[Warframe Concept] Drosera, the Ravenous Blossom - Carnivorous Plant themed Frame

[(PSN)NidhoggValkyrian]

Physical design in very early doodle stage, organic & biomechanical designs are a TAD beyond my skillset.
Added some inspirational work & references, mainly drawing inspiration from the three carnivorous plant types used in her kit:
Venus Flytraps, Pitcher plants and Sundews.
Also, no numerical stats were added cause balancing isn't my strong suit either, so I shall leave those blank.
All aspects of this concept are up for discussion and change, it's already gone through various iterations and I'm positive I've grown some tunnel vision, so outside ideas are more than welcome.

Working name: Drosera
Theme: Carnivorous Plants

Drosera's physical appearance is an amalgamation of roots, tendrils & mawed flowers, noting her carnivorous nature with a strong emphasis on her toolset, incorporating Pitcher Plants, Venus Flytraps, and predominantly as per her namesake, the Sundew or Drosera.
Entangled roots & vines make up her core body, with Pitchers & Flytraps engulfing her form to shape an eerie imitation of a wide-rimmed gala dress.
A sprawling mass of glistening Sundew envelop her head in thick locks.
One arm is covered with small Flytrap jaws.
Her various organic features would be slowly pulsating as if digesting, the maws tensing, evoking the readiness to devour.









Base stats:
very large health pool
large energy pool
no shield pool
low armor pool

Passive Ability: Hunger
Stacking resource that enhances Drosera's active abilities.
Drosera grows hungry as she tastes her prey. Enemies under the effect of Drosera's active abilities labeled as Hungering will start building Hunger stacks while incrimentally draining her health (up for discussion balancing wise). The more Hunger stacks Drosera builds up, the stronger her abilities become, but the higher the health drain is. Hunger buildup & health drain halts when no abilities are affecting targets. Active Abilities labeled as Satiating will lower Hunger stacks, bringing down the health drain but also the ability buff percentage.
Hunger buildup rate is dependant on power strength, with low power strength making for a slower,more steady Hunger buildup, while high power strength causes a fast, violent but potentially risky buildup of Hunger stacks.
As a failsafe Hunger buildup & accompanying health drain halts at a low health cap.
Upon Killed, all Hunger stacks are reset to ZERO.
Playing around with Drosera's Hungering and Satiating abilities to manage her Hunger stacks can make for some high risk- high reward playstyles.

 

Ability 1:

ability shifts with active mode from Cycle of Life

Attack Mode: Consume
Drosera launches x amount of mawed sproutlings ( venus flytrap type) from her arm in a forward cone/arc. The sproutlings have x duration, and will cling to enemies within range and/or crawl around seeking targets for the duration of their lifetime, attach themselves and start feeding on the target, doing x amount of slash damage instant and DoT for the remainder of their lifetime, with a high chance of dropping Health orbs. When their life times out, the sproutlings wither and die. Tap to spawn more Sproutlings, hold to recast immediately ending the ability, causing the Sproutlings to self-destruct, dealing Blast damage in a small AoE.
The Sproutlings have a chance to draw aggro from enemies.
This ability is Satiating.

This ability synergizes with Nectar and Entrap, causing sproutlings within their AoE  to slow the rate at which their duration decays. Additionally the sproutlings will head towards and gather around the Nectar Pitcher and in the Sundew field in search for prey under the abilities' respective influences.
The number of active Hunger stacks when casting Consume enhances the ability's Power and Duration.

This ability scales with Power Strength (damage inflicted) and Duration (sproutling lifetime)

CC Mode: Thorny Vines

Causes thorn/teeth lined vines to grow at the target location, immobilizing and constricting enemies over time. Tapping the ability allows to deploy more vines, Holding on Recast ends the ability immediately, dealing all damage instant instead of DoT as the vines violently rip into their targets in one final squeeze before withering away. Can be targeted on an enemy to have them sprout right on top of the target for instant capture, or deployed on a surface to grab enemies that enter in range. The vines deal puncture/slash damage. Enemies killed have a chance to drop health/energy. This ability is Hungering.

This ability scales with Power Strength (damage inflicted), Range (Vine area size and casting range) and Duration (Vine lifetime).
The number of active Hunger stacks when casting Thorny Vines enhances the ability's Power and Duration.

Defense Mode: Drifter Cloud

Drosera surrounds herself with Dandelion like floating seedpods, which upon enemies entering their engagement range, will fly off to attach themselves to the heads of enemies, dealing no damage but rendering them immobile for x amount of time as they attempt to free themselves. Recasting sends all floating seedpods seeking out the closest enemies. Imagine Baruuk's Desolate Hands functionality but with those damn Deimos Tendril Drones that keep facehugging you. This ability is Hungering.

This ability scales with Power Strength (max number of Seedpods), Range (Seedpod attack range) and Duration (Seedpod Facehug duration).
The number of active Hunger stacks when casting Drifter Cloud enhances the ability's Duration.


Augment: Natural Hostility
enhances all three modes of Ability 1

Attack Mode: Propagation
Augments Consume

Sproutlings will swell with seedpods while feeding. Upon death they explode, dealing localized Blast damage, leaving behind a small poisonous cloud (dealing toxic damage) and spreading x amount of newborn sproutlings around them. Newborn Sproutlings have x percentage of their progenitor's base duration, perpetually decreasing over generations. This ensures that the ability cannot end up in a constant cycle of endless spawns, even with high duration.

Scales with Power Strength (explosion & toxic cloud damage, number of secondary sproutlings spawned from seedpod) and Range (AoE of Explosion & toxic cloud, spread range of newborn sproutlings)
To offset the potential of a continous cycle of new sproutlings, their base duration is decreased.
Note that only FEEDING sproutlings can explode into seedpods. If killed before attaching themselves to an enemy and feeding upon them, they will not explode, nor spawn new offspring. Self-destructing Sproutlings by holding recast will NOT trigger new spawns.

CC Mode: Vine Crawler
Augments Thorny Vines

Spawns a sentient plant minion, a Thorny Vine Snake/centipede (possible use of Deimos Infested Ashen rig) that autonomously seeks out prey and constricts them in their thorny grasp. When it's target dies, it move on to new prey until it's duration ends and withers away. Tapping the ability allows to call forth more Crawlers, Holding on Recast ends the ability immediately, dealing all damage instant instead of DoT as the Vine Crawler constricts their target in one final squeeze before withering away. Can be targeted on an enemy to have them surface right on top of the target for instant capture, or deployed on a surface to seek out enemies on their own volition. The Crawlers deal puncture/slash damage. Enemies killed have a chance to drop health/energy.

Defense Mode: Volatile Seeds
Augments Drifter Cloud

Drifter Cloud Seedpods attached to an enemy will self-destruct after x amount of seconds, dealing high Impact/Blast damage in a small radius.

---------------------

Ability 2:

ability shifts with active mode from Cycle of Life

Attack Mode: Pitfall

Causes an large, underground Pitcher plant to bloom open at the target location, lashing out with it's tendrils to pull enemies from the surrounding area into it's toothy maw to slowly digest them in an acidic soup of stomach acids and half-digested prey, doing corrosive DoT. When the ability ends, the Pitfall Plant withers away, spitting out any survivors, covered in corrosive stomach acids.
Consider it a Nidus Larva pulling enemies into a Hydroid Puddle. Hold on Recast to end the ability prematurely, having the Pitfall snap shut and munch on it's prey for instant damage before spitting them out and withering away. Enemies killed have a high chance to drop health/energy.
This ability is Satiating.

This ability scales with Power Strength (DoT inflicted), Range (Tendril Reach) and Duration (Pitfall Lifetime and Corrosion duration).
The number of active Hunger stacks when casting Pitfall enhances the ability's Power and Duration.

CC Mode: Nectar

Causes a single large Pitcher Plant to grow and blossom at the target location, luring enemies closer and dazing them by its sweet scent when nearby for it's duration. Holding on Recast causes the Pitcher Plant to swell and self-destruct in a cloud of vapors, dealing Toxic damage and confusing affected enemies for x duration.
This ability synergies with Entrap, causing Nectar's area of effect to increase when Entrap is cast on the affected area.
This ability scales with Power Duration (Pitcher Lifetime, duration of Daze, Confusion and Toxic cloud) and Range (Lure distance, Toxin cloud AoE).
The number of active Hunger stacks when casting this ability enhances the ability's Range.
This ability is Hungering.

Defense Mode: Entrap

The ground around the targeted area grows into a field of glistening Sundews, grabbing hold of those who wander in and gradually covering them in blobs of their sticky secretion, slowing enemies within it down by x percent, increasing the slowing effect the more Sundew blobs attaches to them up to x percent. Enemies covered in the sap blobs will clog together when in close proximity to each other.
This ability scales with Power Duration (Field lifetime & Secretion duration) and Range (field size).
The number of active Hunger stacks when casting this ability affects the Sundew field size.
This ability is Hungering.


Unspecified Augment title
Enhances all three modes of Ability 2

Attack Mode: Unspecified title
Augments Pitfall

Hold on Recast now causes the Pitfall plant to self-destruct instead, dealing blast damage to any enemies inside and showering a large area in the plant's digestive juices, creating an AoE dealing corrosive damage for x duration.
This ability scales with Power Strength ( self-destruct & corrosive field damage), Range (self-destruct & corrosive field size) and Duration (corrosive field duration).

CC Mode: Unspecified title
Augments Nectar

Nectar now spawns x amount of Pitcher plants that swallow enemies approaching them attracted by their scent, holding them for x duration while draining their health and redistributing it through their roots into the surrounding area, healing Drosera and her allies when they are within the boundaries of the Pitcher Field.
Ths ability scales with Power Strength (health drain/s), Range (Pitcher attraction & swallow range, Pitcher Field size) and Duration ( health drain duration).

Defense Mode: Unspecified title
Augments Entrap

Drosera and allies within the Sundew Field are covered by it's sticky sap, offer x amount of damage protection for x duration. Enemies entering in melee range will be caught by the SUndew blobs and trigger the Slow effect on themselves.
This ability scales with Power Strength (damage protection percentage) and Duration (damage protection duration).

Ability 3: Cycle of Life

Toggles between the three modes adapting Drosera's physical aspects, while alternating between the relevant forms of her other abilities.

- Attack Mode: Raises Damage percentage, Lowers Armor percentage
visual representation with more pronounced 'teeth' protuding from the Venus Flytrap parts.

- CC Mode: Raises Movement Speed percentage, Lowers Damage percentage
visual representation with dewdrop tendrils sprouting from her form.

- Defense Mode: Raises Armor percentage, Lowers Movement Speed percentage
visual representation with large leaf 'plating' and thick bark growing onto her.

Ability 4: Devouring Bloom

Drosera burrows her tendrils into the earth and a forest of starving carnivorous plants sprouts around her, descending and feasting upon those in the affected area. Sundews grasp for surrounding targets similar to Hydroid's tentacles, Venus flytraps bite down on them, and giant Pitcher plants swallow targets whole.

Drosera MUST be groundbound in order to use this ability.
This ability consumes all active Hunger stacks.
Naturally, the higher the built up stacks, the more devastating the carnage, affecting the ability's duration, range and DoT.

Besides dealing large amounts of damage, this ability also steals health and energy from it's victims.

After feasting, Drosera's Hunger is 'satisfied' and Hunger will not build for x amount of time, offering increased health regeneration instead for its duration. After this grace period, Hunger stacks will start to build up again with ability usage.

This ability scales with Power Strength (damage inflicted, drain rate and grace period duration), Duration and Range. Note that Power Strength AVERSELY affects the Hunger Grace Period, with a low power strength ensuring a longer grace pediod before Hunger kicks in again, while a high power strength ensures Drosera growing hungry much sooner again.

Augment: Ravenous Garden
Recasting Devouring Bloom under it's duration causes the carnivorous forest to explode in a shower of sap, poison and seedpods, dealing significant damage to any enemies being devoured & in the affected area, while covering a very wide area in sticky sap that triggers the Secretion slow effect, poisonous clouds that Daze and deal Toxic damage, and swarms of hungry sproutlings.
This trades in a prolonged Feeding for wide spread crowd control & DoT.

Scales with Power Strength (explosion & toxic cloud damage), Duration (Daze, Secretion & Toxic cloud effect) and Range (AoE of Explosion, Secretion sap, Daze & Toxic clouds, spread range of sproutlings)

The more duration of Devouring Bloom left when recasting amplifies the damage inflicted, as such the number of active Hunger stacks when casting this ability also affects the potential damage inflicted on recast. If recast when almost timed out, the inflicted damage will be far less than when recast with a significant duration left. The higher the Hunger stacks, the longer the initial duration, the longer the demaining duration when recasting, the bigger the bang.

[(PSN)MYKK678]

Pictures look fantastic and definitely help with visualization. Its a very interesting theme.

I suppose the only thing i'm curious about is Hunger though. Its definitely unique. But it sounds like a ticking clock you cant control that almost guarantees you'll be 1shot in later content. Right now im visualising Steel Path, some of those enemies with extra armour/shields take a bit to put down, giving other enemies time to get close. If every close enemy is accelerating Hungers health drain, as well as shooting you in the face, i'm a bit confused about how you'd survive? I get that ability 1 & 4 are meant to combat it, i just don't know. Almost sounds like a frame built to give everyone anxiety lol. Which ofc is the risk part.

Definitely one of the more Unique frame ideas out there. I suppose my only apprehension about it is i'd imagine playing as her and constantly hear that "Sonic 2 drowning countdown music" in my head.

[(PSN)NidhoggValkyrian]

That's currently my main focal point, getting the concept of Hunger to work efficiently, so the exact mechanics are still a WIP. 

 

Currently her 1 is her main ability to keep her Hunger regulated, temporarily slowing/halting its buildup while also keeping her various pools topped up. 

If the Podling drain effect is percentage based, that could help with survivability in higher level Content. 

 

It's also why I considered a safeguard relating to the energy pool, to prevent an empty energy pool from meaning certain death.

Hmm. There is the option of only having Hunger trigger when enemies are affected by her abilities, not on sight, a bit more in line with Nidus his Mutation stacks. Additionally increasing the stacks whenever she kills an enemy, be it with abilities or weapons. Would make sense in that it TASTES them. Hunger would only rise with ability usage and kills, giving her more direct Control over Hunger management and thus the risk/reward involved. And as many of her abilities offer AoE crowd control, it would allow Hunger to benefit from large amounts of targets while minimizing incoming damage. 

[quxier]

Her 2 abilities (2 & 3) are very similar. Maybe you should combine it into one? Honestly all carnivorous plants lures their prey sitting in one place. The plant in the third image even let some ants take its nectar back - this way more ants will come.
The hunger draining both health & shield is... I think little too much. Why even gave her shields when she won't use it (for bigger Hunger)? It might be the same like with the Grendel. He has like 100 shields or something. It's more problem than good thing. Without shields it could triggers the Rage more often.

[ljmadruga]

I actually made a similar (now archived) concept to this one if you want to look at it for more inspiration. It has numbers for balancing and such.

 

[(PSN)NidhoggValkyrian]

Considered the ability variety. 

Currently working out a few alternate togglable ability variations (satiating vs building Hunger) to give a deeper level of control over Hunger management. 

 

I had NOT considered the option of foregoing shields in favor of a larger health pool and the benefits thereof. Noted 😄

[quxier]

53 minutes ago, ljmadruga said:

I actually made a similar (now archived) concept to this one if you want to look at it for more inspiration. It has numbers for balancing and such.

 

His passive sounds amazing. As an advent of custom rolls maybe his rolls could act as Ability 1 - tap? That way you can use Ability 1 without holding a key.
ps. I bet this won't happen but if his 4th let's you control vines... that would be cool. Imagine picking one enemy and throwing it at another one (or group of enemies).
It's nice concept. His abilities are interesting & different. His gameplay might be different but, depending on implementation, it might be ton of fun.

[ljmadruga]

35 minutes ago, quxier said:

His passive sounds amazing. As an advent of custom rolls maybe his rolls could act as Ability 1 - tap? That way you can use Ability 1 without holding a key.
ps. I bet this won't happen but if his 4th let's you control vines... that would be cool. Imagine picking one enemy and throwing it at another one (or group of enemies).
It's nice concept. His abilities are interesting & different. His gameplay might be different but, depending on implementation, it might be ton of fun.

I took inspiration from Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy. I wanted him to be something like a houseplant that gets out of control over the course of a mission.

[(PSN)NidhoggValkyrian]

Made a few alterations.

- adapted Hunger Build Trigger
- removed shields in favor of a larger health pool
- adapted the synergies of her 1.
- restyled her 2 around Pitcher Plants and added more functionality, with a toggleable option between raising and lowering Hunger.
- added double functionality to the augment for her 2.
- restyled her 3 around Sundew plants and tweaked the functionality as well as the augment.

[(PSN)NidhoggValkyrian]

- Updated with a VERY early rough draft for her physical appearance.
This is still a first impression and will undoubtedly change significantly over time to give her a stronger identity and get her design more in line with the Warframe 'Feel'.
A visual representation of her toolset will also be added in later.

- made modifications and notes to her toolkit, particulary some augments to make them stand more apart from their base abilities.

[keikogi]

Goinf to preface with this, plant frame is my favorite theme. I like the theme so much I even did 2 full kits and visuals for the theme.  Granted I did no go far on the carnivorous plant side off things.

About the visuls i really like where it is going 

On 2020-08-17 at 6:18 PM, (PSN)NidhoggValkyrian said:

Ability 1: Consume
Drosera launches x amount of mawed sproutlings ( venus flytrap type) from her arm in a forward cone/arc. The sproutlings have x amount of health which degrades over time, and will cling to enemies within range and/or crawl around seeking targets for the duration of their lifetime, attach themselves and start feeding on the target, doing x amount of damage instant and DoT for the remainder of their lifetime, stealing x amount of health or energy. When their life times out, the sproutlings wither and die.
The Sproutlings have independant health bars and draw aggro from enemies.
This ability does not affect Hunger Buildup, making it a key ability to keep Hunger in check while feeding Drosera's health and energy pools.
Balancing the usage of Drosera's Hungering and Satiating abilities to build up her Hunger without it eating away at HER will be key.

This ability synergies with all of Drosera's other abilities, causing sproutlings within their AoE  to slow the rate at which their health decays. Additionally, with Nectar the sproutlings will head towards and gather around the Nectar Pitcher in search for prey attracted by it's alluring scent.
The number of active Hunger stacks when casting Consume enhances the ability's Power and Duration.

Removing the health would make this skill way better, as is this skill would brick on laterlevels where a single spit from a ignis would whip out all the sprouts. Also the stealing over time mechanic would make the skill useless on lower levels because the ene,ies would be whiped out before they can steal a significant ammount of energy. I would rework this skill in yhid way it has only duration , if the sprout takes damage it loses 1 second of its duration ( cannot loose more than 2 seconds of duration on 1 second of real time) and intead of stealing it just has a chance to sprout a fruit that heals or give energy. 

On 2020-08-17 at 6:18 PM, (PSN)NidhoggValkyrian said:

Ability 2: double functionality, toggle between options

A. Nectar

Drosera throws a seedpod, causing a single large Pitcher Plant to grow and blossom at the targeted area, luring enemies closer and dazing them by its sweet scent when nearby for it's duration.
This ability synergies with Entrap, causing Nectar's area of effect to increase when Entrap is cast on the affected area.
This ability scales with Power Duration and Range.
The number of active Hunger stacks when casting this ability influences the range at which enemies become dazed.
This ability is prompted as Hungering, causing enemies affected by it to BUILD hunger.

B. Digest

Drosera throws a seedpod, causing a bush of Pitcher Plants to grow and cover the targeted area. These Pitcher plants will swallow enemies in range whole and begin digesting them, doing DoT and stealing health from them for the duration of the ability.
This ability synergises with Nectar, causing enemies under the effect of Nectar to give up resisting under it's dazing effect, allowing for easier digestion (more DoT ticks)
This ability scales with Power Strength (DoT inflicted), Duration and Range.
The number of active Hunger stacks when casting this ability influences digestion DoT.
This ability is promted as Satiating, causing enemies affected by it to LOWER Hunger.

Augment: Disolve &  Intoxicate

- instead of Dazed, enemies affected by Nectar now become Confused and will attack each other for the duration of the effect. 

- Digest has the duration of it's Pitcher Plant's lifetime decreased in favor of secreting a corrosive sap that eats away at their prey. ( 50% less Pitcher lifetime but in return enemies suffer corrosive status up to remainder of duration)

Tougle with double imput would cause problems. Also to avoid the kit feeling same ( evey skill is trow a seed to do x,y or z ) I would sugest the skill to just be a self buff 

Lethal Alure 

Enemies in a 10 meters radius or 20 meters radius and wihin Drosera line off sight will be charmed. Charmed enemies movy harmlessly towards Drosera. 

Adionaly Drosera will sprount parasity root that will drain life from nearby living or dead enemies. Root deal puncture damage but if the enemies fall below 35% health it sap all the life out off him restoring health and energy, if he is already dead when the roots make contact Drosera consumes the cadaver and regains a small ammount of health. 

On 2020-08-17 at 6:18 PM, (PSN)NidhoggValkyrian said:

Ability 3: Entrap

The ground around the targeted area grows into a field of Sundews, grabbing hold of those who wander in and gradually covering them in their sticky secretion, slowing enemies within it down,  increasing the slowing effect the more Sundew secretion attaches itself to them. Enemies covered in the sap will clog together when in close proximity to each other.
This ability has increased duration on enemies affected by Nectar.
This ability scales with Power Duration and Range.
The number of active Hunger stacks when casting this ability affects the Sundew field size.
This ability is prompted as Hungering, causing enemies affected by it to BUILD hunger.

Augment: Viscous Shield

Entrap now covers you in a mantle of Sundews, offering x amount of damage protection for x duration. Enemies within melee range trigger the Secretion slow effect.
Scales with Power Strength (damage reduction), Range (enemy secretion trigger distance) and Duration (shield duration & enemy secretion slow duration).

fine 

On 2020-08-17 at 6:18 PM, (PSN)NidhoggValkyrian said:

Ability 4: Devouring Bloom

Drosera burrows her tendrils into the earth and a forest of starving carnivorous plants sprouts around her, descending and feasting upon those in the affected area. Sundews grasp for surrounding targets similar to Hydroid's tentacles, Venus flytraps bite down on them, and giant Pitcher plants swallow targets whole.

Drosera MUST be groundbound in order to use this ability.
This ability consumes all active Hunger stacks.
Naturally, the higher the built up stacks, the more devastating the carnage, affecting the ability's duration, range and DoT.

Besides dealing large amounts of damage, this ability also steals health and energy from it's victims.

After feasting, Drosera's Hunger is 'satisfied' and Hunger will not build for x amount of time, offering increased health regeneration instead for its duration. After this grace period, Hunger stacks will start to build up again with ability usage.

This ability scales with Power Strength (damage inflicted, drain rate and grace period duration), Duration and Range. Note that Power Strength AVERSELY affects the Hunger Grace Period, with a low power strength ensuring a longer grace pediod before Hunger kicks in again, while a high power strength ensures Drosera growing hungry much sooner again.

I would consider removing the completly static and reworking it on moving really slowly. Removing the player mobility removes half off the player imput reducing the skill and engament involved into playing the game. 

I would sugest that this skill just makes the frame take a new form instead and this form has limited ability to walk but has it own tools to get around. 

for example when I did persphone she had a giant form 

you could make a new form that has a less mobily aperence, something like biolant 

Can it move ? Yes. Does it feels like it can barely do ut. Also yes. 

As far as mobility options using vines to move or burrowing underdroung could make for in fluff mobility options something like sylvanos from rivals of aether 

If you need a few extra ideas for skill you can check both versions of persphome I did a while ago +

Persephone, Nature´s Wrath ( w/Art ) + Mod Set + Lore - Fan Concepts - Warframe Forums

Persephone, the Lifebringer (Art Finished)V7, Reworked Due to melee changes. - Fan Concepts - Warframe Forums

 

 

[(PSN)NidhoggValkyrian]

1 hour ago, keikogi said:

I would consider removing the completly static and reworking it on moving really slowly. Removing the player mobility removes half off the player imput reducing the skill and engament involved into playing the game. 

The phrasing on her being groundbund may be a bit misleading.
The ability would not lock her in place for it's duration, it would simply require her to be groundbound to initiate it, as it involves her burrying her roots in the ground around her animation-wise. Post cast Drosera would be free to move about again.
 

1 hour ago, keikogi said:

Removing the health would make this skill way better, as is this skill would brick on laterlevels where a single spit from a ignis would whip out all the sprouts. Also the stealing over time mechanic would make the skill useless on lower levels because the ene,ies would be whiped out before they can steal a significant ammount of energy. I would rework this skill in yhid way it has only duration , if the sprout takes damage it loses 1 second of its duration ( cannot loose more than 2 seconds of duration on 1 second of real time) and intead of stealing it just has a chance to sprout a fruit that heals or give energy.

Balancing for low and high levels definitely is gonna be a factor to take in account.
Replacing the Sproutling health bar with just the timer may assist in that.
Adding in the element of Chance may also help balance things. Not just with the health & energy drops, but with the aggro.
Give Sproutlings a CHANCE to draw aggro, but no guarantee. Same as how confused enemies will fire upon eachother but still have a chance to target you too.

 

 

1 hour ago, keikogi said:

avoid the kit feeling same ( evey skill is trow a seed to do x,y or z )

Deployment and nature of her middle abilities is definitely still on the table.
Currently her second ability is the only one capable of raising AND lowering Hunger stacks, hence the toggle, so I'm looking into some options to allow for more variety while still being able to manage Hunger.

Toggle abilities at itself shouldn't be too much of an issue as we already have a few of those ingame, Quiver and Venari come to mind.
It'll be more a matter of finding fitting abilities surrounding that toggle, as they tend to be different functionalities of the same ability.

[keikogi]

3 hours ago, (PSN)NidhoggValkyrian said:

The phrasing on her being groundbund may be a bit misleading.
The ability would not lock her in place for it's duration, it would simply require her to be groundbound to initiate it, as it involves her burrying her roots in the ground around her animation-wise. Post cast Drosera would be free to move about again.

Not exatly a fan off aoe dots. But if it does not lock her in place ( tought it was similar to sound quake ) it´s not bad. I just think there is better use for the skill slot, exalted form (did a few a while ago but DE is finaly making the idea a thing in the game)  , territory creation ( more off gives you advatage side off things than the so comon cc enemies and deals damage side off things ).

3 hours ago, (PSN)NidhoggValkyrian said:

Balancing for low and high levels definitely is gonna be a factor to take in account.
Replacing the Sproutling health bar with just the timer may assist in that.
Adding in the element of Chance may also help balance things. Not just with the health & energy drops, but with the aggro.
Give Sproutlings a CHANCE to draw aggro, but no guarantee. Same as how confused enemies will fire upon eachother but still have a chance to target you too.

Yep

3 hours ago, (PSN)NidhoggValkyrian said:

Deployment and nature of her middle abilities is definitely still on the table.
Currently her second ability is the only one capable of raising AND lowering Hunger stacks, hence the toggle, so I'm looking into some options to allow for more variety while still being able to manage Hunger.

My issue with all skill thowing a seed is the kit will feel same even it the skill are diferent. It´s kind off the vauban problem where all the skill look the same and DE strugled to make them feel diferent so much and we ended up with jugling balls , overdramatic throw and 2 i don´t care about this ball throws. This is why I´m trying to rebrand some skills but keeping their nature intact. 

Personally I would roll the seed skill on her 1 and make the alure aspect a combo off 2 and 3.

Here a basic pitch for a kit

Tap 1 

As is 

Hold 1

Casts a reworked versio off digest (based on one off persephone skills called sow the seeds ) 

Seeds stun enemies on impact and stick on than. Upon death the seed used the enemy body as nutriens to grow into a pitcher plant. Damage off the pitcher plants scales wiht the hp off the dead enemy 

So the first skill allows you to create a "mine field"  on the enemies path or get resources and cc the incomings enemies ( make sure that if the skill hits the enemy again the old seeds are overwriten ) 

2. Deadly Alure 

Blows a kiss spreding a intoxiating aroma, enemies hit will move towards the closest "plant"(this includes herself, plants generated by her 1 and 3 ). Plants hit will emit the same aroma for X.

Note: enemies hit by deadly allure will not attack Drosera , if they target her they will just move towards her instead of firing their weapons 

3.  Man eather 

Tap

Just passing a new coat off pant here 

Drosera slams her feet on the ground sprouting a man eater three at the target location. This plant will slowly drags enemies towards it location and slow down the enemy with a numing sap.  Man eather plants will be atomatically recalled if Drosera runs to far away. 

Hold ( Recall ) 

Reform the vines off all man eather plans into a vine armor. Defense scales with the ammount off enemies caught and killed by the plant ( or killed while caught by the plant ) 

4. 

?????

 

3 hours ago, (PSN)NidhoggValkyrian said:

Deployment and nature of her middle abilities is definitely still on the table.
Currently her second ability is the only one capable of raising AND lowering Hunger stacks, hence the toggle, so I'm looking into some options to allow for more variety while still being able to manage Hunger.

Toggle abilities at itself shouldn't be too much of an issue as we already have a few of those ingame, Quiver and Venari come to mind.
It'll be more a matter of finding fitting abilities surrounding that toggle, as they tend to be different functionalities of the same ability.

Personally not a fan off the hunger mechanic because carnivorous and parasitic(rolling then here because if a parasite kills fast enought it kind off becomes a predator ) plants are more off fisher than a hunter when it comes ot their predatory behavior so they don´t lend themselves to incresed agresion trough hunger. But I if you want to do it just go for a simple layout of tap on build up , hold 1 lowers hunger. Same goes for the 3 I sugested tap build up , hold lowers it. 

[(PSN)NidhoggValkyrian]

Brainstorming potential forms and alternatives, most of which centered around choosing for duration based with DoT or holding recast to end the ability and deal all damage immediately. This would allow Drosera to more directly control her Hunger and be less dependant on the duration of her abilities, growing or satiating her Hunger stacks to a desirable or comfortable number before ending the ability, thus halting the rise or drop in Hunger.

- Pitfall plant as alternative to Pitcher plant for Digest:
Sarlacc Pit style underground plant blooms open and lashes out with it's tendrils to pull enemies in the surrounding area into it's maw to slowly digest them doing corrosive DoT. When the ability ends, the Pitfall Plant withers away, spitting out any survivors, covered in corrosive stomach acids.
Consider it a Nidus Larva pulling enemies into a Hydroid Puddle. Hold on Recast to end the ability prematurely, having the Pitfall snap shut and munch on its prey a few times for instant damage before spitting them out and withering away. Enemies killed have a chance to drop health/energy, satiates Hunger.

- Poison Dart Flower: deployed turret plant firing poisonous barbs at enemies in range. Tap to deploy more Dart Flowers, Holding on Recast ends the ability, causing the Dart Flowers to explode in a rain of darts around them. The darts deal toxic & puncture damage. No effect on Hunger.

- Gas Bulbs: a tree lined with glowing orbs that explode into poisonous clouds when enemies come close or , dealing toxic and/or Gas damage. No effect on Hunger.

a few less static, quickly deployed abilities suited for run-and-gun:

- Thorny Vines: thorn/teeth lined tentacle bush that constricts enemies over time. Tapping the ability allows to deploy more vines, Holding on Recast ends the ability immediately, dealing all damage instant instead of DoT as the vines violently rip into their targets in one final squeeze. Can be targeted on an enemy to have them sprout right on top of the target for instant capture, or deployed on a surface to grab enemies that enter in range. The vines deal puncture/slash damage. Enemies killed have a chance to drop health/energy, grows Hunger.

- Skin Crawlers: Alternative to Consume's Sproutlings, a parasitic plant attaches to a single target enemy, causing the living seeds to burrow into them and grow rapidly, eating their way out for DoT and growing more flowers onto the target. Tap to deploy more burrowing plants, Hold on Recast to have the grown flowers violently burst from their prey and attach themselves to new targets in range. The Skin Crawlers deal puncture/slash damage. Enemies killed have a chance to drop health/energy, satiates Hunger.

- Vine Crawler: alternative/ augment to Thorny Vines, summonable minion, a Thorny Vine Snake/centipede (possible use of Infested Ashen rig) that autonomously seeks out prey and constricts them in their thorny grasp. Other functionalities similar to Thorny Vines

- Drifter Cloud: Drosera is surrounded with Dandelion like floating seedpods, mitigating up to x amount of incoming damage percentage. seedpods will attach themselves to the heads of enemies walking into their range, dealing no damage but rendering them immobile for x amount of time as they attempt to free themselves. Recasting sends all floating seedpods seeking out the closest enemies. Imagine Nova's Null Star functionality but with those damn Deimos Tendril Drones that keep facehugging you. No effect on Hunger.

Brainfarts ongoing. She's still primarily aimed to be a Damage Dealer & Crowd Control, but a few Defensive and/or Buff options can never hurt.

[(PSN)NidhoggValkyrian]

The thought cropped up that toggle abilities & Hold to recast won't work together due to the button prompts.
Considering dedicating one Ability slot to a Modus Selection which alters Drosera's active buffs and abilities, using mechanics similar to Khora's Venari Stances.
This allows Hold for Recast without interfering with Toggles.
These Modes would be Attack, CC and Defense oriented.
Aside from changing the active ability selection, these modes would offer the following:

- Attack Mode: Raises Damage, Lowers Armor
- CC Mode: Raises Movement Speed, Lowers Damage
- Defense Mode: Raises Armor, Lowers Movement Speed

The different modes would seperate active abilities as such:
Colors represent Hungering and Satiating.

First Ability:
Attack Mode: Consume
CC Mode: Thorny Vines
Defense Mode: Drifter Cloud

Second Ability:
Attack Mode: Pitfall
CC Mode: Nectar
Defense Mode: Entrap

Third Ability: Mode Selector

Fourth Ability: Devouring Bloom

some abilities ideas being tweaked, reworked into existing ones or used as Augments.
Still working out the possibility of other mode versions of 4.

[(PSN)NidhoggValkyrian]

Edit: Updated in OP

[(PSN)NidhoggValkyrian]

tweaked reference pictures & ability descriptions.