Oberon Redux

[Vargras]

As much as I like Oberon, he's been in a bit of a weird spot for a very long time. He's not a bad frame, but he's not great either -- instead he's stuck in mediocrity, with abilities that are already done better by everyone else. Not only that, but despite being labeled as a paladin, he doesn't really feel like it.

 

Let's try to change that, shall we?

 

Goals

-Additional tweaks and changes to all skills to give Oberon further utility and make him a bit more unique in regards to other frames.

-Being labeled as a paladin, Oberon should appropriately fill out that theme.

 

Smite

In addition to the current effect, Smite is now usable on allies. Using Smite on an ally will cause them to emit the usual projectiles, and in addition, they will be given a brief attack speed buff, increasing firerate for weapons and swing speed for melee weapons.

 

Reasoning: Being a paladin, Oberon should be able to inspire his allies. By allowing Smite to be usable on his own allies (with a buff given to them), Oberon can fulfill this role.

 

Hallowed Ground

In addition to the current effect, enemies are unable to fight Oberon and his allies while on Hallowed Ground, and are instead disarmed while they remain within the field. Leaving the field will allow them to use their weapons once more. Adding to this, allies standing within Hallowed Ground are empowered, receiving a very slight increase to health and energy regeneration. Oberon benefits from this at a reduced rate.

 

Reasoning: Further playing into the paladin theme, Hallowed Ground gets amped up, and any enemies are unable to fight properly while in a sanctified area. Allies can bask in it, giving them an additional buff.

 

Renewal

In addition to the current effect, Renewal now has a secondary effect on Oberon and his allies if they are at full health. When at full health, Renewal will instead shield the target for an amount equivalent to the amount that would be healed multiplied by 2 -- if Renewal would have healed for 200, it would shield for 400. While the shield holds, it acts similarly to the Retribution mod, dealing radiation damage to any enemy who attacks the shielded Tenno (both melee and ranged damage will proc the effect). Depleting the Renewal shield will trigger an AOE explosion around the player, dealing additional radiation damage.

 

This shield lasts 15 seconds and cannot be increased by duration mods.

 

Reasoning: Retribution is a recurring theme for paladins -- it's also a fairly poor mod. By tweaking it and adding it to Renewal, we give the skill some additional utility for allies at full health, and also make it a bit more unique in terms of shielding. Because it functions differently than Blessing, it still has purpose.

 

Reckoning

In addition to the current effect, Reckoning now also applies Hallowed Ground in a small radius below each and every enemy affected by Reckoning. Hallowed Ground applied in this way functions just as the skill does, and will damage and disarm enemies while buffing allies who stand in it. This Hallowed Ground effect lasts just as long as the skill does.

 

Reasoning: Reckoning already does reasonably well as a CC, but Mag's Crush does it better. By allowing Reckoning to also apply Hallowed Ground, we turn Oberon's ultimate into a powerhouse of a skill.

[baron1357]

i would be all for this if Oberon looked more like a plandin

[Paradoxbomb]

These are pretty good actually, subtle but still give each of his skills that extra oomph to make them feel unique and improve his ability to support his team. The only one I'm not entirely sold on is Hallowed Ground completely removing enemies' ability to attack; while Hallowed Ground's range isn't spectacular I'm still concerned that with a range + efficiency build you could essentially make enemies completely harmless over a very large area. Perhaps just a reduction in damage/fire rate or an increase in the proc chance (to cause enemies to frequently turn on each other)? Otherwise I love the idea of his abilities providing various buffs to allies.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Paradoxbomb

[Aciaj613]

Love the idea of extra support elements, heres a good one that should go onto renewal since we don't have this yet.

 

While renew is active, you are unable to be affected by status effects.

 

Example: You are receiving many bleed procs from all the grinizzle enemies shooting you, so you just use renewal to cure the bleed procs so you can stay alive.

 

Of course this will work for allies as well, Only reason I mention this is because its the only support element I have yet to see in this game.

 

I hope they make more support elements around Damage 2.0 soon.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Aciaj613

[APBladeX]

I created a similar thread for Oberon as well, check out the link and exchange ideas, maybe DE will actually pay attention this time.

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/225325-oberon-needs-some-buffin-lovin/#entry2610750

[Gurzil]

I'd rather see Renewal either revive downed players, or restore their energy.. Trinity has health covered, and he's barely even a copycat support frame.

 

Hallowed ground should have a slow down effect, similar to Nova's Mol Prime, or the ice paths in the void.

[Archistopheles]

Half of his problems are because the Devs initially called him a paladin when he is obviously not.

 

If they just would have codenamed him "Antlers" we would have a much different mental image of what he "should" be.

[Skizors]

Random ideas: Even if they didn't go with the paladin theme and took more of a druid path for deerberon.  Druids make sacrifices so his smite could also give some variety of bonus to himself or the team as upon a kill with it.  Smite could even mark an enemy and upon that enemies death the benefits of the buff are given.  Whatever it is, he needs to be brought up to the standard that has been set by the other frames.

[Vargras]

Half of his problems are because the Devs initially called him a paladin when he is obviously not.

 

If they just would have codenamed him "Antlers" we would have a much different mental image of what he "should" be.

Yeah, there's definitely a conflict of themes. Labeled a paladin, with skills named as such, but he looks more like a druid.

[DalaiLlama]

I wouldn't mind if much of his skills were changed completely; simple damage dealers lack depth and in most cases, defining utility.

 

For example, I'd support mass buffs/debuffs instead, as per Oberon's Paladin nature.

[Repligon]

while Hallowed Ground's range isn't spectacular I'm still concerned that with a range + efficiency build you could essentially make enemies completely harmless over a very large area.

Can be compensated by tweaking AI to avoid stepping into Hallowed Ground.

[Fomiru]

Some of these are okay, but reckoning is fine as is.

[LuciferTelos]

I completely agree that as a "paladin" Oberon falls short. Also I feel that Varagas' ideas on how to improve him are spot on. I would only add one thing though, could or should something be done about his speed, i.e. running walking, etc. ? I mean if he is to support and help his teammates shouldnt he atleast be able to keep up? I personally use Oberon, a lot. I enjoy it more so than other frames I have, he is great for solo stuff, but I am always so far behind everyone else to the point where I sometimes dont even make it to the extraction.

[Varzy]

Definitely like the idea of a Radiation shield, but I have a question about Renewal's workings. Say it'd heal 200 health, and my frame has 300/400 health. After healing 100 health, would the effect stop, or would it apply the radiation shield for 200 damage worth of protection?

 

That is to say, is the shield amount 2x(Renewal heal - Damage Healed)?

 

Also, I remember discussing this point with someone in another Oberon thread. One of the suggestions developed that I really liked for Hallowed Ground was the idea that it healed allies within of any status effects and protected them from any further procs. Allies who are bleeding or burning, etc, could beeline into the field for a quick heal, or Oberon could toss it down on top of his allies with fighting starts to give them a bit of a foothold. There's no skill that protects from status procs so far, and it'd both fit the theme of 'protecting allies' while giving him a distinct difference from Trinity.

[Vargras]

Definitely like the idea of a Radiation shield, but I have a question about Renewal's workings. Say it'd heal 200 health, and my frame has 300/400 health. After healing 100 health, would the effect stop, or would it apply the radiation shield for 200 damage worth of protection?

 

That is to say, is the shield amount 2x(Renewal heal - Damage Healed)?

Correct.

 

Allies (and Oberon) at full health would get a full shield. We'll keep using 200 as the example. At full health, you'd get a shield absorbing 400 damage. If at 300/400 health, you would get a shield absorbing 200 damage. If at 250/400, it would be 100 damage, and obviously if the heal is completely consumed, there is no shield.

[Hybridon]

These are pretty good actually, subtle but still give each of his skills that extra oomph to make them feel unique and improve his ability to support his team. The only one I'm not entirely sold on is Hallowed Ground completely removing enemies' ability to attack; while Hallowed Ground's range isn't spectacular I'm still concerned that with a range + efficiency build you could essentially make enemies completely harmless over a very large area. Perhaps just a reduction in damage/fire rate or an increase in the proc chance (to cause enemies to frequently turn on each other)? Otherwise I love the idea of his abilities providing various buffs to allies.

Isnt that essentially what Loki does, at a wider ranger while invisible?

Oberon would have an area limitation to go according to the half energy cost. Kinda like Lokis and Ashs invisibility, one lasts longer but costs more.

As to the OP, one of the best ideas Ive seen around, actually makes Oberon useful. I fromaed mine to be support with a Regeneration Aura, and going with Renewal and Reckoning for CC and heal, but he clearly lacks in the long run, and your simple tweaks actually would make him balanced and make me take his other powers along.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Hybridon

[Paradoxbomb]

Isnt that essentially what Loki does, at a wider ranger while invisible?

 

More or less, although they can still melee meaning they still have a means of retaliation (and they can hit pretty damn hard at that, so you still have to be careful). Outright removing any kind of retaliation seems risky and potentially abusable, but then again the limited range and duration could potentially balance it compared to an RD build. I guess I'm just skeptical about it.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Paradoxbomb