HYDROID update suggestion

[AndrogynousClown]

Hey there fellow Tenno. A while back I posted a hydroid rework that Ive been ruminating on again recently. As Ive been using hydroid in Zariman steel path missions I'm finding he's not too terrible if built right but it takes quite a bit of tweaking if you don't want to puddle camp (which I hate). So Ive revised my previous rework and wanted to know what people think of it.

I Just think his abilities need tweaking not a comprehensive butchering as some have suggested. Ive tried to retain his current playstyles while adding new synergies & buffs to each ability. only ability I dont like is tempest but I chose to retain that as well. I truly believe this suggestion would not only fix hydroid but also keep those who currently like him happy. so here goes.

 

The Ultimate Hydroid Rework

 

Passive: ABYSSAL TENDRILS

Hydroids abilities & ground slams spawn a small batch of Tentacles in their wake that flail enemies around dealing damage. Tentacles & Abilities apply a unique ‘Drenched” status effect, amplifying cold & electricity damage

Tentacles scale off of hydroids equipped melee mods

(Cap 20)

 

• tentacles scaling off of melee mods would fix their damage scaling issue instantly and also allow you to further customize their utility (healing return, shattering impact etc.)
• the drenched effect I thought was thematically appropriate and would make electricity & cold more attractive damage types

 

 

1. TEMPEST BARRAGE:

Hydroid calls down deadly rainfall & imbues himself with the power of a Violent Maelstrom granting bonus electricity damage to attacks & abilities

 

• This ability now moves with him, making him the eye of the storm
• charge mechanic removed
• as a hydroid main this was always my least favorite of his abilities and felt incredibly boring even before the corrosive changes. I think the above changes will make it better to use in the current fast pace state of the game.
• the electricity also synergizes with the drenched effect

 

 

2. TIDAL SURGE:

Hydroid dashes in the form of a vicious tidal wave, pulling nearby enemies inward & dragging them with the current. The torrid waters spread status effects between enemies. subsequent casts of the ability are at decreased energy cost

 

• this ability can mostly stay the same, especially with the recent updates to his augment. This is one of my favorite abilities in the game now.
• one change that is needed would be adding a  tether to enemies during the ability & for .5 seconds after the ability ends to ensure their ragdolled bodies aren't flung across the map. This would make it function better as a grouping ability like it's supposed to
• with how powerful status is in the current meta being able to spread status between groups would make this ability even better than it already is

 

 

3. UNDERTOW:

Hydroid morphs into an abyssal pool gaining INCREASED movement speed. Enemies who fall prey to hydroids undertow are dragged below and drowned within the pool taking exponential cold damage over time (this would NOT merge with the electricity from his 1 to create magnetic). Each entity within the pool increases energy drain.

Abilities cast while in undertow have increased area of effect and work on the enemies inside

 

• This would now function like Grendel's stomach
• simply making undertow carry those inside along with it would make it a much better ability
• the movement speed increase is another way to make it functional within the current state of the game
• would buff the Area of effect for abilities cast within it (i.e tidal surge draws in enemies from further away)

 

 

4. TENTACLE SWARM:

Hydroid calls upon the Kraken spawning a large mass of tentacles and calling all currently active tentacles to his position. Allies & Tentacles gain attack speed when near the kraken

Holding this ability causes hydroid to snap his fingers, dismissing all active tentacles

 

• charge mechanic is removed
• if cast within undertow the kraken moves with it and so do nearby tentacles
• this would make the ability a lot more fluid & snappy to use
• since all of hydroids abilities now summon tentacles the Kraken increasing attack speed is to add something to the ability rather than turn it into a subsume slot

 

 

 

AUGMENTS

 

Passive: LASHING TENDRILS:

Tentacles no longer grab enemies but instead do faster sweeping attacks that hit multiple enemies & inflicting slash procs.

this augment is to remove the ragdoll effect that the tentacle cause while holding enemies.

Both can be great situationally but sometimes you don't need the cc the base tentacles provide. Namely if you're trying to gather enemies in undertow.

 

 

1. VILE BARRAGE:

Tempests rainfall permanently strips armor with each hit. Armor strip & Bonus splash (radial) damage is also applied to weapons & abilities

• considering nerfs to corrosive previously this augment is way more effective if it outright strips armor
• Since hydroid uses water that "splashes", I thought adding what would essentially be innate firestorm would be a cool addition. This would also turn all of his attacks into an actual "barrage"
• the bonus radial damage would also be applied to weapons that dont innately have it >>> since this is his subsume it could be used as a way to buff single target weapons
• since corrosive damage was no longer present, I didnt think corrosive was apt for the augments name anymore, hence the change to vile

 

 

2. TIDAL IMPUNITY

Clears Status Effects and grants 12s of Status Immunity for yourself and allies that come in contact with it. Reduces Tidal Surge's Energy cost to 15. (No changes, this is a perfect augment)

 

 

3. THICKER THAN WATER

Undertow now costs health per second BUT deals increased damage & heals allies. When LEAVING undertow healing & damage done is then converted to a 20 second damage buff for allies weapons. Buff is cancelled upon re-entering undertow

the point of this augment is to add something to undertow that would lend to an active gameplay style rather than just chilling in the pool.

I don't think hydroid needs an augment that heals him because you can now put healing return on his melee weapon which would apply to his tentacles

 

 

4. PILFERING SWARM

Enemies damaged by hydroids tentacles have 100% chance at additional loot drops. Upon dismissing tentacles each one has a chance to generate an energy orb

 

So let me know what you think! Im really hoping he's coming up for a pass after the starters get their alterations in the next update. I really worry a full rework is coming and hell lose the charm that I and several of my friends love. so if you like this give it an upvote. or better yet if you dont please let me know why or how youd change it.

I just want hydroid to be the best he can be, lets help DE do that the best we can (if they even listen lol)