Newbie Volt asking for advice

[Shooter756]

So yeah.. I have read that the best starting class would be excaliber and that volt is hard to mod. I am currently using a starter bow (MK1-Paris), starter pistol (Lato), and starter staff (MK1-BO)

I was wondering if I should go for a different warframe or keep working on modding volt? If so, which mods in general?

Also is it recommended to change weapons?

[(XBOX)DevourMundus]

Upgrade to the mk1 or regular strun shotgun (in the arsenal for credits -No blueprint needed!- ) its a true friend to newer players and just keep playing the game you'll get better mods to use on your Volt. I like duration and power strength on my Volt so you'll need "continuity" and "Intensify". Volt is a great frame you'll find a build you like for him soon enough. 

[LascarCapable]

Volt and hard to mod does not compute. Actually, you are somewhat good to go with a few mods only :

• Redirection.
• Fleeting Expertize (the only really hard one to get, since you have to go through derelict vaults if you want it).
• Streamline.
• Continuity (to compensate the loss of power duration a bit).

This serves as a good base for your Volt build and leaves you with four free mod slots where you can put anything you want depending of your playstyle. If you want a speed focused build for exemple, pack Intensify, Transient Fortitude, Power Drift and Constitution (for a bit more speed duration). Of course you can put anything else : this was just an exemple.

[5HV3N]

I'd suggest grabbing braton over mk-1 strun (it's just 5k credits more, and shotguns don't fall to everyones liking).

And I'd say that volt is prety resistant to modding. Pretty much everything you'll install on him will bring you benefit.
Though you should know that redirection and streamline are newb best friends, as they'll help you on almost every frame.
Mod's are also reusable, so you can use single copy of your mod on every frame you own.

Changing weapons is very recommended, vast arsenal selection is one of biggest assets this game has to offer. Though I'd advise against selling weapons/frames before you reach rank 30 with them. It's strictly related to how mastery rank system works.

Edited June 25, 2016 by 5HV3N

[Jeahanne]

4 minutes ago, D20 said:

Volt and hard to mod does not compute. Actually, you are somewhat good to go with a few mods only :

• Redirection.
• Fleeting Expertize (the only really hard one to get, since you have to go through derelict vaults if you want it).
• Streamline.
• Continuity (to compensate the loss of power duration a bit).

This serves as a good base for your Volt build and leaves you with four free mod slots where you can put anything you want depending of your playstyle. If you want a speed focused build for exemple, pack Intensify, Transient Fortitude, Power Drift and Constitution (for a bit more speed duration). Of course you can put anything else : this was just an exemple.

This is good advice.

Also, don't hate a weapon or warframe out of hand, especially when you're just starting. A lot of stuff doesn't shine until you have the right mods to play with and are able to make it perform how you want it to. Volt is a great frame, although like any of the others he will take practice to get good with.

[Roboplus]

The information you read was outdated. Since the rework Volt is quite formidable, even unmodded. But you do need to be proactive with his powers. You can't just Discharge when your health is low, you won't finish the cast.

He's still the hardest of the 3 to start as, simply because Mag has Pull (which is devastating in early game), and Excalibur has his sword. But with his vastly buffed 4 and recastable Speed, he shines a lot better now than he used to.

You might not have mods like Streamline, Continuity, or Fleeting Expertise yet. But Stretch is relatively easy to acquire. It'll boost the AoE range on Shock and Discharge, allowing you to stun more enemies at once.

Edited June 25, 2016 by Roboplus
Grammars

[Brasten]

1 hour ago, D20 said:

Volt and hard to mod does not compute. Actually, you are somewhat good to go with a few mods only :

• Redirection.
• Fleeting Expertize (the only really hard one to get, since you have to go through derelict vaults if you want it).
• Streamline.
• Continuity (to compensate the loss of power duration a bit).

This serves as a good base for your Volt build and leaves you with four free mod slots where you can put anything you want depending of your playstyle. If you want a speed focused build for exemple, pack Intensify, Transient Fortitude, Power Drift and Constitution (for a bit more speed duration). Of course you can put anything else : this was just an exemple.

I would disagree with this in the Early game for New Players. This is more Mid and Late Game, the direction a player will want to be collection and working toward, not something helpful in the immediate term.

Handling Volt as new player with a limited Mod bank, likely no Orokin Reactor or any applied Forma, can be difficult. They just don't have the Mods or Mod Energy to really make Volt a power spammer.

@(XB1)DevourMundus

My recommendation for Volt, as you work towards that Mid and Late game state, is very different. You want to offset Volts weaknesses as best you can to increase your survivability.

• Vitality (health) over Redirection (shields). Volt has paper thin armor and not the best base health pool. Status effects like Bleed (from Slashing) and Toxin will go righ through your shields and start chipping your health. Before the Late/End game where these become oneshots, you will want a bank of health (from Vitality) to help offset that chip damage.
• Naramon Slot: Stretch, power range, is a more common Mod than the Efficiency or Duration mods. It also helps boost the rather lackluster range for Shock and Discharge, letting you deploy them further back, or against more targets. There are also a few bugs with Discharge that can cause it not to hit some enemies it really should at its base range. Shock and Discharge a great panic buttons in the Early and Mid game. If you get your hands on max rank Streamline yes slot that in, and bump Stretch to another slot, even using lower ranked versions you have.
• Mandurai Slot: Intensify or Continuity, either work at your level range, depends on which one you have currently. Intensify will boost the damage from Shock and Discharge, and give you more speed (ground movement, melee attack, and weapon reload) from Speed. Continuity will keep Speed and Electric Shield up longer. If you only have Damaged versions, I'd favor Damaged Intensify. In the early game Electricity damage from Shock can actually be lethal, and chains.

As you build your Mod collection and head into Mid-game you can start transition over to an Efficiency that D20 and others are pointing you to, and there are things you would be keeping an eye for.

• Primed Continuity. Is a Mod sold by Baro Ki'Teer from his rotating bi-weekly selection, so you'll want to read up on, and keep an eye out for him and when he's got it up for sale.
• Energy Siphon, will show up as a special alert some times. And this is the one time you'll want to consider using Forma on base Volt for. Switching your Aura Slot to Naramon (  ) for it.
• Volt Prime, is still in the Orokin Void as of this post. He is in a superior version to Volt and in some major ways. 300 Power and 100 Armor, over 150 and 15. As one of your play goals, farming for his parts should be a semi-regular thing you do. I would also hold back on throwing an Orokin Reactor and Forma on the base Volt (save for the aura slot).
  • Volt Prime is that much better. Which is a sad thing an DE really, truly needs to buff the base Bolts stats to be closer to the prime.
    • 150 (225 at 30) Power
    • 65 Armor
• Second Dream Quest Line, which I will not link. The Second Dream, and the rewards ( Naramon School ) related to it are very important to a Mid/Late Game Volt. The progression for that quest is...
  • Mastery Rank 3
  • Natah Quest, which requires you getting to Uranus ( Venus -> Jupiter -> Sedna -> Uranus) and scanning "blue strange drones" on that tile set. You'll know they've shown up because the screen will flicker blue. Make sure you have a Codex Scanner or Synthesis Scanner in your Gear.

Those are kinda the crown jewels to a Mid/Late game Volt (ya got something to play for).

In his current state, Volt actually needs a fairly balanced Power stat line. Duration, Range, Strength, and Efficiency all are fairly valuable to keep in positive ranges. In terms of priority. Efficiency > Duration > Range > Strength. Which is where you get some conflict with Fleeting Expertise which dumps your duration, and why Prime Continuity becomes important to offset that and bring Duration back up 100%.

If you're just waiting to get your Prime Continuity hands on can offset this by using a combination of Continuity and Constitution. 

As you're Ninja skills in handling the game improve you and look at swapping out Vitality for Redirection, and let your shields do more work in soaking the occasional shots. Although personally I run with both on my "general play" build. If you do go with high Redirection, you may also want to consider Capacitance  which works really well with how Discharge does damage over time.

Spoiler

You'll notice that I don't actually have Energy Siphon sloted, because I'm using the Naramon Focus School at this point for my energy gain. Which is a Late game state to be in. You'll eventually transition from Energy Siphon (Mid game) to Naramon (Late game).