[Warframe Critique] Loki: If Decoy and Switch Teleport could merge into one, opportunity for a new 3rd

[FoxFX]

 

 

WHAT WAS DONE RIGHT WITH LOKI SO FAR...

• Retains one of the MOST consistent stealth-based Warframes in the game with his ability Invisibility as a decent tool (and Hushed Invisibility offering a strong stealth option)
• He also sports one of the Warframes with a noteworthy Energy Pool
• Has a utility ability in the form of Switch Teleport which can speed up mobile objectives faster than normal
• Has a decent Crowd Control tech with Radial Disarm bringing ranged enemies into close combat (doubled with Irradiating Disarm inflicting Confusion Effect on disarmed enemies)

 

WHAT IS CONCERNING AND/OR DONE WRONG WITH LOKI

• Decoy does not last long as it has a stagnant Health/Shield stat, only inflicts Puncture Procs on enemies it hits, and does not have the strong aggro other Decoy-like abilities out there have
• [Personal Criticism] With how mobility in Warframe has evolved, Switch Teleport feels a bit restrictive. I also feel concerns with Switch Teleport also capable of teleporting allies and placing them in some unwanted predicaments
• Loki leaves little contribution overall in teamplay in terms of combat engagement. Loki is touted as a Stealth Warframe in general, but there are now other Warframes that have Stealth utility and have a broader range of assets to use for combat. With his crowd control with the limited Decoy and Radial Disarm going up against the current meta of how we handle enemies, I get the feeling that he is slowly lagging behind. Not to say he should have something more offensive, but I feel it would not hurt to observe the options.

 

GENERAL FEEDBACK

Loki has remained unchanged for which I believe the best reason for his capabilities of stealth. At this point, we are introduced to new options where I feel Loki is not as relevant as he used to be.

Not to say his entire kit needs to change since he has hung around for practically longer than the other Warframes that have still remained with their kit and are showing their age. I get the feeling that Loki could use a bit more and an experimental touch up.

The hardest thing to think about is if Loki has his stealth and crowd control options, what other role could he also have?

I can understand a majority of the community would scoff at giving Loki a strong damage ability so that is out of the question and it goes against his motif as a trickster (given how difficult trickster abilities can be handled in general). Which leaves several options:

• Finisher Attack Ability
• Pilfering Ability
• Self-Buff Ability
• Enemy De-buff Ability

I'd like to break down suggestions for the current Loki and then EXPERIMENTAL suggestions

 

 

THE CHANGES SUGGESTED FOR THE CURRENT LOKI

Loki's Passive

• Let it remain. It is a niche that hasn't done much harm to him and for some stealth missions that require parkour, the Wall Latch extensions can be a decent utility for him

Loki's Decoy

• Give the Decoy invulnerable to all damage but cut its base Duration
• Increase aggro on the Decoy
• Relinquish the Impact/Slash effect of Decoy's attacks and replace it with a different debuff utility

Loki's Radial Disarm

• Heavily reduce the cast time of the ability
• Offer a debuff to enemies affected with a temporary vulnerability to Melee attacks

 

THE EXPERIMENTAL SUGGESTION: COMBINE DECOY WITH SWITCH TELEPORT:

[REWORKED Ability #1] Decoy:

• On tapping the ability:
  • On NO target: creates the hologram decoy
  • On targeting an enemy: turns the enemy into Loki with increased aggro
     
• On holding down the ability:
  • On NO target: teleports Loki to the targeted location while leaving behind a Decoy where he previously was
  • On targeting an enemy: Switch places with the enemy and the enemy turns into Loki drawing aggro to it
  • On targeted ally: Switches places with the ally and offers both Loki and the ally a brief 1.5 - 2 second invulnerability

 

THE EXPERIMENTAL POSSIBILITIES FOR A NEW 3RD IF SWITCH TELEPORT MERGES WITH DECOY:

3rd Ability Concept: "Thieve"

• Loki teleports to a targeted enemy dealing a portion of the enemy's current health and robs from his victim
  • Loki then obtains a buff gaining Faction Damage of the target's Faction (Grineer, Infested, Corpus, Corrupted, Sentient, Wild)
  • Loki targeting Eximus units cuts Overguard by a portion and Loki can temporarily gain the Eximus's Aura
• {Augment} Allows Loki to share the Faction Damage bonus with allies within XX m

 

EXPERIMENTAL RADIAL DISARM - AURA OF DISARM:

• [Toggle] Radial Disarm becomes an aura that allows Loki to automatically disarm foes close by
  • drains energy only if the ability successfully disarms an enemy
     

 

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:

Loki's kit seems to gear him more toward being a mid-close combat expert gaining bonuses through distracting targets, Stealth multipliers, and disarming enemies. The experimental concept of "Thieve" was simply to give him a little edge in taking out stronger targets though with an attempt to maintain his "trickster" theme which usually have them also steal from their foes.

But aside from the experimental suggestions, I feel Loki's current kit needs some adjustment and a bit more freedom to use (in terms of Switch Teleport requiring a target as a 3rd ability). If there is another option for a new tool for Loki to have, if any could be conceptualized, it would be a bit difficult to think on right now.

Loki is well done for now, but an update on his current kit would be very welcomed (where I posted the Decoy changes and the additional buff to Radial Disarm).

Please share your thoughts about playing as Loki and where you mostly use him. Share your thoughts if you would like to see Loki in a more aggressive play style or in the realm of team support.

[FoxFX]

THOUGHTS ON [SAVIOR DECOY] FOR LOKI NOW:

I understand there is a strategy involved with Loki's Decoy meshing with Banish, but with the current state of the game, I've been pondering to myself if that and this Augment are optimal in Loki's gameplay.

We have now one of the more infamous survival tactics which does not even require Helmith to utilize in the form of Shields, Rolling Guard, and Brief Respite that almost all Warframes can use to survive encounters, but does Loki require that sustainability if he can remain as invisible to obstacles as long as he can.

I feel the Augment Savior Decoy had its promise upon its release months after the War Within. Would it be something worth investing a slot for Loki now I can't guarantee it would be. Loki doesn't have the means to take the risk of being damaged for this augment to be around.

[Grommile]

You appear to have pasted your OP from an external rich text editor that included colour information.

It's unreadable on the night mode forum skin.

[FoxFX]

10 hours ago, Grommile said:

You appear to have pasted your OP from an external rich text editor that included colour information.

It's unreadable on the night mode forum skin.

Adjustments were made to the OP.

[FoxFX]

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON LOKI'S PASSIVE:

This was a passive I would have expected to be given to a Warframe that had a gimmick tied to it (such as Spider). However, considering the nature of non-combative missions such as Spy and Rescue, my perspective on it gradually grew into a decent niche and fitting one for Loki.

Personality-wise, I see Loki as a Warframe that carefully eyes the combat and looks for opportune moments to strike. Whether it be by going invisible, deploying a decoy, or watching from above to see when the right opportunity prevents itself.

But is that sort of strategy meant for the fast-paced nature this game present itself to be is something I have questioned for some time before writing this critique. Is it affordable to spend most of the time invisible while potentially allowing others to handle most of the heavy lifting?

Right now, the passive is fine where it is at now, and only time can tell if that statement changes.

[FoxFX]

THOUGHTS ON HUSHED INVISIBILITY FOR LOKI:

Invisibility and noise reduction turns Loki into a non-existent entity in the game offering practically an untargetability state. That alone offers so much defense that asking for another self-defensive tool would be almost asking for too much.

It all depends on the one controlling Loki if they can avoid traps and AOE damages that come their way.

Hushed Invisibility provides one of the most powerful self-defensive tools, but like most tools, its perfection is relied on the user.

[FoxFX]

THOUGHTS ON SAFEGUARD SWITCH FOR LOKI:

I shared my thoughts on combining Switch Teleport with Decoy into one ability, and while seeing this Augment can spell protective abuse I have been standing on the thought of why this particular effect was not backed into Switch Teleport already when you target allies.

There are already Warframe abilities out there that have far superior defensive gimmicks such as Limbo's Rift and Harrow's 4th when it comes to defending mobile objectives. With Wisp, her Reservoirs can affect both stationary and mobile targets making traversing and protecting mobile targets all the more feasible.

But I do digress that the ability helps for instantaneous teleportation, but I feel the need for targeting for Loki's 3rd would require a bit more time to pull off when aiming. Forbid a situation if a Loki were to waste a Switch Teleport on the wrong target mid-combat.

[FoxFX]

THOUGHTS ON IRRADIATING DISARM FOR LOKI:

It is an extra layer of crowd control, but despite its description it does not contribute to effects like Conditional Overload.

This being said, it does have its place in the game still if only the description was updated or if the ability were to stack Radiation proc on enemies. If it did proc Radiation, the use of Conditional Overload would be more considered to some degree. The duration on most would be at best 10 seconds or reaching the 20-25s if you mod more Duration to Loki, but that might be best to invest in invisibility considering the drop in range you would pay for it.

But this does not detract my thoughts that Radial Disarm at base should have an additional effect to it as a self-support for Loki if possible.

 

[FoxFX]

I will be considering this critique completed and I will be hosting my next topic on Valkyr.

Unless there is any other invoice on Loki's performance lately, please feel free to share.