Axi A2 relic : worrysome ?

[LascarCapable]

This week end, we got kind of a big surprise : Aklex Prime, available in a brand new relic. I guess most of us didn't expected that at all. I have a vague souvenir of DE stating that they wouldn't give akimbo variants of primed weapons or something since akimbos tend to make single version of weapons useless. But heh, changing your mind isn't a bad idea sometimes I guess.

I particularly appreciate the fact that the relic allows us to get every single component to build up the Aklex Prime. You can get all Lex Prime component with it, plus the Aklex Prime link and blueprint. It's pretty smart. However, a lot of people are concerned about the fact that Axi A2 is only obtainable from the void trader. This pretty much requires you to farm two (maybe three) times : (once some random relics), once for the ducats, then the relics themselves. Is that particularly bad ? Well, let's think about that a bit :

What do you do to farm any prime weapon in the game currently ? Well, first you need to farm the keys, then you need to farm the weapon part itself from the keys. That's basically a two staged grind for a single part, that might take even more time following how hard it is to obtain the part or the relics you need. And you pretty much need to do it for every single prime weapons in the game. The grind is actually pretty long, but most people are used to it.

Now about the Axi A2 key, there's actually one thing that is great about it : it's NOT a random drop from survival/defense/interception mission. This means that there's no way RNG can screw you up by not giving you the key you want. All you have to do is farming a bit of ducats, which is, in my opinion, probably somewhat easier to do since you are pretty much guaranteed to earn those (there's just the rate at which you can earn them that can change following the rarity of the item, and you can avoid formas as well if you don't pick a relic with a forma on it). Furthermore, the items necessary to farm Aklex Prime are all obtainable from the same relic, which is actually great. You can get everything you need from a single type relic reliably obtainable from the void trader, and that's pretty neat stuff.

Considering a player who have no prime parts and no relics, you have to do three farms in order to access Aklex Prime : first you farm for relics, then for ducats, and finally for the Lex/Lex Prime itself. However you do not need to farm for a particular relic since everything you need is at the void trader for a few credits and ducats. Then all component of the Lex Prime are available on the same relic as well as Aklex Prime component as well. And if you don't manage to finish Lex Prime before the void trader times out but you managed to earn Aklex Prime link and BP, you can basically continue the farm with the usual relics. In the end, do you really farm more the for Aklex Prime than you already do with other prime weapons ? Considering that a single relic is 50 ducats, probably not. In the end, I think the only thing really annoying about farming Lex Prime is the void trader's time wall that most of us are used to.

I would just like to suggest a single thing : reduce the ducat cost of the relic from 50 to 45. This allows anyone to obtain the Axi A2 relic with a single uncommon drop from any other relic. It would effectively reduce the farm a bit more.

To finish this thread, I just want to say that I love the idea behind making weapon specific relics available. I hope we will see more of those in the future. :)

That's about it. Hopefully it was insightful.

Edited January 29, 2017 by D20

[Basalto]

I'm fine with getting relics that drop a single equipment's blueprints and parts, but waiting for Baro to come so I can get them? Honestly, that's pretty lazy. Sure, it's guaranteed, but farming for relics, so I can farm for prime parts, so I can trade them and get a relic so I can farm the part I want? I don't like the sound of that.

[Kalvorax]

15 minutes ago, D20 said:

I would just like to suggest a single thing : reduce the ducat cost of the relic from 50 to 45. This allows anyone to obtain the Axi A2 relic with a single uncommon drop from any other relic. It would effectively reduce the farm a bit more.

this...this i can stand behind for sure.

3 commons or 1 uncommon is FAR better than needing 4 commons or 2 uncommons...rares are..rares heh

[Katinka]

When Relics were added we were told that Baro may bring along some special Relics at some point so I wasn't really surprised to see that.

As to the farming other Relics to get Prime Parts to cash in for Ducats to buy the Axi A2 Relics...  Baro has always been a thing for people who already have spare parts to then have a use for those parts.  If you don't have spares right now then he'll probably bring it back later and maybe then you'll have built up a stock of spares.  Until then, go get the other Prime stuff you need and you'll get spares as a by product.  Although, it would be nice to have a rough idea of how often this Relic will be in stock.

[Basalto]

Just now, Katinka said:

When Relics were added we were told that Baro may bring along some special Relics at some point so I wasn't really surprised to see that.

As to the farming other Relics to get Prime Parts to cash in for Ducats to buy the Axi A2 Relics...  Baro has always been a thing for people who already have spare parts to then have a use for those parts.  If you don't have spares right now then he'll probably bring it back later and maybe then you'll have built up a stock of spares.  Until then, go get the other Prime stuff you need and you'll get spares as a by product.  Although, it would be nice to have a rough idea of how often this Relic will be in stock.

We could have two tabs for Baro. One for items that rotate, and other for items that are there every visit.

[LascarCapable]

10 minutes ago, Basalto said:

I'm fine with getting relics that drop a single equipment's blueprints and parts, but waiting for Baro to come so I can get them? Honestly, that's pretty lazy. Sure, it's guaranteed, but farming for relics, so I can farm for prime parts, so I can trade them and get a relic so I can farm the part I want? I don't like the sound of that.

Maybe those relics should be available from syndicates in the future ? It would give a valuable alternative to earn them, and I think the idea of having syndicate specific void relics is kinda good.

[k05h]

Rare relics vs primed regen. There can only be one answer. 

Edited January 29, 2017 by k05h

[Katinka]

Just now, Basalto said:

We could have two tabs for Baro. One for items that rotate, and other for items that are there every visit.

The 'Hide Owned' button pretty much already does that for me anyway.  Cuts out all the returning cosmetics and mods except the ones I didn't want and makes it much easier to see what I might want this time.

1 minute ago, D20 said:

Maybe those relics should be available from syndicates in the future ? It would give a valuable alternative to earn them, and I think the idea of having syndicate specific void relics is kinda good.

Syndicate specific relics does sound cool, especially if they contain Prime items appropriate to the Syndicate for example a Ballistica Prime requiring a blueprint and four parts could all be on one Relic along with Forma and sold by Red Veil.

[notlamprey]

There are ways to implement this sort of thing that I could see myself being okay with, but I don't agree with how it was handled this time.

Some very important details were omitted from the Hotfix post, and even Rebecca's confirmation of "Baro-exclusive" had to be brought in from Twitter. It wasn't even posted on the official forums.

There was poor communication about the relic's future availability, and that had an enormous impact on player behavior. It also appears inconsistent with DE's previous stated dissatisfaction regarding the high platinum trade price of items like Ember Prime.

All in all, I'm very disappointed with how DE handled things. They have left the door open for accusations of deliberately manipulating player behavior, which means more work and stress and frustration for people all throughout the company as well as the community. It's not a good look, and they could have - should have - taken steps to avoid it.

I'd like to see these errors corrected before any more relic implementation of this type is considered; a Dev Workshop needs to happen before we see any more of this.

[(PSN)Mofojokers]

D20 i like how everything you said is very carefully worded. I to love the idea of these relics on Baro as well. Cuts out the rng the way they did it. But as well I'd love to see your suggestion happen from 50 to 45.

+1 my good sir.😆

[Zookes]

An advantage of the void trader time-window is the quick grouping.

Never have I before had more groups for a relic than this event. It was very fun to play.

 

I do not enjoy the idea of needing to farm prematurely to purchase limited-time relics like this, but this goal of making one relic the main attraction for a short time is very very good. DE should make some new events to encourage opening specific relics on specific days, so more people will run the same things together. Maybe increase chance of rare drops from a specific relic series on weekends - like all S-relics one time and then another time all D-relics and so on.

Edited January 30, 2017 by Zookes

[Chipputer]

I can get behind lowering the cost from 50 to 45 (or even just a flat 40) ducats per relic. Everything else about it being the way it was is completely fine, in my books. Limited time relic that is pretty much completely self contained? Sure. Just make sure it comes back on the regular and we're peachy.

[(XBOX)SweatyPick3L]

  I do not like the lack of transparency and how vague it was implemented. To sneaky for me, thankfully Im on console and can see Baros future wares and take full advantage of the uncertainty PC players have to endure. Also I can see huge price gouging for the link and bp. I am not a fan of this time walled decision. Would rather they just add to general game play.  Once u purchased it from baro, it would then be available to farm. That way one can farm it passively, casually. If the RNG gods do not grant u your wish this time, whats to happen when it does come back around eventually, maybe and then baro has the aklex prime relic and another baro exclusive prime relic i.e. dual dakra prime...IMO the grind will be just nauseating. 

Edited January 30, 2017 by (XB1)FCastle74

[k05h]

7 hours ago, Zookes said:

An advantage of the void trader time-window is the quick grouping.

Never have I before had more groups for a relic than this event. It was very fun to play.

This was exaclty my experience this weekend. I could group up with like-minded (axi a2 rad) tenno very fast and I often met the same people in different groups. People very extremely professional about setting up groups, extremely polite and helpfull when group members were lost and the coordinated frame setup was pure joy. For me personally this weekend showed the best of what this community has to offer. I thouroughly enjoyed it.

About the relic availability. I do not mind Baro bringing new or vaulted relics. And I clearly remember that this was mentioned when the new relic system was introduced. I have lots of spare ducats that finally could be put to use. I also do not mind the missing prior annoucement. Baro is supposed to be full of surprises. Going to Baro every second Friday has become a ritual for me. It involves a large cup of coffee, my finest warframe garb and deliberately walking from the landing platform to Baro. His stock never fails to surprise (in good and in bad)

I do appreciate that Baro has brought a new weapon. That alone is a reason to celebrate. And this is no OP weapon but rather a fashion sidegrade addition of an existing weapon. 

The pricing of the relics was relatively fair compared with weapons you can directly buy. The Quanta Vandal costs 450 ducats. You get 9 relics for the same amount of ducats. Make them radiant and you will most likely get a link and bp by doing 9 rad only runs. I know that void traces have to be farmed but Baro's stuff is veteran stuff. I dont know about you but I have always at least 500 traces in store for cases like this. 

All in all I did like the general idea, I did like the new weapon and I enjoyed the camaraderie surrounding opening those relics.

Edited January 30, 2017 by k05h