Does Each Rank Reduce Thunderbolts Damage?

[icanhaztehcookie]

I recently found Thunderbolt and put it on the Dread, I wanted to see before modding it just how low the chances really were for an arrow to explode ( I don't pay attention to the % value of a mod, the game needs to do that math for you ). An unmodded Thunderbolt mod was doing much more damage when the proc activated, but after maxing it out, it does crap damage with each proc, ya you get a nice aoe, but it doesn't even kill the enemy you shot at if it wasn't a critical shot whereas an unmodded Thunderbolt mod would kill the enemy with or without a critical shot and did more damage to other enemies in the aoe.

 

Mind you, I tried this on Xini, same enemies at lvl 45+ died from the explosion unmodded without a critical shot, but the same enemies even on critical took less damage with a fully maxed Thunderbolt.

Edited August 21, 2013 by icanhaztehcookie

[Archistopheles]

I'd need to see some screenshots or videos to trust you at your word.

[icanhaztehcookie]

I'd need to see some screenshots or videos to trust you at your word.

Too late now since it's been maxed out ( and don't use it anymore ) It's not like I knew this ahead of time, one game, I thought it was an awesome mod to have, then I fully upgrade it, an the next it's not so awesome. Plus I've tried to take screen shots before, but they get sent to a file that my computer doesn't support. It still says I successfully saved the shot to my computer an gets saved in a Warframe file in the app.data files, but nothing is there when I open it and says my computer doesn't support the app.data files.

 

Don't record stuff either cause I just don't have enough space on my computer.

Edited August 21, 2013 by icanhaztehcookie

[Egg_Chen]

Thunderbolt has fixed 250 damage... It over-rides your other damage mods when it activates.

Maybe before you had used it on lower levels?

Anyway, it is bad at higher levels!

[__Kanade__]

I noticed this too, I had found a Thunderbolt mod and at lvl 25+ enemies, the explosion stacked on top whatever other dmg mods I had ( it was umodded at the time ), then I max it out and behold, the same lvl 25+ enemies got reduced damage, even my crits ( my bow does 8-10K crits ) were halved whenever Thunderbolt activated. The usual 8-10K crits whenever it wasn't activated, but 3-5K crits when Thunderbolt activated.

 

I think I remember seeing a similar thread once where someone noticed the same thing, I can only assume you get a better splash aoe but reduced dmg with each rank, but unmodded it has a low chance to activate but does higher damage ( just from my own experience using it ). If I can find another one, I'll keep it unmodded.

Edited August 22, 2013 by __Kanade__

[LazyKnight]

From the tests I did of thunderbolt it does 250 damage at max level + all mods damage based on 250 as base. Such as, a fire mod does .9x250=225 fire damage. I am unsure about this part, but all damage is targeted on a NPC chest. Level only effects chances of activation as far as I can tell.