Tenno hunters for Steel Path

[SignatureChewy]

I think that one of the problems with difficulty in Warframe is that it mostly boils down to how long it takes to kill enemies. Even if Steel Path enemies get their stats buffed, or receive special abilities or requiring us to hit weak points, the difficulty spike will still revolve around how easy it is to kill them. The Warframe playerbase is already extremely adept at killing enemies, and if time to kill is the only factor increasing Steel Path's difficulty, it won't be that different from the regular star chart. For a veteran with a perfectly built meta kit, they likely won't even see the difference.

That said, I think that Steel Path should capitalize on one of warframe's lesser utilized systems: stealth. A true warrior knows to pick their battles, and there should be situations where avoiding enemies is the right way to go. To this end, I'd like to introduce my take on making this feasible.

Tenno hunters would come in the form of either a single enemy or a cohesive squad of enemies that is effectively invulnerable, immune to CC abilities and status effects, and otherwise buffed several magnitudes higher than all other enemies on the map. For all intents and purposes, a normal squad of players would have no business fighting them. Every mission on steel path (with a few exceptions like Defense) would spawn one of these hunters somewhere on the map when players enter the level. Hunters would start by patrolling a set route throughout the map, only deviating to investigate suspicious sounds or exposed bodies. If an alarm is sounded, they will immediately converge on its source. If a player is found, they will engage and give chase until they can no longer detect the player. When disengaging from a chase, the hunter will search the room it ended in. This would either initiate a hide-and-seek game with any players hiding there, or stall the hunter long enough for the player to make a full escape. On some of the larger/complex tiles, setting off alarms would lockdown all the doors until a hunter arrives and performs a search, forcing players to find hiding spots or use stealth abilities. Hunters would automatically reset alarms after a search is done, allowing regular enemies to sound them again. Players would also have certain tools to evade the hunters. Resetting an alarm would set off a fake alert somewhere else on the map, leading the hunter away from the player's location. Hacking terminals while there are no active alarms would temporarily mark the hunter on the map, allowing the player to keep track of them. Additionally, existing mechanics such as air support and converted kuva liches could be granted additional utility for stalling hunters.

This mechanic would also be a great way to utilize some of the existing enemies that are supposed to be scary, but don't quite live up to their reputation on the current starchart. Different hunters could have different strengths and weakness, for example:

The Grustrag Three: Each member patrols a different route. However, they periodically stop to murder fellow grineer and can be incited to do so.

Lynx: Installs and repairs additional cameras along its route. However, it is too big to fit into and effectively search vents and narrow corridors.

Zanuka hunter: Can use inaccessible vents to fast travel around the level. However, it can be stunned by kiting it into traps designed to counter warframes, such as nullifier bubbles or shock turrets.

Kuva lich: Only becomes a hunter on an occupied node. Strengths and weaknesses are determined by their personal traits, such as the "afraid of kubrows" quirk.

 

Adding tenno hunters would fundamentally change how missions are run, as players would have to juggle avoiding/distracting the hunters with completing the mission objective. Running and hiding from hunters would reward both map knowledge and parkour skills. Additionally, equipment that is silent or can disintegrate bodies would be relevant for keeping the hunters off the player's trail. To prevent a stealth frame meta, some hunters could be equipped with broad range nullifiers or the like. I personally would like to see a grineer unit that utilizes a luigi's mansion-esque kuva braid backpack that can detect the use of warframe abilities. Overall, I think this system would give the regular star chart and Steel path a similar feeling to moving from being a big fish in a small pond to being the small fish in a big pond.

Feel free to tell me what you guys think, I'm fully aware that this system has the potential to be utterly annoying. But at the same time, it might spice up the current braindead rhythm of Warframe's current gameplay. 

 

 

 

[Nox-Inruptio]

Okay, my thoughts. i don't like the idea.  Warframe is fun romp with a lot of win-win, if i wanted a PITA challenge or a raid, there are other games for that.  Add to that the rarity of something like a Zanuka Hunter, and I'd wouldn't be a happy camper to fail to the drop.  Detrons at extremely difficult to get (read as long and there's a lot of rinse and repeat) without a beacon.  Having a mechanic that's a pain to deal with (because if you're in a team, you can be guaranteed even if YOU know what to do, the rest of the team has about a 10% per person of also knowing what to do).

Now if it is were - say.. i get my *choice* of drops, I might go for a more difficult mechanic. As a random reward? No thank you :) 

[Kaggelos]

OMG i love this! My heart started pounding just reading it. Granted, these Hunters maybe shouldn't be in every SP mission, but maybe randomized, and maybe intercept a transmission of them announcing to their allies they are in the area. That way, we will be made aware of their presence, and act accordingly.

Really liking this though ^^