Caliban Feedback and my Opinions

[--Creedus--]

On Caliban's abilities:

 

Adaptive Armor, Caliban's passive, is a degraded, built-in version of Adaptation. This passive will see very little use in virtually all missions despite offering similar effects to Adaptation. Most Warframe players utilize the effect of Adaptation (which completely overrides this passive's effect - it does not stack) or take advantage of Shield Gating, and/or abilities that advance options for using Shield Gating as a survival tactic. This is in contrast to a pre-existing passive which (in my experience) does stack with the effects of Adaptation - Baruuk's passive - Restraint. The fact that this passive affects allies does not necessarily increase its utility or usefulness as a passive. It does provide damage reduction, but, as mentioned previously, many players will already be taking advantage of more useful game mechanics that completely override this passive. Adaptive Armor needs developer attention. It is virtually ineffectual to most players and is made completely irrelevant in the presence of so many other abilities, mods, and other ever-present Warframe game mechanics that increase a Warframe's survivability.

 

Razor Gyre, Caliban's first ability, is a grafted tangle of Inaros' Sandstorm and a de-toned Wukong's Defy. It doesn't offer any damage invulnerability, but it does heal you, although for a very small amount. The damage output is not in line with other Warframe abilities that deal damage in a radius, i.e., Yareli's Aquablades, or even Inaros' Sandstorm, as the ability's damage does not affect enemies in the radius as it probably should. I find that only by using Caliban's second ability, Sentient Wrath, and having your target(s) affected by its lift, will it reliably deal damage to such target(s). The energy drain is also atrocious, though, if the previously addressed issue is fixed, this point may become moot. However, currently, it is entirely energy inefficient to use this ability, as you would benefit far more from just using the same energy on Fusion Strike, Caliban's fourth ability. You would otherwise be better off subsuming Yareli and using her Aquablades in place of this ability, assuming you wanted a radial attack ability on Caliban. Razor Gyre needs developer attention. It's seemingly buggy and very ineffective in all content.

Sentient Wrath, Caliban's second ability, does exactly as its description states. That's all well and good. It offers a damage vulnerability on affected targets, as well as a lifted status. The range is comfortable to work with, and it changes with Ability Range. The number of targets it can affect also seems fair, and it changes with ability strength. You can easily take advantage of this ability by slamming into a group of enemies with your melee, using the ability, then proceeding to ravage the remainder of enemies lifted by the ability. This ability is fine as-is from my experience. It offers good utility/CC and synergizes with many melee builds.

 

Lethal Progeny, Caliban's third ability, is a bit of a joke. The Conculysts aren't lethal to any enemy beyond enemy level 30. Nor are they very good at surviving beyond enemy level 50. Oftentimes in my game-play with him - thus far - the hits they draw away from you are few and far between, and do not generate much utility at all. The shield regeneration is alright but it's nothing to rely on in Steel Path. Arguably, Steel Path should be difficult, but there is a multitude of other means players will use in preference of this ability. Using this ability in any content beyond enemy level 60 is a waste of energy and does not bring any utility beyond increasing your shield regeneration, but if you're doing Steel Path, you likely already have at least two other ways of regenerating your shields that work more efficiently and quickly than this ability. It is effectively useless in any content beyond the scope of the base-level Star Chart, which is slightly funny to me, as Caliban is only accessible after a point where the player has beaten most - if not all - of the nodes on the Star Chart. Lethal Progeny needs developer attention. It is generally ineffective for any higher-level content, as there are better, more efficient ways of recovering shields, and/or avoiding incoming fire. Summon AI is another matter entirely, but, when the Conculysts manage to hit anything... It's more of a light kiss. You would find better use of an ability slot by subsuming Hildryn and using her Pillage ability to recover shields, or Harrow and using his Condemn ability to recover shields - or any other ability that increases dodge chance, shield regeneration, status immunity, or otherwise increases your chances of survival. It would be nice to have either a way to customize the Conculysts through modding like with pets, or have other options for Sentient summons.

 

Fusion Strike, Caliban's fourth ability, is pretty good in my opinion. Unlike other Warframe abilities which reduce enemy defenses either temporarily, within a certain area of effect for a limited time, or while under certain Warframe effects, this ability permanently reduces the defenses of an enemy. This means that you can strip the armor of enemies like Demolysts (who emit nullifying pulses) without having to utilize Shattering Impact with a melee weapon, or use a Warframe like Xaku to reduce/strip their armor. It's a more focused armor strip ability that also deals moderate damage. It might seem like a good "4 spam to win" ability but in fact, offers rather good utility in higher-level content. I would not recommend replacing this ability with any Helminth ability.

[--Creedus--]

I will note, to the players who might say something along the lines of "But X Warframe doesn't gain such utility..." - Caliban is obtained at a very, very late stage of the game... after you have completed virtually all existing story content. Caliban should be stronger, as simply unlocking him requires the completion of weeks worth of content, not to mention the effort you must go through to obtain him without spending Platinum. It should be rewarding to obtain him as a Warframe, and, although he is very enjoyable, there are several improvements I can and have pointed out which would make him more attractive, and either increase his popularity beyond post-NW launch, increase Steel Path playability, increase Warframe squad diversity, or any combination of those outcomes, and possibly more. I see no reason to gate Warframes based on the power of existing content, especially since weapons and other equipment do not follow such a doctrine.