Warframe Concept: Aether, The Steampunk Warframe

[Shuhari]

Aether, scourge of the solar rails! Both engine of destruction and supply!

 

Aether is a warframe I envision as a support frame. Somewhere in between Mesa and Trinity. Aether would fill the niche of field supply, while providing passable AoE crowd control.

 

Visual Design-

 

Aether's gender could easily go either way. There are plenty of aesthetically-pleasing Steampunk attire that could be reasonably integrated into a warframe. The major feature would be Tenno/Orokin Gears in various parts of Aether's chassis. These gears would start out slowly turning, but as the Warframe gains energy, the gears begin to rapidly increase their revolutions. Think of it as the Rift Sigil in that regard. As Aether spends energy, the gears slow down according to the % of energy lost. These gears could be bolted to Aether's hips, and would be inspired by Rhino Prime's wind-up key on his back. Additionally, there would be two large gears on either of their shoulders, right above the shoulder armor attachment area. They might resemble military officer epaulettes. I like spinny things, and you should too.

 

As a result of Aether's powerful abilities, they might be a fragile frame. With medium armor, low shields, low health.

 

Aether would have a passive ability that would inflict impact proc upon being hit with melee, as their weapons/limbs would get caught in Aether's various gears on their body.

 

Abilities-

 

1: Steam Blast

 

Aether holds out their hand and generates a blast of scalding steam under an enemy. Steam Blast deals Heat damage and staggers the enemy briefly for a few seconds, and then decreases their accuracy by a large percentage afterwards. Effect fades after Steam Blast dissipates.

 

The size of Steam Blast is affected by Range, allowing modification to create large Steam Blasts to encompass multiple enemies at once.

 

The damage of Steam Blast is affected by Power Strength

 

Duration of the blast is affected by Power Duration. The longer the enemy is within the column of steam, the more their accuracy debuff lasts. Can't see through Steam!

 

Possible Syndicate Mod: Steam Clean. Steam Blast removes status effects/debuffs when cast on allies.

 

2: Iron Rider

 

Aether generates a burst of energy from the Void that begins replenishing ammo. The Rider starts with Aether and then begins a journey to affect each member of the team. Like Oberon's Renewal, the farther away the team member is, the longer it takes for the Rider to get to them. Ammo clips are regenerated first, with any spillover regenerating Max Ammo. Starting with Primary, then Secondary.

 

Additionally, Iron Rider improves Armor by a large % which lingers even after the Rider has left the team member. Dependant on Duration.

 

Ammo Replenished per second is affected by Power Strength and Efficiency. This allows players to modify for the Rider to replace large amounts of Ammo, but possibly at the cost of how long the Rider lasts. Armor % increased is also affected by Power Strength.

 

Duration of the Rider is affected by Power Duration. This allows players to modify Aether to regenerate more Ammo while the Rider lasts, but possibly at the cost of how much is regenerated per second.

 

Range affects the Speed of the Rider. The more powerful the range, the shorter the travel time to hit each team member takes.

 

Possible Syndicate Mod: Iron Racer. Warframe speed increases while affected by Iron Rider. This lingers even after the Rider leaves, the same as the Armor boost.

 

3: Siege Engine

 

Aether's gears spin rapidly (even faster than Aether at max energy). And the two shoulder gears extend, creating ethereal void energy tethers to the rest of the warframe as they raise up.

 

The void energy tethers begin launching powerful artillery blasts in an AoE area in front of Aether, similar to Hydroid's Tempest Barrage. These artillery blasts can be manually aimed by moving Aether around (similar to Mesa's Peacemaker). Each artillery blast deals primarily Blast Damage, with a high proc rate, causing most enemies to fall down. Additionally, any Grineer Blunts, Ramparts, Arctic Eximus Shields, and Nullifier Bubbles take additional damage. Grineer Shield Lancers additionally take damage through their metal shields.

 

Siege Engine slowly drains energy per artillery shell launched. This is affected by Duration and Efficiency.

 

While this ability is active, Aether's speed is reduced signifigantly as they must compensate for the recoil of the void artillery barrage, similar to Chroma's Spectral Scream. Aether can still use their weapons, however. Aether is thus vulnerable to attacks on their flank or back, where the cone can not hit them.

 

Damage is affected by Power Strength.

 

Siege Engine cone in front of Aether is affected by Range. Additionally, as the cone degree increases, the void tethers extend. A maxed Stretch would raise the large shoulder gears well above Aether's helmet and might resemble helicopter blades.

 

Additionally, as the artillery strike is imprecise and random, shortening the cone would result in more accuracy at the expense of its AoE effectiveness, as the shells still only fall within range of the cone, creating a higher probability of scoring signifigant hits.

 

Artillery shells are capable of landing headshots.

 

Length of time the artillery strike has would be dependant on Duration. The number of artillery shells dropped increases with casting time (affected by Natural Talent or Aether's fourth ability), this results in more energy consumption as more shells are launched.

 

Possible Syndicate mod: Star Engine. Artillery shells replace Blast damage with Radiation Damage, and increases the amount of damage dealt.

 

4: Armageddon Horn

 

All of Aether's gears extend from their body, similar to Siege Engine, and connect to the warframe via the same void energy tethers while spinning rapidly. An eerie, low decibel ethereal horn is sounded. Similar to the Reapers of Mass Effect, a ship's Foghorn, a Train Whistle, and/or an ancient war horn. Steam begins to pour out of vents/pipes in Aether's helmet. Alt helmets could have these vents/pipes positioned in various ways.

 

All enemies around Aether immediately take a single hit of high Impact Damage, with a high chance of landing the Impact Status effect. After the Impact damage, they are briefly open to Finishers while they cover their ears in excruciating pain. Enemies without ears would just be staggered, but still able to take Finisher damage from melee attacks.

 

Alternatively, the horn can simply deal impact damage while fearing enemies, causing them to run away in terror of Aether's horn. Similar to Nekros' Terrify.

 

Armageddon Horn drains energy per second as it is sounded, but is not an infinite duration.

 

Damage is affected by Power Strength and duration of the Horn Blast. The closer the Horn is to finishing, the damage begins to fall off as it gets quieter, but the crowd control stays the same.

 

Duration of the Horn Blast is affected by Power Duration and Efficiency. Length of time enemies are open to Finishers is also dictated by duration.

 

Range of the Horn Blast is affected by Range mods.

 

Aether can move while blasting their horn, causing enemies to be caught in the AoE. Impact damage is still only applied once, but moving away from the enemy, and then back towards them causes the Impact damage again. This ability could be considered an impact version of Equinox's Maim, with the Rest finisher element, or Excalibur's Radial Blind, but can hit enemies behind cover (as it is sound based).

 

While detrimental to enemies, the Armageddon Horn inspires all team members within range. Reload time and Weapon holstering speed increases, as does Warframe casting time (similar to Ember's Accelerant, or a Natural Talent mod). This also affects Aether, allowing abilities to synergize at the cost of additional energy consumpton.

 

Possible Syndicate Mod: Aerial Armageddon. All warframes within range get a Parkour boost, while enemies within range take Blast Damage with a 100% proc instead of Impact.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Shu-Ha-Ri

[Good1nTheHood]

Seems Legit

[Pride]

as much fun as steampunk is it would never fit the aesthetic of this game your talking about mixing the definition of old technology with the definition of scifi future technology. DE takes their aesthetic very seriously thus why the mustaches will go away soon

[Shuhari]

as much fun as steampunk is it would never fit the aesthetic of this game your talking about mixing the definition of old technology with the definition of scifi future technology. DE takes their aesthetic very seriously thus why the mustaches will go away soon

 

There are already steampunk elements to the game. Rhino Prime's wind-up key for example. The Victorian-type aesthetic has already been in the game in the form of Mesa (albeit more western) and Limbo.

 

The gears are of Orokin design, not traditional gears. The aesthetic of Aether would very much be in line with artistic design of the game, while clearly being inspired by Steampunk/Victorian fashion.

 

Warframe by design incorporates old technology with future technology, and there are plenty of spinny gears in the game already.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Shu-Ha-Ri

[Aoden]

I could get behind a steampunk themed frame, we have bowler hat Limbo after all.