Catalysts, Forma, And The Cost Of Weapon Permanence.

[DalaiLlama]

MR11 Player here, with many questions dogging me for ages.  Here's one.

 

The mastery experience system has long encouraged players to try new weapons, some which end up being keepers and others immediate sells upon level 30.  I want to be able to try out older forgotten weapons and to build unconventional weapon sets.  However, we've long reached a point in the game where a fresh catalyst-less and forma-less weapon at level 30 is still weak and far from an accurate depiction of where and how far the weapon can go.

 

At the same time, Catalysts and forma are finite resources and while forma can be farmed up at the void, using it resets weapon level and necessitates more mindless grinding.  In the event that the weapon truly doesn't go very far, using either resource is either a waste of costly catalysts or time spent grinding forma and leveling the weapon over and over.

 

I'm curious to know what the rest of the community resorts to in leveling weapons, how they determine which weapons are worth an upgrade, how much worth they place in upgrade resources, etc. etc.  Also, do people forma before catalysting?  I seem to believe that a weapon is truly nothing without a catalyst, then formas come afterwards.  A view that may soon need to be revised.

 

In the meantime, I'm currently equipping a Grakata, Kraken, and Karyst, all of which are uncatalysted and unformaed.  Along with a large part of my arsenal, I'm at a loss as to if these weapons deserve the upgrades that I wish to apply after wasting a catalyst on a Tetra.

Edited September 8, 2014 by DalaiLlama

[Rukkhadevata.]

i level up in the void and apollodarus

Edited September 8, 2014 by VyralVanKill

[Shreiko]

I go by word of mouth and how unique a weapons function is when deciding to forma, basically I dont think I have formad any weapon that just shoots normal bullets. My marelok is an exception to this rule, its just so damn good.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Shreiko

[Photon95]

Probably Gonne get hammered for this, but I find nova to be a very decent weapon leveling frame. Instead of wasting a ton of bullets just to kill one guy, just mp then use half as much to kill way more at once. The only problem being her low defenses if energy becomes scarce.

[Yazeth]

I use Warframe-Builder to calculate dps. If I like the build I made, I go build it and put in potaoes and formas.

[Jeloxale]

I go by word of mouth and how unique a weapons function is when deciding to forma, basically I dont think I have formad any weapon that just shoots normal bullets. My marelok is an exception to this rule, its just so damn good.

No Soma?? Wow you're such a noob

It's a joke, don't get upset about it.

[Surtur]

I decide what to forma and catalyst based on if it is fun. For instance, the pangolin sword is weak but one of my favorite weapons. I leveled it and kept it for a while holding out for a catalyst, and sold it for more inven space for mastery. I regret that and now have more catalyst BPs than I need right now and am holding out for a pangolin sword alert

 

Plus, The Sword Alone hadn't come out yet with crimson dervish

Edited September 8, 2014 by Warlord_Zeta

[Katinka]

Most of the weapons I have put a Catalyst into are ones that were good without it.  If a weapon feels tiresome to get to 30 once then I'll not bother using it after.  If it is good and/or fun then I might put in a Catalyst.  I didn't bother too much with Forma until I ran out of new weapons and my mods were reaching max level.  Then I started thinking about how many points I could get back by using Forma and how many more mods I could fit.  A fair few weapons have been re-leveled in Dark Sectors and Phorid runs by cramming in as much fire as the current level will allow and using it with a Blind Rage/Accelerant Ember.

[StinkyPygmy]

Simple. IF I enjoy using it and know I'll use it in the void/long defences etc then a potato goes in it along with any forma needed.

If I'm unsure about a weapon then I might just forma it to give it a fair go.

I never really even need to forma/potato melee weapons though. In most cases I cant fit everything I want on there, maxed, without it.

Which does narrow things down a bit.

[Solarboy_Luis]

I choose what to potato based on how strong it is or if its really fun to use. Currently I only forma weapons/gear that I use for higher lvls(5 forma'd excal prime, boltor prime, and despair) or weapon that would benefit from it(ogris and flux rifle).

[PurpleBomber]

Probably Gonne get hammered for this, but I find nova to be a very decent weapon leveling frame. Instead of wasting a ton of bullets just to kill one guy, just mp then use half as much to kill way more at once. The only problem being her low defenses if energy becomes scarce.

 

Nova is a great leveling frame, especially now that the exp distribution has been made more team friendly. I used forma on a few weapons the other day and got them from unranked to 30 in about a half-dozen Kappa runs with her, no boosters or anything.

[Shreiko]

No Soma?? Wow you're such a noob

It's a joke, don't get upset about it.

Didnt fall in love with it, around the time I used it I was a bow and synapse fanatic

[MrJxt]

I just slap on a catalyst if I like the gun.

 

I add forma if I find myself using it often against high lvl enemies.

[SuperBadPig]

I would suggest forma, different style weapons so you can vary the gameplay. I have a 4x Soma, 5x Boltor Prime, 5x Braton, which I kinda regret doing this, because they have a fairly similar playstyle. Forma 1 of them was enough since they are in the spray and pray category.

 

I have different level of forma depending on how I appreciate a weapon.

 

Excellent : 6 Forma

Very Good: 4-5  Forma

Good 2-3 Forma

Nonmal and below, sell at 30.