[Warframe Concept] Impetus, The Signal Warframe.

[MasterControl]

So I was shooting the breeze with a few guys in a Relay, and we all came to the conclusion that a leader 'frame would be a fantastic addition to the game. The problem, of course being, how does one make a frame that has no direct damage and relies on teammates.. Work? 

 

Base stats

 

We came to the conclusion that this frame is a leader, not a warrior. Therefore, she shouldn't be that tanky, and should rely on teammates to damage sponge for her with their newfound buffs. However, she also shouldn't have a MASSIVE energy pool like some other casters, as her abillities will be balanced by needing to be casted carefully and at correct times to be effective. 

 

Base 85 HP

 

Base 85 Shields

 

Base 50 Armor

 

Base 125 energy

 

Skills

 

So here's the fun part of the show. It took awhile to actually make any progress here, as we wanted something unique but not overly complicated to use. While she should require skill and good timing to use effectively, it should be obvious when those times are to make using the 'frame easy and fun. However, these skills are still heavily WIP, and are likely to change in the near future. Suggestions are welcome, especially for the 1 and 4 skills.

 

1. Broadcast

 

Impetus sends a quick broadcast to a single target, either buffing a friendly's damage and health regeneration with a message of encouragement or debuffing an enemy's damage and accuracy with a spiteful message that demoralizes the foe. Possibly stuns the foe for 2/2/3/3 seconds unaffected by mods while they are confused and scales the damage buff/debuff by +15%/+30%/+45%/+60% per level. The total length of the skill would be for 4/6/8/16 based on skill level.

 

2. Beacon

 

Impetus throws out a small machine that enlarges and begins to hover above where it was thrown. Standing near the beacon would cause the player to hear encouragement from the Lotus regarding Tenno fortitude and resillience, giving a damage resistance buff of 10%/20%/25%/30% for any Tenno in range. The device would have infinite duration, but would risk being destroyed by hostile forces. Casting another Beacon destroys the previous Beacon. 

 

      Alt 2: Antenna

 

     

Impetus throws out a hovering antenna that allows a Warframe to channel Void energy from further than normal. Standing near the antenna would allow allies within the antenna's radius to cast abillities 10%/20%/25%/30% farther than normal, before mods. The device would have infinite duration, but would risk being destroyed by hostile forces. Casting another Antenna destroys the previous Antenna.

 

 

3. Telemetry

 

Impetus takes a survey of local Void activity, gathering data about her surroundings and broadcasting it to allies. This provides better data for Warframe calibration allowing for +3%/+6%/+9%/+12% efficiency and +15%/+20%/+25%/+30% power strength to nearby Tenno for 4/8/12/16 seconds.

 

4. Hardline

 

Impetus throws out 1/2/3/4 remote-controlled ospereys of Tenno design which orbit Impetus for 4/8/12/16 seconds and buff the health and shields of nearby allies by 20%/40%/60%/80% of their max health/shields. Allies that remain near Impetus are therefore rewarded for standing close to the squishy Impetus and taking a few hits for her. However, the skill would have the possibility of ending early if all of the ospereys were destroyed. Also, for each osperey destroyed, the skill becomes 20% less effective.

 

 

Possible Augments

 

File Sharing: Casting Beacon creates a data upload point that, if both Impetus and an ally are in range, shares the effects of mods between Impetus and her team at 10%/15/%/20%/25% effectiveness. For instance, if Impetus had Rush equipped and her ally had Intensify equipped, her ally would gain the effect of Rush at 25% of it's original effectiveness, and Impetus would gain the effects of Intensify at the same 25% effectiveness. Credit to Javiimii for the original idea.

 

 

Design

 

Sadly, I am no artist. However, the general consensus was that Impetus would have a mechanical look, with antennas littering her body and possibly radio dishes on her shoulder blades. 

 

Summary

 

TL;DR Impetus is a frame dedicated to buffing her team instead of dealing damage. However, without any CC skills and poor tanking abillities, she relies on her team to take the brunt of the force and dirty work. She relies on skillful play to have her abillites continue to function, as her abillities can usually be ended early with reckless play. However, with a good Impetus, a squad will be able to push themselves to new limits with the new strengths she provides. Just so long as she doesn't get crushed because everyone wants to hallway hero. 

 

Edit 1: Woo, this isn't lost in the ether of unread forum posts! Added alternate suggestions to some abillities, and added an augment mods section for future expansion on ideas.

Edited January 1, 2015 by Mastercontrol98

[sorq]

Being a leader, i feel that she should have at least 1 offensive ability (like reinforcements) or something that sorts of work like Nekros' shadows of the dead but does not require dead enemies.

That being said, i like the idea of a signal-themed warframe. But the abilities is like a mix of Rhino roar and Mirage's total eclipse.
Which may be better to just bring them instead because they have some form of CC skill.

[MasterControl]

You do make a few good points. I agree that some of her buffs are moot points. Perhaps it'd be worth going in and making the buffs stronger. For instance, why use Curative Undertow with a Trinity around? Same idea here.. If you buff it up enough, why use Total Eclipse with an Impetus around? Also, perhaps I should gear her abilities more towards being a void radio, enhancing powers of nearby allies instead of buffing their guns. It'd be more original.

However, the biggest idea behind this frame concept is stepping away from direct damage for damage potential control and utility. This would, in theory, create a frame that's supposed to take a back seat, and manage teammates instead of manage enemies. The trouble is finding a balance to make her worth using.

[gkuoni]

I really like the abilities and functions of the frame +1.

 

I also like how it finally encourages team play, and that it will scale REALLY well into late game (due to percentages). Maybe add to an ability that increases movement speed when close to her?

 

Wish you luck with the frame idea :D

[JaviiMii]

Reading gekuoni's post I had an idea as well: Why just increase movement speed? - Why shouldn't Impetus get a mod (probably an augment mod would be most suitable since it's locked on a specific warframe) that conveys a set percentage of her mod's effects to her teammates and vice versa. Meaning: Those mods no one really uses/seem to be more of a hassle than a benefit to use but could come in quite handy at times (e.g. acrobat, marathon, maglev, resistance-mods, ammo recovery) could be used by her. - And since all others will probably put quite a lot into energy efficiency and max power, power strength etc.  and she'd get a little from all of them she wouldn't need all the mods (as for power efficiency it wouldn't even make sense for her to put more than one mod in it since it's cap'ed). This - of course - only works as long as the teammembers are close enough.

 

As for the percentage of the mod-effects that are conveyed; that'd need a bit of calculating. But i'd say with a 3-level-augment mod it could 15/30/45/60 or 20/35/50/70 Impertus->Teammates and 7/15/25/37 or 5/15/25/35 for Teammates-> Impertus meaning: if all teammates have the same mod equipped and stay in range she herself wouldn't necessarily need the mod herself.

 

Edit: Would it be okay to try to make a scetch for her and just post it here? - I really like the idea and Ill probably find some time to scribble a bit

Edited December 25, 2014 by JaviiMii

[MasterControl]

If you're down to make a sketch, go for it! I'm appreciating the support yall are giving my little idea.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Mastercontrol98

[gkuoni]

Also, a possible passive this frame could have is that it gains movement speed the more Warframes are around him. She also gives the surrounding frames increased movement speed. This would allow those who do want to rush to stay behind while the slower ones can still catch up.

Edited December 26, 2014 by gkuoni

[MasterControl]

I'm cautious about giving the frame speed buffs, since Volt and Zephyr both do so already.

[JaviiMii]

That's exactly why I suggested to not limit it on speed / focus on speed but to make it dependent on what the others have equipped and what she has equipped, taking the focus away from extreme speed. Imagine how helpful it could be if three of the teammembers only need vigor and get the deficit from Impertus. But having similar abilities used by two (or more) frames is nothing that new, it is just important that the frames are still clearly distinguishable.

 

Frame constallations that usually lack that mod, or that little extra boost would be playable. - Not to speak of the potential to create entirely new teams of frames. -  It might not be the most efficient way to play warframe. But people don't play warframe just to grind effectively. Some want to have fun with friends, others want to try a lot of different stuff. - And Impertus would certainly be a nice frame for people who think Warframe lacks some aspects when it comes to teamplay. (Not saying teamplay is not asked for atm - but it's more of a "divide-and-conquer strategy") 

[MasterControl]

You're very right. I think, however, for balance purposes, that it should be limited between Impetus and each individual ally. That way you don't end up with a team full of Strength mods buffing up, say, a Rhino. It would be a liiiitle unbalanced. That, along with a reduction of mod effects as they transfer, would be a good balance. That way, it'd be basically like putting an unranked version of the mod in question on the other frame, so it's a weak but noticable effect. Especially if you want to make it an augment mod. 

[JaviiMii]

Only impertus backs the three teammembers while all three of them back her. Only her mods affect the Rhino from your example. And also only a certain percentage would be transferred, depending on how far the augment mod is levelled. I have no idea about how the percentages work so my suggestions were just a shot in the blue and probably too high. But as you said; they should be noticeable and be "that push" a team needs to work - but shouldn't make about any team OP.

 

Probably this "effect" of her would work as well as an alternative ability; That way it wouldn't be "for free", would have a duration (duration on the 20sec+ side or a lower base-duration and then an activation cost + energy/sec cost - in any way: it wouldn't last forever). Plus the person behind the frame would have to consider how to mod Impertus to a) optimize the range&duration of the ability b) optimize the usefulness to the teammembers. ... As for balancing her that would probably do it, everything would come at the cost of something else. - But it would once again push the utility mods to the sidelines.

 

Speaking of alternative Abilities: The duty of a Leader is to balance the team. To give an appropriate task to everyone. To support the weaker, newer and to trust the experienced, stronger to shoulder part of the responsibility. An ability that equals out the shortcomings by "redirecting" some stats would make sense. - I don't know if it would even work but the idea would be: Upon activation Impertus looks at the files of her teammembers and would rank them according to their shield capacity, health, armor, energy, stamina. The strongest would loose a certain (yet kind of low) percentage which would then be given to the weakest.

 

Let's say we have a Volt who has lots of shields but close to no armor and a Valkyr who has lot's of armor. but not that much shields. And some other warframe in the middle. So now let's say Volt has 1500 shield and Valkyr 1000 Armor. And let's say the percentage would make Volt loose 150 shield thus Valkyr would gain 150 shield, while she would loose 100 Armor and Volt would gain 100 Armor. But that's again percentages and not my field of expertise. Again; a shift, a change for a certain amount of time to give the squishy ones, or newer players who can't always keep up with the rest of the team, higher chances for survival when it get's nasty for a moment. - For example when a Volt finds himself hooked by a Grineer and pulled towards a group of enemies and that little armor - and probably health depending on the other teammembers - would just give him the two or three seconds to get away alive. - It would however be the call of the Impertus Player.

Edited December 31, 2014 by JaviiMii

[MasterControl]

Only impertus backs the three teammembers while all three of them back her. Only her mods affect the Rhino from your example. And also only a certain percentage would be transferred, depending on how far the augment mod is levelled.

 

Exactly what I was trying to say, sorry, I'm not the best at articulation sometimes. Anyway, yes. Also, I'm juggling between making this an augment for her 2 or it's own abillity. Either way, I'd really like to incorporate it. Original post edited to include these ideas.

 

As for the idea of pulling stats from some frames to balance other frames - I'm not sure. That might be pushing the envelope a little bit. Don't want to make things too complicated.

Edited January 1, 2015 by Mastercontrol98

[MechaTails]

Lel Commander Shepard frame confirmed, because everyone should be reminded that Shepard is a chick :p

[gkuoni]

The only problem this frame currently has is it would be horrible in solo queue (as in playing with random people). This frame requires others in the game to know how the frame works, other wise they'll lose any benefits to it, due to them moving away from the frame.

 

Otherwise, this frame is quite endgame and complicated due to you not wanting to not engage the battle but support and lead the team to victory. Considering it's all about buffs it would need one of two things, 1) A mastery block (so you don't get this frame instantly but instead focus on the easier ones before getting this one) or 2) A really difficult (difficult as in high level) to obtain warframe.

 

Otherwise it's looking good this concept :D

[MasterControl]

The only problem this frame currently has is it would be horrible in solo queue (as in playing with random people). This frame requires others in the game to know how the frame works, other wise they'll lose any benefits to it, due to them moving away from the frame.

 

Otherwise, this frame is quite endgame and complicated due to you not wanting to not engage the battle but support and lead the team to victory. Considering it's all about buffs it would need one of two things, 1) A mastery block (so you don't get this frame instantly but instead focus on the easier ones before getting this one) or 2) A really difficult (difficult as in high level) to obtain warframe.

 

Otherwise it's looking good this concept :D

 

I don't know - Considering the nature of her buffs (One on one sharing, direct team buffs based on duration, ect) I'd say she's just fine for queing up. The only questionable thing might be her mod sharing augment/ability, but even so, that's something she'd do in more advanced play with more educated players. As to Mastery blocking her - Maybe? If at all make it just a difficult content wall. It'd give endgame players something challenging and fun to do while they go for the frame.

Edited January 1, 2015 by Mastercontrol98

[xRevelation]

It sounds really great! Especially it would bring some more lore into the game by encouraging people with those Messages. :D I like that +1 OP

[TwoCrabs]

gemmi dis, I want dis, NAO! that sounds totaly like my dream playstyle *-*