Helmet Mod System (Or How Stated/statless Helmets Should Be Done)

[ToeSama]

So, when you buy/build a Warframe/Sentinel, you get the power cards for them automatically. With the introduction of corrputed mods giving both bonus and penalty, why not quantify the helmet effects under such a system and give helmets their own mod pool/polarity mark?

 

The goal is to obviously separate stats from helmets, to give them both a cosmetic purpose, and a gameplay one, without forcing a player to commit to a game element that may not work well with their build. Those that wish the helmets to be simply decoration can choose to not equip any of the helmet mods with no drawback or bonus.

 

The idea is fairly simple...

 

Helmets and Helmet Mods

All Helmets (standard issue and alternate design) have 10 levels. They probably would gain 25% XP from any XP giving action the player wearing or a nearby ally performs.

 

Each helmet comes with 1-2 mod slots for helmet mods. Alternate helmets (and possibly standard helmets if we can think of a generic enough helmet mod for all frames to get) come with one new helmet mod for players to use.

 

Most helmet mods can only be obtained with a helmet, and are not found through drops in the wild or as part of mod packs, just to keep the drop tables clean (Transmutation might be an idea, but still unsure). A few helmet mods might show up as drops or alert rewards, but they should be a rare exception, and often with stronger benefits and drawbacks than other helmet mods.

 

Helmet mods come with their own polarity, but no helmet slot is polarized. Helmet mods can be upgraded, raising both the buff and the penalty accordingly. Helmet mods would have 2-4 ranks, and have a minimum starting point cost of 3- to a maximum cost of of 8.

 

You can use a Orokin Reactor to double your Helmets mod points, potentially allowing for the equipping of multiple helmet mods at a time. (props to Lumireaver for this particular idea)

 

Forma and Helmets

Forma interacts with helmets differently. You can use a Forma when a Helmet reaches level 10 to do one of three things; 1, add a new slot in (to a maximum of 3 per helmet) for more mods. 2, polarize an existing slot with the helmet mod polarity mark. Or 3, turn an existing slot into a pure slot.

 

Adding more slots in is self explanatory. It would allow for the equipping of more mods. Adding the helmet polarity marker reduces mod cost as normal. Turning a slot into a pure one, however, would remove the penalty from any helmet mod equipped in it, giving you the benefit only.

 

Mod Card List

A list of card ideas. Feel free to add ideas to the pot, and we'll put the really good ones up here :)

Below are mod card ideas based on the exisiting effects of helmets (names are tentative obviously).

[inefficient Stamina] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +5% Stamina per rank, -1% Power Efficiency per rank

[Hampering Energy] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 7)
Ranks: 3
Effect: +5% Energy per rank, -.75% Speed per rank

[Draining Energy] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +2% Energy per rank, -1% Health per rank

[Tiring Efficiency] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +2% Power Efficiency per rank, -1% Stamina per rank

[Thinning Energy] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +5% Energy per rank, -1% Shield per rank

[slowing Health] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 5)
Ranks: 2
Effect: +5% Health per rank, -1% Speed per rank

[bleeding Shield] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +5% Shield per rank, -1% Health per rank

[brittle Strength] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +3% Power Strength per rank, -1% Armor per rank

[Vampiric Armor] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +5% Armor per rank, -1% Health per rank

[Thinning Power] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +3% Power Strength per rank, -1% Shield per rank

[unarmoring Efficiency] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +3% Power Efficiency per rank, -1% Armor per rank

[bleeding Reach] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +3% Power Range per rank, -1% Health per rank

[Thinning Range] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +5% Power Range per rank, -1% Shield per rank

[bleeding Endurance] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +2% Stamina per rank, -1% Health per rank

[Thinning Stamina] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +5% Stamina per rank, -1% Shield per rank

[Weakening Speed] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +5% Speed per rank, -1% Power Strength per rank

[bleeding Speed] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +2% Speed per rank, -1% Health per rank

[shortened Stamina] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +2% Stamina per rank, -1% Power Duration per rank

[Vampiric Extension] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +5% Power Duration per rank, -1% Health per rank

[inefficient Shields] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +3% Shield per rank, -1% Power Efficiency per rank

[Flimsy Energy] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +2% Energy per rank, -2% Shield per rank

[Momentary Stamina] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +2% Stamina per rank, -2% Power Duration per rank

[breathless Strength] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +2% Power Strength per rank, -1% Stamina per rank

[Thinning Duration] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +2% Power Duration per rank, -1 Shield per rank

 

These cards are original ideas submitted by players (credits are listed above mod)

(By ToeSama)
[Weak Experience] R
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 6 (Max 8)
Ranks: 2
Effect: +5% Experience per rank, -10% Damage per rank

 

(By ToeSama)

[short Sighted] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 4 (Max 8)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +3% Weapon Zoom per rank, -2% Power Range per rank

 

(By ToeSama)
[Wild Utility] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 7)
Ranks: 4
Effect: +4 Weapon Status% per rank, -5% Accuracy per rank

(By ToeSama)
[Fumbling Resilience] U
Helmet Polarity
Starting Cost: 3 (Max 6)
Ranks: 3
Effect: -5% to Status durations against you per rank, +3% Reload speed per rank

 

Existing Helmets
As many of us already have their helmets bought/built, I would think that if such a system were to be adopted, existing helmets and alternate helmets that players own would start at level 10 pre potatoed, allowing us to pick our preferred mods to level and Forma if we so desire.

Thoughts? Further ideas? Questions?

 

 

~*~

 

Edit 1: Added 2 mod card ideas by myself.

Edit 2: Added 2 mod card idea by myself based on some of the Update 11 changes.

Edited November 22, 2013 by ToeSama

[Dtexas]

Why is everyone trying to make the helmet stats issue so much more confusing and harder to implement then it needs to be?

 

All DE should do is add a costume helmet slot to the appearance menu. The Helmet in the costume slot is the one shown on the frame, and then helmet in the normal helmet slot one is the one where its stats are added to the frame. Make it so the same helmet can be in both slots at once (if its in normal slot, trying to put it on costume slot removes it from the normal slot).

 

This would be the best way I think to solve this issue, its keeps it simple and removes any confusion that players might have.

 

Now, your idea isn't bad, but I think its just really unnecessarily complex.

[Drazhar14]

Another idea similar to the post above, take the stats off the helmet and add a new "tune your warframe" tab. This tab will allow you to select from default stats, and the old helmet modifiers. 

[fedexgox]

oh my god, when did you exactly think about this? i was thinking about this last night :O

 

great minds think alike-

 

but i was thinking of helmet mods that served more as utility than raw stats, like a 5 skill that is just for utility (ammo and health dispenser, turret, smoke grenade, smart decoy, etc)

[Zhoyzu]

Why is everyone trying to make the helmet stats issue so much more confusing and harder to implement then it needs to be?

 

All DE should do is add a costume helmet slot to the appearance menu. The Helmet in the costume slot is the one shown on the frame, and then helmet in the normal helmet slot one is the one where its stats are added to the frame. Make it so the same helmet can be in both slots at once (if its in normal slot, trying to put it on costume slot removes it from the normal slot).

 

This would be the best way I think to solve this issue, its keeps it simple and removes any confusion that players might have.

 

Now, your idea isn't bad, but I think its just really unnecessarily complex.

yeaaaaaa..... that!

[ToeSama]

Why is everyone trying to make the helmet stats issue so much more confusing and harder to implement then it needs to be?

 

All DE should do is add a costume helmet slot to the appearance menu. The Helmet in the costume slot is the one shown on the frame, and then helmet in the normal helmet slot one is the one where its stats are added to the frame. Make it so the same helmet can be in both slots at once (if its in normal slot, trying to put it on costume slot removes it from the normal slot).

 

This would be the best way I think to solve this issue, its keeps it simple and removes any confusion that players might have.

 

Now, your idea isn't bad, but I think its just really unnecessarily complex.

 

My idea in particular was to give more customization options to players in regard to the mechanics they can get through helmets, and to remove stats from helmets completely. Most people have 1 helmet or another that they prefer wearing for the appearance (or would, if the stats were better), and there's not as much of a need to upgrade, perse, as there would seem to be with my idea.

 

Each of the presented mod cards in my post were taken from existing helmet ideas, and written to provide the benefit and drawback of those stats at max rank. The points a helmet provides would allow for 1 mod card (2 in rare cases) to be equipped before potato and forma, making it helmets as they are now at base value

 

I'm not against a "simpler" idea (though I don't see my idea as being complex really), but I see potential here for new content and gameplay additions. That's mostly all I was gunning for with my pitch.

 

Your idea is ok, but some of the helmet stats for certain frames aren't so great all in all, which is one of the things my idea was meant to address.

 

 

oh my god, when did you exactly think about this? i was thinking about this last night :O

 

great minds think alike-

 

but i was thinking of helmet mods that served more as utility than raw stats, like a 5 skill that is just for utility (ammo and health dispenser, turret, smoke grenade, smart decoy, etc)

 

I had the idea in my head for a while now, but the change of the boards and continued discussions about it in various threads made me finally write it down.

 

If you've got mod ideas, post em up and they might be added to the list on the OP :)

Edited November 16, 2013 by ToeSama

[fedexgox]

k, the following helmet UTILITY mods are my ideas

 

-last resort: self sacrifice using all health and shields to self destruct making a huge explosion

 

-icarus boots: powers up parkour skills, reducing by 30 percent the stamina consumption, and augmenting the speed of which wallruns and flips are done, including special animations and light effects that change with warframes energy colour 

 

-thorn body: when melee atacked, 50 percent of damage is given back to the atacker

 

-cluster: smoke grenade that stun-lock enemies for 8 seconds

[ToeSama]

k, the following helmet UTILITY mods are my ideas

 

-last resort: self sacrifice using all health and shields to self destruct making a huge explosion

 

-icarus boots: powers up parkour skills, reducing by 30 percent the stamina consumption, and augmenting the speed of which wallruns and flips are done, including special animations and light effects that change with warframes energy colour 

 

-thorn body: when melee atacked, 50 percent of damage is given back to the atacker

 

-cluster: smoke grenade that stun-lock enemies for 8 seconds

 

Last Resort and Cluster seem better power mod ideas for frames than for helmets. Icarus Boots and Thorn Body have great potential, but they need a drawback so as to fit in with the helmet mod design. 50% damage return is also a bit much for a helmet mod, 15 or 20 at max seems better.

 

Very neat ideas though. Come up with a drawback for those two and I'll add em in :)

Edited November 16, 2013 by ToeSama

[Kaidinah]

Two thumbs up! I approve of this message. I am gonna have to link this on other threads.

[DJ_Redwire]

I would be perfectly fine with just an on/off switch for my helmet stats so-to-speak. Not only is a helmet mod system complex, it could also present fairly large unbalancing issues. Although DE has stated that having solely stated helmets in the first place was a 'mistake,' the stats that are currently assigned to helmets are the way they are for specific reasons in reference to their respective frames; altering that could potentially make -everybody- unhappy in the end. 

[MadMoonDog]

I would be perfectly fine with just an on/off switch for my helmet stats so-to-speak. Not only is a helmet mod system complex, it could also present fairly large unbalancing issues. Although DE has stated that having solely stated helmets in the first place was a 'mistake,' the stats that are currently assigned to helmets are the way they are for specific reasons in reference to their respective frames; altering that could potentially make -everybody- unhappy in the end. 

 

Except DE has already stated a desire to add more mod slots into the game.  I don't see how it could make people unhappy, especially when many are asking for just that.  Considering how the Helmets only affect stats and makes no other major alterations, its rather nonsensical.  After alI, your mod build completely alters such things already.  In the end, its all a matter of balance.  

 

Such a system would be difficult, but not impossible to make.

[ToeSama]

Added some new mod ideas for this based on Update 11 stuff.