Saryn's Molt (You Know What This Is About)

[PikeOrShield]

I think we can all agree that Saryn's Molt gets destroyed too fast in the latter part of the game.  This messes up a few things:

1. It only buys Saryn a couple seconds in Sortie.

2. She loses the health regen from Regenerative Molt if it's destroyed.

3. Saryn users cannot capitalize on the health lost on Molt to increase Miasma's damage since it's gone too fast.

Now, I have seen a number of ideas floating around the forums, most of them are along the lines of giving it the Frost Globe treatment to help it scale.  The idea I would like to propose, I have only seen a couple times but I think it deserves it's own thread.

Once Molt hits 1hp, give it momentary invincibility.

It could have a base invincibility duration of 3ish seconds and let that be extendable by mods.  This would provide a decoy that does it's job at any level of gameplay and makes it easier to land that Miasma sweet spot (cause we all know Miasma could use a little help endgame).

if you see any potential problems or think it would ruin your build, please mention it.  I just think that this is a good alternative to the globe treatment and should be considered as well if DE ever wants to do something about it.

[(PSN)BlitzKeir]

I understand your point, but Molt spreads toxic procs when it explodes. This is extremely valuable, as it's where the bulk of Saryn's killing potential comes from. The damage inflicted by an attack that causes a toxic proc has 25% of its damage added to burst spores spread from the infected target. (Mine is adding 220 damage per spore.)

Rather than make Molt more durable, we need some voluntary way to protect it. That way, you can use it more defensively without losing its incredible offensive potential. Maybe popping spores on Molt can restore its health? Oh, if that doesn't reduce the % of its lost health added to Miasma detonation, and the value can exceed 100%, then this would serve both purposes.

Edited March 1, 2016 by (PS4)BlitzKeir

[phoenix1992]

Something I have not checked yet - what does happen with the Molt if you casted it while invisible?

[Gurpgork]

10 minutes ago, phoenix1992 said:

Something I have not checked yet - what does happen with the Molt if you casted it while invisible?

It is visible to your enemies and they start attacking it, but you stay invisible. 

[phoenix1992]

15 minutes ago, Gurpgork said:

It is visible to your enemies and they start attacking it, but you stay invisible. 

This should not be like that (I guess), players that want to use Molt may want to nag on DE for that. This could help with the issue (Shadowstep, Shade, the Dog, arcane trickery and Ivara for example ), while not creating another wave of re balancing. 

Edited March 1, 2016 by phoenix1992
Added trickery

[Gurpgork]

2 minutes ago, phoenix1992 said:

This should not be like that (I guess), players that want to use Molt may want to nag on DE for that. This could help with the issue (Shadowstep, Shade, the Dog and Ivara for example), while not creating another wave of re balancing. 

How should it be? If you cast any other ability that summons something while you're invisible, it's visible and you are not. Molt right now is pretty consistent with those other abilities in that regard. 

[phoenix1992]

Just now, Gurpgork said:

How should it be? If you cast any other ability that summons something while you're invisible, it's visible and you are not. Molt right now is pretty consistent with those other abilities in that regard. 

The same way as companions - as long as you are invisible, the Molt is invisible. I mean, this is just an idea (that can be over abused as hell), but it is easier to implement. After all Saryn and balancing is pretty hard issue. 

[OvAeons]

yet something else that SHOULD scale with enemies so it does not become useless extremely quickly. and should be able to cast multiple....

[Gurpgork]

2 hours ago, phoenix1992 said:

The same way as companions - as long as you are invisible, the Molt is invisible. I mean, this is just an idea (that can be over abused as hell), but it is easier to implement. After all Saryn and balancing is pretty hard issue. 

That kinda defeats the purpose of having a decoy in the first place, don't you think? Especially considering that you want your enemies to damage your Molt so it can power up Miasma. If the concern is how killing the molt causes Regenerative Molt to expire prematurely, then wouldn't the best change be to decouple the duration of the augment from the ability itself?

I'm all for adding an invulnerability/absorption period to Molt for longevity. I don't think the ability to make it invisible would really help all that much.

[Perserve]

What a nice idea, it has molt does all it needs to do. Awesome OP!

[(PSN)big_eviljak]

Simple fix....give it armor when activated(similar to effigy) reducing saryns armor for the duration but increasing her speed. Also, make molt naturally regen health and instead change the augment to give molt a % of saryns shields.

[blazinvire]

I'm still not even sure why molt works the way it does -I mean I can make pretty good use of it and it works, regardless of whatever flaws it may have with its current iteration, but it really doesn't seem like a 'Molt'...

Why does the molt draw aggro?  It's quite obviously not Saryn, and the damn thing explodes when enemies destroy it.  Do they secretly know every Saryn uses Regen Molt and try to deny Saryn her regen?

Which brings me to the my second question: Why does Molting give a regen?  That's like peeling your skin off first, and then regrowing it, and for some reason if someone decides to destroy your old skin you mysteriously can't keep growing your own skin...  I'm not even sure how... I thought things molted because they already had new skin underneath.

I really like Saryn's niche as an elusive tanky dps, and Molt currently does enable that to some degree, but it really seems weird...

My only suggestion would end up as an overhaul of the skill: Molt gets 0.5-1 second invulnerability upon creation, and completely takes Saryn's aggro, has no duration but dies in one hit, and gives you a burst of health upon casting rather than a regen.  Gives you the same elusiveness without reliance on the continued survival of the molt.

But... the suggestion of an overhaul is probably not very welcome.

[AutoPhox]

I think the "snow globe" treatment could work fine.

A few seconds(2ish) of dmg absorbtion to scale its starting health.

This allows for both aggro/regen to stay in effect(a little longer) and scale hp to match enemy damage( easier to time miasma boost).

*And at any time you need it more for regen than miasma, then just play smart and drop a molt behind a crate or around a corner to keep it(and you) alive longer.

[Specific.Zod]

simple fix, heath on augment stay with saryn till it expired or molt is recast again. the recast part seem a little bit power creep.

[PikeOrShield]

9 hours ago, Specific.Zod said:

simple fix, heath on augment stay with saryn till it expired or molt is recast again. the recast part seem a little bit power creep.

I would have included that, but I wanted to keep it down to one Idea in the opening.  Thanks for bringing it up.

[Genitive]

22 hours ago, AutoPhox said:

I think the "snow globe" treatment could work fine.

A few seconds(2ish) of dmg absorbtion to scale its starting health.

This allows for both aggro/regen to stay in effect(a little longer) and scale hp to match enemy damage( easier to time miasma boost).

*And at any time you need it more for regen than miasma, then just play smart and drop a molt behind a crate or around a corner to keep it(and you) alive longer.

I agree with this one. It would be a good addition to Molt

[blaes]

On 1/3/2016 at 7:57 AM, PikeOrShield said:

Once Molt hits 1hp, give it momentary invincibility.

i think that's a really nice idea!