Why carapace always first?
guitarxe
Join Date: 2012-11-02 Member: 166148Members
Join Date: 2012-11-02 Member: 166148Members
For a skulk, the carapace gives +20 armour, bringing it up from 10 to 30. This can let a skulk survive what, a few more bullets? Now I understand that for more advanced lifeforms this is a much bigger upgrade, like for the Fade and Onos, and they are must-haves. But for skulks it is very, very little. So why is it that Carapace seems to always be the first upgrade "experienced" khammanders take? It would make sense to take it during late game, when the team has Fades and Onos, but not right at the start when the team is all skulks?
Comments
But it isn't always first. It is usually the first upgrade when you go for a fast second hive, because then you have leap and don't need cele to close the gap (also, the fast onos profits alot from it).
And completely and utterly gimped late game if unable to secure a 3rd hive.
Since when? All the meaty stuff is in the second hive. Third hive is just fluff.
Since they have to choose on losing either Carapace or Celerity?
Just echoing this. I have the same opinion.
BADUM TISH
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Anyway
Shade is only really good if your aliens know how to ambush, OR, alternatively, the marines are getting arcs. or if you are an evil ###### and lurve whiptraps.
And in those situations, it is REALLY REALLY good. shade for #1!
Fades without cara = dead, gorges and fades without adren = gimped, gorge and fade without abilities = useless.
If you go shade on anything but Hive 3, may god have mercy on your soul.
The answer is quite simple and a combination of two factors.
1) Celerity was and still is badly implemented. You will lose all bonus if you <b>attack</b> or more importantly <b>take damage</b>.
2) The safest and most 'rewarding' alien strategy atm is onos egg.
As an onos you're always going to be taking damage, so there really isn't much of a benefit taking celerity over carapace, or cele/cara instead of 2-3 minute earlier onos.
Fades without cara = dead, gorges and fades without adren = gimped, gorge and fade without abilities = useless.
If you go shade on anything but Hive 3, may god have mercy on your soul.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Fades are not dead without cara and they are not gimped without adrenaline. I quite often take celerity and regen with a fade is there is no healing spot nearby.
After adrenaline nerf I always take celerity and I think it's a really good option for a fade.
Shadowstep is actually superior to blink in this game interestingly enough.
Yes celerity... Why? Because adrenaline is not as good as it used to be and I don't use blink that often because shadow step is so good.
Celerity gives fade so much speed that with shadow step you can attack faster than with blink.
<!--quoteo(post=2009483:date=Nov 4 2012, 03:49 PM:name=MinstrelJCF)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MinstrelJCF @ Nov 4 2012, 03:49 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2009483"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Shadowstep is actually superior to blink in this game interestingly enough.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Agree.
I don't even wait for blink to be researched before going fade anymore.
Carapace first only happens when I'm commanding if I want to see a skulk rush otherwise I wait and see what the marines are doing before I pick my poison
Celerity IMO is better for fade.
(It only stops working when someone shoots you/you attack.)
As a fade you should run out of HP before you run out of energy so that extra speed is the difference between life and death.
They do however require carapace.
Usually, getting 2nd hive + leap is the best bet anyway. You could also go for early silence, or shift (cele and shift for eggs), but the latter is not that good tbh because leap is really needed and with a 2nd hive you'll get the eggs anyway.
Edit: Can someone also explain this comment? "...but it has certainly come a long way from having to reduce skulk speed massively just to prevent people from taking carapace first." Carapace reduces speed?
Edit2: Also, celerity bonuses are loss during battle?!
Just remember folks, don't be that guy yelling at a comm for going x hive because you KNOW that it's the "wrong" choice. There's no such thing as a wrong starting hive. (Oh, you can yell at him for going for a hive you don't like though, that's perfectly fine lol.)
@Sooty: Cara used to reduce speed, not anymore. Also, yes, celerity speed bonus is lost upon entering combat. It's hard to notice, but if you try it with a gorge it's pretty obvious.
Fades without cara = dead, gorges and fades without adren = gimped, gorge and fade without abilities = useless.
If you go shade on anything but Hive 3, may god have mercy on your soul.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Adrenaline is bad. If you use it, you're bad.
And good commanders always go for Shift first because
1. Celerity is the best upgrade skulks can get.
2. Spawning eggs in certain places wins games.
3. Can't be egg locked as easily.