Warframe Ability Changes: Nova

[SquirmyBurrito]

I'll give proper feedback on it after I've tried it, but so far it sounds really interesting. Definitely better than its current state. 

[Zhoyzu]

What about antimatter drop? 100k damage gone AoE if I shoot it and nobody cares about its OP-ness?

that takes skill yo use and practice to master. MP is just push 4 and done.

[Withlos]

Nova changes look good but id love to see some interplay with her abilitys like primed units could get hit with her 1 and have a chance that anything nearby has a chance to get primed as well. Or her ball has a small chance to refresh duration of mp on targets already primed.

[Drlathe]

Well it certainly doesnt sound terrible, but the people who actually wanted a nerf will still be crying 'muh kills, oh no muh meaningless kills'.

[Kibbols123]

What about antimatter drop? 100k damage gone AoE if I shoot it and nobody cares about its OP-ness?

 

That only happens after it's been shot at. AD has a potential, not an immediate effect.

[Gigatron-Prime]

Tenno,

 

As we continue the balance passes on the Warframes, we have more updates to report! The following post covers the changes to Nova from the desks of dev, specifically her Molecular Prime ability.

 

Molecular Prime:

 

- On cast, no longer instantly affects all enemies in a radius, now grows out from Novas casting position with a new visual effect. This is affected by Duration mods.

 

- Explosive radius of primed enemies has been brought in (6,7,8,10 meters per mod rank). This is closer to other explosive weapons in the game. This is affected by range mods.

 

- Duration now scales with level but has been brought in line with other power durations (10,15,20,30 seconds per mod rank). This is affected by Duration mods.

 

- Slow-motion effect on enemies now scale with level (.75,.7,.6,.5 percent of normal speed) This is affected by Strength mods, but will have a cap on how slow you can make your enemies overall.

 

- Primed explosions are now offset slightly for performance reasons (creating tons of ragdolls in same frame can cause visible hitches).  

 

Please feel free to discuss these changes within this thread, but stay constructive. Comments and remarks that don’t contribute in a meaningful way will be hidden so surrounding discussions remain on-point.

 

These changes will be arriving in the near future PC (likely with the next content update) and within the next major Update on PS4. We’ll be able to address any immediate issues within a hotfixes, and longer term feedback over time as these changes are tried out and adapted to.

 

Thank you for reading!

What do you mean by offsetting explosions? You mean less ragdolls? Less effects? Less PhysX sparks? Less, less, less, less, less... Why build down and not up? If some people's machines can't handle it, they can toggle the options in the menu. Or is this something different entirely? I always get worried when I read something like "We are lowering/adjusting/changing effects" or something like that.

[Genoscythe]

that takes skill yo use and practice to master. MP is just push 4 and done.

The skill of a baby and 2 minutes of practice. Really, its basically an infinite amount of damage dealt over a radius, as good as MP to clean out masses, even better on high levels.

[qazxedcv1]

So how exactly does Duration affect the expanding effect?

 

Make the radius expand faster or expand at the same speed over a longer amount of time?

[Histori]

That doesn't seem to fix the problem at all.

[Kibbols123]

The skill of a baby and 2 minutes of practice. Really, its basically an infinite amount of damage dealt over a radius, as good as MP to clean out masses, even better on high levels.

 

But while you're shooting at the TINY ball, you're being shot at/hit by enemies...

[AuroraSonicBoom]

The skill of a baby and 2 minutes of practice. Really, its basically an infinite amount of damage dealt over a radius, as good as MP to clean out masses, even better on high levels.

 

But the main reason why it's such a pain in the &#! to play with a Nova is the fact that it's no fun. Why? Because even if you set off the prime, it still feels like its she did all the work. A-Drop is a one hit nuke with a less ridiculous radius. Yes, it may be OP damage wise, but at least it's not sucking the fun out of the game for others constantly.

[Aggh]

actually not

Depends on how long it takes for the priming radius to expand and how exactly duration effects the priming radius.

Edited May 16, 2014 by Aggh

[Aidyn]

I'm actually surprised on one thing no one's noticed or asked about that isn't mentioned: The x2 damage the enemies take under M. Prime.

[Morec0]

I like it! Tones it down but doesn't just nerf numbers, not sure exactly what the growing radius will do but the new effect at least seems interesting and should be awesome to see! Looking forward to it!

[Satsaru]

I'm actually surprised on one thing no one's noticed or asked about that isn't mentioned: The x2 damage the enemies take under M. Prime.

She's a damage frame.  Damage is her game and she plays it well.  Nerfing that would literally be defeating the purpose of Nova entirely.

 

It's also nice to see that people are still wrapped up thinking that smacking the 4 key and killing everything in a room is a nova problem.  It isn't.  It's a generic issue of a large amount of ults in the game.  Rhino, ember, volt, mag, excalibur, saryn, Oberon, Frost, and arguably zephyr and hydroid can literally do the same thing.

[Aidyn]

She's a damage frame.  Damage is her game and she plays it well.  Nerfing that would literally be defeating the purpose of Nova entirely.

 

It's also nice to see that people are still wrapped up thinking that smacking the 4 key and killing everything in a room is a nova problem.  It isn't.  It's a generic issue of a large amount of ults in the game.  Rhino, ember, volt, mag, excalibur, saryn, Oberon, Frost, and arguably zephyr and hydroid can literally do the same thing.

 

Na, that's not what I mean. I am curious as to if they removed it. It simply isn't mentioned, is it still there?

[Etsoree]

Finally.

 

FINALLY.

 

FINALLY.

 

[Satsaru]

Na, that's not what I mean. I am curious as to if they removed it. It simply isn't mentioned, is it still there?

Well, considering that this thread is to list out changes made, if it isn't mentioned it's to be assumed it wasn't touched.

[Fayde8]

I didn't see any mention of the damage buff. Will enemies still take double damage?

 

 

EDIT:

 

I'm actually surprised on one thing no one's noticed or asked about that isn't mentioned: The x2 damage the enemies take under M. Prime.

 

Oops, just saw your Post Aidyn. I'm wondering this too!

Edited May 16, 2014 by Fayde8

[Wargasm_v2.X]

Sounds like all the boohoo over loss of Invulnerability (someone in this thread actually called it "kinda" OP) has caused DE to lose their nerve in balancing M. Prime.  Still sounds like it has the ability to easily clear rooms for 98%-100% of a T3 run.  I'm curious to see the end result so I'll reserve final judgment.

 

If there is effectively no change I'll just continue avoiding runs with Nova when I actually want to play the game beyond shooting a few bullets, swinging my sword, and being showered with confetti for 30+ minutes.

[PHOBIE]

"Molecular Prime:
- On cast, no longer instantly affects all enemies in a radius, now grows out from Novas casting position with a new visual effect. This is affected by Duration mods."

 

Slow on Prime serves as a buffer for survivability, giving a second to jump out would be nice. So a certain base instant range would allow for not standing "naked in animation".

 

- Slow-motion effect on enemies now scale with level (.75,.7,.6,.5 percent of normal speed) This is affected by Strength mods, but will have a cap on how slow you can make your enemies overall.
 

Having strong slow builds and not so strong slow build allows for diversity. Maybe a scaling slow; reaching maximum potential nearest the source (NOVA) would allow for more tactical use, also considering multiple primes at different locations. From a player standpoint enemies 50 meters off don't really need the same slow as the ones really close.

 

- Primed explosions are now offset slightly for performance reasons (creating tons of ragdolls in same frame can cause visible hitches).  

both good for performance and for satisfaction. excellent.

 

Not sure on adding another ressource (duration) to the NOVA. This means more mods needed and has shown with other frames a drop in viability and popularity.

 

With NOVA, you want to be fast or game might get boring and deadly, that is two mods. Then you are pretty much required to slot survivability since bleeding procs now; one or two more mods, let alone quick thinking builds; and then the damage and range mods take up two slots each. Add in efficiency mods and it is a world of pain already. Then there are 3 duration mods that give a circumstantial bonus.

 

Even without damage mods it's still hard to make fun builds. If you want luxury such as a handspring there no leeway. Sure; you should decide for a certain build and not be a monster in all cases. On the other hand the current metagame where people run around with only one ability equipped and cookie-cuttered for that one skill seems not so desirable for the future. I have no good recommendation at this point in time. I can only say that squishy + duration + needs to be fast frame: is going to be very hard to mod right in terms of both fun and function.

[Monolake]

 

- Explosive radius of primed enemies has been brought in (6,7,8,10 meters per mod rank). This is closer to other explosive weapons in the game. This is affected by range mods.

 

- Duration now scales with level but has been brought in line with other power durations (10,15,20,30 seconds per mod rank). This is affected by Duration mods.

 

- Slow-motion effect on enemies now scale with level (.75,.7,.6,.5 percent of normal speed) This is affected by Strength mods, but will have a cap on how slow you can make your enemies overall.

 

- Primed explosions are now offset slightly for performance reasons (creating tons of ragdolls in same frame can cause visible hitches).  

 

Please feel free to discuss these changes within this thread, but stay constructive. Comments and remarks that don’t contribute in a meaningful way will be hidden so surrounding discussions remain on-point.

 

These changes will be arriving in the near future PC (likely with the next content update) and within the next major Update on PS4. We’ll be able to address any immediate issues within a hotfixes, and longer term feedback over time as these changes are tried out and adapted to.

 

Thank you for reading!

 

 

- "On cast, no longer instantly affects all enemies in a radius" - hmm need to know how fast it happens to judge 

 

-10m explosion is still huge, meaning it still scales wildly with groups of enemies = one-shot everything itn the room = nothing is fixed

 

-30 seconds in NOT in line with other power durations its significantly longer than anything, not to mention M-prime doesnt even need a long duration to be effective 'kill everything' in the normal levels. Its still whole 15! seconds with max efficiency build, longer than base Vortex time!

 

-(.75,.7,.6,.5 percent of normal speed) ?? I hope it means 50% at max level like it is now, affecting by power mods is a bad idea, because it hugely buffs M-prime CC component.

 

 

Sounds to me like you are buffing Nova especially for high levels where CC is more important.  *shakes head*. And she can still do millions of damage by stacking Antimatter. What about that?

 

 

BTW thanks for finally removing the Blessing cheat from the game. Now its fun and challenging to play high levels. Dont drop the ball with Nova please.

Edited May 16, 2014 by Monolake

[Charismo]

Yet you already state it will bring her in line with other frames, while she is already in line.

lol

Aside from the gut reactions from people, this sounds fun. The power needed to be affected by duration mods; it was way too spam-able in it's current form. The way you've incorporated duration mods is what's interesting though.

 

It wasn't just things like slow status effects that were troublesome. It was the way that a Nova could easily clear entire levels up to a certain level, with an ult that could be easily spammed for very little energy. Removing the slow would have done nothing to change that.

Props to Scott for what has so far been some really interesting mechanic changes to some powers. Looking forward to what he has in-store going forward.

Edited May 16, 2014 by Charismo

[MECT_HET]

So... You've nerfed Trinity, Nyx and Banshee and removed all hard-capped limits on Nova's ult... Dual standarts? This is not about balance, not by a longshot.

 

Constructive:

1. Make her explosions depend on range just like as Rhino's stomp (x2@cqc, x1 at 1-5 meters and falling with increasing distance)

2. Remove ability to prime enemies through the walls.

3. Remove the glitch while explosion gains self-buff x2 damage therefore gains 1600 base damage instead of 800.

4. Remove explosion's trend to hit the head, use fair calculation with either the flat damage or by calculating damage on the closest bodypart.

5. Make Nova slowed itself while her prime is active and let player see this effect on her own model via these antimatter constructs on her head and shoulders (kinda pulse could be great)

6. Make her incoming damage buff adjustable (0.5*(1+focus+blind rage+buffs)) and dependable on the force power.

7. Change explosion damage type back to the radioactive and make it able to proc (antimatter explosion is more about radiation).

 

and do not touch here instant affects, it's fine as it is, because, y'know, it's antimatter.

[hilycker]

My feedback on this is

 

 

But as everything we'll really see while we'll be able to try it directly