A Scaling Atlas Rework

[Godlysparta]

Atlas currently doesn't scale very well and his rubble mechanic essentially becomes useless later on due to how long it takes to actually kill an enemy at those levels. I want to propose some changes that I think would help Atlas in the late game or at least be able to generate more rubble.

 

Passive

Atlas could not be knocked down while he's on the ground. Whenever Atlas strikes a petrified enemy, he has a chance to generates rubble. Rubble grants Atlas armor and enhances his abilities. Each rubble he collects grant him 100 armor. Maxes out at 10 stacks.

His original passive is super strong especially during this knockdown resistance meta. However, his rubble is getting an overhaul. First, it no longer heals him when he picks up rubble. Rubble will no longer decay. He can now only have 10 stacks of rubble. Finally, he doesn't need to kill enemies to generate rubble now.

 

Landslide

Atlas covers his fists with earth and strikes his target. If enemies are Petrified, he will generate rubble with each strike on that target. If he has at least 1 rubble, each of his strikes will consume a rubble to remove enemy armor. 

Landslide can now strip armor as long as he has rubble generating. This incentivizes Atlas to petrify enemies to constantly generate rubble while he's punching to remove armor. Now I know what you may be thinking. It's too complicated or there's too many steps. Well, it's not that much if his kit was actually fluid.

 

Tectonics

Atlas puts up a rock wall that will taunt enemies for 3 seconds upon cast. At the end of the 3 seconds, the wall will have health based on the amount of damage it took. He may recast to make the wall redeploy itself in front of him whenever he stops moving (at no additional cost). Atlas may use Landslide to destroy the wall and convert some of the  remaining HP of the wall into decaying overguard. If he has at least 2 rubble, it will be consumed and the ability will not cost energy. He may hold this ability to launch the wall as a boulder to hit enemies while also destroying it.

Now this ability can actually be pretty useful. His wall can be his personal cover spot on the go. Plus, he could just cast Landslide to make it overguard. Overall, a very defensive and simple ability.

 

Petrify

Atlas gazes upon his enemies, turning them into statues. Enemies who are statues will have an aura, petrifying other enemies near them if they are hit by Atlas' other abilities or hit any of his structures. If he has at least 5 rubble, he will consume them to create a statue of himself that will petrify enemies in front of it.

Now Atlas can really just petrify everything and keep it maintained. His walls can now be a catalyst for mass petrification and so could his rumblers. In addition to that, he can now consume rubble to make a statue that just petrify enemies automatically. 

 

Rumblers

Atlas summons 2 rock golems that will attack enemies with rocks. Enemies that a petrifies while the rumblers are deployed will increase their HP based on the highest HP enemy petrified. Recast to heal current rumblers and refresh their duration. If casted with 10 rubble, they are consumed and will heal all allies around Atlas. 

Now there's actually a reason to keep the Rumblers maintained. They can actually scale in health now and are tanks that will take damage on Atlas' behalf. Also, because of how petrify now works, it can also be a source of mass petrification. This makes the rumblers actually feel like a very impactful ultimate rather than just summon 2 rock golems. Also, they don't petrify enemies upon cast anymore due to their new synergy. However, they can still serve as quick healing if Atlas has the rubble.

 

Conclusion

Overall, this makes Atlas have much more synergy and more power. It allows him to go crazy with his petrification without it being too OP or too similar to other frames. However, it might also make him more RNG based due to the new rubble mechanic. I hope that Atlas would be viable one day but right now, he can cut it but not slice through content. Hope this addresses his current problems in the meta and inspire some change to Atlas at least.