The new lerk is a rocket. It accelerates in the direction you point. Going down? Dive the nose. Going around a corner? You dont even bank, you just turn as you go, like it was a car with 100% traction. Very easy to fly compared to 1.04 since you got a lot better control. That means less "Doh, I hit the door frame" situations where you are kind of unable to get away untill you have touched down.
Aye. You can actually fly into vents now <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> I usually ended up smacking into the wall and gliding down slowly as in some Looney Tunes cartoon.
Stamina usage is also lowered considerably for flight use, at least in 3.0e. That is a signficant aid. The lerk is now a good class to play even without adrenaline (it was mandatory in 1.04 and still pretty much a must have in 2.01). Adrenaline still is a wise investment, but you're actually usefull without it now.
BizZy_9mm_MessiahOld School MemberJoin Date: 2003-07-25Member: 18411Members, Constellation
I died once trying to get into a vent. No the rine didn't kill me, instead he was watching me try to flee for my life by attempting to fly into the vent, instead I ran out of stamina and fell into the pit. It was ns_nothing the vents by the elevator and silo. Yea it was pretty embarrassing, but I guess no more of those. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--BizZy | 9mm Messiah+Jan 12 2004, 08:52 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (BizZy | 9mm Messiah @ Jan 12 2004, 08:52 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I died once trying to get into a vent. No the rine didn't kill me, instead he was watching me try to flee for my life by attempting to fly into the vent, instead I ran out of stamina and fell into the pit. It was ns_nothing the vents by the elevator and silo. Yea it was pretty embarrassing, but I guess no more of those. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Everybody has got those moments... <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
In my opinion I'd say that bite for me is better, I was a biting lerk back in 1.04 and I know the potentials of such a bird. Problem is, I'm an anti-personnel spiking lerk (borrowed that from some guy here in the forums - don't remember who though <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->) in 2.01, as I am specialized with the lerk in both ways, I don't mind so much about it <!--emo&::nerdy::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/nerd.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='nerd.gif'><!--endemo-->. Currently I prefer bite over spikes because I miss it so much.
I wish ELS would reform now <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
I have a (8mb) video file of lerk flight in action here, but i don't know if i am allowed to link it, and i don't know where to host it <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I hated Acid Rocket for hive 2 as people just spammed AR's everywhere using absolutely no skill. In 2.0 they mad the fade a melee class a very wise choice as fades became fun again.
Lerks are bosing with spike, the reason NS is so intense is because of the melee battles, giving lerks bite back will make it fun again.
So many people are so scared of getting close to the rines as a lerk at least now we can see some good battles. Getting behind and aiming for the back of a rines head with bite will be so much easier now with the new flight.
<!--QuoteBegin--BizZy | 9mm Messiah+Jan 12 2004, 08:52 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (BizZy | 9mm Messiah @ Jan 12 2004, 08:52 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I died once trying to get into a vent. No the rine didn't kill me, instead he was watching me try to flee for my life by attempting to fly into the vent, instead I ran out of stamina and fell into the pit. It was ns_nothing the vents by the elevator and silo. Yea it was pretty embarrassing, but I guess no more of those. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> You actually have more than enough adrenaline to make sure that can't happen to you.
You can glide by holding down the +jump key. So you just jump once, and float while you buildup some adren, then you use the adren off of that to fly away.
<!--QuoteBegin--Immacolata+Jan 12 2004, 07:51 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Immacolata @ Jan 12 2004, 07:51 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--RaVe+Jan 12 2004, 02:44 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (RaVe @ Jan 12 2004, 02:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> @ Rage against the Pepsi machine : You also forgot that lerk flight is much more manouverable with the new flight system, making bite midair MUCH more easier than back in 1.0x No longer will flying and biting be a skilled feat. It will be a technique that should be learned by all to survive encounters. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> The lerk is more maneouverable, but the bite does much less damage. You need 4 bites to kill a jetpack marine that has armor 1 upgrade. And its quite difficult to learn to tail a jetpacking marine, especially when he zooms around your hive dropping nades with abandon. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> I thought lerks could kill lvl 0 armor marines in one bite if they had focus? Wouldn't that put their base damage at around skulk bite?
<!--QuoteBegin--BizZy | 9mm Messiah+Jan 12 2004, 08:52 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (BizZy | 9mm Messiah @ Jan 12 2004, 08:52 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->...instead I ran out of stamina and fell into the pit.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> You can recover from this by flapping slowly, so you are more or less hovering in one spot. Your stamina will build up, gradually, to the point where you'll be able to get away.
The new Lerk flight system is basically point and click in the direction that you want to go. You can glide just about anywhere by holding down jump. It's very different from 2.0 and I haven't gotten the knack quite yet.
On the subject of jetpackers, however, I think bite is more effective than spikes. It does more damage, and yes, you can get that close. I think you'd be able to knock down more jetpackers than with spikes. You said how useful is Lerk bite when it takes 4 bites to kill a JPer? Try figuring out how long you'd have to spike him, then. Now imagine multiple JPers. Suddenly Lerk bite seems a whole lot more effective...
EDIT: Lerks with celerity and focus are scary. They just swoop in, CHOMP and kill, and swoop out.
as far as i know, celerity does't affect airspeed or am i wrong?
And (at least in combat) lerks are very deadly to jps. I have seen a lot of games where the aliens just need one good lerk to take down half of the enemy team consisting of jetpacks.
Celerity affects your max speed(capped at 2 times in 2.0 i believe, to nerf jetpack & leap or something), and acceleration, so it does affect airspeed... I'd rather have Bite, spike, umbra, pscream. Spores make the lerk a lamer unit..<!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> ...Although they are kinda necessary I suppose. Lerk bite now does 60 dmg instead of 75, like skulk bite, so it takes more than one bite to kill unupgraded marines with focus.
I liked the fade in 1.0x more than 2.0, but thats just because of the new wacky blink that looks stupid instead of cool("Fade! omg where'd he go!")... even if you could get stuck with it. If you were a nub.
<!--QuoteBegin--Sizer+Jan 12 2004, 03:36 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Sizer @ Jan 12 2004, 03:36 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--Immacolata+Jan 12 2004, 07:51 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Immacolata @ Jan 12 2004, 07:51 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--RaVe+Jan 12 2004, 02:44 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (RaVe @ Jan 12 2004, 02:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> @ Rage against the Pepsi machine : You also forgot that lerk flight is much more manouverable with the new flight system, making bite midair MUCH more easier than back in 1.0x No longer will flying and biting be a skilled feat. It will be a technique that should be learned by all to survive encounters. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> The lerk is more maneouverable, but the bite does much less damage. You need 4 bites to kill a jetpack marine that has armor 1 upgrade. And its quite difficult to learn to tail a jetpacking marine, especially when he zooms around your hive dropping nades with abandon. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I thought lerks could kill lvl 0 armor marines in one bite if they had focus? Wouldn't that put their base damage at around skulk bite? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> 50-60 base damage, from what I've heard on these forums. Nowhere near on par with Skulk bite. I also think it fires slower.
As for me, I always preferred spikes. Makes the lerk that much different from a winged skulk. Though I dunno. Maybe the new flight model with bite may change that for me.
In v2.0X, lerk was a pure support unit. In 3.0, lerks role will change to a more offensive one.
But since lerk has more than enough gas for everyone, I have to say BITE. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> This way the marine also has a decend chance to shoot the lerk down (and I'm speaking of average player with average aim).
<!--QuoteBegin--Seph Kimara+Jan 12 2004, 01:09 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Seph Kimara @ Jan 12 2004, 01:09 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->50-60 base damage, from what I've heard on these forums. Nowhere near on par with Skulk bite. I also think it fires slower. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> My best guess on lerk bite dmg is 60, which isn't really a problem, now that in 3.0e
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->O Increased lerk bite rate of fire (increases effectiveness vs. jetpacks without increasing frequency of one-bite kills)<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
In other words, think of 3.0 lerk bite ROF as like 2.01 ROF while primal screamed, maybe a tiny smidge slower. And you don't even wanna see a 3.0 lerk primal screamed biting stuff <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
To those who want spikes to stay, wait till you play 3.0. CO or NS, lerk is definately a lot more offensive, that is until called into onos umbra mode. I usually go lerk at lvl 4 in co (lerk + clerity + silence + focus), and its fun to dive bomb clueless marines and take them out in 1-2 bites. I thought I would miss spikes, but nope, not any more.
Plus, think about the days when you would sit in Power Silo hive trying to clear it out from the top ledge as a lerk with spikes. That takes a LONG time to take out a PG or a TF. That time would be better spent with you flying around supporting your team, and let a fade or onos clear the hive. Not too many lerks will rambo like this, but it happens. I can still remember games where lerks would be on the other side of the map when a train was coming in and we needed umbra support on our side, while the lerk, in futility, tried to take down a TF or sentry.
Bite is fun for combat, but losing spikes really hurts in CNS. And without spikes, shotties have a lot fewer drawbacks, making them cheap and effective in pretty much every situation now. Also, Marines don't have to bother with HA trains so much anymore. Healthspam can deal with spores just fine, and since upgraded guns can deal with all aliens rather easily, spikes is the only remaining reason to get HA. Without spikes, Marines can win just as easily without saving up for HA. You can spam an awful lot of meds with the res you saved.
And without spikes, long hallways are nothing but killzones for aliens now. Spores and spikes used to make a good combo for suppressing Marine advances, but now Marines can just hold a hallway and blast anything that moves.
And in its place, we have what? An aerial skulk that costs 30 res, and isn't a whole lot faster or more resilient. Great fun in NS:C, but just out of place in regular NS.
Spikes. If ever I find myself in a game/situation where Lerks have only bite, I'll either switch to 'Rine, or just avoid Lerking entirely. Spikes are (were, soon?) the coolest weapon in the whole game. IMHO. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Comments
Stamina usage is also lowered considerably for flight use, at least in 3.0e. That is a signficant aid. The lerk is now a good class to play even without adrenaline (it was mandatory in 1.04 and still pretty much a must have in 2.01). Adrenaline still is a wise investment, but you're actually usefull without it now.
Everybody has got those moments... <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
In my opinion I'd say that bite for me is better, I was a biting lerk back in 1.04 and I know the potentials of such a bird. Problem is, I'm an anti-personnel spiking lerk (borrowed that from some guy here in the forums - don't remember who though <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->) in 2.01, as I am specialized with the lerk in both ways, I don't mind so much about it <!--emo&::nerdy::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/nerd.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='nerd.gif'><!--endemo-->. Currently I prefer bite over spikes because I miss it so much.
I wish ELS would reform now <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Lerks are bosing with spike, the reason NS is so intense is because of the melee battles, giving lerks bite back will make it fun again.
So many people are so scared of getting close to the rines as a lerk at least now we can see some good battles. Getting behind and aiming for the back of a rines head with bite will be so much easier now with the new flight.
- RD
You actually have more than enough adrenaline to make sure that can't happen to you.
You can glide by holding down the +jump key. So you just jump once, and float while you buildup some adren, then you use the adren off of that to fly away.
@ Rage against the Pepsi machine : You also forgot that lerk flight is much more manouverable with the new flight system, making bite midair MUCH more easier than back in 1.0x No longer will flying and biting be a skilled feat. It will be a technique that should be learned by all to survive encounters.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The lerk is more maneouverable, but the bite does much less damage. You need 4 bites to kill a jetpack marine that has armor 1 upgrade. And its quite difficult to learn to tail a jetpacking marine, especially when he zooms around your hive dropping nades with abandon. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I thought lerks could kill lvl 0 armor marines in one bite if they had focus? Wouldn't that put their base damage at around skulk bite?
You can recover from this by flapping slowly, so you are more or less hovering in one spot. Your stamina will build up, gradually, to the point where you'll be able to get away.
The new Lerk flight system is basically point and click in the direction that you want to go. You can glide just about anywhere by holding down jump. It's very different from 2.0 and I haven't gotten the knack quite yet.
On the subject of jetpackers, however, I think bite is more effective than spikes. It does more damage, and yes, you can get that close. I think you'd be able to knock down more jetpackers than with spikes. You said how useful is Lerk bite when it takes 4 bites to kill a JPer? Try figuring out how long you'd have to spike him, then. Now imagine multiple JPers. Suddenly Lerk bite seems a whole lot more effective...
EDIT: Lerks with celerity and focus are scary. They just swoop in, CHOMP and kill, and swoop out.
And (at least in combat) lerks are very deadly to jps. I have seen a lot of games where the aliens just need one good lerk to take down half of the enemy team consisting of jetpacks.
I'd rather have Bite, spike, umbra, pscream. Spores make the lerk a lamer unit..<!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> ...Although they are kinda necessary I suppose.
Lerk bite now does 60 dmg instead of 75, like skulk bite, so it takes more than one bite to kill unupgraded marines with focus.
I liked the fade in 1.0x more than 2.0, but thats just because of the new wacky blink that looks stupid instead of cool("Fade! omg where'd he go!")... even if you could get stuck with it. If you were a nub.
@ Rage against the Pepsi machine : You also forgot that lerk flight is much more manouverable with the new flight system, making bite midair MUCH more easier than back in 1.0x No longer will flying and biting be a skilled feat. It will be a technique that should be learned by all to survive encounters.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The lerk is more maneouverable, but the bite does much less damage. You need 4 bites to kill a jetpack marine that has armor 1 upgrade. And its quite difficult to learn to tail a jetpacking marine, especially when he zooms around your hive dropping nades with abandon. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I thought lerks could kill lvl 0 armor marines in one bite if they had focus? Wouldn't that put their base damage at around skulk bite? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
50-60 base damage, from what I've heard on these forums. Nowhere near on par with Skulk bite. I also think it fires slower.
As for me, I always preferred spikes. Makes the lerk that much different from a winged skulk. Though I dunno. Maybe the new flight model with bite may change that for me.
But since lerk has more than enough gas for everyone, I have to say BITE. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> This way the marine also has a decend chance to shoot the lerk down (and I'm speaking of average player with average aim).
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My best guess on lerk bite dmg is 60, which isn't really a problem, now that in 3.0e
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->O Increased lerk bite rate of fire (increases effectiveness vs. jetpacks without increasing frequency of one-bite kills)<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
In other words, think of 3.0 lerk bite ROF as like 2.01 ROF while primal screamed, maybe a tiny smidge slower.
And you don't even wanna see a 3.0 lerk primal screamed biting stuff <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Plus, think about the days when you would sit in Power Silo hive trying to clear it out from the top ledge as a lerk with spikes. That takes a LONG time to take out a PG or a TF. That time would be better spent with you flying around supporting your team, and let a fade or onos clear the hive. Not too many lerks will rambo like this, but it happens. I can still remember games where lerks would be on the other side of the map when a train was coming in and we needed umbra support on our side, while the lerk, in futility, tried to take down a TF or sentry.
And without spikes, long hallways are nothing but killzones for aliens now. Spores and spikes used to make a good combo for suppressing Marine advances, but now Marines can just hold a hallway and blast anything that moves.
And in its place, we have what? An aerial skulk that costs 30 res, and isn't a whole lot faster or more resilient. Great fun in NS:C, but just out of place in regular NS.