I Am Tide - Vazarin Fan-Rework

[Kinperor]

Greetings,

 

After having spent a good period of time using the newly introduced Focus system in the game, we have made our mind on the usefulness of the system, its flaws, its advantages and its thematic. We will present here our impression on the system, but hide it in a spoiler tag because the focus of this thread will be on the rework of Vazarin. You can consult our Zenurik thread here, which acted both as our official feedback thread and the presentation of a reworked Zenurik.

 

Our assessments on the system is inherently subjective and limited to the Paths we have used. Our first-hand experience is limited to Zenurik and Madurai. Despite this, we will submit proposals for all 5 Paths, based both on our interpretation of the Paths' perks and community feedback.

 

While the specific details will vary across all Paths, we will use the same framework for the individual reworks. This framework will be described in each threads, as both a reminder and an introduction to newer readers.

 

Please see the following link for the Madurai "I am Fire" rework thread.

Please see the following link for the Naramon "I am Wood" rework thread.

Please see the following link for the Unairu "I am Rock" rework thread.

 

Assessment of Focus, (spoiler'd)

 

What holds Focus back,

 

Our analysis of the Focus system, as per its current alpha iteration, has brought up the following issues limiting its popularity:

 

• Passives are too timid with the stats granted, or have stats that are too niche.
• Unreliable pseudo-passive have little appeal.
• The active abilities are too dull, with limited use and/or poor return on usage.
• Scattered applications of some Paths (imbalance in offense and defense).

 

 

The Focus system currently has too many niche passives, and passives with effects that are too timid to avoid being overpowered. For instance, Naramon's Shadow Step is considered the main selling point of the tree. Similarly, the ideal build in Zenurik can be summarized by a single line with a 135 angle. Meanwhile, Unairu is left in the dust with an armor buff that is very under-tuned in how small the targeted crowd is (only tanks), and how little the boost is (12%). In comparison, Shadow Step can give a superior form of safety to a player, and Overflow allows the players to cast abilities at will. We submit that the Paths require more passives like Overflow and Shadow Steps, and less like Stone Shape.

 

On the subject of pseudo-passive, we have noticed an averse reactions to abilities that grant a short boost to their stats, in some case an exchange between two stats. The very description of the abilities causes scepticism, because the trigger of the perk is unknown. Players cannot (and will not) appreciate the value of a perk with this kind of unknown. The logical assumption is that the active ability triggers these perks; in these situations, the perks will be dismissed as too short-lived when compared to the added cooldown to the active. Note: We will not discuss the value of each individual perks in this thread. Our rework will try to keep the perks that presents good value to the player.

 

Regarding the actives, our current impression in general is that the actives are likened to Warframe abilities, and are judged in relation to those. Consequently, the majority of the actives are decent by themselves, but when compared to abilities, they appear less versatile and reliable. Indeed, we can build to spam Bastille to our heart content, while Zenurik's active is limited in mobility, range and cooldown. Our conclusions: actives needs to be more distinct and to be powerful enough that the players look forward to casting it, instead of just activating it for a specific passive, which seems to be the statu quo for some Paths.

 

It is our opinion that the practical application of some Paths are scattered. Unairu for example has more or less the same amount of defensive and offensive perks, while it comes with the expectation of being a defensive Paths. We believe the ratio should be brought back in line for some Paths. Of course, we have to allow enough creative freedom to offer variety within the same Path, which goes to explain the current imbalance, as well as some perks that at first sight aren't the best fit for a Path in our rework.

 

What Focus has done right,

• The delayed passives make an “Eleventh Hour” power spike.
• The acquisition and pool system for abilities has potential for versatility and expansion
• A mix of duration-based perks with sustained passives supports different play style.

 

Considering the base firepower of Tenno, we find it appropriate to limit some passives in the matter it currently is limited. We acknowledge the irritability caused by delayed satisfaction. However, since its introduction in the Design Council long ago, Focus was always presented as a “Final Showdown” power-spike, a trump-card to overcome great challenges. What it wasn't presented as: a second layer of mods that are immediately active. We have opted for a compromise in our rework, with passives that are available early and a second tier whose activation is delayed.

 

Our impressions is that the current acquisition and activation of perks is appropriate since it lays down the foundation for a versatile system where a player can buy a bank of perks from which he can later pick and activate perks to his liking. We acknowledge that the tree's expansion is limited by a few perks being more desirable than others, which functionally turn some Paths into “One point wonders”.

 

Above, we addressed “pseudo-passive” that were too unreliable for widespread use. Here, we acknowledge that power spikes that are limited in duration can create interesting mechanics and add variability to game sessions. However, the trigger leaves to be desired for the majority and must then be replaced.

 

TL;DR:

 

See the bullets points to see what requires change and what is a valuable aspect of the system.

 

To summarize it, our position is that Focus requires passives that give a real feeling of empowerment that support a variety of roles and Warframes. Some aspects of the system support this visions, while others do not.

A few comments about the suggested rework,

 

We believe that balance is necessary for the long-term health of the plan. With that said, it is our opinion that for Focus to be successful, it needs a good deal more power to really catch the player's attention and become part of the post-end-game meta. It is why our suggestions might seem to verge on the "overpowered" at times, and it explains in equal measure why we added an endlessly scaling component to the Paths when we deemed it reasonable. 

 

Let us now dive in the thick of the rework.

 

 

New framework for the perks,

 

As we said above, the Focus system requires a slight tweak to it's structure to be more reliable, enjoyable and versatile. We suggest the following:

 

Perks are now spread in three categories:

 

 

• Passives: Stat or mechanic variations, conditional or not, that are active at all time, except if the conditions aren't present. Conditions are not the same as a timed buff.

  Keeping in line with the concept of Focus as a “Final Hour” system, we differentiate between tier 1 passives (up at all time) and tier 2 passives (up after casting the active).

  You can have as many passives as you want at once, as long as you have enough points or the requirement for it. (One tier 1 and one Simis are required for the tier 2 passives).

   

• Simis, for simili-actives : Abilities that can be used in-between casts of the main active by using the same trigger as the main ability (“5” by default).

  Only one Simis can be active at once. Many can be acquired to be equiped at different times.

  Requires one use of the main active to use.

 

• Active behavior: Passive perks that affects specifically the main active (ex: Chimera Breath with Phoenix Gaze). Their effects may apply during the use of the active, and in some cases have residual effects past that period.

 

 

The distinction of these perks will change the dynamics of the skills trees. Please refer to the info-graphic support to better understand their interactions.

 

 

 

TLDR; Perks are spread in tiers. The first tier is unlocked with the main active (IE Basilisk Flare) and includes Behavior passives for the main active as well as tier one passives (active at the start of missions). The second tier is unlocked by tier one passives and include options for active abilities that can be used between the casts of the main actives. The final tier includes more passives that are active after the first cast of the main active.

 

The Focus Pool system remains as is. The cooldown system remains as is, with the following minor tweaks:

• All actives now have a 150 seconds cooldown.
• Perks now add only 15 seconds to the cooldown.
• No more cooldown mastery.

 

Maintained Thematic:

 

A conscious effort was made throughout the preparation of this rework to maintain the identity of each “Paths”. We have reduced the different Paths to certain core characteristics, based on the information already given in the game:

 

• Zenurik: Domination through Warframes.
• Targeted clientele: Casters, supports.

 

• Madurai: Reckless offense, area of effect.
• Targeted clientele: Casters, marksmen, swordsmen.

 

• Naramon: Martial prowess, tactical flexibility.
• Targeted clientele: Marksmen, swordsmen.

 

• Unairu: Unadulterated damage mitigation.
• Targeted clientele: Tanks, casters.

 

• Vazarin: Renewal and safeguard.
• Targeted clientele: Tanks, supports.

 

 

We elected to conserve the elemental identities of each paths, who were more or less implicit. In order, these elements would be Void, Fire, Wood, Rock, Tide.

 

Finally, we have thematically split each Paths into three “Tracks”. We will name and explore the Tracks in the thread relating to its specific Path. The Tracks serves as design direction for perks, and functionally will not limit the choice of the player to only one Track when deciding which perks he desires. The objective is for the players to sidetrack on any Path and forge his own way to the mastery of the Path.

 

---

Vazarin rework,

- “I am Tide”

The tide is many things. When they are agitated, high waves can threaten coastal settlements. At sea, terrible storms can explode at any moment, toppling ships or disorienting crews. Yet, despite the tsunamis and the monsoons, the sea is brimming with life of all kind, it heals and feeds even the land-goers that have left the tide many moons ago.

This is the basis for Vazarin's rework: Restoration of life, crowd control, retribution.

Vazarin active,

As part of this rework, we aim to give every actives some bonuses to make them feel good to cast, not be a quick cast to get access to passives.

We submit the following change for Mending Tide:

• Release healing pulses over a duration.
• Now give a passive buff that returns incoming damage to the attackers, based on Focus points.
• The bonus is received by healing allied Tenno.
• The buff converts 10% of the Focus points into 1% of returned damage. This buff is capped at 8% per cast of Mending Tide (not by pulses).

This change is made to give the Path a “reaction” element that the player does not need to invest in. The numbers are tentative, since the balance of such a buff is delicate.

The Path of Vazarin branches into three tracks that cross, merge and split at will:

• Track of the Ebb: Coastal water ebbing out isn't usually a cause of concern, and is sometimes even beneficial. In the context of Vazarin, however, the Ebb is a sign of an impending tsunami. True to the philosophy, the Ebb rolls back from the enemy attack, only to boldly strike back with renewed vigor.

• Track of the Storm: Hurricanes, cyclones, typhoon, monsoons are all an extension of the tides. In the best case scenario, they supply enormous amount of water to thirsty regions, but the most realist expectation from a proper storm is destruction. The Storm excels at suppresing enemy units while concealing allies.

• Track of the Moon: Far beyond our reach, the moon inexorably exert its influence upon the tides. For the Moon, the key to victory is maintaining tactical awareness and controlling enemy movement while supporting Tenno assaults.

[Kinperor]

Talking points,

• Want to partake into the thread but not sure what to address? Consider the following:

• Do you favor supporting? Do you see yourself mastering the path of Vazarin or only bothering with a few perks?

• Do you feel that Vazarin gives perks worth building load outs around?

• What is the worth of “supporting” to you in the context of Warframe?

• Would you rather see more Simis options or Passives?

• Would you rather see a flat cooldown that is reasonably short or you would rather have a long cooldowns that can be very short on the condition you get a mastery perk?

Design comment,

Vazarin's path was a fairly straightforward concept to work with, even though a few challenges remained. Notably, precautions were necessary to prevent too much overlap with Unairu, and even then the comparisons are there. As the last reworked Path, Vazarin also had the peculiar problems of inadvertently drawing ideas, themes and inspiration that would belong to other Paths. For instance, the concept of tactical awareness is something that might befit Naramon better, thematically.

Like all our previous reworks, Vazarin was subject to changes, but not as much as Naramon has been. With that said, some of the biggest changes came when we learned that a number of players had genuine appreciation for the Path in its current iteration. Far from being perfect, we are also subject to preconceived ideas and had originally dismissed most of the Path as being rubbish. A closer inspection of the Path brought us a better comprehension of the Path and mercifully gave us outlets to create or import perks that were not related to Tsunamis. Indeed, just like Naramon was originally reworked as a mess of identical perks, Vazarin was stagnating for a good period, waiting for perks that did not involve Tsunamis or other popular sea-related events.

One perk that was imported from the current Path was Retaliation. For us, the perk stood out as having potential. However, it was understandably very under tuned for balance's sake. We compromised by integrating it as the Mending Tide's passive. When integrated this way, the needed investment is minimal and the player has to be involved to receive a better buff, contrarily to its previous iteration as a passive.

For Vazarin enthusiasts, it is no surprise that New Moon and Polluted Water returns. Both skills obviously had a lot of use for support players. By design, New Moon had to be in the second tier to actually gain charges from Mending Tide. The biggest difference for the latter is the conversion to “Simis” to make room for more varied “modifiers” to Mending Tide. For balance's sake, Polluted Water is limited in cast (can't cast it when its debuffs are up) and afflicts the status to revived Tenno 100% of the time.

One of the issue with tanks centered around health regen is the worry of being bursted down before the healing kicks in. To address this, we decided that the tree needed a minimum of damage mitigation and health upgrades. We believe Unairu and Vazarin's reworks are distinct enough, but do not dismiss the possibility of reworking some tweaks. Crescent and Tidal force in particular are on the short list for replacement.

Followers of the Storm track are canonically best friend forever with followers of the Wound track of Zenurik because they both release storms.

As a closing note,

Thank you for reading this second to last thread in the “I am Path” series.

In the following weeks, we will review all the Paths we have reworked and release a new and final skill-tree for all of them, keeping in mind all our objectives, new concepts and received feedback.

With this in mind, we invite readers to share their feedback and suggestions if they believe any one Path is deficient.