Suggestion: Armour = % Stagger/knockdown Reduction

[MXXVI]

So, I initially posted this on the "Warframe Feedback" forum, as it specifically concerns the Warframes themselves...

 

But while everybody who commented said it was a good idea, the topic sank very quickly and disappeared. So I thought I'd re-post it here, since it's a broad enough topic to be classified as a "gameplay" matter.

 

This is what I suggested:

 

 

At the moment, the armour stat is a bit... odd.

 

Considering the Armour buffing mod (Steel Fiber) costs 14 points for a mere 110% boost (which, according to the wiki, only grants max base armour users a 15.9% DR increase!), and considering how much of a penalty the "heavy" Warframes have to pay in terms of movement speed in exchange for this armour stat... I think it could use a little work.

 

 

I don't think the actual damage reduction element should necessarily be increased. Rather, I think the armour stat should be buffed to include a reduced stagger and knockdown chance.

 

Put simply, it's pretty bloody stupid that slower, heavier Warframes are staggered and knocked down just as much as teeny tiny agile Warframes.

 

 

So, how about this:

 

For every 20 points of armour, the player gains a 5% chance to ignore a stagger attempt, and a 1% chance to ignore a knockdown attempt.

 

So for example the Excalibur, who (assuming the wiki is right) has 50 armour, would have a 10% chance to ignore stagger effects (grineer balls, shoves, Infested explosions etc) and a 2% chance to ignore a full knockdown (Shockwave Moas, Radial Blasts etc)

 

The big slow Rhino would have a 35% chance to ignore stagger effects, and a 7% chance to ignore knockdowns.

 

With a maxed out Steel Fiber mod, the Excal would have... I dunno, 22% / 4% stagger/knockdown reductions (correct me if my maths is wrong - I really suck at maths) and the Rhino would have approx. 70% / 14% reductions.

 

 

Keep in mind, I'm trying to be conservative here, as I wouldn't want this to upset existing balance by granting anyone complete (and passive) immunity to these effects.

 

But I do think this relatively simple change to the armour system would make Steel Fiber a more viable mod choice, and also allow the "heavy" Warframes to fulfil their tanky roles more properly, while also affording light warframes a little extra choice regarding defensive mod loadouts.

 

 

 

Thoughts?

Edited July 8, 2013 by MXXVI

[22tankmaster]

I don't think it's unreasonable, but I'm sure DE would play around with the actual values if they were to change the whole "armor" system.

[MXXVI]

Oh yeah, of course... I mean, it would take a lot more tweaking to ensure proper balance. And I certainly don't think any Warframe, regardless of stats, should become (for example) immune to stagger or knockdown through a passive effect.

 

But at the moment, Armour is something of a throw-away.

 

Especially since, afaik, toxic damage ignores it. And Toxic Ancients are perhaps the single biggest cause of health damage >.<

Edited July 8, 2013 by MXXVI