Why do you hunt Kuva Liches?

[(NSW)Greybones]

I like them as a thing that’s perpetually present. It feels weirdly quiet when I don’t have a Lich now 😋 And when I finally kill/convert them, it’s satisfying to get back all the stuff that was stolen

It’s a cold universe out there. Sometimes I’ll be in the downtime between missions, staring into that inky abyss between the stars, wondering at the true value of my life weighed against those I’ve killed, while flowers gathered from yet another outpost extermination still sit in my pack. Then Cuvoloktem will pop up to say he hates my guts, and it’ll feel nice to know someone who’s like me cares 😊. He needs me for his purpose in life, ya know? Perhaps I need him too.

edit: Then I’ll kill him and get whatever weapon he has. I’ve only had three Lichs so far, so I’m pretty far off from one of each

[Dairaion]

6 hours ago, (PSN)Wil_Shatner_face said:

So I’ve been playing this game over a year now and have yet to engage the Lich system outside of the Lich I accidentally created 9ish months ago. He’s just been chilling on Earth stealing my stuff when I go there.

I haven’t engaged it because I just don’t see the point? I don’t care that much about the weapons since most are just re-skins, and I definitely don’t care about the Ephemeras.

I’ve seen some say the Lich grind is awful, but then I’ve seen other people on here with over 100 Liches cleared, so there must be something fun about it for some of you. 

So I ask my fellow forum Tenno, why do you guys hunt Liches? Is it just for the rewards? There’s gotta be something more to it or people wouldn’t do 100+ of them. What am I missing out on?

A couple reasons. 
1. I want lich weapons. They’re the coolest thing to happen to grineer since the queens and the Wolf of Saturn Six set.

2. I enjoy the idea of having a boss that stalks me and isn’t a figure out their weak point fight, it’s just two god-tier warriors, hopefully locked in a room, having a massive naruto fight.

3. One day they may become useful for something so I’m trying to build up a small army of the best kind just in case I can use them in a Avengers Assemble moment.

[(PSN)Wil_Shatner_face]

 

1 hour ago, (PSN)Madurai-Prime said:

I hunt them for the totally only reskinned weapons. 

Yeah I already clarified what I meant by that. If my regular Kohm already deletes everything, why do I need a Kuva Kohm? To delete things slightly faster?

1 hour ago, (XBOX)C11H22O11 said:

I would say it is and unless you buy it you can get shildeg much earlier than Arca titron

Earlier yes, but far from easier. Arca Titron is just bought from a clan, right? Tbh it was just the first decent hammer I could think of.

[MqToasty]

11 hours ago, (PSN)Wil_Shatner_face said:

Yeah I already clarified what I meant by that. If my regular Kohm already deletes everything, why do I need a Kuva Kohm? To delete things slightly faster?

No one is trying to convince you to do Kuva Liches.  You asked a question, and others answered.  If you are such an extreme satisficer, then why did you even get a regular Kohm?  I'm sure a regular Hek could "delete everything" your Kohm can, if just a bit slower.

[vegetosayajin]

to collect and try out the weapons - I did this when they were introduced so haven't "hunted" in quite some time

[Butterfly85]

I grabbed all the weapons, then maxed out the three I actually cared about.

Corpus I'll probably just get the weapons, unless the system becomes more interesting.

[fo3nixz]

grineer enslavement and soon corpus enslavement?

[DragonFox16]

13 hours ago, (PSN)Wil_Shatner_face said:

 

Yeah I already clarified what I meant by that. If my regular Kohm already deletes everything, why do I need a Kuva Kohm? To delete things slightly faster?

But this argumentation always works. And if you go on and on, questioning every time whether you need this minimal update in performance, you will eventually end up with an unmodded Braton Mk1. Can't the question of why you should play a certain content, as you ask it, always be asked?

I doubt that your Kohm deletes everything. Eventually it will get to the point where it doesn't do enough damage to feel good. And if the Kuva Kohm is even 5% stronger than the normal Khom, the Kuva Kohm will reach that point 5% later than the normal Khom.

[(PSN)Wil_Shatner_face]

2 hours ago, MqToasty said:

No one is trying to convince you to do Kuva Liches.  You asked a question, and others answered.  If you are such an extreme satisficer, then why did you even get a regular Kohm?  I'm sure a regular Hek could "delete everything" your Kohm can, if just a bit slower.

Huh?

”I hunt them for the totally only re-skinned weapons” was a smartass response. I was just responding to that one person, and clarifying what I meant in my OP.

Not sure what you’re taking issue with here. I appreciate all the genuine responses.

[(PSN)Wil_Shatner_face]

26 minutes ago, DragonFox16 said:

But this argumentation always works. And if you go on and on, questioning every time whether you need this minimal update in performance, you will eventually end up with an unmodded Braton Mk1. Can't the question of why you should play a certain content, as you ask it, always be asked?

I doubt that your Kohm deletes everything. Eventually it will get to the point where it doesn't do enough damage to feel good. And if the Kuva Kohm is even 5% stronger than the normal Khom, the Kuva Kohm will reach that point 5% later than the normal Khom.

Yeah, I realize this argument can be applied across everything in the game.

My point with the Kohm vs Kuva Kohm is that functionally they feel the same, one is just stronger. Personally I’d rather grind out a completely new weapon than a stronger version of one I already have, which is why I haven’t engaged the Lich system.

I asked my original question to see if there was something else in the gameplay loop that people enjoyed, that maybe I’ve been missing out on.

[cha0sWyrM]

20 hours ago, (PSN)Wil_Shatner_face said:

I don’t care that much about the weapons since most are just re-skins,
 

well...thats simply inaccurate. they very definitely are more than reskins...they are entirely new weapons with entirely new mechanics.

the kuva nukor is easily the single "best" weapon in the entire game. it wholesale slaughters entire mobs instantly even on steel path...and once they get to a level where they dont instantly disintegrate...well then it applies multiple status effects for condition overload.

ill give my wuclone a kuva bramma and then just stand there and laugh since he never runs out of ammo.

kuva weapons are not just reskins. im not even sure why you would think that.

[Syln]

I did for the weapon but it was boring, unimmersive,  kind of annoying and redundant.

Sometimes it feels like DE struggle to grasp what is fun and tend to balance reward in favor of system life span instead of player's satisfaction.

[(PSN)Wil_Shatner_face]

1 hour ago, cha0sWyrM said:

well...thats simply inaccurate. they very definitely are more than reskins...they are entirely new weapons with entirely new mechanics.

This has been addressed in the rest of the thread if you’d read the whole thing.

1 hour ago, cha0sWyrM said:

kuva weapons are not just reskins. im not even sure why you would think that.

Because most of them are re-skins with better stats. I could’ve clarified better in my OP.

[DogsConkers]

I quit trying to get all the weapons after farming 60 liches (approx 180 hours) and traded for the last 3. Only got 2 of the ephemeras from those 60. All that for a Kuva Nukor!

Such is the life of an early adopter. They made it easier a month later but it has left a bad taste. Absolutely dreading the extra 3 weapons and the female liches.

[cha0sWyrM]

4 hours ago, (PSN)Wil_Shatner_face said:

This has been addressed in the rest of the thread if you’d read the whole thing.

Because most of them are re-skins with better stats. I could’ve clarified better in my OP.

it may have been addressed in the rest of the thread...but apparently some people still dont understand what a reskin is

the fact that they have better stats...is the exact reason why they ARENT reskins. by definition...a reskin is exactly the same...except for the skin.

[(PSN)slightconfuzzled]

Naturally everyone is going to have different preferences with such content, personally Liches are one of my favourite parts of the game. I like...

A. Their silly idiosyncratic personalities. Like... their threats, and taunts, are so dumb, in a good way, its incredible. I know it. The System knows it. My fifteen friends who are betting on it know it. My only issue is that I wished their were more personality types, but then they added some more and are going to add more with Corpus so... oh and many of their lines are influenced by how you killed them and small details like that. 

B. The weapons are fun and exciting. Yeah I know they can be argued to be re-skins with better stats, but so can Prime weapons?!? Regardless, I still get hype for some of them, means more tinkering and playing around with builds, variety and versatility. I get why people like the Bramma and Nukor, I like them too, but weapons like the Kuva Chakkhurr and Kuva Ayanga, I think are especially great additions to the game. 

C. The difficulty hits a sweet spot for me, as a midway point between say... normal star chart and Steel Path. Normal star chart, or Relic/Fissure missions are too easy, even for wildly experimental builds/sub optimal builds etc Steel Path can be easy, if you take it seriously. Kuva Lich missions, are like Sortie level to me, where I can have a bit more fun with builds/set ups, 

D. I find the the ability to convert them to an ally fascinating. When I first started doing Kuva Liches, it wasn't as easy for me back then, I was only MR 11. Well specifically it was one Lich that was giving me trouble, I actually died a few times battling her. Sogg Jenn, probably her Toxin procs or fact she had the Kuva Ogris. She was a tough tough lady, the Vegeta to my Goku, the Vergil to my Dante, the Snuffleupagus to my Big Bird... she was my third Lich, and the Elemental bonus for her Ogris was high, like 50 something percent. When it came to kill or convert though... well she earned my respect, so I converted. Blew my mind when she use to show up in missions to help me out. Still remember when I fought another powerful Lich that killed me (some of their powers at level 5 are potent) my allied Lich showed up, and felt very epic, watching the two go at it. My Lich and I, versus a Lich with a dozen or so thralls. 

I totally get why others avoid them though. To myself, its just more content and a different way to play the game I guess. 

[MqToasty]

11 hours ago, (PSN)Wil_Shatner_face said:

Huh?

”I hunt them for the totally only re-skinned weapons” was a smartass response. I was just responding to that one person, and clarifying what I meant in my OP.

Not sure what you’re taking issue with here. I appreciate all the genuine responses.

Okay.  Sorry, it sounded like you were begging the question with your "why do I need a Kuva Kohm? To delete things slightly faster?" response.  Just about every other weapon in this game (and most if not all games with a lot of weapons) is a reskinned, restatted tweak of another weapon.  Even setting aside variations like Syndicate or Event Weapons (did you get those?  Why?), at least 90% of the weapons are not truly unique, having a unique mechanic.  Most automatic pistols are just automatic pistols; most semiauto shotguns are just semiauto shotguns.

Now having said that, the acquisition of Lich weapons are a lot of work.  Fully ranking them is even more work -- you need to get 210 ranks on them to reach rank 40, meaning an effective 19 MR-Affinity per Rank as opposed to 100 MR-Affinity per Rank for other weapons.  But they are some of the best weapons in the game, the liches can be funny, and you will be missing out if you did not at least give it a try at some point.

[Dairaion]

7 hours ago, DogsConkers said:

I quit trying to get all the weapons after farming 60 liches (approx 180 hours) and traded for the last 3. Only got 2 of the ephemeras from those 60. All that for a Kuva Nukor!

Such is the life of an early adopter. They made it easier a month later but it has left a bad taste. Absolutely dreading the extra 3 weapons and the female liches.

You know you can just ignore the larva right? You don’t have to take it.

[(PSN)slightconfuzzled]

36 minutes ago, Dairaion said:

You know you can just ignore the larva right? You don’t have to take it.

 

I think they are referring to before they made that change. Originally (and I might be wrong, since I don't have first hand experience, so someone feel free to correct me) you didn't know what weapon you would get. 

[Dairaion]

7 minutes ago, (PSN)slightconfuzzled said:

 

I think they are referring to before they made that change. Originally (and I might be wrong, since I don't have first hand experience, so someone feel free to correct me) you didn't know what weapon you would get. 

Forgot about that, how unfortunate.

[(NSW)Greybones]

5 hours ago, (PSN)slightconfuzzled said:

D. I find the the ability to convert them to an ally fascinating. When I first started doing Kuva Liches, it wasn't as easy for me back then, I was only MR 11. Well specifically it was one Lich that was giving me trouble, I actually died a few times battling her. Sogg Jenn, probably her Toxin procs or fact she had the Kuva Ogris. She was a tough tough lady, the Vegeta to my Goku, the Vergil to my Dante, the Snuffleupagus to my Big Bird... she was my third Lich, and the Elemental bonus for her Ogris was high, like 50 something percent. When it came to kill or convert though... well she earned my respect, so I converted. Blew my mind when she use to show up in missions to help me out. Still remember when I fought another powerful Lich that killed me (some of their powers at level 5 are potent) my allied Lich showed up, and felt very epic, watching the two go at it. My Lich and I, versus a Lich with a dozen or so thralls. 

Your entire post was enjoyable to read, thank you for making it 👍

This bit in particular resonated with me since it’s like a combination of my first two lichs; Yorvi Fuz’d and Zekk Benn. Yorvi because she’s pulled my ass out of the fire more than once, and Zekk because his toxic Tonkor (that I eventually claimed for my own) was a nightmare.

[SneakyErvin]

17 hours ago, DogsConkers said:

I quit trying to get all the weapons after farming 60 liches (approx 180 hours) and traded for the last 3. Only got 2 of the ephemeras from those 60. All that for a Kuva Nukor!

Such is the life of an early adopter. They made it easier a month later but it has left a bad taste. Absolutely dreading the extra 3 weapons and the female liches.

Well you cant have been an early adopter and chased the Nukor, since the Nukor wasnt introduced until 27.1, when the whole system was reworked and even valence got introduced for kuva weapons to make them easier to max.

[(PSN)Wil_Shatner_face]

11 hours ago, MqToasty said:

Just about every other weapon in this game (and most if not all games with a lot of weapons) is a reskinned, restatted tweak of another weapon.  Even setting aside variations like Syndicate or Event Weapons (did you get those?  Why?),

This is true. I do get the syndicate weapons but they are incredibly easy to obtain. But for an example, the vanilla Hek was by far my most used weapon at low MRs, so by the time I got the Vaykor Hek I was already tired of that weapon. It was cool that it was stronger, but it still felt like something I had already used to death. So that’s why I’m a bit reluctant to grind out all the Kuva Weapon.

Quote

Now having said that, the acquisition of Lich weapons are a lot of work.  Fully ranking them is even more work -- you need to get 210 ranks on them to reach rank 40, meaning an effective 19 MR-Affinity per Rank as opposed to 100 MR-Affinity per Rank for other weapons.  But they are some of the best weapons in the game, the liches can be funny, and you will be missing out if you did not at least give it a try at some point.

I think I will give it a try and just get a few of the weapons. Doubt I will invest the time to get them all.

[Kaggelos]

At first i did it for the challenge, the weapons, and the ephemeras. now i got everything, so i only do them for fun ^^

[Myscho]

Only for weapons, after i got them all, i abbandoned Liches