An Iron Skin Update? About Damn Time

[Jamescell]

Iron Skin is a great ability, (was) a great ability, but overtime it's visuals have become outdated, stat indicators lacking, and another extremely useful tool for an already very strong Rhino.

Iron Skin allows Rhino's tanky stats to be further bolstered, and if built right Rhino is one of the fastest frames available as well. Rhino's original setback, at conception, was supposedly his painstakingly slow movement speed. It made sense thematically, and was potentially a very fair setback to Rhino's otherwise well-rounded capabilities. Overtime opportunities to build Rhino for speed slowly negated his slow base movement speed resulting in a frame that specializes in essentially everything, team buffs, damage, crowd control, speed and defense

Regardless of whether or not my proposed changes are the best way to both balance Rhino and bring Iron Skin into the more modern world of Warframe, an Iron Skin update needs to eventually happen regardless. The following proposed changes are to update the ability, not outright buff it.

Stat Wise: Add a damage reduction to Iron Skin that negates a certain % of all incoming damage (10/15/20/25%) to Rhino BEFORE it damages Iron Skin, this effect only lasts while Iron Skin is in effect. NOT scaling with power strength. A nerf to overall health of Iron Skin may be necessary for balance on lower levels.

Add a movement speed debuff to Rhino, slowing him when Iron Skin is active, (25/30/35/40%), this will help reinstate his weakness of being slow.

Allow Iron Skin to be turned on and off, perhaps even returning energy based on the % of Iron Skin that was left before it was deactivated.

Add proper UI that shows the amount of health remaining and the maximum amount of health Iron Skin has as well as a bar that visualizes the health of iron skin.

Visually: Replace the current Iron/Golden Crust, that looks for the most part like a visual glitch, with actual "armor", essentially solid metallic textures that replace the normal textures in significant areas, the shoulders, forearms, waist and calves. The color of this texture could be completely changed based on a specific cosmetic color option that could be added to the customization UI specifically for Rhino. If this new color option is left un-specified the armor would remain Iron/Gold/Rubedo.

UPDATE: Added a significant buff that becomes more and more useful in higher levels.

Edited June 30, 2014 by Jamescell

[MrNonApplicable]

inb4 "no" and, "do you even play above level 30?" and "have you even left mercury scrub?" comments.
Prepare for a sh!tstorm.

I agree with everything you had to say. :)

Edited June 29, 2014 by MrNonApplicable

[Ratisfaction]

YES and yes and another yes.

[Egg_Chen]

Agree with the visuals, and I actually like the speed debuff when in Iron Skin mode.

Problem is it will never happen, too many Rhino's with Bacon Helmets and Boltor Primes out there to upset.

[Axeroix]

I agree with everything you had to say. :)

seconded

[Shafilp]

NOPE i'm not rhino player but NOPE

[Megakruemel]

Why is everyone hating on rhino?

[Seele]

While I wholeheartedly agree with your functionality ideas OP, I think the aesthetic part could be left to just an energy-colored aura, a la Warcry. Adding chunks or layers of crap just depreciates the value of customizing Rhino's appearance.

 

Other possible solutions, in terms of function:

 

-Make it run on a timer. This not only prevents a single cast from lasting entire missions, but gives Rhino players a reason to consider power duration instead of slapping on Fleeting Expertise and stomping the yard.

 

-Prevent damage, or prevent crowd control effects. Not both.

 

-Speed reduction is a good, and thematically appropriate concept so I'll repeat it.

 

-A combination of the aforementioned.

[KvotheTheArcane1]

So... pure nerfs to rhino's IS? I disagree because it already has the problem of being more or less godmode in low level areas, and useless in higher level areas (i.e. roughly level 20 or so is where it gets pretty weak to say the least) Now, if the damage absorbed scaled to the enemy's damage, that'd be fine (have it affected by power strength, and cap it at like, 50% maybe), and the nerfs would make sense.

[Romalic]

although its a nice idea, and a visual indicator of how much damage is remaining is a very good idea, the second posters, very poorly expressed, point does hold, at high level there is no delay or chance to look at the remaining damage, its simply gone if your hit, i use it for poison protection and AE knockdown protection but actually absorbing damage becomes its weakest point, its its aura protection and AE damage protection you use it for, or 1 hit and its gone, the melee weapon speed( AKA zorencoptering) is a vital part of any, not just rhino, frames movement, a speed debuff would have far longer reaching effects on rhino 

[Bazools]

This sounds very much a call for nerfing Rhino... but i do agree with the feedback given about the stats and visuals of Iron Skin but...Op clearly does not use Rhino in "endgame content" and if he does he obviously does not recognize the importance of Rhino in high level content as a really good support and cc frame. 

[Mcl_Blue]

Personally, I disagree with the speed debuff idea. I see your point, don't get me wrong, but from my experience all that you get from making a frame slower is making it useless because everything is already dead by the time they can catch up with everyone else. I don't think any frame should have a speed lower than 1.

 

Visually, Iron Skin definitely needs to be at least tweaked, seeing as how bugged it currently looks.

 

I'm not sure about the rest.

[VoidPunch]

My main problem with Iron skin is the visuals. I would like to not be a solid color, there is no point in coloring your Rhino. Why not have a sort of energy field around him or change the Armor to a glowing effect not unlike channneling

[(PSN)iBoiz]

Try Playing Rhino with Maxed Iron skin and proper mods at High Level Missions. It will be gone within few seconds! Plus Not everyone has Arcane Vanguard Helmet, which is the only reason he is fast. De already addressed this issue by removing stats from Helmets. And btw if you want to nerf Rhino you might as well say bye bye to the influx of new players because while higher level players having more "challenge", new players will suffer.

The only thing I agree on is having Visual Update

[ASH_PRIME]

If people want to run a Maxed Intensify/Blind Rage Iron Skin build with Steel Fiber and Vanguard Helm and play one of the most boring Warframes in existence..they should have every right to!   I also use this build when the need arises.

There's no reason that Iron Skin should slow You down... 

P.S  Iron Skin on Rhino Prime with Rubedo Skin looks BOSS!
 

Edited June 29, 2014 by ASH_PRIME

[Azawarau]

If people want to run a Maxed Intensify/Blind Rage Iron Skin build with Steel Fiber and Vanguard Helm and play one of the most boring Warframes in existence..they should have every right to!   I also use this build when the need arises.

There's no reason that Iron Skin should slow You down... 

P.S  Iron Skin on Rhino Prime with Rubedo Skin looks BOSS!

 

Ive done that and its a terrible idea

 

Eats way too much energy and goes out way too quickly

 

Energy efficient is really nice but doesnt really hold up long either when things get ugly

 

Im greatly considering dropping iron skin from my rhino or making it a low priority if i ever get back to playing rhino

[(PSN)friedricetheman]

+1 love your idea. And I am a Rhino player (with the original Rhino as my most played frame).

Please DE implement OP's ideas.

iron skin should slow down Rhino's speed since he is lugging 1000kg worth of iron around..

[Sasquatchias]

I like the speed debuff idea, but I also think it would be cool if you started to go faster again as you lose pieces of the Iron Skin.

 

Edit: Also having Iron Skin active should increase the damage of Rhino Charge.

Edited June 29, 2014 by Sasquatch180

[RahuHordika]

IS is in a rather poor state right now. It only works properly as damage protection on lower levels and it's a short lived CC/Proc defense on higher ones, that's it's only redeeming factor (and it can't even prevent disruptions). I agree with you on the UI update but as it is now, the slowdown you suggest is a downright unnecesary nerf unless you've got something to even out that negative.

[(PSN)iBoiz]

Unequip Arcane Vanguard Helmet and you'll see just how "fast" he is. Oh and guess what? there is only limited amount of Arcane Helmets.

Edited June 29, 2014 by (PS4)iBoiz

[(PSN)friedricetheman]

Unequip Arcane Vanguard Helmet and you'll see just how "fast" he is. Oh and guess what? there is only limited amount of Arcane Helmets.

I don't even use arcane vanguard helmet on my Rhino Prime. Just a regular Rush mod works fine..

Edited June 29, 2014 by (PS4)friedricetheman

[Jamescell]

@ASH_PRIME ...He's wearing a metal skin... Last time I checked metal is heavy.

@Bazools I do use Rhino for "endgame content" last time I checked frequent runs to wave 50 on t4 is as endgame as it gets. I'm sorry that you feel as if Rhino needs to be good at everything, but he would still be amazing at a slower pace. I play endgame but I also consider balance and the overall game. I also don't understand how changing iron skin nerfs his CC abilities? Or his team support?

@iBoiz Rush works just fine. I don't equip vanguard because it doesn't fit my Rhino Prime visually.

@HandsofnArtist I have updated the post to be a bit clearer.

Edited June 29, 2014 by Jamescell

[__Kanade__]

Oh another Rhino thread.

[HAYABU5A]

i really like the slow penalty when iron skin is active

 

makes sense

[Kruglov]

A speed debuff wont really matter when spinning with melee makes everyone move at cheetah speed anyway.

That said, if Iron Skin is going to cause a debuff to Rhino's speed, it should give buffs elsewhere.

It's far too important of an ability in both solo and team play to simply nerf it.

 

I'd vote IRON SKIN slows rhino 30% and also decreases teammates damage taken by 30% as well. Have both variables effected by power strength and range.