Styanax's Axios Javelin is too Replaceable - Suggestion

[Grav_Starstrider]

What would help reduce how replaceable his Axios Javelin ability is by Helminth Infusions is if his 1 became classified as a Pseudo-exalted (like Khora's Whipclaw) and benefited from mods on your Primary, and also duplicating the on-throw effect of your Speargun if equipped, counting as a separate instance from your Speargun's on-throw effect (so you could lock down two doors with Ferrox and your Axios Javelin, or afflict two crowds of enemies with headshot attractors with Scourge, or grant two Interception points with the Afentis' bonus).

Because currently when compared to something like Larva or Pull or Coil Horizon or the Proboscis Cernos, the inconsistent grouping offered by the Javelin isn't terribly impressive, and compared to the scaling of Weapon Damage, Ability damage 99% of the time feels lackluster as you progress through the game, and feels like the most replaceable Helminth-overwriteable ability.

Giving it an always-procced Vortex on navmesh strike and simply doubling the range when striking an enemy directly would help make that feel a little more reliable. Also giving it just that extra oomph of scaling with Primary weapon mods (maybe half for things other than Spearguns, with Spearguns getting 100%?) and making it replicate whatever its throw effect was would be awesome and make people, especially Speargun Enthusiasts who're trying to get the most out of Styanax's Passive, think twice about replacing it.

[Artekkor]

What do you mean its replaceable? It's basically Vauban's slightly weaker vortex, or Nidus' larva thing. Ability to collect enemies into the same place is pretty hard to replace and it combines greatly with his 4 as well.

Its also spammable as all hell due to 15 energy cost.

[Uhkretor]

... I use it to strip as many enemies as possible in the shortest range possible, or to pin Leech/Energy Eximus on the other side of the map...

I don't see any reason why it would be replaceable.

[Grav_Starstrider]

A lot of people are seeing it be inconsistent as heck with its Vortex and pinning, even when you hit things. So just making it always trigger even if it's a miss, at least, would be nice to make it more reliable and worth not-replacing, imo.

Fair enough though, if you guys think it's that good.

[Raarsi]

Axios Javelin seems consistent enough for me.  Just aim at an enemy below you since hitting an enemy and the ground also triggers it.

[Proscriptor]

i don't think the ability is weak or inconsistent, but larva is more powerful and serves the same purpose. no reason not to replace sty's 1 with it, if you want some kind of grouping capacity

[sunderthefirmament]

1 hour ago, Proscriptor said:

i don't think the ability is weak or inconsistent, but larva is more powerful and serves the same purpose. no reason not to replace sty's 1 with it, if you want some kind of grouping capacity

Axios Javelin has larger range, and is a bit more spammable.  It's not perfect, and could use a bit of aim-assist or polishing.

 

I still think Styanax's 4 is probably his most easily replaced skill, especially since its multi-cast potential was patched out.

[Neihel]

I think the LOS detection on his vortex is too strict

[Kaiune]

On 2022-09-26 at 6:43 PM, sunderthefirmament said:

I still think Styanax's 4 is probably his most easily replaced skill, especially since its multi-cast potential was patched out.

Yea his full kit is fine on basic starchart but once survivability is an issue his 4 is just leaves you too wide open. His 1 + 2 + any decent melee/aoe/beam/punch through weapon has the same kill potential and you don't lose shields (which fuels his passive). I mean his 1 is basically ensnare but it launches the enemy to a surface. In that regard ensnare is a bit more predictable but the pull on it is a lot slower than his 1 so I think their balanced enough where his 4 is still the most discardable move in his kit. If they put invulnerable frames on his 4 then there may be more room for creativity on what you remove. 

I do agree though his 1 or 4 (or both) should have been a pseudo exalted.