these neuroptics and this barrel and that grip.... The trading market will easily supply you with more platinum than you need to buy most vaulted pieces to finish out a complete Prime set, or you can just run fissure missions and make requests of your fellow tenno.  "Does anyone have an Oberon relic?  Thank you for running it..." etc.

As for Forma investment: Dump forma into the Primes, you can use those forever.  Be selective with the forma on frames you get that have an existing prime, since you'll probably replace them and need to forma all over... but brand new frames?  DE is gonna take 4 years to release the prime versions, You might as well Forma them and sink all the resources you want into them.

Edited March 15, 2020 by MythicPulse

[Aesthier]

It all depends like others here have stated on what exactly you desire to do.

In my case I normally play the primed versions however I do have a few frames that I specialize the prime frame with a specialized build and then use the normal frame for a different build that is less specialized.

[Chicken-Biryani]

Yes, I use both of them and forma and potato them religiously. (Non primes need love too, say no to primed discrimination!)