Frost Rework

[AnamDubh]

I know the last Dev stream mentioned a rework for frost but I had this typed up a while ago and figured I should share it. Who knows maybe some of the kit might get picked up by Devs at a later date. 

Reasoning:

Due to changes to the eximus units which now have overguard (and healers which provide overguard) that blocks crowd control effects, the hard crowd control frames like frost and limbo are in a bit of a rough patch. Warframe is now a much more mobile game rather than sit in one area for the whole mission. Slowly, even the more defensive and static missions are shifting towards a more mobile style with moving objectives like the mirror defense modes and the new mode that will release in the jade shadows update. These more mobile playstyles also hamper the effectiveness of Frost's snow globe. 

Frost is an old frame and with the reduced effectiveness of hard crowd control effects, reduced uses for static snowglobe playstyles and shift towards more soft crowd control effects in newer frames kits I think frost needs to be brought in line with more recent releases. 

Currently the vast majority of Frost's value is tied up in his 4th ability which is expensive to spam if one is trying to get the most out of him. His 4th ability provides his easiest method to freeze enemies in a wide area for his Biting Frost passive augment, reducing enemy armor, and providing overguard for his team with the Icy Avalanche augment. These suggested tweaks aim to introduce more synergy between his kit and make him less reliant on his 4th ability. The changes also aim to bring frost more in line with modern Warframe where mobility is more important and damage increasing effects are favoured over crowd control effects. 

 

1: Freeze:

remains the same

 

2: Ice wave

Remains largely the same but with added functionality:

If ice wave hits a frozen enemy the enemy is shattered and ice wave will create a cold AOE on the ground from the frozen enemy to the edge of its range. This AOE would continually apply cold procs to enemies standing within it. 

(pretty much the same as the ice wave impedance augment which will thus also need to change)

 

3: Snow globe:

2 possible directions for this change to go either : 

 

a) tap/hold mechanic 

Tap: works as snow globe does currently 

Hold: Creates a moving AOE that inflicts stacking cold procs on enemies. at max range the aoe explodes freezing enemies in a larger AOE.

 

OR:

 

B: A switchable ability like vaubans's mines or xaku's the lost:

i) Snow Globe as is

ii) Ice Armor : absorbs a set amount of damage based on ability strength (killing frozen enemies restores Ice Armor hp)

iii) Blizzard: persistent aoe around Frost that inflicts stacking cold procs 

 

(In the case option B is taken the removal of Frost's icy avalanche augment may be required as the augment currently provides overguard depending on the number of enemies hit with avalanche)

 

4: Avalanche:

Remains unchanged

 

Augment Alterations: 

 

Passive augment: Biting Frost: remains unchanged 

 

1st augment: Freeze Force: remains unchanged 

 

2nd augment: Ice Wave Impedance: would convert the cone ice wave usually is cast in to a circle around Frost. Recasting ice wave before the duration of the AOE expires will detonate the AOE applying additional stacks of cold depending on its remaining duration. 

 

3rd augment: Chilling Globe: could remain unchanged 

 

New augment for 3rd ability if the second option for it's rework is taken with Ice Armor:

Disturbute Ice Armor among teammates like safeguard for warding halo (Nezha's 3) or immolated radiance for immolation (Ember's 2)

 

4th augment: Icy Avalanche: removed 

 

New 4th augment: Hail Storm: 

Frost's Avalanche will become a duration based ability fixed to the location it is cast at, continuously freezing enemies in the area and reducing armour bit by bit rather than instantly full armour stripping.

[BiancaRoughfin]

52 minutes ago, AnamDubh said:

Due to changes to the eximus units which now have overguard (and healers which provide overguard) that blocks crowd control effects, the hard crowd control frames like frost and limbo are in a bit of a rough patch.

They have had Overguard far longer before frames did, players have had more than enough time to adapt and learn they have to drain Eximus's Overguard before they can be affected by CC abilities.

56 minutes ago, AnamDubh said:

2: Ice wave

Remains largely the same but with added functionality:

If ice wave hits a frozen enemy the enemy is shattered and ice wave will create a cold AOE on the ground from the frozen enemy to the edge of its range. This AOE would continually apply cold procs to enemies standing within it. 

(pretty much the same as the ice wave impedance augment which will thus also need to change)

Old element based abilities are changing, DE is making Frost's kit actually apply Cold Stats instead of just a slow Debuff.
Ice Wave already applies multiple stacks of cold at once to enemies it hits, its likely the trail left by the augment will slowly add to the Stats enough for enemies to freeze.
As for the Shattering, his 4th already does that tho without the need of an Ice Wall.

1 hour ago, AnamDubh said:

3: Snow globe:

2 possible directions for this change to go either : 

 

a) tap/hold mechanic 

Tap: works as snow globe does currently 

Hold: Creates a moving AOE that inflicts stacking cold procs on enemies. at max range the aoe explodes freezing enemies in a larger AOE.

 

OR:

 

B: A switchable ability like vaubans's mines or xaku's the lost:

i) Snow Globe as is

ii) Ice Armor : absorbs a set amount of damage based on ability strength (killing frozen enemies restores Ice Armor hp)

iii) Blizzard: persistent aoe around Frost that inflicts stacking cold procs 

 

(In the case option B is taken the removal of Frost's icy avalanche augment may be required as the augment currently provides overguard depending on the number of enemies hit with avalanche)

I think this is over complicating, the Ice armor is interesting but Frost already gains that from his 4th's augment tho i always wish it was part of his passive, to have him gain the old Absorption and currently Overguard from his Skills when damaging enemies with cold and have his 4th's augment extend it to Allies too.

Also, with the upcoming update, Snowglobe will no longer obstruct teammate's shots which is something the community has asked for years.

1 hour ago, AnamDubh said:

4th augment: Icy Avalanche: removed 

 

New 4th augment: Hail Storm: 

Frost's Avalanche will become a duration based ability fixed to the location it is cast at, continuously freezing enemies in the area and reducing armour bit by bit rather than instantly full armour stripping.

I rather it remained as is, instantly freeing and stripping the enemy armor is much more preferable than having to wait for the effects to stack, this also contradicts what you said above with "Warframe is now a much more mobile game rather than sit in one area for the whole mission" as you would have to sit around longer waiting for mobs to die or to completely freeze/strip in order to kill them, i also prefer Icy Avalanche to remain untouched which is what gives Frost and his Teammates more survivability due to the Overguard it provides.

Also im picturing people spamming the 4th button and stacking multiple effects of this ability in an area which would likely be a nuance.

[Stormandreas]

2 hours ago, AnamDubh said:

I know the last Dev stream mentioned a rework for frost but I had this typed up a while ago and figured I should share it. Who knows maybe some of the kit might get picked up by Devs at a later date. 

Reasoning:

Due to changes to the eximus units which now have overguard (and healers which provide overguard) that blocks crowd control effects, the hard crowd control frames like frost and limbo are in a bit of a rough patch. Warframe is now a much more mobile game rather than sit in one area for the whole mission. Slowly, even the more defensive and static missions are shifting towards a more mobile style with moving objectives like the mirror defense modes and the new mode that will release in the jade shadows update. These more mobile playstyles also hamper the effectiveness of Frost's snow globe. 

Frost is an old frame and with the reduced effectiveness of hard crowd control effects, reduced uses for static snowglobe playstyles and shift towards more soft crowd control effects in newer frames kits I think frost needs to be brought in line with more recent releases. 

Currently the vast majority of Frost's value is tied up in his 4th ability which is expensive to spam if one is trying to get the most out of him. His 4th ability provides his easiest method to freeze enemies in a wide area for his Biting Frost passive augment, reducing enemy armor, and providing overguard for his team with the Icy Avalanche augment. These suggested tweaks aim to introduce more synergy between his kit and make him less reliant on his 4th ability. The changes also aim to bring frost more in line with modern Warframe where mobility is more important and damage increasing effects are favoured over crowd control effects. 

I take it you've not read what they're doing then?

Oveguard has existed for a LONG time. It's been there for ages and destroyed CC frames for a while.
Frost is infact, getting a buff against Overguard this next patch, because his abilities are going to instantly apply 10 Cold Procs, which stack up to 4 on OGed enemies, and DOES slow them down.
Freeze, Avalanche and Snow Globe will instantly apply 10 cold procs, and Ice wave (when using Ice Wave Impedence), will "slowly" build up cold procs on enemies standing on the zone until they are at 10 cold procs.

Everything he does is about to get buffed quite well. Infact, it also ties in nicely with the way he plays. A Hybrid frame. Using Abilities and guns to get maximum effect. Why? Status effects.
Applying more status effects for Gun CO, while also getting more CC, CD AND armour stripping, as well as soft and hard CC SIMULTANIOUSLY. All his abilities will compliment this

Currently, Frost is not spamming 4, he's casting it once, killing those enemies, moving on. If using a snowglobe build, you're spamming snowglobe until you eventually manage to get enemies not to slide off walls. This is because Snowglobe isn't, and never was, designed as a damage ability. While it can, yes, it's designed as a stationary defensive ability.

Honestly, the only thing he needs, is Biting Frost to just flatout be his Passive and freeze being changed.
Freeze is a good tool for removing snowglobes, though is limited in it's use now cause we will be able to shoot through snowglobe too.

 

[CosoMalvadoNG]

Main frost here. Frost today does not need reworks, not to mention that he will buffed soon.

Although I would like to be able to destroy my globe by holding down the ability key so I can change ice wave for freeze for my helminth ability since ice wave is going to be much more useful with the buff.