Idea: mod (or arcane) that can improve single-target weapons position (make them stronger, more fun and practical)

[TylskiyPryanik]

True single-target weapons are kinda mid currently. They kill too slowly compared to AoE weapons. Gotva Prime, Tenet Diplos, Prisma Supra, Soma Prime, there are many examples (it's a really good weapons, but they're underperforming, cuz lack of AoE). These weapons forces the player to do much more work in order to make much less kills. At the same time, the "single-target" aspect only works on very large targets, like archons or eidolons. In other cases, melee or AoE weapons will do just the same. And there's idea: mod or arcane, that shoot a homing AoE projectile every n'th direct shot. It will grant bullet-based weapon a some kind of AoE, increase its damage, and make them more fun: homing projectiles is always fun! Oh wait, we already have such a thing: its called Blazing Bombardment, decree from Duviri. Its works very nice, and I personally realy enjoy this decree (but these balls is ugly as hell, realy small small fast rockets is may look much better and do less visual noise). This kind of thing is already in game, and will improve so currently underperforming guns.

Edited January 15 by TylskiyPryanik

[N0MC4T]

My Soma Prime and Supra Vandal collect dust because I can do nearly the same damage with an AoE weapon, and clear everything around my main target. I don't need energy Regen from my Vandal because there's now alot of options for energy. While I'll take my Soma out to have fun, sometimes it's just easier to grab something like boar incarnon and just call it a day. 

[Fred_Avant_2019]

Or actually buff the single target weapon types altogether ? Not everything needs to be solved through arcanes.

[Tiltskillet]

While it's an obvious way to do it and very plausible, I'm really not in favor of fixing single target weapon issues by making them AoE.

 

[Pakaku]

If AoE is the solution, that speaks more to how this game is built around massive kill numbers that semi-auto can't keep up with. As usual, the only way to make semi-auto viable again is to kick the foundations of this game out, and redesign spawns to have a mix of enemies built for single-target combat vs. horde-killer combat, because right now the game is in 99% horde-killer mode

Edited January 16 by Pakaku

[Nira]

Punch through goes a long way in making single target weapons a viable option for high mob density.

I'd be all for making it more accessible to qualifying weapons via a dual-stat mod or arcane maybe. Primed Shred is currently the only useful candidate and is limited to non-shotgun primaries.

Outside of that I rely mostly on rivens, mostly thinking of Knell Prime but stuff like Twin Grakatas, Diplos, Brakk, Detron, and the primary shotguns. 

[Aevire]

Most of these guns are very usable with punch through. It would be nice if punch through was available on a dual stat like what Nira said as only rifles have access to that. Otherwise the only way to get pt is either to dedicate an entire mod slot to it, have a riven, or use one specific warframe. I think if the game had more content like eidolons or profit taker where you actually only need to kill one enemy single target would be more viable.

[ShruikanUmbra]

I have a few ideas of how to improve single target weapons all together:

-Make headshot-triggered arcanes/mechanics to work also when you shoot at other weak points (p.e cullevin’s arms, Moa’s backpack)

-Headshot multiplier should affect all weak points (good for snipers and special cases)

-Reduce the cost of punch-through mods and/or introduce new mods with punch through added

-Make punch through mods exilus (like beam length mods)

Edited March 1 by ShruikanUmbra

[ShruikanUmbra]

Any other ideas to add ?

[voltocitygel]

As someone who uses mostly precision single target weapons I have a few thoughts.

the addition of eximus or “leaders” as they were called back in the day gave people who like the weapons I do more of a purpose- to take out higher health priority targets in one shot, so that your squad can take down the rest of the horde more easily. The problem is when they can do the same with big AoE weapons, you feel pretty worthless, but it’s one of the side effects of a game designed around mowing down hundreds of enemies.

i don’t go into a squad mission expecting to have the most kills. I usually come out having the most damage dealt though.

Headshot multiplier has been buffed once, which is nice (currently 3x base, used to be 2x). The bigger deal was when they made explosions unable to benefit- which made the playing field more level (same update).

Punch through 100% helps your hard hitting low rate of fire weapons out. If it one hit kills, punch through will let you kill many foes with one shot- you just have to line it up (which in my opinion is quite satisfying when done with a bow). This can be made easier by shooting through choke points like narrow hallways and doors. (I love that one long narrow hallway on the void tile set- it’s like shooting fish in a barrel). 
I won’t say no to more buffs (especially to deal with those pesky murmur), but we’re far better off with our weapon types now than we ever have been.