Skulk grab / attach
schkorpio
I can mspaint Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16635Members
I can mspaint Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16635Members
<div class="IPBDescription">keeping the skulk good in the end game</div>Perhaps as a replacement for xeno, or simply just another ability for the skulk, probably researched at 3 (or maybe 2) hives.
The skulk can attach itself to marines after a leap successfully makes contact with the marine. This would be very handy against jetpackers, but there would still be an element of skill as you try to latch onto a jetpacker. You can detach yourself by leaping again.
Once attached, a marine can knock off the skulk by using the rifle butt, but if course GL/SG/Flamethrower doesn't have this ability, so you would either need to switch to your axe/welder or get a team mate to use their rifle butt on the skulk. (the marine you are attached to cannot shoot you).
So this ability would be a great counter to jetpacks, marines roaming around with GL/SG/FT on their own, or even groups of marines vs groups of skulks as each skulk could potentially attach themselves to each marine. It also allows aliens to be more tactical as it will disrupt a selected marine for a short period of time.
But there is also an element of skill, 1 in attaching yourself and 2, for the marine to knock you off before you bite him 3-5 times (depending on armor level).
<strike><!--coloro:#00FFFF--><span style="color:#00FFFF"><!--/coloro-->reply with +1 if you like :D<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></strike> <sup><!--coloro:#FF8C00--><span style="color:#FF8C00"><!--/coloro-->Let's not; Constructive posts please. - Angelusz<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></sup>
The skulk can attach itself to marines after a leap successfully makes contact with the marine. This would be very handy against jetpackers, but there would still be an element of skill as you try to latch onto a jetpacker. You can detach yourself by leaping again.
Once attached, a marine can knock off the skulk by using the rifle butt, but if course GL/SG/Flamethrower doesn't have this ability, so you would either need to switch to your axe/welder or get a team mate to use their rifle butt on the skulk. (the marine you are attached to cannot shoot you).
So this ability would be a great counter to jetpacks, marines roaming around with GL/SG/FT on their own, or even groups of marines vs groups of skulks as each skulk could potentially attach themselves to each marine. It also allows aliens to be more tactical as it will disrupt a selected marine for a short period of time.
But there is also an element of skill, 1 in attaching yourself and 2, for the marine to knock you off before you bite him 3-5 times (depending on armor level).
<strike><!--coloro:#00FFFF--><span style="color:#00FFFF"><!--/coloro-->reply with +1 if you like :D<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></strike> <sup><!--coloro:#FF8C00--><span style="color:#FF8C00"><!--/coloro-->Let's not; Constructive posts please. - Angelusz<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></sup>
Comments
That could work. Your initial damage is high as you latch onto the marine with a bite, but the following damage comes from your scratching claws.
It's not too powerful by itself, but a team of two skulks could still bring down a jetpacker pretty swiftly. So long as you could still abscond by leaping away, I approve. :)
But that would require hardcore commanding.
Perhaps have it as one of the evolutions? So at the expense of cara (or, realistically, something other then cara) they could take an evolution which enables this ability?
Imagine a pack of skulks clinging and circling around the exosuit as his teammates try to shoot the little critters off.
Imagine a pack of skulks clinging and circling around the exosuit as his teammates try to shoot the little critters off.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
EPIC!!!
Maybe the ability could be called pounce or something like that. They do have a similar effect with the stomp from the Onos, so it shouldn't be hard to implement.
all that is not mentioning how skulks would become an instant kill for non jp marines.
but i have a much simpler solution that may solve the same issues with less op:
whenever a skulk collides with a flying marine with leap, the marine's jetpack stops working for some fraction of a second, and/or he is thrown the direction he was struck.
this makes sense from a physics perspective, and because the marine would have to re-true himself with up if disoriented, the jp turning off momentarily would make sense too
obviously, this would make the marine a much easier target for a short time after someone is able to leap into him. this keeps much of the skill, as the skulk and nearby skulks would have only a short window to make the kill, and the marine can save himself from this by dodging leaps.
all that is not mentioning how skulks would become an instant kill for non jp marines.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It works pretty well in left 4 dead 1 & 2, and in those games you need other players to knock the enemies off, in this you could do it yourself if you have a rifle, or are quick to pull out an axe. I'm certainly not suggesting quick time events - those can burn in the warp for all i care :)
Edit also here you would still have full control of your movement too, you aren't glued down. you can run back closer to your team members for you need help, or if you have a jetpack fly into an abyss if you want :)
<!--quoteo(post=1964276:date=Aug 17 2012, 03:21 PM:name=uspowersquadron)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (uspowersquadron @ Aug 17 2012, 03:21 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1964276"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->but i have a much simpler solution that may solve the same issues with less op:
whenever a skulk collides with a flying marine with leap, the marine's jetpack stops working for some fraction of a second, and/or he is thrown the direction he was struck.
this makes sense from a physics perspective, and because the marine would have to re-true himself with up if disoriented, the jp turning off momentarily would make sense too
obviously, this would make the marine a much easier target for a short time after someone is able to leap into him. this keeps much of the skill, as the skulk and nearby skulks would have only a short window to make the kill, and the marine can save himself from this by dodging leaps.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I quite like this physics idea actually, bascially every hit could push you around in the air, making it harder and harder to dodge - things like whips could hit you to push you back, and maybe something like bile bomb could weight you down while you are covered in it.
again i really agree with the symptoms, but the idea of putting hunters into this game would really kill it. i cant put into words how aweful trying to bash an enemy off of yourself would feel in a video game, and anyone with an enemy on himself is dead if another skulk comes along, no matter how you balance.
but yeah... back to my idea.... why not just have all attacks push you in air? bile bombs weigh down (i like it), clouds slow lift.... ooo i see. this is going to be too hard of a performance hit wont it?
i still also like jp turning off for a tiny bit when leaped at.
Skulks with leap are fine as is. They do great against jetpacks in certain areas, decent in others, and terrible in really open areas. That's fine.