Forma Vs Reactor/catalyst

[Ddublu]

So I've thought about this question quite a bit. Basically would it be better to Forma a weapon/warframe instead of using a catalyst/reactor? Which would mean spending the effort to rank up a warframe/weapon several times to get probably each slot Forma'd for w/e build you intend. To me that seems silly to have to rank up the same weapons/warframes 4-8 times each or so. I probably answered my own question right here but what are your guys' opinions on the matter? seeing as Forma is robably easier to get than Catalysts and Reactors. This strategy could have some merit to it.

[TemetNosce]

Instead? No. Assuming you actually have maxed mods, and potato a weapon, you still need to polarize almost every slot to be able to fit in all your mods.

 

I'm not entirely sure why you wouldn't want to use a potato anyways, unless you simply mean you don't have any.

[Fish3]

catalyst and reactors are definitely more effective since it adds 30 mod points at lv30 weapon/frames.

Where as 1 forma can at most reduce 7 points from a mod slot. hence it will take 5 forma to achieve the same result as a catalyst.

 

but in truth if you love that weapon/frame do both!

[Darkenneko]

So I've thought about this question quite a bit. Basically would it be better to Forma a weapon/warframe instead of using a catalyst/reactor? Which would mean spending the effort to rank up a warframe/weapon several times to get probably each slot Forma'd for w/e build you intend. To me that seems silly to have to rank up the same weapons/warframes 4-8 times each or so. I probably answered my own question right here but what are your guys' opinions on the matter? seeing as Forma is robably easier to get than Catalysts and Reactors. This strategy could have some merit to it.

Both do different things.

 

Forma only adds/removes/modifies poloarities and that is it. It's for Mini-maxing to the extreme.

Reactors and Cats give you double the amount of points and stay on your weapon or warframe after you Forma'ed them. So you can use both of them with no worries.

[Aedwynn]

Generally you better potato your fav weapon as ealier as you can, cause potato works right from lvl 1 and helps you more than 1-2 forma. Still, forma will make difference when you'll get top mods. So, yes do both, but in case of limited resources ( as to craft from blueprint) potato is better.

[Ddublu]

My reasoning behind posting this is in the last... 2 weeks there have been 2 Forma alerts, 2 Catalyst alerts, and 1 reactor alert. I also am viewing this from a new players perspective that plans to never invest real money towards the game, so all they have is 75 plat.

Generally a player would spend at least 40 of that on a catalyst/reactor combo and the remaining 35 on probably another catalyst/reactor and weapon slots or a warframe slot and a weapon slot.

Besides all this Forma is basically the easier of the two types to get since reactors/catalysts are strictly alert or plat recieved. or luck on the login reward.

Take this build I have for example:

Frost Farm Loadout: (60/60)

Warframe Mods: Rush(11), Vitality(6), Streamline(7), Flow(7)

Scratch Slots (7/3/1/4): Avalanche(13), Snow Globe(6), Freeze(2), Ice Wave(7)

Tactic Slot (7): Master Thief (13)

Defense Slot(7): Redirection(13)

Not including the 4 that aren't polarized at the start you have... 29 cap already. Forma wouldn't help you with this. However if we take into account the Aura and/or reduce Redirection to 200% (8) we'd have another...17 to work with I believe. If one went with Forma and no reactor you'd have to probably take a point out of something to allow this setup to work.

Like I said this would be like... the best case scenario if someone didn't want to reactor xP. It'd probably look like this:

Frost Farm Loadout: (42/44)

V Slot (4): Streamline(7)

Scratch Slots (7/5/1/2): Avalanche(13), Snow Globe(9), Freeze(2), Ice Wave(4)

Tactic Slot (7/5/4): Master Thief (13), Rush(10), Flow(7)

Defense Slot(4/3): Redirection(8), Vitality(6)

Aura(14/14): Rejuvenation(7), Physique (7)

Pretty sure my math is right xD. With the two extra one would be able to max out both Streamline and Flow if they wanted since at 9 would be the breaking point for when both would cost 5 each.

[TemetNosce]

This still makes no sense. If they had a potato why in the world would they not use it? If they didn't have a potato, well, that's not a choice, it's just how things are. I suppose you could be arguing against spending plat on potatoes, which I'd agree with for a free player, but that doesn't explain why you made this thread.

[Wynn]

Forma I see more as fine tuning a weapon or frame, were a potato allows you to hit the level cap on an item.