A streamlined Hydroid rework

[ReverseKinetix]

I think the community as a whole can agree that Hydroid is in the top 3 for frames in most need of a rework. I also agree, hence the reason for making this post. However, I've delved into his kit a bit and after a short discussion with fellow Tenno bangarang35, in-game testing, and theory crafting, I've come to a realization: Hydroid is shockingly close to being a pretty good frame.

Let me start with this, from what I've discovered, he really only suffers from a few problems. These problems, however, are pretty large and we as players have no easy way to fix all of them at once. So, instead of being a full kit overhaul, I think Hydroid instead needs some tweaks and a few changes to become good. I'll recap why I think these changes are necessary at the end, so skip to there and come back if you want to know my reasoning beforehand.

To start with - the passive. I am of the opinion that frames don't need incredible/synergistic passives. As such, there are only two suggestions I have for his passive at current. The more streamlined version is to raise the tentacle spawn chance from 50% to 100%. It would stay as a meme/gimmick but would actually be a reliable meme. As for my other suggestion, I think it makes sense thematically to make him immune to fire procs. Nothing big, but also a nice little bonus he would get considering how devastating arson eximus, bombards, and napalms can be.

• Now onto the first ability, Tempest Barrage

The streamlined approach: Get rid of the charge mechanic and just give the charge bonus to its base.

As for a more traditional rework kind of approach:

- Remove the ragdoll effect and instead have enemies knocked to the ground. We can all agree that ragdolling is funny, but from a practical standpoint, having enemies blasted away is usually more annoying than helpful.

- I think it would be a nice little bonus to have the ability proc the cold status effect. A little extra slow never hurt anyone

Onto the augment, Corroding Barrage was only used to strip armor. Given that corrosive no longer full strips, the augment has become a glorified primer. A necessary change that should have been done a long time ago is to make it a % based armor/defense strip. Yes, I know it's his helminth ability. However, we already have access to terrify and tharros strike. This should fill a nice middle ground between them. It would be a cheap AoE armor strip that costs a mod slot. If you can't sustain terrifies energy economy but need something with a larger area of effect than tharros strike, then this would be the perfect middle ground balanced around the fact that you need to use a mod with it.

• Second ability, Tidal Surge

I unironically think this is the best part of Hydroid's kit. The only change(s) I would make is to give us more control over his movement instead of just being launched forward with no ability to change directions. I would also appreciate a change in animation/appearance on the ability as I feel the puny wave doesn't fit right. I think having him turn into a sort of volatile sphere of water would just suite him better.

• The problem child, Undertow

I promised to keep this post streamlined, but this ability needs to be outright removed as it feels incredibly out of place for a game like Warframe. I don't think anyone would be upset if you scrapped it and replaced it with something modern like a grouping vortex/whirlpool type ability. If you must keep it however, then it still needs a boatload of changes as it is an ability that tiptoes a small line between game breaking or useless. As far as this post is concerned, this is the only outright rework I am suggesting.

- Hydroid needs to be able to pick up loot while in undertow. I don't see any real reason to keep this restriction on the ability when it severely restricts movement and gameplay to a glorified fishing simulator.

- % health damage is a very risky thing to give to the players. With armor strip and viral priming, this will kill anything in seconds as is. Considering that Hydroid would get a practically built-in armor strip that is also castable from undertow, this would be absurd. The amount of kills you would get per minute would be low, but you would be invincible while doing so (as long as the change to pick up loot while the ability is active is implemented. What I would compare it to at the moment is a pre-rework grendel that is limited in scope but far more potent. This is why I think that (if you must keep undertow for whatever reason) it needs to provide utility and support to hydroid instead of being a dps tool. On the topic of grendel, I will take inspiration from his reworked feast to make a reworked undertow. Here are the changes I would make for an "ideal" undertow.

 - Undertow stays as a drain ability. Hydroid can now keep the ability active while not in undertow. Hold cast to activate the ability and tap cast to enter/exit undertow. All other means of exiting undertow (such as jumping) still function as normal. Tidal surge can still be cast while in undertow. The amount of enemies Hydroid can have in undertow at once is five (grendel inspiration). Enemies can be pulled into undertow the same as usual. However, while not in undertow with the ability active, a tentacle will shoot out to pull in the closest cc'able enemy within range of the abilities range stat for no energy cost only if the cap has not been reached. While in undertow all enemies temporarily lose defenses (shield and armor). If Hydroid enters undertow, all enemies within take % health damage that increases the longer he stays in undertow (functionally similar to how it currently works). While Hydroid is not in undertow but the ability is active and enemies are within, he receives knockdown immunity and movement speed (based on strength). I think these changes would improve undertow and make it something you don't have to sit still as a puddle to use.

• The fourth ability, Tentacle Swarm

This is Hydroid's second best ability, and as such, does not need that many tweaks.

- Similar to his first ability, remove the charge cast and simply give the charge version to the basic cast. 

- Magnetic is a strange choice for damage, but it doesn't really matter if you give him armor strip (which you absolutely should by changing corroding barrage to actually do that). I do think that it could use higher base damage or some sort of damage over time (heat, gas, and toxin don't make sense. electric and slash could work but they also feel sort of out place, so probably stick to increasing base damage to modern warframe levels).

Onto the augments:

Surprise, surprise, Hydroid's augments may actually be the best thing about him at the moment (especially if you change corroding barrage to an armor strip instead of corrosive proc now that corrosive no longer full strips armor). The augments need no changes in my opinion.

As for my reasonings:

Passive can be changed or not. Doesn't really matter at the end of the day.

Tempest Barrage does not need a charge mechanic. It needs the charge mechanic values implemented into the ability at base. The main change would be letting its augment full strip armor once again as he can no longer do that in status 2.0 thanks to changes to corrosive (ironic that one of the few changes he's gotten in recent memory was an unintentional nerf).

Tidal Surge. I don't think anything needs to be said here. Giving us more control over the movement ability and changing the way it looks would just be the cherry on top.

Undertow is the worst part about his kit and needs to be replaced with a pirate-like grouping ability based on a whirlpool or reworked into something more functional like how grendel's feast was changed. I tried my best to keep the current functionality of undertow the same while giving the player a way to make use of while not sitting still as a puddle. It would be a more focused DPS tool but would actually be used for its two buffs. I think making the buffs affect allies that stand on it would be interesting (maybe rolled into its augment considering that healing isn't as useful as it once was?), but that's up to DE's balancing team.

Tentacle Swarm really needs to get rid of the charge mechanic and just implement the charge stats into the ability at base. Would also like modernized damage numbers. Viral priming, roar, and armor strip can only do so much with such pitiful base damage spread out over such long ticks. (us hydroid players already know how to make this ability kill on steel path through intentional game design, but please just give it more base damage and faster damage ticking to make his kit fit as a whole). 

Hydroid's Problems and my reasoning:

Like I said at the start, he only has a few problems, but they are large enough to make him very hard to use. The lack of an armor strip makes it impossible to kill stuff through abilities alone. His third ability is outdated and far too slow for modern warframe. The fourth and first ability are in dire need of a way to quick cast without gimping the abilities' functionality. Three simple problems, two of which can seemingly be solved with a helminth subsume. Once you try solving these problems, however, you realize that you can't tackle them all at once. Natural talent is basically mandatory, and even then I'd suggest putting some yellow crystals into my boy. Corroding Barrage was unintentionally nerfed to a irrelevancy with the status rework meaning you have to use a subsume or unairu to deal reasonable damage. Lastly, his raw damage is too pitiful to kill much of anything even with armor strip in high levels. He's certainly playable, but using him to actually do stuff just because his deluxe looks cool is mega copium (that I might also be smoking).

Side note

If you do not intend on reworking him, then at least change corroding barrage into a functional armor strip as that would solve like half of his current problems and give super dedicated Hydroid players will get a new lease on life. 

[AsffluffyZ]

There is also the matter of survivability outside of the puddle perhaps a value of damage resistance when out side of an active one, or some boost to health and shield (knockdown resistance isn't needed if you use the 2 augment and the 2 is fast enough in and of itself).