Hydroid - Too Squishy?

[ShotgunFilter]

I like running Hydroid especially with pilfering swarm but I noticed that even with vitality he seems to just be over run in higher missions. Is there a way to mod him to not just outright get swiss cheesed in a sortie other high end missions?

[(PSN)Darth-Escar]

I use him at sortie level kinda regularly. I have 3 builds. 1 overloads on survivability mods, basically turning him into as much of a tank as he can be. My other 2, which I prefer, are the exact opposite, so I have him setup for CC without any survivabilty mods at all, and I survive by avoiding as much damage as possible. In most cases, I take hits 0-3 times though the whole mission.

[Voidforged]

There's no real special way to mod him. High range and spamming his 1 whilst being extremely mobile can get you pretty far, with a bit of practice he can handle all sorties. Mobility is key.

[ShotgunFilter]

1 minute ago, (PS4)Darth-Escar said:

I use him at sortie level kinda regularly. I have 3 builds. 1 overloads on survivability mods, basically turning him into as much of a tank as he can be. My other 2, which I prefer, are the exact opposite, so I have him setup for CC without any survivabilty mods at all, and I survive by avoiding as much damage as possible. In most cases, I take hits 0-3 times though the whole mission.

I might try a more CC reliant build. 

1 minute ago, Voidforged said:

There's no real special way to mod him. High range and spamming his 1 whilst being extremely mobile can get you pretty far, with a bit of practice he can handle all sorties. Mobility is key.

I do spam but most of the time his barrage gets stuck hitting doorways or bridges.  So I tend to use undertow and the kraken move more then anything. Mixing in the wave as needed.

[Voidforged]

Just now, ShotgunFilter said:

I do spam but most of the time his barrage gets stuck hitting doorways or bridges.  So I tend to use undertow and the kraken move more then anything. Mixing in the wave as needed.

Hmm, don't think I've ever had it get stuck somewhere I didn't want it, but even if that happened, I'd just recast it immediately. When I'm playing him I cast his 1 every 10 seconds or so, locking down whatever area I'm planning on engaging. The Corroding Barrage augment for it also strips armor extremely fast. Use his 2 occasionally to knockdown a group of enemies or escape from a sticky situation, and 3 rarely sees use. 4 is useful to slow the fight when you need a breather or are getting overwhelmed.

Also with his 1, make sure you tap it when you're aiming at the location you want it, as it will lock onto that position and the reticle can be moved freely during the casting animation.

Edited June 14, 2017 by Voidforged

[ShotgunFilter]

Just now, Voidforged said:

Hmm, don't think I've ever had it get stuck somewhere I didn't want it, but even if that happened, I'd just recast it immediately. When I'm playing him I cast his 1 every 10 seconds or so, locking down whatever area I'm planning on engaging. The Corroding Barrage augment for it also strips armor extremely fast. 2 and 3  rarely see use, 4 is useful to slow the fight when you need a breather or are getting overwhelmed.

Also with his 1, make sure you tap it when you're aiming at the location you want it, as it will lock onto that position and the reticle can be moved freely during the casting animation.

 

I'll try giving the more consistent use a try. I just have bad luck maybe? I mean it hits scenery and frost shields more then anything. xD 

[TheGrimCorsair]

He's plenty survivable as he is. The main trick is making sure to prevent a fight from happening in the first place. Use your 1 early, and while aim gliding (don't get caught flat footed), and get in the habit of using your 2 and 3 to dodge damage. Remember that your 2 is much better for this if you've got enemies outside your puddle range, as well as to cast your 1 on the point you dropped your enemies before they stand up (also, with Natural Talent, you reach the invulnerability phase of your 2 & 3 *very* quickly, making them great ways to mitigate incoming damage). Your 4 can be used to grab Arctic Eximus units who are otherwise protected from your 1's knockdown, as well as slowing down the number of enemies coming your way. Your 4 will not completely stop approaching enemies, but will pare them down to manageable levels.

 

Also invest in a decent AoE weapon, as your tendency to lock down groups makes dispatching them pretty easy. After all, dead enemies never shoot back.

 

Hmm, you mentioned Pilfering Swarm, might be you're casting your 4 too often. You can't really afford to be immobilized for more than a second or two occasionally in higher level stuff, and IME running Hydroid, most of my getting downed comes from either A. Typing in chat without using my 3 first; or B. Casting my 4.

[Skaleek]

I believe he was advertised as a CC tank. So in those terms, yes, he's too squishy.

[ShotgunFilter]

24 minutes ago, TheGrimCorsair said:

He's plenty survivable as he is. The main trick is making sure to prevent a fight from happening in the first place. Use your 1 early, and while aim gliding (don't get caught flat footed), and get in the habit of using your 2 and 3 to dodge damage. Remember that your 2 is much better for this if you've got enemies outside your puddle range, as well as to cast your 1 on the point you dropped your enemies before they stand up (also, with Natural Talent, you reach the invulnerability phase of your 2 & 3 *very* quickly, making them great ways to mitigate incoming damage). Your 4 can be used to grab Arctic Eximus units who are otherwise protected from your 1's knockdown, as well as slowing down the number of enemies coming your way. Your 4 will not completely stop approaching enemies, but will pare them down to manageable levels.

 

Also invest in a decent AoE weapon, as your tendency to lock down groups makes dispatching them pretty easy. After all, dead enemies never shoot back.

 

Hmm, you mentioned Pilfering Swarm, might be you're casting your 4 too often. You can't really afford to be immobilized for more than a second or two occasionally in higher level stuff, and IME running Hydroid, most of my getting downed comes from either A. Typing in chat without using my 3 first; or B. Casting my 4.

I have used long lasting 4s alot and as for an AOE weapon do you mean like drak or zaar? Natural talent is one of those mods I still have yet to get as well. 

[Tesseract7777]

He is a bit squishy right now, but as others have said, mobility, keeping up cc with Tentacle Swarm and Tempest Barrage, using Undertow to restore your shields safely, etc. He can survive, but yeah he needs more protection. 

He is getting a rework soon to improve him, and I expect they will make him more survivable somehow, or at least make his cc more reliable and user friendly or something. 

Interesting factoid: The reason Hydroids stats are so poor across the board, is because one of his major stats actually used to be stamina, quite a high stats for him above his others. IIRC, one of the highest stamina stats in the game. When the stamina system was removed, mods were replaced with endo (well it was called fusion cores back then), but Hydroid was not given any new stat upgrades to make up for one of his biggest stats being stamina, and that stat disappearing completely from the game. This meant his other stats just tend to be pretty much poor across the board, and that's never once been looked at since. 

Hopefully they will take a look at not just his abilities, but also stats when they do the rework. This is a rare case where I think not just the prime, but the original, actually needs some stat upgrades. 

Edit: You can add me in game if you want, if you see me online hit me up and I'll give you a natural talent, I have extra. Not sure it's really needed for droid, but its a good mod to have. 

Edited June 14, 2017 by Tesseract7777

[ShotgunFilter]

12 minutes ago, Tesseract7777 said:

He is a bit squishy right now, but as others have said, mobility, keeping up cc with Tentacle Swarm and Tempest Barrage, using Undertow to restore your shields safely, etc. He can survive, but yeah he needs more protection. 

He is getting a rework soon to improve him, and I expect they will make him more survivable somehow, or at least make his cc more reliable and user friendly or something. 

Interesting factoid: The reason Hydroids stats are so poor across the board, is because one of his major stats actually used to be stamina, quite a high stats for him above his others. IIRC, one of the highest stamina stats in the game. When the stamina system was removed, mods were replaced with endo (well it was called fusion cores back then), but Hydroid was not given any new stat upgrades to make up for one of his biggest stats being stamina, and that stat disappearing completely from the game. This meant his other stats just tend to be pretty much poor across the board, and that's never once been looked at since. 

Hopefully they will take a look at not just his abilities, but also stats when they do the rework. This is a rare case where I think not just the prime, but the original, actually needs some stat upgrades. 

Edit: You can add me in game if you want, if you see me online hit me up and I'll give you a natural talent, I have extra. Not sure it's really needed for droid, but its a good mod to have. 

Sent ya an invite and thanks for the tips and the info. I love the frame. I just hope he gets some balance tweaks to help those stats and stuff.

[Kusungphak]

Only time I will use a Hydroid in a sortie is for defense and mobile defense. Not my first choice but I have done it and my way is do it is swarm and then become a puddle near the defense target and chill out.

[PsychicWarlock]

 

 

watch this playlist... mobility is the key.

 

you might like this build.. this one is tanky.

 

this guy explains everything he does n all of his videos

Edited June 20, 2017 by PsychicWarlock