Another "let's Rework Volt" Thread

[TheGambler_BR]

Woo! here we are again, with a new rework to the well known VOLT!

Hurray! *starburst*

 

 

For a frame advertised as a "potent alternative to gunplay", volt is severely lacking as we all know. His powers are weak, usually supportive, and one of them RELIES on "gunplay" to deal any damage whatsoever! What is this madness?

 

Which is why I suggest this rework.

 

First of all, shock. Oh, man, the most "useless" nº1 skill in the game, bar perhaps fireball or freeze. Got a significant buff recently, but not one that affected its hgh-level usage.

 

So, rework!

 

First power: SHOCK

 

Cost: 30 energy

 

Deals damage in two instances. Half is serrated blade, the other half is electric. Damage increases with mod rank and power mods.

Chains more as rank increases (2/3/4/6).

Enemies hit are shocked (they enter the "shocked" animation) for 1/1/1/1.5 seconds, increased by continuity. This animation is doubled in speed if the target is frozen (to avoid 3 second stuns on a 20-energy power)

 

Comments: So! Let me explain why I made this.

First of all, there should be a significant bonus to increasing it to maximum level, as it costs one more mod space compared to ranks 2 and 3. So it hits more enemies, and stuns for longer.

Furthermore, dealing half of its damage as serrated blade will ensure the frame remains powerful in low-level infested and grineer missions, and somewhat relevant later in the game.

The stun makes this power useful over all levels, giving Volt some much needed utility.

Its casting speed is also DRAMATICALLY increased, and can be cast while on the move without stopping movement at all (wallrunning, for example)

The cost is also slightly increased to balance out the added utility.

 

 

Second power: SPEED

 

Cost: 25 energy

 

No functional changes. No more FoV increase when under its effect.

 

Comments: NO MORE FoV INCREASE WHEN USING WOOO

 

 

Third power: ELECTRIC SHIELD

 

Cost: 50 energy

 

A half-circle-shaped electrical shield appears in the direction Volt is facing, following him around.

Bullets fired by enemies become entirely of electrical element, and their damage are reduced by 20/20/30/40%.

Bullets fired by you will deal an extra 25/25/35/50% electrical damage.

Using shock while this skill is active will double-cast it (with no additional cost).

 

Comments: Ok. having the shield follow Volt around allows him to keep mobile, which is something a light, fast and fragile frame should do.

Reducing damage instead of entirely blocking it so the power isn't a one-way wall anymore.

Having it double-cast shock sort of makes sense. The wall boosts anything with electrical dmage, doesn't it? So yeah, it boosts electrical damage, too.

 

Ultimate power: OVERLOAD

 

Cost: 100 energy 

 

Volt draws energy from everything around him - cables on the floor, lights, and enemy vitals. Enemies caught in the radius are staggered. Same casting time and range as now, but without the damage - and does not rely on nearby electronics.

While it is active, his max power capacity is increased by 50/50/75/125% (capped at 1'000), and is instantly refilled.

Lasts for 10/10/13/20 seconds.

Trying to activate it again will end it early.

When its duration runs out (or is ended early), any remaining energy is violently released, hurting nearby enemies for 2/2/3/5 damage (again, half serrated blade, half shock damage) per point of energy remaining, and stunned for 0.002/0.002/0.003/0.005 second per energy left.

If it's ended early, your energy pool is depleted. Else, it falls to 50.

Visual effect: coils on his arms have triple the amount of electricity.

 

Comments: 

 

 

Attributes: Base (Max)

Shields: 150 (450)

Health: 75 (225)

Power: 150 (225)

Starting Power: 75

Sprint Speed: 1.2

Armor: 10

 

Comments: 

With this higher base energy, power usage is more recommended.

Lower health than average make the frame a glass cannon, encouraging mobility

Sprint speed increase, because gotta go fast to further highlight its mobility.

 

Please, do comment! I would love to know how you all think about this :)

[philleapa]

Would make volt very useful, it is very situational right now.

Loving the overload idea and +1 for the David Tennant Gif.

[Ferriwind]

Another way to make Volt an alternative to gunplay but not as situational is to give him "stance switching". 3 secs to switch to or from "power mode". While in "power mode" ;P, Volt cannot use guns, only melee. His energy costs, however, are significantly lowered and his powers are strengthened.

Shock gains strength and costs only 5 energy a pop. Speed gains double duration and range. Electric shield follows Volt. Melee gains 15-25% electric damage.

[TheGambler_BR]

Another way to make Volt an alternative to gunplay but not as situational is to give him "stance switching". 3 secs to switch to or from "power mode". While in "power mode" ;P, Volt cannot use guns, only melee. His energy costs, however, are significantly lowered and his powers are strengthened.

Shock gains strength and costs only 5 energy a pop. Speed gains double duration and range. Electric shield follows Volt. Melee gains 15-25% electric damage.

 

The thing about buffing his powers, is that it will only make him stronger on the field he already is strong enough, which is up-to-level-30 corpus.levels. Beyond that, the same problems he faces now will be faced later on, which are his lack of utility and insignificant damage due to electrical resistances.

No buff will ever overcome those issues. And if they do, then he'll be so outstandingly powerful that it won't be any fun to play as him early on.

 

That's what I was aiming to fix with my proposed rework.

He's still partially situational, in that he deals FAR (like, three times) more damage when facing corpus mooks. But this doesn't make him useless when facing other factions, as his power still offer some sort of damage (serrated blade is a "stronger" armor ignore, as it gains bonus damage when hitting non-ancient infested - the same damage type as the flux rifle), but more importantly he offers UTILITY.

His 1 and 4 powers give him much needed stun, which is the only thing valuable at very high levels.

His 2 power gives everyone increased movement speed, which is a good thing. buffs are always welcome.

His 3 power improve on his first power, doubling its effects. It also partially reduces damage, and makes a particular mod highly situational instead of simply pointless (the electric resistance mod)

[EclecticDragon]

Shock: If you increased the point cost to 30 it would put it in a really odd spot of energy use forcing the player to either use Energy siphon if they want to be effective with their energy. Though that being said I wouldn't mind the changes to the damage typing, along with an over all damage boost.

Electric shield: I personally would like to use Electric shield as it gives the player the ability to switch from a speedy offensive melee brawler, to a high damage defensive cannon. And it would be pretty good if it wasn't for the fact that it's completely bugged in mulitplayer so that the damage boost it is suppose to give isn't given making it useless in defense a place where the damage boost would be useful.

Though I wouldn't in anyway mind the suggestion you make if it was a completely different mod, which DE can do since the new mod system was added.

Overload: As someone whom as hatted the trend of AOE ults I whole-heartedly agree that something like this would be a great addition.

[Ferriwind]

I believe Shock hard stuns(really long stun) all trash Grineer and most if not all Corpus. If it doesn't, it should. It should also do weak stuns against everything else that is not designed to resist stuns... like doing the same interrupt to Ancients that shotguns do. This would make Shock with low energy cost a very viable alternative to gunplay while keeping sustainable energy levels.

[TheGambler_BR]

Doesn't quite stun. It induces the enemy to enter a shocked state, where he is indeed stunned. However, at higher levels, they do not enter that animation because they're practically immune to the power itself.

 

The stun I suggest would be "hard-coded" and would apply whether they resist electricity or not.

[Solaurus]

I like your suggestions! To be honest though, I was almost gonna rage about the Overload change until i calculated the amount it can do with maxed energy, focus, and Storm Helm. You sir, get another plus 1.

[AlvaroXDM]

I think your suggestions are really nice, yet I thought of Volt to be more "melee" based, not just another caster. Yet, it would still be nice to see this rework, making Volt a somehow "VS Corpus Ember".

[Solaurus]

I think your suggestions are really nice, yet I thought of Volt to be more "melee" based, not just another caster. Yet, it would still be nice to see this rework, making Volt a somehow "VS Corpus Ember".

I don't know about Volt being melee. Makes no sense. He's way too frail to go into the middle of battle, and I think that Volt, should be extremely effective vs Corpus, but he should be just as effective as other frames for other enemy types.

[saltshaker42]

I don't know about Volt being melee. Makes no sense. He's way too frail to go into the middle of battle, and I think that Volt, should be extremely effective vs Corpus, but he should be just as effective as other frames for other enemy types.

Ember is effective against Corpus, and Grineer.

[TheGambler_BR]

I don't know about Volt being melee. Makes no sense. He's way too frail to go into the middle of battle, and I think that Volt, should be extremely effective vs Corpus, but he should be just as effective as other frames for other enemy types.

 

That is how I feel, too. Which is why I suggested his power damage was split into two - serrated and electrical.

 

That way, his powers will always deal at least half their listed damage, regardless of faction or level (serrated blade is, in case you do not know, the "best" elemental damage in the game, as it isn't reduced by armor but has positive multipliers when facing light infested - it's the damage type of the flux rifle, lanka, dual ethers, and most melee charge attacks).

And with half his damage being electrical, he'd be considerably more effective versus corpus targets - which is something he should be.

 

I also do not believe volt should be meleeing. He's fast, yes, but melee requires survivability, something he does not have.

[Solaurus]

That is how I feel, too. Which is why I suggested his power damage was split into two - serrated and electrical.

 

That way, his powers will always deal at least half their listed damage, regardless of faction or level (serrated blade is, in case you do not know, the "best" elemental damage in the game, as it isn't reduced by armor but has positive multipliers when facing light infested - it's the damage type of the flux rifle, lanka, dual ethers, and most melee charge attacks).

And with half his damage being electrical, he'd be considerably more effective versus corpus targets - which is something he should be.

 

I also do not believe volt should be meleeing. He's fast, yes, but melee requires survivability, something he does not have.

This damage splitting is the exact reason I like your idea. Partly because I also thought of this in one of my own Volt rework topics.

[TheGambler_BR]

This damage splitting is the exact reason I like your idea. Partly because I also thought of this in one of my own Volt rework topics.

 

Heh. Did not know that :)

 

Maybe all damage-only powers should do the same, perhaps?

Well, not ~all~, but most.

[TheGambler_BR]

I'm allowed to bump, aren't I? :)

[Aeriax]

If anything, Shock should get a DECREASE in energy usage rather than increase, more damage to individual targets (perhaps falling off a little more quickly per chain as well), and be castable while moving. The way that enemies react to electrical damage should be changed so that it scales better at higher levels (because right now it practically does NOT scale- at low levels, Shock immediately will destroy half a room of enemies, at high levels it will fail to take them under half health, at high levels I think it should take out a sizeable chunk rather than just POKE them if they have shields and such as well, which Elite Lancers and Moas do), so that it actually IS an energy effective alternative to your gun.

 

Electric shield. Wow, I never use this. Like, I have actually never used this skill. Not once. It should be replaced with another offensive power, the nature of which I'm unsure of currently. Something that'd be capable of being used while moving, due to Volt not being the most sturdy warframe out there. However, actually making the shield move with you as you propose might actually make it considerable. It's one of those things that'd have to be tested, IMO.

 

Speed: Seems fine, kind of sad that Volt isn't as fast anymore.

 

Overload: Changes to both Shock and Overload that make them scale better with level would be more than welcome, as well as actually making Volt a little more... Durable while using Overload. Considering the fact that almost every time I use it on a big clump of enemies, any that are outside the range of overload usually completely cut me down at higher levels, before I'm even done using Overload,  which means nothing dies.

 

Suggested stat changes:

 

Health: 100 (300) Unchanged. Volt is not tanky, at all. At rank 30, fighting high level enemies, this paltry sum of health with poor armor means you need to stay mobile.

 

Armor: 10 Unchanged.

 

Energy: 150 (225) I support your changes, the greater energy pool would very much encourage greater power usage and make Volt perform as advertised.

 

Shields: 150 (450) I see no reason to change this because my Volt manages ~750 shields at rank 30 fully modded. That's reasonable. And still gets burnt off incredibly quickly if you're not careful.

 

Speed: 1.22. This would work very well with Speed, because it would give you the opportunity to much more easily dictate range, either getting away from an awful situation, or getting into a good one. It'd also allow you to cross great distances quicker and revive people and such. Which is IMO quite important. This makes Volt the fastest non-stealth based Warframe.

 

That's just my two cents though.

[TheGambler_BR]

If anything, Shock should get a DECREASE in energy usage rather than increase, more damage to individual targets (perhaps falling off a little more quickly per chain as well), and be castable while moving. The way that enemies react to electrical damage should be changed so that it scales better at higher levels (because right now it practically does NOT scale- at low levels, Shock immediately will destroy half a room of enemies, at high levels it will fail to take them under half health, at high levels I think it should take out a sizeable chunk rather than just POKE them if they have shields and such as well, which Elite Lancers and Moas do), so that it actually IS an energy effective alternative to your gun.

 

Electric shield. Wow, I never use this. Like, I have actually never used this skill. Not once. It should be replaced with another offensive power, the nature of which I'm unsure of currently. Something that'd be capable of being used while moving, due to Volt not being the most sturdy warframe out there. However, actually making the shield move with you as you propose might actually make it considerable. It's one of those things that'd have to be tested, IMO.

 

Speed: Seems fine, kind of sad that Volt isn't as fast anymore.

 

Overload: Changes to both Shock and Overload that make them scale better with level would be more than welcome, as well as actually making Volt a little more... Durable while using Overload. Considering the fact that almost every time I use it on a big clump of enemies, any that are outside the range of overload usually completely cut me down at higher levels, before I'm even done using Overload,  which means nothing dies.

 

Suggested stat changes:

 

Health: 100 (300) Unchanged. Volt is not tanky, at all. At rank 30, fighting high level enemies, this paltry sum of health with poor armor means you need to stay mobile.

 

Armor: 10 Unchanged.

 

Energy: 150 (225) I support your changes, the greater energy pool would very much encourage greater power usage and make Volt perform as advertised.

 

Shields: 150 (450) I see no reason to change this because my Volt manages ~750 shields at rank 30 fully modded. That's reasonable. And still gets burnt off incredibly quickly if you're not careful.

 

Speed: 1.22. This would work very well with Speed, because it would give you the opportunity to much more easily dictate range, either getting away from an awful situation, or getting into a good one. It'd also allow you to cross great distances quicker and revive people and such. Which is IMO quite important. This makes Volt the fastest non-stealth based Warframe.

 

That's just my two cents though.

 

The problem with the current system is that it is impossible to have powers that scale damage-wise with high-level content. The armor and health rises up to obnoxious levels, so any numerical damage number is pretty much pointless.

My take on how to best tackle this issue, was to add a portion of armor ignore to his damaging powers, and utility (through stunning) which is always welcome - disabling an enemy is often the best way to ensure a quick takedown. 

 

I very much agree with you. Volt's powers should revolve around his capacity to move (through the use of Speed, naturally). Which is why I suggested a dramatic increase in cast speed and the ability to cast it on the move.

 

I also adress the issue of the other powers' lack of scaleability.

 

The reduction in health was to purely balance the other stats, because otherwise volt would have some of the best stats in the game, with above average power and shields, alongside faster move speed and a speed boost.

[Volt_Cruelerz]

Woo! here we are again, with a new rework to the well known VOLT!

Hurray! *starburst*

 

 

For a frame advertised as a "potent alternative to gunplay", volt is severely lacking as we all know. His powers are weak, usually supportive, and one of them RELIES on "gunplay" to deal any damage whatsoever! What is this madness?

 

Which is why I suggest this rework.

 

First of all, shock. Oh, man, the most "useless" nº1 skill in the game, bar perhaps fireball or freeze. Got a significant buff recently, but not one that affected its hgh-level usage.

 

So, rework!

 

First power: SHOCK

 

Cost: 30 energy

 

Deals damage in two instances. Half is serrated blade, the other half is electric. Damage increases with mod rank and power mods.

Chains more as rank increases (2/3/4/6).

Enemies hit are shocked (they enter the "shocked" animation) for 1/1/1/1.5 seconds, increased by continuity. This animation is doubled in speed if the target is frozen (to avoid 3 second stuns on a 20-energy power)

 

Comments: So! Let me explain why I made this.

First of all, there should be a significant bonus to increasing it to maximum level, as it costs one more mod space compared to ranks 2 and 3. So it hits more enemies, and stuns for longer.

Furthermore, dealing half of its damage as serrated blade will ensure the frame remains powerful in low-level infested and grineer missions, and somewhat relevant later in the game.

The stun makes this power useful over all levels, giving Volt some much needed utility.

Its casting speed is also DRAMATICALLY increased, and can be cast while on the move without stopping movement at all (wallrunning, for example)

The cost is also slightly increased to balance out the added utility.

 

 

Second power: SPEED

 

Cost: 25 energy

 

No functional changes. No more FoV increase when under its effect.

 

Comments: NO MORE FoV INCREASE WHEN USING WOOO

 

 

Third power: ELECTRIC SHIELD

 

Cost: 50 energy

 

A half-circle-shaped electrical shield appears in the direction Volt is facing, following him around.

Bullets fired by enemies become entirely of electrical element, and their damage are reduced by 20/20/30/40%.

Bullets fired by you will deal an extra 25/25/35/50% electrical damage.

Using shock while this skill is active will double-cast it (with no additional cost).

 

Comments: Ok. having the shield follow Volt around allows him to keep mobile, which is something a light, fast and fragile frame should do.

Reducing damage instead of entirely blocking it so the power isn't a one-way wall anymore.

Having it double-cast shock sort of makes sense. The wall boosts anything with electrical dmage, doesn't it? So yeah, it boosts electrical damage, too.

 

Ultimate power: OVERLOAD

 

Cost: 100 energy 

 

Volt draws energy from everything around him - cables on the floor, lights, and enemy vitals. Enemies caught in the radius are staggered. Same casting time and range as now, but without the damage - and does not rely on nearby electronics.

While it is active, his max power capacity is increased by 50/50/75/125% (capped at 1'000), and is instantly refilled.

Lasts for 10/10/13/20 seconds.

Trying to activate it again will end it early.

When its duration runs out (or is ended early), any remaining energy is violently released, hurting nearby enemies for 2/2/3/5 damage (again, half serrated blade, half shock damage) per point of energy remaining, and stunned for 0.002/0.002/0.003/0.005 second per energy left.

If it's ended early, your energy pool is depleted. Else, it falls to 50.

Visual effect: coils on his arms have triple the amount of electricity.

 

Comments: 

 

 

Attributes: Base (Max)

Shields: 150 (450)

Health: 75 (225)

Power: 150 (225)

Starting Power: 75

Sprint Speed: 1.2

Armor: 10

 

Comments: 

With this higher base energy, power usage is more recommended.

Lower health than average make the frame a glass cannon, encouraging mobility

Sprint speed increase, because gotta go fast to further highlight its mobility.

 

Please, do comment! I would love to know how you all think about this :)

Let's go down the list:

 

Shock: no need to increase its energy cost

Speed: agreed

Shield: I've been suggesting something along the lines of this for a long time

Overload: wait... wut?  Am I missing something?  Instant regen of energy back up to an easily attainable cap of 1k and you deal 5k damage to everyone in the area always?  Also, what is the advantage of increased duration?  That made no sense.  Also, why would you end it early?  Right now, it just seems like something that gives you infinite energy and does 2.5k serrated blade damage to everything after 20 seconds.

Stats: fine by me, very similar to what I've suggested before

 

Personally, I still think Shock/Overload need to stay on Volt while Speed and Shield get moved over to a new frame, but barring such a dramatic overhaul, overall what you suggest lines up with what I'd like.  I just don't know what you mean with overload though.

[TheGambler_BR]

Let's go down the list:

 

Shock: no need to increase its energy cost

Speed: agreed

Shield: I've been suggesting something along the lines of this for a long time

Overload: wait... wut?  Am I missing something?  Instant regen of energy back up to an easily attainable cap of 1k and you deal 5k damage to everyone in the area always?  Also, what is the advantage of increased duration?  That made no sense.  Also, why would you end it early?  Right now, it just seems like something that gives you infinite energy and does 2.5k serrated blade damage to everything after 20 seconds.

Stats: fine by me, very similar to what I've suggested before

 

Personally, I still think Shock/Overload need to stay on Volt while Speed and Shield get moved over to a new frame, but barring such a dramatic overhaul, overall what you suggest lines up with what I'd like.  I just don't know what you mean with overload though.

 

Overload deals no damage on its own. Besides, it's not spammable. And you require 20 seconds of wait, if you're fully modded and do not use ANY powers whatsoever.

 

So you empty your energy pool for one single nuke, when other frames can spam 3 or 4 times without requiring energy drops

Not to mention cast times...

[Volt_Cruelerz]

Overload deals no damage on its own. Besides, it's not spammable. And you require 20 seconds of wait, if you're fully modded and do not use ANY powers whatsoever.

 

So you empty your energy pool for one single nuke, when other frames can spam 3 or 4 times without requiring energy drops

Not to mention cast times...

But it does the damage at the end.  And you're hardly waiting.  You can end it early.  You cast it and it is "instantly refilled," so cast it and immediately pop it to vaporize everything around you and any bosses are stunned for a very long time.

[TheGambler_BR]

But it does the damage at the end.  And you're hardly waiting.  You can end it early.  You cast it and it is "instantly refilled," so cast it and immediately pop it to vaporize everything around you and any bosses are stunned for a very long time.

 

Bosses, IIRC, have some sort of resistance to CC abilities. They aren't lifted by bastille, for example.

 

Besides, yes, the skill has its fair share of downsides/imbalances.

At the time, I hadn't exactly thought of how to balance it out.

Cooldown is something no one likes.

Not having energy dropped by enemies killed this way is detrimental to the team as a whole, and probably not easy to configure.

So is leaving volt in a "disrupted" state - during which picking energy orbs give no energy at all.

 

So I'm not quite sure. I am aware that just leaving him at 0 energy is not enough of a downside, what with the amount of enemies this could potentially kill and how energy syphon and orbs are common.

[Volt_Cruelerz]

Bosses, IIRC, have some sort of resistance to CC abilities. They aren't lifted by bastille, for example.

 

Besides, yes, the skill has its fair share of downsides/imbalances.

At the time, I hadn't exactly thought of how to balance it out.

Cooldown is something no one likes.

Not having energy dropped by enemies killed this way is detrimental to the team as a whole, and probably not easy to configure.

So is leaving volt in a "disrupted" state - during which picking energy orbs give no energy at all.

 

So I'm not quite sure. I am aware that just leaving him at 0 energy is not enough of a downside, what with the amount of enemies this could potentially kill and how energy syphon and orbs are common.

A disrupted state might work for early detonation, but even then, on defense, does that matter?  You can just vaporize wave after wave after wave with impunity.

[TheGambler_BR]

A disrupted state might work for early detonation, but even then, on defense, does that matter?  You can just vaporize wave after wave after wave with impunity.

 

Not every wave clogs up enough for that - only if using vauban spamming bastille. But then, you'd have a hard time losing. hahaha

[Urbanspaceman]

very well thought out. respect, i like it because its not too much focused on pure damage, but kept versatile

[TheGambler_BR]

very well thought out. respect, i like it because its not too much focused on pure damage, but kept versatile

 

Thanks :D