Sugestion | Aditional Function To Ash's Smoke Screen

[Yoridokoro]

So Ash(the most badass warframe in the game), has this ability called "Smoke Screen" which is allright in it's current state. Compared to Loki's Invisibility, Ash's smoke screen is a nerfed version. Now this is not a big problem, the rest of the abilities can make up for it (but in some situations they don't). Ash isn't really a warframe that relies on his powers, concentraiting on primarly on his equipment, his abilities are a secondary choice because of the lack of crowd controll, which is the reason most abilities are even used, crowd controll. Other than that, an ability is used for utility, helping the player or the team.

 

This addition which I haven't mentioned yet is something I tought could balance out the duration nerf to Ash's Smoke Screen and provide some benefit to the team, making Ash into a viable choice for any situation, even Defence and Mobile Defence missions in which Ash is rarely used.

 

Now a smoke screen, or smoke bomb, when thrown is suposed to disable the visual contact between the user and the targeted contact with the help of the "smoke", allowing the user to move away from the original location without being seen. In theory that's all the smoke screen does. Notice the word smoke though. This sugestion came up when thinking about it. Smoke doesn't cover a small area that only one person could stand in, multiple persons can easily fit in the covered area, allowing them all to use it's effect. That's the basic addition really.

 

In my opinion, it would be nice if Ash's smoke screen could affect its allies, not with the full effect Ash gains of curse(400% damage buff as an example)! The smoke screen should be able to make the allies invisible for a shorter period of time, for how long is your decision. Now if this addition is usefull, I would say yes. The way Ash would be played wouldn't chage since it is a small feature, but it would give him something to stand out with. Which teammate wouldn't love having some preasure from the enemy fire taken off their shoulders for them to recover, revive a team mate or change positioin for just a few seconds?

 

What do you guys in the community think? Is this worth taking a look at?

Edited April 9, 2014 by SicTurtle

[R34LM]

I like the idea. I understand your naming of Smoke Screen as a nerf to Invisibility; however it is 15 energy cheaper, so there is compensation. I feel that if it were able to affect teammates that the power cost may need to go up for balance.

[jwya]

interesting idea, it does sound similar to some concepts of iron skin applying a team-wide buff, though for smoke screen it could actually be good without being game-breaking... (not that iron skin is/was/will be game-breaking mehehe)

Edited April 9, 2014 by jwya

[Yoridokoro]

Glad to hear that you guy find interest in it.

[The_Sharp_Demonologist]

How about this: Using Smoke Screen creates a smoke screen that on cast briefly staggers enemies around you, then as it expands enemies cannot see what is happening inside the cloud, forcing them to go inside and search for your team. Enemies inside the smoke will have their accuracy and view range heavily reduced.

While all this happens of course you are invisible  in or out of the cloud. 

Of course this would need to make the Smoke affected by range and duration mods so you can créate a big smoke screen to hide your team or maybe fight a boss in your own "arena".

 

Some would say it would be like Snow Globe all over again but enemies can shoot in or out of the cloud, they just wont be as accurate

[RealPandemonium]

I like the idea. I understand your naming of Smoke Screen as a nerf to Invisibility; however it is 15 energy cheaper, so there is compensation. I feel that if it were able to affect teammates that the power cost may need to go up for balance.

It also staggers in a radius.

[Yoridokoro]

How about this: Using Smoke Screen creates a smoke screen that on cast briefly staggers enemies around you, then as it expands enemies cannot see what is happening inside the cloud, forcing them to go inside and search for your team. Enemies inside the smoke will have their accuracy and view range heavily reduced.

While all this happens of course you are invisible  in or out of the cloud. 

Of course this would need to make the Smoke affected by range and duration mods so you can créate a big smoke screen to hide your team or maybe fight a boss in your own "arena".

 

Some would say it would be like Snow Globe all over again but enemies can shoot in or out of the cloud, they just wont be as accurate

 

So you propose of making the Smoke Screen into a defencive ability? I personally am liking the idea but at the same time it would change the way ash is played which most os us wouldn't want. Maybe replace a different ability with your idea? Or just leave it as it is but extend the duration of the smoke aplying the same effect you mentioned above but not removing ash's invisibility?

It also staggers in a radius.

Tha stagger effect is not enaugh to have any sort of effect, if we could increase the leinght of the stagger I can see the smoke screen becoming somewhar similar to Excaliburs radial blind ability and already would consider it as an improvement.

[(PSN)OniWarrior]

How about this: Using Smoke Screen creates a smoke screen that on cast briefly staggers enemies around you, then as it expands enemies cannot see what is happening inside the cloud, forcing them to go inside and search for your team. Enemies inside the smoke will have their accuracy and view range heavily reduced.

While all this happens of course you are invisible  in or out of the cloud. 

Of course this would need to make the Smoke affected by range and duration mods so you can créate a big smoke screen to hide your team or maybe fight a boss in your own "arena".

 

Some would say it would be like Snow Globe all over again but enemies can shoot in or out of the cloud, they just wont be as accurate

This is very similar to the idea I posted a little while back.

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/190231-my-ideas-for-ash/

Smoke Screen should be just that, a screen of smoke. 

So you propose of making the Smoke Screen into a defencive ability?

It would be far more than just a defensive ability, it would be an excellent stealth ability. It would allow you to take an actual stealth approach instead of the fake stealth provided by an invisibility.

[RealPandemonium]

Tha stagger effect is not enaugh to have any sort of effect, if we could increase the leinght of the stagger I can see the smoke screen becoming somewhar similar to Excaliburs radial blind ability and already would consider it as an improvement.

Clutch staggers are the kind of CC we should be supporting, not the "cast and check facebook for the next 30 seconds" kind.

[Yoridokoro]

Smoke Screen should be just that, a screen of smoke.  It would be far more than just a defensive ability, it would be an excellent stealth ability. It would allow you to take an actual stealth approach instead of the fake stealth provided by an invisibility.

I agree but with the current AI, map design and stealth mechanics, I can't vision it in the game as it is right now. Many things have to be changed for this to work. :|

 

Clutch staggers are the kind of CC we should be supporting, not the "cast and check facebook for the next 30 seconds" kind.

I understand, didn't think trough that as I wrote. I agree with your statement too. But still, adding aditional animations, like chocking from all the smoke, or rubbing their eyes, or some responsive animations which indicate response to the ability being casted, could feel more natural if the stun time is extended.

[RealPandemonium]

I understand, didn't think trough that as I wrote. I agree with your statement too. But still, adding aditional animations, like chocking from all the smoke, or rubbing their eyes, or some responsive animations which indicate response to the ability being casted, could feel more natural if the stun time is extended.

I'm all for adding cooler animations and maybe a slow for the duration of a mark.