Three VERY Simple Zephyr Rework Ideas (From a Zephyr main)

[Ryusuta]

So, a lot of buzz has been made about the upcoming rework for Zephyr. And while I'm glad they're not going to be changing Turbulence and trying to reinvent the wheel with it, I have three very simple ability adjustment suggestions that will keep her design intact while ironing out the kinks. I'd post this in Feedback, but since this is speculative (and Feedback is a ghost town), I figured it works here.

Tail Wind

I like the change they proposed for this. However, I think that rather than keeping you stationary, hold-casting should move you forward. While held down, Zephyr will continue to move forward, with a (slow) "battery" drain to her energy. Just that little bit of extra precision and control for a move that is otherwise incredibly good, if unruly, ability

If you want to keep the hover mechanic, perhaps make it so you can press W (AKA "move forward") to start moving out of a hover. The main gist, though, is to keep the mobility application and simply wrangle it a little better.

Tornado

Very simple change: whenever you cast Tornado, one of the tornadoes will ALWAYS spawn at your crosshair.

Tornado USUALLY does a decent job at spawning around where it's cast, but I've noticed on some maps and situations, the tornadoes will scatter all over the place. So much so, I've heard some people trying to use a negative-range build on Zephyr, which is a TERRIBLE idea because it removes the protective capabilities of Turbulence for defense targets and teammates. Though admittedly a lot of people aren't aware of this all-important feature to begin with. At any rate, having a Tornado GUARANTEED spawn on a crosshair would up the move's reliability in addition to its already decent crowd-control and damage abilities.

And speaking of Turbulence...

Turbulence

DE 1,000,000% has the right idea in not messing with this. Even people that don't use Zephyr have to admit this is BY FAR the strongest part of her kit. Being nigh-invulnerable to the vast majority of damage in the game can't be understated.

That being said, there is one very, VERY simple thing that I would absolutely LOVE to be changed about this ability to make it just right: make it so you can recast the ability while it's active.

You would be surprised at how much of a help this would be. It's always a bit awkward twiddling my thumbs, waiting that last 5 seconds for the ability to run out just to be able to refresh the timer on it. This is already a feature of Tornado, and this one tiny change can drastically streamline the use of this ability.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. I absolutely ADORE Zephyr and while I'm glad the reworks are keeping her design philosophy intact, I also feel that just these tiny extra features would be that much more of a help.

Thoughts? Any ideas you guys want for the rework? I'd love to hear. Hope you enjoyed this!

[Venus-Venera]

but for which niche is this skill set good?
we already have almost immortal tanks, warframes with different flying skills, very fast movement, etc.

[Ragnafiro]

Thoughts on how you want to change Zephyr 2?

[(XBOX)Apoll0 666]

39 minutes ago, Ryusuta said:

Tail Wind

I like the change they proposed for this. However, I think that rather than keeping you stationary, hold-casting should move you forward. While held down, Zephyr will continue to move forward, with a (slow) "battery" drain to her energy. Just that little bit of extra precision and control for a move that is otherwise incredibly good, if unruly, ability

If you want to keep the hover mechanic, perhaps make it so you can press W (AKA "move forward") to start moving out of a hover. The main gist, though, is to keep the mobility application and simply wrangle it a little better.

All I'm gonna say is her 1st ability is possibly even more useless then Valkyr's batman grappling hook, at least that does consistent damage(not a lot, but consistent) and looks pretty cool. Zephyr's is just an unlimited bullet jump that cost's energy with some whoosh effects. I think if anything if she held down her 1st ability she pushed air away from around her, think Banshee kind of. I think that would at least be a bit helpful and meh aoe/crowd control. I haven't played Zephyr in a while but I still remember kind of staring at the screen like 🤨 when I saw her hover like 2 feet in place. Like, "This is what i'm using my energy on??"

 

[Ryusuta]

28 minutes ago, Battle.Mage said:

but for which niche is this skill set good?
we already have almost immortal tanks, warframes with different flying skills, very fast movement, etc.

One of her main benefits is being able to passively defend defense targets and allies. With a duration/range build on any defense-based mission, it makes defense targets basically impossible to hit as long as you're nearby. I talk about it a bit in a video I made a couple of years ago. Which I really need to make a follow-up on someday.

The other advantages she has are being very fast, having strong, passive crowd control which doubles as a huge group-killing ability (because shooting a Tornado damages everything in it, you can wipe the floor with Steel Path enemies this way).

The way I picture Zephyr is that she's kind of a goalie in some situations, a linebacker in others.

She is there to make sure absolutely nothing touches her allies and defense targets. When she needs to be, she can also blow the whistle, bring the fight to a halt, and tend to other matters if needed (such as an emergency revival or whatnot). She's fast enough to be where she needs to be, and just be being there, her presence is basically a giant middle finger to all enemies.

I kinda think of her Turbulence as a miniature Cataclysm; unable to freeze enemies, but also doesn't interfere with allies.

Give it a go sometime. You might be pleasantly surprised. =)

20 minutes ago, Ragnafiro said:

Thoughts on how you want to change Zephyr 2?

To be very honest, I basically always subsume her 2 away as it is, so I don't have a strong opinion on it. The changes they proposed for it seem decent enough.

[KittySkin]

For me at least, her 2 and 3 are nice, her 1 its TERRIBLE to control, like why the hell I cant actually STOP when I want? Even gauss can. And her 4 needs as you said, to spawn at least a single tornado at the place you aimed.

If her 1 "float" duration scales up with duration or where refreshable and the tailwind absurd impulse where in some way stopable, Ill be more than ok, the 4 change will be the cherry on the top of that.