Let's talk about new archon shards.

[Dubstep_Samurai]

So, we gonna get 3 new types of archon shards with the next update, which is good. Though it seems the only way to get em is to merge 2 old type shards together to get a single new type shard. Considering rather slow rate of obtaining shards in general this is kinda brutal.

At this point, it wouldn't even be cost efficient to combine 2 basic shards to get 1 tauforged shard (if this system would exist) since its only a 50% performance boost, but with new types of shards - you combine 2 basic shards of old type to get 1 basic shard of a new type, which has unique stats yes, but the same level of performance. So the end result is even less beneficial, since you literally throw away 1 shard in the process. Bad enough with basic shards, twice as bad with tauforged shards, since those drop a lot less frequent and wasting one is even bigger sacrifice.

Ofc it's early to judge before we see actual bonuses, but, IMO, the only way for this to work is to make new shard types really, REALLY good, to justify the time and resources costs. Or there should be a way to farm em directly, not instead, but alongside with old types. Otherwise it sounds pretty bad to me.

What's your thoughts?

[Khanwolf]

Originally posted by Dubstep_Samurai:

Ofc it's early to judge before we see actual bonuses

the community (the interested part in this game, not the tourists) need the stats and all forms of acquisition first to have a super clear picture. Shards are a huge grind and i completely agree, the timegating is a huge issue here. I hope we will see a way to earn them, i dont wanna be the alchemist to get shards, i wanna pick them up ready to nuke and then visit the Simulacrum.

i REALLY like what i see, they care for so much lately, they will even give us Tennokai now in the far Endgame to enhance our Styles. Maybe also totally irrelevant for the usual Gaming Tourist we see around here, but a HUGE difference for the interested crowd.

[Midas]

Seems more like something for people who have already farmed the heck out of the existing shards.

As for whether or not it's 'worth it', it absolutely is. For the same reason primes are 'worth it' over their counterparts for a tiny boost in performance. Minmaxing is everything when it comes to finalized builds in this game, and a 50% boost is arguably WAY bigger than a lot of the stuff people go out of their way for already. Prime mods, rivens, prime weapons/frames, almost all of these kinds of things are tiny boosts for what it costs to get them. It's never about the investment to get them, it's about squeezing as much as possible from any given component of a build to maximize the end result.

[romy]

it's good that shards will finally have some use.

[«Wodan»]

I quit doing Khal's missions many months ago. The shards are like the cherry on top when finishing your warframe.

[C486]

Shards are irrelevant boosts.

[Mr. Smiles]

Originally posted by C486:

Shards are irrelevant boosts.

This. With no real endgame to pit our op optimization powers against, it's all largely, unnecessary.

[tv]

yellow shards desperately needed a use

[Flamboyant]

Originally posted by Mr. Smiles:

Originally posted by C486:

Shards are irrelevant boosts.

This. With no real endgame to pit our op optimization powers against, it's all largely, unnecessary.

I dare u to play garuda without any casting speed mods or shards, shts just painful and causes brain damage. And its just one of the many examples. Shards dont really give power, they give comfort and do that pretty well

[BoxxyB]

Cool use for an otherwise copium based feature

[Khanwolf]

Originally posted by Flamboyant:

Originally posted by Mr. Smiles:

This. With no real endgame to pit our op optimization powers against, it's all largely, unnecessary.

I dare u to play garuda without any casting speed mods or shards, shts just painful and causes brain damage. And its just one of the many examples. Shards dont really give power, they give comfort and do that pretty well

there are 2 types of Players, MinMaxxerls and Steel Path only Players to have an enjoyable game with acceptable income... and there are people, who simply play this game until a certain point, then they turn around and stay on the Beginner Star Chart forever.

so i wouldnt try to change people's opinions here or even try to show the neccessity of casting speed for example... Mag is unable to handle SP without 2-4 Yellows and her instant Casts will make her the most powerful Tool around, while otherwise you simply die during the Casting Animation of your Ulti...

but the part of the community, who plays this game as intended, like Midas, OP, you and me here, are a minority. Because it is possible to choose if you wanna play like a MR5 or MR30. So they have no Use for anything, it is simply not needed, they are oneshotting LvL 20 Enemies and then Builds are finished.

so... there are literally 2 kinds of Users, this is why you will see such opinions in anything that enhances stats: Rivens are not needed, Shards are optional, Incarnon Adapters too much Grind and Steel Path feels spongy.

[Ittrix]

Originally posted by Mr. Smiles:

Originally posted by C486:

Shards are irrelevant boosts.

This. With no real endgame to pit our op optimization powers against, it's all largely, unnecessary.

They're band-aid fixes for poorer warframes or more open ended builds.

There are many warframes who can change up how they play by quite a fair bit if you're able to knock off a Flow, Natural Talent or Intensify.
Harrow for example really needs cast speed. Natural Talent is a common thing to see on him. If I wanted to slot in something like Tribunal or Lasting Covenant, I could very easily take Natural Talent off thanks to these 'irrelevant boosts'.


For a more dire example, my Nekros runs Equilibrium, Health Conversion, and 3 different augments. It all fits and the build works because I have some irrelevant boosts that I can use to patch the holes.

[mrunuick]

Originally posted by Dubstep_Samurai:

Considering rather slow rate of obtaining shards in general this is kinda brutal.

I believe the devstream said that Whispers in the Walls will have a way to earn archon shards as well.

[Kawalorn]

Originally posted by Dubstep_Samurai:

So, we gonna get 3 new types of archon shards with the next update, which is good. Though it seems the only way to get em is to merge 2 old type shards together to get a single new type shard. Considering rather slow rate of obtaining shards in general this is kinda brutal.

According to devstream, both normal and merged shards will be farmable in new content.

[Shogun Gunshow]

Originally posted by tv:

yellow shards desperately needed a use

Yellow shards are useful, though?

[neock]

yellow shards have like 2 uses, and those uses only benifit speedrunners or zepher.
that said, more shards would be nice. the stockpile of 40 blue and 27 crimson (normal and touforged) need a new use. bulk stockpiling 2 a week gets old when youve mix and matched what frames can actualy use them to the best...