Improving The Skana - How It Could Stay A True Companion.

[Othergrunty]

tl;dr version below.

 

Okay, maybe a bit foolish to make a thread on Sunday and shortly before holidays, since it's unlikely they will read it. Also there are allready so many thread like this floating around. But i give it a try anyway.

 

According to the last lifestream and a post by DE_Steve in the developers workshop they are currently working on a long overdue expansion of the melee system. For a long time melee weapons in the game have been far behind the guns in  terms of usefullness, which is perplexing seeing how it's an important factor in the game's aesthetic and we have a growing selection of melee weapons to chose from. Hopefully the new system will come with a boost in melee weapon damage.

 

Now even if this new system will breath fresh air into the melee, i can allready see that the Skana will remain a weak starting weapon like the Braton MK1 and the Lato. To be quickly disposed once you fully leveled it never to be touched on or looked at again.

 

Ironical the ingame description makes note how the Skana becomes deadly in the hands of a master, which is not the case even with the best mods put on it. "This simple blade becomes immensely powerful in the hands of a master."

 

Personaly i find this kind of dissapointing. The Skana is a very simple yet artsy design and has appeared multiple times as signature sword of the game. I think it deserves better than being quickly discarded like a wooden training sword you got a blister from.

 

To get the Skana out of this pitifull possition without making it too powerfull for a starter weapon or having to make it "evolving" (gaining increased damage with levels), i propose creating 3 sub-versions of the Skana, which it can be upgraded to in the forge.

 

My idea is that that after you got to mastery level 4 and 8 you each time get a free Skana type BP. The first being "Skana - Expert Style" the second "Skana - Master Style". After unlocking them with your mastery you would be able to infinitly rebuy them for free on the Market Place (not tradable).

These BP would each require only a single component, a Skana Level 30 and a Skana "Expert" level 30. The function for this is allready in the game when you select singel weapons as components for dual weapons, only here it would also require the weapon to be of max level.

 

Both new versions having greatly enhanced stats while still looking like the starting weapon, adding to either the Tenno having become more masterfull with it or the weapon having evolved with the Tenno (or both). This way, the Skana could remain usefull even at higher levels without making it too powerfull. Therefor fitting the description in game.

 

Of course out of fairness to the Founders, the Skana Prime should get the same treatment.

 

tl;dr Version

- Melee improvements planned.

- Skana too weak despite being signature weapon.

- Can't have weapons getting stronger with levels (too much work).

- Hand out BP for improved Skana at Mastery 4 and 8.

- BP require previous version maxed out.

- New versions still looks like the old.

- Have doubled or tripled stats.

- Skana can stay relevant for endgame.

Edited December 22, 2013 by Othergrunty

[quietcanary]

Seconded... Kinda want all melees like this but skana deserves at least that much respect. Light beams shoot out of master sword when at full health anyone?

[Scheifen]

I agree, a higher mastery rank Skana would be amazing, 

 

a buff to the skana prime to make it match said higher-rank skana would be amazing^2

[sirwarriant12]

ya i second this i still have mine just because its one of my favorite weapons in the game despite being bad

[Ariarch]

Wow.... I wonder if this could be applied to more weapons.

[Liverslices]

I have two things to say to this:

 

1: The skana is a starter weapon, so duh its gonna be as effective as a pool noodle.

 

2: A rusty nail wielded by a crazy hobo can be deadly, so there is hope for the skana yet...

[Jathaal]

I think that improving the Skana with marked (MK-1, MK-2) versions at rank 4 and 8 would be a great way to make the Skana more viable. +1

[Yastin]

I'd craft it. I'd craft it -hard-.

[Volume]

Please, please, please, this would be awesome, please do something like this.

[Divinehero]

i have to admit that would be very cool

[Leuca]

I don't think there's anything wrong with having weapons possess tiers of sorts, but I would like the ability to upgrade the tier of my weapon to make it more effective. If it makes the weapon cost more to finish, I'm fine with that; it's an investment towards my in-game personal expression.

[CaveCricket48]

Give lower tier weapons higher proc chances than higher tier.

 

Tada, higher tier do better damage, lower tier do better debuffing.

[MogsyUK]

i tried really hard with both my Skana's, but there are better melee weaps, so it usually gets ditched.

[Leuca]

Give lower tier weapons higher proc chances than higher tier.

 

Tada, higher tier do better damage, lower tier do better debuffing.

That's not solving the problem. As it is right now damage is always better than proc effects. An option to upgrade our existing weapons in the foundry would work much better.

[AttackNitro]

I disagree with this, the Skana is the training weapon. Along with the MK1 Braton, and Lato.

 

You don't see posts asking for the MK1 to be buffed, right?

[Twilight053]

Because MK1 isn't Tenno's trademark symbol, Skana is.

[Kyte]

I totally agree with this idea, although disagree with your opinion of not making weapons scale their stats by level. :V

[Othergrunty]

I totally agree with this idea, although disagree with your opinion of not making weapons scale their stats by level. :V

 

I would also like them to scale, but i considered that to be a too great load of work for them at the moment. It's something they might do in the future, if they ever go so far as to give the mod system another look, but that could take ages.

 

The idea of improving the Skana manualy via a blueprint was meant as a temporary solution to give a severely underpowered but for the image of the game important weapon a boost. Specifically something they could do in a week or two.

[Rafarix]

I wouldn't hold my breath ok a skana buff as nice as it would be.

 

Just look at the Lato, it too is an iconic weapon from the original concept of Dark Sector, and look at what DE did to it, and to its vandal and prime counterparts.

 

However I don't think they'll nerf it like they did with the Lato; considering there are a couple of "WTF DE" threads about the Lato floating around now. However I just don't think they'll buff it anytime soon.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Rafarix

[Kethus]

I would pay for the ability to take any longsword and make it look like a Skana. New skins, anyone?

 

Edit: Oh, it would also be great if we could change the color of the white part. Tint color 4 doesn't seem to change anything.

Edited January 30, 2014 by Kethus

[F_deel]

I disagree with this, the Skana is the training weapon. Along with the MK1 Braton, and Lato.

 

You don't see posts asking for the MK1 to be buffed, right?

 

Actually I've heard rumors of people going up to lv.40 enemies with an MK-1 Braton, although the credibility of that information is......questionable

Either way, I think it's still pretty lethal against rank 20 enemies with a potato and some formas, considering I ranked it up to 30 on Saturn before I found a single serration mod, and not potatoed or forma-ed

[arisaka]

I disagree with this, the Skana is the training weapon. Along with the MK1 Braton, and Lato.

 

You don't see posts asking for the MK1 to be buffed, right?

"Training weapon" and "starting weapon" are not the same thing as "trash weapon that becomes useless once you play for over 30 minutes". Yes, I'm exaggerating a little, but every weapon should be usable. Weapons should not be things to grind to level 30 and throw away. The reason why the starting weapons are what they are is because they (should be) simple and effective, not because they're S#&$. Unfortunately, the starting weapons are undoubtedly the latter.

[DoomFruit]

Actually I've heard rumors of people going up to lv.40 enemies with an MK-1 Braton, although the credibility of that information is......questionable

Either way, I think it's still pretty lethal against rank 20 enemies with a potato and some formas, considering I ranked it up to 30 on Saturn before I found a single serration mod, and not potatoed or forma-ed

I've taken L60s with my Mk1... which has a potato and 6 Formas. I haven't tested it out on higher levels yet.

[ZWarhammer]

I support this idea, Every single one of my melee weapons except Galatine is currently gathering dust. I think every melee weapon should have it's purpose besides 3k mastery and being thrown into trash can later.