How to use spores?
Paniohitus
Join Date: 2012-11-09 Member: 168790Members
Join Date: 2012-11-09 Member: 168790Members
And then with good results...
I played now around 110 hours, so i know how to play the skulk, lerk and onos ( fade still learning). I also get the kills with those three lifeforms, but i don't understand how to use the spores ability with effect.
(1)The first problem is that they get researched very late, and most of the time, if they are there, it's mostly already gg for aliens.
(2)If they are researched on time (mid-game i guess) my problem are the shotguns. I play now with more care and uses spikes more and getting not to close to get shot. If i try to use them my lerk is at a great risk...
(3)the only time when i can use them is in a team rush, but with or without the spore-usage, the aliens mostly came already to far to win those challanges. And then, mostly i find myself in a role chasing jp'ers and not spraying those spores.
I like to see to use the spores more mid-game, but for me this isn't possible atm, ( skills, playstyle? I dunno)
It isn't a very big issue, but i have memories in ns1 and spores and that were great times... i think the spores in ns2 are somewhat sad and only for real pro-lerks mid-game,
I played now around 110 hours, so i know how to play the skulk, lerk and onos ( fade still learning). I also get the kills with those three lifeforms, but i don't understand how to use the spores ability with effect.
(1)The first problem is that they get researched very late, and most of the time, if they are there, it's mostly already gg for aliens.
(2)If they are researched on time (mid-game i guess) my problem are the shotguns. I play now with more care and uses spikes more and getting not to close to get shot. If i try to use them my lerk is at a great risk...
(3)the only time when i can use them is in a team rush, but with or without the spore-usage, the aliens mostly came already to far to win those challanges. And then, mostly i find myself in a role chasing jp'ers and not spraying those spores.
I like to see to use the spores more mid-game, but for me this isn't possible atm, ( skills, playstyle? I dunno)
It isn't a very big issue, but i have memories in ns1 and spores and that were great times... i think the spores in ns2 are somewhat sad and only for real pro-lerks mid-game,
Comments
My preferred use for Spores however is blocking critical Marine structures. Putting Spores over and around an Armory can prevent Marines from healing. Putting Spores around Infantry Portals and Phase Gates makes them:
1: Disoriented, the Spores will block their view while they're taking damage from both the Spores and any aliens that might be attacking and that the Marines can't see.
2: Hurt, so they're easier to pick off with Spikes, a bite or a fade slash.
It's also great to put over a power node when they're trying to repair it. The possibilities are endless really. Just think to yourself: "Where do Marines need to be?". And then Spore the shit out of that area.
Same with armory, they ony have to wait 5 seconds, the second time you show up, you are mostly screwed becaue they are waiting.
Still, on the most situations, using spores is not very effective and you can spend your time doing other things, like umbra the onos or chasing the jp'er. I found myself using the spores never very effective. And that is weird if you know it could be a very fun ability
Now it is something that can be used, but why should be used? You can loose the 30pres very fast, the effect of the spore is small ( not a whole area, only a small stroke), the marines only need 1 sidesep and wait for some seconds and continue in what they were doing with 1 eye in the direction you flew away. Next time..., dead lerk if it are good shooters
Start sporing the hallway in front of them horizontally > dodge in the clowd for a moment > fly a little closer > spore a little more again > repeat
You should never straight line into the marines (especially not into shotguns). Keep dodging when sporing.
Spores can be devastating in team fights.
1) When attacking a phase gate do a quick spore around it then focus on spiking the phase gate while saving enough energy to spike people who come through.
2) When attacking a group of marines spores are very useful when there is 3+ marines you are attacking and their attention is directed at skulks/fades. With 3 or less I usually spike or bite if they are occupied.
3) A bluff to bide time for reinforcements. If you see 5 marines rolling in on a location sometimes sporing up the next "doorway" they need to walk through will put a halt to them temporarily.
From what I see in pubs spores are overused and not used very effectively. Against 1-2 marines you are better off spiking and doing your poison bite assuming you take them buy surprise.
You just have to make sure not to fight alone and think that you fly over 2-3 marines on your own. The benefit really shows once you start using it along with skulks to rush armouries and phase gates.
Like Bicsum said, you also need to do some dodging while you are sporing as well so you don't die immediately. Also, no point in sporing out a base if you don't have any teammates attacking it or about to attack.
Just a few tips but people will probebly have better tips then me.
Oh also if they have flamethrowers, they can burn away your spores. always keep that in mind.
We had our first hive as containment and midgame the marines tried to push in from heatsink,
s big heap of them! I had only a skulk in the room so my thought went to; "Keep them in
heatsink as long as possible until more of the team comes here". So I just started to spore
the doorway into containment
And when one single marine dared to enter the room he died by the skulk
I also have that vision of Spores: area of effect skill, not designed to kill people, but to weaken all of them while other lifeform finish the job. In other words, you won't shine on the scoreboard, but you'll help your team alot.
This makes marines choke on gas and lowers their health to quick spiking /biting levels, and often times creates enough chaos for the skulks to finish off the gate.
In Base rushes i always circle crop dust the armory.. continuously if i can.
I often find that those who don't often play lerk don't realize the value in some of these niche roles (there's many) and their importance in turning the tides of a game, at times.
My single advice regarding lerk play:
Evasion is more important than anything you do. Duck, weave, be random and quick.. and realize your role isn't to kill as much as it is to be a force multiplier and a harasser.
Advance away from the fade towards 1 or 2 marines, and back to the Fade, while sporing all the time...marines try to follow you, only to bump into the Fade, who won't have any troubles finishing them off.
- Sporeup their escape route (from behind if possible) before sporing around them, so when they run there is once again nowhere to hide. My max kills like this in a single spore run is 6 in a pub game. stupid fleshies rawrhawrhawr
agaisnt 1 or 2 marines you really should be using bite and spikes, if 1 has a shotty then focus on him first but keep your distance and keep hitting him with spieks until he is distracted by something else then finish him, if you get the jump on a shotty marine then spike and bite him from behind then keep you distance and try to finish him with spikes. Trying to bite a shotty marine can be risky and you want to avoid enclosed spaces. Try to always assess the weapon loadout of the marine you plan to attack, lerk spores are onyl really effective against marines facing an attack from other lifeforms you can quickly decimate a group of marines with a couple of skulks and spores.
Coms really need to get spores early game imo i usually go leap and spores, then bile. althoguh its dependant on how quickly we got the second hive but once they get jetpacks it can be to tricky to kill a strong marine position. Spores make it easy.
when sporing a corridor full of marines, zig zag the corridor and always make a double pass to see which areas the marines are hiding in and spore them on your second pass before returning to get energy from a shift.
Some tips I think could help you:
If your team is about to push on the other side of the map and either you can't get to them or they really don't need another lerk, do strafing runs (crop dusting) through start. Good marines associate spores with incoming attacks, so you can fake marines out that way, just be careful not to overextend. The spores will also muddle the marines and weaken them as they run to a phase gate.
But, as everyone before me has said, the main use is area denial. One lerk can deny a tech point from running marines after the phase was taken down. Simply gassing up the hallway in front of where the marines are clustered keeps them at bay. You have to time it so your spores shield you, it doesn't take much green to obstruct marine vision and make them hesitant to move through.
And there's always the spores to cover a retreating life form. Onos running low on health? Spore up behind him to make the rines stop in their tracks and unable to see.
If you're attacking a base, sporing around the IP's (if people are spawning), then circling the Armoury is a good idea. Remember that spores drop to the ground over time, so you don't have to be low down when sporing.
As some have said, sporing in front of a doorway will stop most marines from going through it.