when are you suposed to use vortex?

fracofraco Join Date: 2012-11-27 Member: 173443Members
i rarely see this upgrade and when i get it i don t even know how i am suposed to use it.
the best way i see to use it is to supress turet generator but it seem useless if you can t hit it while vortex is active!
when did you felt it was best to use vortex that to hit your target?

for the intel, i usually use fade with regen and blink (i don t use fade if i dont have these upgrades). So i usually use harass strategy.
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Comments

  • VolcanoVolcano Join Date: 2011-07-27 Member: 112496Members, Constellation
    Vortex is pretty terrible now being a single target ability rather than what it used to be
  • MuckyMcFlyMuckyMcFly Join Date: 2012-03-19 Member: 148982Members, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Shadow
    Used to be great for stopping reins chasing down a wounded onos. Vortex the exit, all reins chasing phase = win.

    Not used it since beta though so cant help in its current form.
  • LofungLofung Join Date: 2004-08-21 Member: 30757Members
    when you feel like trolling.
  • m0rdm0rd Join Date: 2012-11-26 Member: 173223Members
    edited December 2012
    You could drop one on an Exo while they are distracted by the rest of your team, hopefully with an Onos by that point. Could easily give your team enough time to do some damage. You can also use it on buildings like an Obs (to delay a Beacon) or a Phase Gate. I've even seen a Fade pop one on a Grenade as it was flying past him towards the hive. Didn't help much but I thought it looked cool.

    Other than that it's pretty meh for it's cost and tier. A suggestion could be to create the Vortex around the Fade to produce a small AoE slowing effect to help shut down a Marine in close combat while you dance around him, but I dunno.. it's still a weird ability. I'd rather just have Metabolize back to counter the reduced eHP.
  • JektJekt Join Date: 2012-02-05 Member: 143714Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow
  • Champlo0Champlo0 Join Date: 2012-04-17 Member: 150617Members
    edited December 2012
    Use it to stop beacons and turn off phase gates. Could also vortex their arms lab. Or IP if you'd want. About the only thing it doesn't work on is power and CC's. Might work on arcs too, but at that point you should just be swiping them. Could try timing it with their blast, maybe.

    It's only good for exos if your onos/other lifeforms are REALLY coordinated and the exo in question is bad.

    (this is why when you try to beacon it randomly doesn't work sometimes and you go WTF but it's probably a fade vortexing)
  • maD maXmaD maX Join Date: 2010-01-28 Member: 70347Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2044943:date=Dec 13 2012, 02:13 PM:name=Lofung)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lofung @ Dec 13 2012, 02:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2044943"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->when you feel like trolling.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Had this happen 2 days ago, myself(an onos) another onos, and a gorge took down power in the rine start, there was only 1 rine left in this base but as we go to kill him a fade came in and vortexes him. This repeated as the fade vortexes him every time we get near him, eventually we kill him then move on to structures which the fade vortexes..... After a minute or or 2 the rines make a coordinated push back and we were forced to retreat, thanks to vortex we did not destroy a single structure though we did damage them all.....
  • xen32xen32 Join Date: 2012-10-18 Member: 162676Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    It's best for disabling phase at empty forward base or arms lab at main base.
  • TimMcTimMc Join Date: 2012-02-06 Member: 143945Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2045018:date=Dec 13 2012, 12:12 PM:name=xen32)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xen32 @ Dec 13 2012, 12:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045018"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It's best for disabling phase at empty forward base or arms lab at main base.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    For what? A few seconds? Not worth the energy cost.

    Acid rocket back plz. If you want to keep vortex, make it an alien commander ability.
  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2044944:date=Dec 13 2012, 08:14 AM:name=m0rd)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (m0rd @ Dec 13 2012, 08:14 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2044944"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->You could drop one on an Exo while they are distracted by the rest of your team, hopefully with an Onos by that point. Could easily give your team enough time to do some damage. You can also use it on buildings like an Obs (to delay a Beacon) or a Phase Gate. I've even seen a Fade pop one on a Grenade as it was flying past him towards the hive. Didn't help much but I thought it looked cool.

    Other than that it's pretty meh for it's cost and tier. A suggestion could be to create the Vortex around the Fade to produce a small AoE slowing effect to help shut down a Marine in close combat while you dance around him, but I dunno.. it's still a weird ability. I'd rather just have Metabolize back to counter the reduced eHP.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Units/buildings in vortex are invincible to damage.

    The only real "use" I've seen, is vortexing a phase gate while your team takes down the powernode, or the obs likewise to prevent beacons. In both cases it's usually better to just attack it instead. Vortex doesn't last long enough and it eats too much energy.
  • statikgstatikg Join Date: 2012-09-19 Member: 159978Members
    It is helpful for those retarded big pub games where you cant finish off the marines. Only if you have adrenaline tho, blink in vortex arms lab, blink around, vortex it again, hopefully your team was able to do something in that time period because your probably out of energy. It really does make a big differnce though in a large scale game 3-3 v 0-0.
  • JektJekt Join Date: 2012-02-05 Member: 143714Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It's best for disabling phase at empty forward base or arms lab at main base.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It's useless at both of these things.
  • TechercizerTechercizer 7th Player Join Date: 2011-06-11 Member: 103832Members
    edited December 2012
    It's okay at keeping an Exosuit out of the fight so you can wipe his support team. It doesn't last long, but neither should your attack if you know what you're doing.
  • ZekZek Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7962Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=2045077:date=Dec 13 2012, 02:34 PM:name=Techercizer)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Techercizer @ Dec 13 2012, 02:34 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045077"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It's okay at keeping an Exosuit out of the fight so you can wipe his support team. It doesn't last long, but neither should your attack if you know what you're doing.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    This has been almost impossible to execute in practice in my experience. The Fade can't usually stick around to refresh it, he has to blink in, vortex and bail. And a couple seconds of safety from the exo is not enough for your team to do much damage to his teammates even with incredibly precise coordination.
  • xxswatelitexxxxswatelitexx Join Date: 2012-11-16 Member: 171754Members
    Only useful when you are planning to do planned attack.

    For example. You want to attack a base thats empty. Get 1 or 2 guys to join you. Keep another team ready to atttack another base.

    First thing you do is vortex the phase non stop. while the 2nd guy destroys the observatory. If they becon before the observatory is destroyed. Thats fine.
    2nd team attack the 2nd base phase gate.

    ----

    If they don't becon in time, take out the observatory then power. Keep the phase in vortex. Once power is down everything is peachy. Take your time dismantaling the base
  • CrushaKCrushaK Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167195Members, NS2 Playtester
    It might make sense as ranged projectile (as I suggested before already in the forums and Google Moderator), but the melee version is basically useless because by the time you get Vortex in the match, there are far more effective ways to support your team. It *could* be useful as ability that you get on 2 Hives already after researching Blink.
  • NolSinklerNolSinkler On the Clorf Join Date: 2004-02-15 Member: 26560Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=2045030:date=Dec 13 2012, 12:51 PM:name=TimMc)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TimMc @ Dec 13 2012, 12:51 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045030"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->For what? A few seconds? Not worth the energy cost.

    Acid rocket back plz. If you want to keep vortex, make it an alien commander ability.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    WOOOO
    YEAHHH
    ACID ROCKET
  • SpaceJewSpaceJew Join Date: 2012-09-03 Member: 157584Members
    edited December 2012
    Vortex: The one alien upgrade I <i>never</i> research as alien commander.

    Calling Vortex 'situational' is an understatement. If 4 to 8 seconds makes or breaks the assault on a single-target you're already doing it wrong. 'Back to back vortex' is also a fallacy, as you can only do two back-to-back Vortex with a delay on the third. That assumes you aren't a derp, and took celerity as your movement upgrade and it also assumes you aren't blinking/shadow stepping/attacking while attempting Vortex. I guess you could go adrenaline for more Vortex/blink energy, but why you would do that is beyond me. By the time you have three hives, vortex locking Marine structures isn't going to gain you much of anything since Lerks with Umbra, Gorges with Bile, and Onos with stomp will be more than enough to win in quite literally any situation.

    Even Xeno, an admittedly under powered ability, is far better.

    I don't think the Dev's are going to change it to something useful any time soon either. Right now we're at the tail end of nerfing Aliens, not giving them more toys that are actually useful.
  • IeptBarakatIeptBarakat The most difficult name to speak ingame. Join Date: 2009-07-10 Member: 68107Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    Reading this thread makes me think vortex should just be replaced with a 'power sap' ability or just be removed. Vortex doesn't fit the tier 3 role.

    Power Sap: A fade strikes the structure and shuts down any marine non-tech or non-res structure for 5 seconds. The fade explodes if it attempts to sap a power node.
  • TimMcTimMc Join Date: 2012-02-06 Member: 143945Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2045151:date=Dec 13 2012, 04:01 PM:name=IeptBarakat)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (IeptBarakat @ Dec 13 2012, 04:01 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045151"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Power Sap: A fade strikes the structure and shuts down any marine non-tech or non-res structure for 5 seconds. <b>The fade explodes if it attempts to sap a power node.</b><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    lol



    I would prefer the reverse tbh. Vortex power disables the lights in room for 20 seconds.
  • InTriXInTriX Join Date: 2012-12-05 Member: 174227Members
    Most of these replies can be ignored, it doesn't work on an obs that is already beaconing and it doesn't remove upgrades if you use it on an arms lab. It does nothing to a CC if the commander is already inside. In combat it can't be used as it will leave you vulnerable to the other marines while also making the target invulnerable to the other aliens allowing him to reload.

    If you are in the position of what to do with res as alien just drop more onos eggs and teleport upgraded whips into the enemy main.
  • AxehiltAxehilt Join Date: 2003-09-12 Member: 20796Members
    It definitely isn't too great in its current implementation.

    Its best use seems to be first-strike against a group of 2-3 Exos where you want to immediately reduce the damage output of the marine group. But it's pretty mediocre in that role and would actually start to make the game worse if it was stronger at disabling marines.

    It should definitely be replaced with something better fitting of Tier 3 combat. Ideally something which doesn't disable another player.
  • mushookeesmushookees Join Date: 2008-03-26 Member: 63967Members
    i like this idea the most :

    Vortex should bring both the fade and the marine out of phase where they can fight unimpeded by those not vortexed
  • OnosFactoryOnosFactory New Zealand Join Date: 2008-07-16 Member: 64637Members
    edited December 2012
    Finally, something I can actually answer honestly!

    Number one use: Unsuspecting marines. Even existing players get caught out by vortex, panic and unload their ammo into phase space, then pop back into the loving arms of said Fade.

    Number two: Anything someone else on your team isn't already attacking. Jp'ers especially, gives skulks some time to move into the LZ without being fired upon, good example would be in Cargo hive on veil. The maggoty marine shooting the Gorge who is supporting the Onos'. The Arms Lab, a personal fav, example: late game big map, exos vs 3 hives, loiter with intent around the Marine spawn (you are a Fade, you can do that), occasionally step in, vortex armoury then arms lab then step out. ~6 seconds of no upgrades for the massive fight outside the pressured hive.

    Etc etc.

    Ps: I like this the most ... more mushookees on Australasian servers. We miss you.

    Edit: YOU WHAT, it doesn't remove passive building effects? Hmmmm, with that in mind, I'm pretty sure some random Onos killed a Marine spawning out of an infantry portal I thought I had votexed the other day, I was hoping it was my imagination ....
  • OnionknightOnionknight Join Date: 2010-03-28 Member: 71103Members
    Vortex is useful when you are facing an exo and he has a welder. Vortex the exo, kill the welder, and continue vortexing the exo. I actually used it while waiting for my onos friend to come and help me take him out when we were ready.

    Another time is using it on the phase gate and letting other aliens bite the power. Good against obs and spawn portals.

    It also can save the hive against exos as just continuously vortexing them will put them out of combat. While your team kills the remaining marines, you pretty much have the exo covered for them to kill later.

    Its pretty much an anti exo skill. Problem is no one ever uses it, except for me and a few others. It is actually quite the game changer sometimes
  • OnosFactoryOnosFactory New Zealand Join Date: 2008-07-16 Member: 64637Members
    With that edit in mind, upgraded whips are alot harded to create, support and manouver (you need cysts! 1 arc and no go ...) than buying vortex.

    I'd almost always, unless playing <= ~5v5, get all 3rd hive upgrades befor doing my bombard farm. And befor then I'd probably have a back-up shaded upgrade pod growing first.

    And it's always a toss up between whip farming safely or exposing them at Ninja-able but naturally located res node.

    From only my pub experience, mind you, as an Alien Khaam you either *need* whips or *want* to continue momentum. Vortex is part of enabling the latterf or your team.
  • AtomicbananaAtomicbanana Join Date: 2012-11-02 Member: 166147Members
    A big nerf swap vortex to teir 2 and blink to teir 3 lol.
  • MestaritonttuMestaritonttu Join Date: 2004-07-29 Member: 30229Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold
    Pardon me, but when was the last time someone saw a 3 hive 3rd tier abilities battle that wasn't decided already?

    I'm not implying anything, it's just that I can't seem to remember seeing one since... Since 4-5 patches ago? Strange. >:G
  • CrushaKCrushaK Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167195Members, NS2 Playtester
    Might be interesting if you could also use it on friendly players and structures. Onos low on health? Vortex it so it can escape! Don't want that Hive on it's last energy drip being taken out by a marine? Keep vortexing it until the rest of your team took the marine out! The problem with this *can* be abuse if the rest of the team doesn't actually want to be vortexed, but it would at least give it another role.
  • SoulfighterSoulfighter Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167432Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2044943:date=Dec 13 2012, 02:13 PM:name=Lofung)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lofung @ Dec 13 2012, 02:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2044943"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->when you feel like trolling.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Bonus point if you vortex a marine right when a skulk's going to use xenocide

    trolls trolling trolls
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