The next Warframe coming to Digital Extremes’ constantly-expanding game is Baruuk, who the developers have described as a “reluctant warrior” and even a “pacifist.” This week, the team gave a demonstration of all of his abilities in a live devstream, and Baruuk looks like he’ll be an interesting Warframe to play both solo and as part of a team.
Baruuk’s abilities are governed by a special resource called Edge. This is built up in combat and by Baruuk using his abilities, and it represents the idea that Baruuk can only be pushed so far before he unleashes his inner lethality.
His first ability is a channelled power called Elude. It functions as a damage-reduction buff, but the on-screen effect is remarkable: Baruuk’s midsection shimmers as if it’s moving or vibrating, or perhaps phasing between adjacent realities. Incoming projectiles pass through Baruuk’s model, and using Elude builds up his Edge meter. Note, however, that Elude only is effective in a cone that extends in front of Baruuk.
His second ability is Sedative, which is a cone-shaped area-of-effect. Baruuk projects runes onto the ground in front of him, and enemies in the area or who enter it gradually slow and fall asleep. Once they’re sleeping, they’re vulnerable to finishing attacks from either Baruuk or his teammates. Sedative will also build Baruuk’s Edge level, depending on the number of enemies caught in its area of effect.
Baruuk’s third ability is called Subdue, and it summons a ring of levitating energy daggers around him. These will disarm enemies they contact and cause a small amount of radial damage. While they’re active they also reduce damage, so keeping as many of them up at once is a good idea. Interestingly, the daggers can be shared with allies – unused charges will jump to teammates, and Baruuk can replenish his supply when he needs to.
For his Ultimate, Baruuk spends his built-up Edge and focuses it into a fist exalted weapon, using melee attacks while sending out powerful runic forces from his strikes. These combo together in a series of heavy punches and kicks, and the effect is kinetic and brutal in a way that fits right into Warframe’s action.
Watch the work-in-progress gameplay reveal of Baruuk, our next Warframe.
Coming with the next Fortuna update on PC! pic.twitter.com/KCCP4b31UT
— WARFRAME (@PlayWarframe) December 8, 2018
Here’s the full devstream:
The team explained that not all of Baruuk’s animations are fully complete yet, and they still have to work on some initial balancing. But by the looks of things, he’ll be in the game before too long – the in-game demonstration looked pretty feature-complete. Digital Extremes says he’ll be added with the next update to Fortuna on PC.