Warframe Concept: Vitros

[Paradoxbomb]

Disclaimer: Two of the ideas for abilities are based on a Warframe concept by The7thGuardian, but I felt they had too much potential to pass up. So I'm crediting him here for this stolen idea inspiration.

 

 

So, I've seen a lot of suggestions for an infested warframe, but to me it sounds inconsistent with the lore (to my knowledge the Tenno are immune to the technocyte plague) and just cliché. Rather, I vote for a (mad) scientist type warframe, who has learned to manipulate the virus through research rather than become consumed by it. How does a scientist fit into a ninja game you may ask. Well, personally I thought Vauban was a scientist at first until I learned he was a "combat engineer", so it seems the warframes don't have to be limited scrictly to the ninja trope. So, without further hesitation, I present my idea for an "infested" Warframe:

 

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Name: Vitros

 

Backstory: "While his fellow Tenno have been fighting on the frontlines, Vitros has watched and studied in seclusion, researching the formidable technocyte plague and learning to control it, and bend it to his will. Now his research is complete, and the time for Vitros to join his brethen has arrived, turning one of there race's greatest adversaries into the ultimate weapon to combat the encroaching Grineer Empire..."

 

Health: 150 (max 450)

 

Shields: 75 (max 225)

 

Power: 150 (max 225)

 

Armor: 100

 

Speed: 1.1

 

Although he is technically a caster warframe, Vitros's armor and health are significantly high for one. However, this is counteracted by a weak shield. Fret not, Shields shouldn't be a problem for Vitros, as his abilities work in tangent with his health, making it a greater benefit to level up.

 

Abilities:

 

Infection (25 energy): Vitros lobs a biogrenade that can transform lesser enemies (such as standard grineer or crewmen) into infested allies. Against enemies that can't be infested (heavy grineer, MOAS, the infested themselves) it will act as a pheremone pod, turning any nearby infested (either those you created or ones that already exist) against the marked target. Upgrading increases the number of enemies you can have infected at once (3/4/5/6).

 

Detonation (50 energy): Vitros forms an infested "shell" over himself, essentially turning him into a makeshift runner. In this state movement speed increases slightly and Vitros will recieve reduced damage, but your mobility will become limited (no fancy wallruns) and your only form of attack is running into people or detonating the shell (this will also happen automatically after several seconds). Once detonated, Vitros will generate a large shockwave that only deals minor damage, but will knock them off their feet and cause very potent poison DoT to all enemies in the blast radius. Upgrading increase the blast radius and the potency of the poison DoT.

 

Ancient Pulse (75 energy): Vitros emits an energy pulse that mimics the abilities of the ancient infested (heavy poison damage, stunning and draining shields/abilities, or giving you and your allies temporary health regeneration). The catch is that the effect is always random; however, as you upgrade it, there is an increased chance for two or even all three abilities to take effect in one pulse, allowing you to wreak some real havoc on your enemies!

 

>Level 0: 25% chance for two effects

>Level 1: 50% chance for two effects, 15% for all three effects

>Level 2: 75% chance for two effects, 22.5% for all three effects

>Level 3: 100% chance for two effects: 30% for all three effects

 

Evolution (100 energy): A step up from detonation, Vitros grows a very durable infested shell that gives him ancient infested powers and endurance. In this state, You recieve an "overshield" which is actually based on your health (essentially a second health bar) that will drain over time and as you take damage. As an "ancient", your melee is replace with a charge attack that causes increased melee damage and knockdown, and your gun is replaced with a limited range tentacle attack. As with the ancient pulse, all attacks randomly exhibit ancient abilities. Upgrading increases the second health bar in relation to your own health (100%/175%/250%/325%) and melee damage.

 

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So there you have it. The abilites are more of a general idea and open to nerfing/buffing, so please go easy on my poor balancing foresight.

 

EDIT: May change the ult. down the road, so Evolution is a placeholder for now.

EDIT 2: Made changes to Detonate (courtesy of Theammostore).

Edited July 11, 2013 by Paradoxbomb

[Venarge]

Sounds pretty damn awesome!

We need this kind of frame =)

[theammostore]

Pretty good idea, but you should put it in the fan zone. That's what that section is for.

 

As for the actual abilities, Ancient pulse seems...interesting. However, since it's random, you won't really know what to expect, so you can't plan and be like 'hold up while i poision everything' or 'wait up, gotta heal us all first' SAme for the ult. Needs to be a set thing to be any good at tactics

 

Detonation needs...well, to not stun you. I like the concept of 'ha! Can't touch this, and i explode!' but don't make it hurt or stun yourself.

 

the biogrenade i like as is

[Paradoxbomb]

Pretty good idea, but you should put it in the fan zone. That's what that section is for.

 

As for the actual abilities, Ancient pulse seems...interesting. However, since it's random, you won't really know what to expect, so you can't plan and be like 'hold up while i poision everything' or 'wait up, gotta heal us all first' SAme for the ult. Needs to be a set thing to be any good at tactics

 

Detonation needs...well, to not stun you. I like the concept of 'ha! Can't touch this, and i explode!' but don't make it hurt or stun yourself.

 

the biogrenade i like as is

The fun of the pulse's ability would come from it's randomness. For it to let you choose it's effect would probably be hard to implement and may overshadow other similar abilities (like mag's or trinity's). It's meant more as a buff against large groups rather than a panic button. Plus the effect improves greatly with upgrading. Even so, I see your point, and I'll think about alternatives. As for the ult. it's more of a side benefit than the focus of the ability, so randomness is fine for that one.

 

The stun caused by detonation would be more of a quick stagger, the self damage and stagger are there so folks down abuse the increased speed and invulnerability as a rushing mechanic (plus you are "exploding", so I felt there should be a penalty for the high damage and stun to enemies).

[theammostore]

The fun of the pulse's ability would come from it's randomness. For it to let you choose it's effect would probably be hard to implement and may overshadow other similar abilities (like mag's or trinity's). It's meant more as a buff against large groups rather than a panic button. Plus the effect improves greatly with upgrading. Even so, I see your point, and I'll think about alternatives. As for the ult. it's more of a side benefit than the focus of the ability, so randomness is fine for that one.

 

The stun caused by detonation would be more of a quick stagger, the self damage and stagger are there so folks down abuse the increased speed and invulnerability as a rushing mechanic (plus you are "exploding", so I felt there should be a penalty for the high damage and stun to enemies).

 

My suggestion would be to have the ability do lower damage, longer periods of time. Or even no initial damage, just straight DoT. So like how Venom works. Stagger would work, I feel, on the enemies. Stagger them all, and start a looooong DoT on them. If you do that, then you won't need the damage and stagger to yourself, I feel. Also, take away pure invul, and make it simply a damage reduction (a small one, I might add) and put it on a timer. A few seconds where you can't do anything but bump into people, and then go off automatically. Would make things interesting and tactical, I might say.

 

Also, for the stun. Make it be a stun/damage. Tendril lash out at nearby enemies, slamming them around and dealing damage, stunning them once it's over.

[Paradoxbomb]

Also, for the stun. Make it be a stun/damage. Tendril lash out at nearby enemies, slamming them around and dealing damage, stunning them once it's over.

Killin' stuff Alex Mercer style :)

 

It'll probably remain a standard explosion, but I might consider something like that for the ultimate. Thank you for the feedback on detonation, I think that might work out better (pure DoT, stagger, and damage reduction). Now you have me imagining a warframe with an infected shell covering him just bumping into random enemies, it'd probably be really fun to watch.