Mods That Need To Be Addressed [Suggestions]

[Vaskadar]

First off, I'll categorize the mods in terms of importance to the core mechanics in the game and what necessitates their improvements. I've played the game since 1 year and 1 day ago. Yesterday was my Warframe Anniversary, and I've been providing feedback (some good, some bad) to the best of my ability since all that time. This is my observations on the mods (since their introduction).

Categories are as follows:

-Common mods with imbalanced counterparts
-Uncommon mods with imbalanced counterparts
-Rare mods with imbalanced counterparts

-Ineffective mods
Mods that don't offer any benefit over other mods, cost too much for their output, or don't offer enough output.

This is a living document, with a list of suggested changes. Big text bunches are in spoiler tags, and I'll try to follow this format for the rest of the post.

Cost: The amount of slot energy a mods costs
Output: The percentage or value that the mod changes

-Common Mods with Mismatched Counterparts

Primary vs. Secondary Physical Damage Mods

Piercing Hit, Sawtooth Clip, Rupture + Flechette, Shredder, Disruptor
When Maxed: +30% physical damage (respective damage types), 9 energy cost
Counterpart
Pistol Physical Damage Mods

The problem here with the physical damage mods for primary weapons cost more and do less than their secondary weapon counterparts. This shouldn't be affected by rarity, but as is well known, secondary mods (for whatever arbitrary reason) are a lot stronger than the primary mods. This should be equalized some.

How to fix the imbalance:
A.) Make primary damage mods more powerful than their secondary counterparts to make up for the cost
B.) Equalize their damage and costs (both cost 7 slots maxed, and both do 60% more damage)
C.) Reduce the effectiveness of the secondary physical damage mods

Primary Reload Mods vs. Secondary Reload Mods

-Uncommon Mods with Mismatched Counterparts

Primary vs. Secondary Damage Mods (Hornet Strike, Point Blank, Serration)

The imbalance here is pretty apparent between Hornet Strike and Serration, but they define one another. Point blank is parallel to Serration in terms of cost-to-output ratio (1 slot energy = 15% damage). They're all uncommon, they're all hugely important, so they should all have the same cost-to-output ratio. (I hope this ends up in a buff). If they are to remain asymmetrical, the costs of primary weapon damage mods must be reduced.

-Rare Mods with Mismatched Counterparts

Rifle Multishot vs. Pistol Multishot

90% vs. 120%, the imbalance here is very apparent.

-Ineffective Mods, or mods that don't truly provide enough benefit to be considered over other mods, or mods that most people wouldn't (and probably shouldn't) bother equipping

Intruder (near worthless right now)

Stealth isn't implemented, and there's no point to using up a mod slot for this. Should reduce the likelihood of being reported on sight, too.

Thief's Wit
Doesn't provide any tangible benefit truly relevant to gameplay. Should be combined with enemy radar.

A majority of the melee-affecting mods that are to be equipped to Warframes should be made into Melee mods instead to improve defensive capabilities. Also: Reflex Guard - WHY ARE YOU SO AWFUL????

Handspring

Should have never been made into a mod, but instead a recovery mechanic should have been implemented like in many fighting games

Magazine Size Mods

Magazine size mods, for their cost, are relatively unimportant and ineffective, whilst providing minimal benefits over other mod types. I suggest reducing their costs, and doubling their output.

Primary Weapon Reload Mods

While helpful, they don't offer much either. Doubling their effectiveness would be greatly beneficial and the mods would see increased usage

 

Normal (not dual-stat) Status chance Mods

These need to be additive to be worth it, or drastically buffed to be worthwhile

Edited January 26, 2014 by Vaskadar

[Zero.No.Hikari]

Its funny how some rifles benefit from the magazine and max ammo mod more than others, sure maybe we can make it so it's a +X instead of %X since that could help Sniper Rifles hold more ammo as well as maybe adding a sniper, Launcher only Magazine+ mod so that they at least get a few more shots into it.  Now something like Shotguns that have small max ammo and Sobek and Boar Prime using more than what a single ammo pack can replenish, Some seem off balanced but when you think how much more powerful rifles are over some pistols the mods make sense.  just imagine having something like a Soma with 180% multi-shot..  Sounds like overkill to me.

[MortalSword]

I use Thief's Wit as part of my normal loadout. Helps on longer survival/defense missions to make sure I can snag mods that dropped and not miss out the sneaky ones that fell in a corner, etc.

 

That being said due to the limited amount of slots on a Warframe, I support your call to have it merged with Enemy Radar. 

[Vaskadar]

Its funny how some rifles benefit from the magazine and max ammo mod more than others, sure maybe we can make it so it's a +X instead of %X since that could help Sniper Rifles hold more ammo as well as maybe adding a sniper, Launcher only Magazine+ mod so that they at least get a few more shots into it.  Now something like Shotguns that have small max ammo and Sobek and Boar Prime using more than what a single ammo pack can replenish, Some seem off balanced but when you think how much more powerful rifles are over some pistols the mods make sense.  just imagine having something like a Soma with 180% multi-shot..  Sounds like overkill to me.

 

They take up a slot that could have potentially gone towards damage output (which is really all that matters in builds at this point in time, sadly). I've been suggesting this for a while, and they should cap out at 60%, not 30%. 30% isn't enough.