Proposed Changes to Modernize Equinox

[ThatonePenguinPerson]

I've been a fan of equinox ever since she came out 6 years ago. Unlike most, I main her night form using gloom and pacify with the augment to basically slow down time. When her prime was revealed, I was ready to propose to Ray, the artist. However, I have a few gripes with how outdated Equinox is today. So to modernize her a bit, I've come up with some changes that would take some small dev time. 

With the release of Sevagoth, we have what is essentially the ultimate customization available to any Warframe. When I first played as Sevagoth, all I could think about was how this should've been Equinox. So that's what inspired post.

First, we need to address the bare-bone customization for the base equinox and her prime. This Warframe suffers from a very bland array of color options. Therefore, I think night and day form should be about to be customized separately. This way, if the player wants to, they can make both forms the same color, or completely different colors without one form affecting the other. The composite form would probably still be a mix of both though. There's a very simple way to customize this in the UI though. Instead of it being an exalted form like Sevagoth, just make use of that toggle that says "metamorphosis". When you're in night form, you'll get the color pallet, attachments, syandana, sigils, everything in the appearance loadout for night form. Press metamorphosis again for day form and it's the same but for day form. Press it again for composite form, but it's a bit different this time. This time, composite form still combines both forms with their respective colors, but instead of getting a color pallet for composite form and such, it'll have a toggle for starting in night or day form. It'll still have options for attachments, syandana, and sigil.

Why? Customization is incredibly important, and we all know fashion frame is end game right now. But also, this allows Equinox to color her energy emissives without it affecting her beginning mission form. Not as important, but still great quality of life. But the next one is really important

I've seen people say that Equinox needs bugs to get numbers or bugs in general. I disagree with all of that. As nice as number buffs would be, Equinox is fine and agreed super well compared to other frames. What Equinox needs is options and variety in how you can build her power. I think the best way to approach this is through modding. Night and Day need to mod separately. The fact that both of these forms share the same mod configuration is the biggest thing holding back this Warframe. Therefore, there's a simple way to solve it (ignoring the in-depth technical work behind the scenes). Without paying plat, every Warframe has 3 mod configurations. However, with Equinox, she should have 9. Now, this sounds like too many, but here's the thing. You'll only see the 3 standard configurations of A, B, and C, The way you swap between the loadouts for the other two forms is with the help of a little button that should be added to the mod menu called "metamorphosis". To demonstrate, Configuration A starts off with Night form. Click the metamorphosis button and now it's day form, but still for configuration A. This means that for Equinox, each mod configuration will hold 1 configuration for each of her forms (3).

But...why? What makes equinox stand out from every other Warframe is the fact that she's so versatile. She can sleep enemies, damage/slow debuff, ability strength/self buff, and nuke. She can even speed up enemies. If we buff these numbers directly, she'll be insanely busted. But that's if we buff them directly. If they're buffed through mods, I think that's fine since the player has to work for that power. And if there's anything that Equinox players know, it's that she's a heavy investment (her farm on Uranus). So I think it'd only be right by DE to make that farm worth it by giving the player the most flexible Warframe in the game. 

Composite (Re)Form 
But.... Why mod Composite form? Well, before we get to modding it, let's talk about the changes I think would make it worth modding. First, I think it should last for 3 seconds and make you invincible. Next, any mods applied to composite form will affect Metamorphosis (her 1). Now, I want you to imagine what you can do in 3 seconds. Remember, you're invulnerable during this time too. You could mod yourself with a ton of speed mods and use her metamorphosis as an escape tool. Or, you can just use super power metamorphosis with a ton of power strength to get lots of Shields/Armor or super speed. But also, you can use it with arcanes that you wouldn't normally use that blow up health/energy orbs. I think there's some fun to be had in those three seconds. If not, you can always just leave it unmodded too. 

"But what about the forma cost? I don't want to spend 15 forma on a single Warframe again." I'm right with you on this one. Therefore, I think Equinox's passive should change. Instead of giving a barely noticable Equilibrium mod, it should instead make it so when you invest one forma on Equinox, you can apply it twice between night, day, and Composite form. So for example, if you put a v on night form, you can put another polarity on either day or composite form (not both).

As a completely unnecessary bonus if they wanted to keep the old passive in addition to it, For every forma put onto Equinox, she'll gain additional energy/health from orbs (up to 5 extra energy/health, 30 energy or health from an orb in total at max value). 

Equinox is great, she just needs to be modernized. I think these changes will definitely take some effort, but for a Warframe who's base version is so grindy to get, I think these changes will make all the grind worth it.

P.S. Helminth will only subsume one form at a time. So when you select, it'll ask for which form like night, day, composite and then for which ability and loadouts like it does now.

TL;DR
- Each form gets individual customization for animation sets, attachments, sigil, and syandana. Night and Day get individual color palettes.
- toggle in loadout for Night or Day form during mission start
- Night, Day, and Composite mod individually, swap with metamorphosis toggle
- Composite form is 3 seconds long, can be modded
- New Passive, forma 2 forms (night, day, composite) for price of 1 forma

I apologize for any typos, I haven't slept for 20 hours. Please do offer feedback if you think something similar or different!

[mycroft_]

DE says that something as simple as adding a toggle to make Gara's glass armor go away is too likely to introduce bugs. And that's easy.

There's no way they're gonna take the time and effort required to implement this, unfortunately.

[Arcticblizzard]

I can understand the cosmetic side of this thread, it would be nice. As far as the second mod configuration window for the second frame, in my opinion it's a no. Equinox are not the same as Sevagoth. Sevagoth's abilities are similar to his Shadow, just a little different. So with Sevagoth, when you change, it's to change how the same affects are delivered. Where as in Equinoxs' case, when you metamorphose, you are changing out kits entirely. Equinox are probably in the top 5 (if not #1) hardest frames to master as a whole. I have ran with enough well played Equinox to know those frames do not need more power. Just more skill from the user. Equinox are in my opinion endgame mastery frames. 

I do hope DE does consider the cosmetic part, but like the previous post said, it is unlikely.

As always, I look forward to constructive criticism and discussion. Readers, please do comment.