Switch shadowstep with leap and some other stuff
ruprecht
Join Date: 2013-03-16 Member: 184022Members
Join Date: 2013-03-16 Member: 184022Members
Can someone please tell me why fade and onos upgrades are available at biomass 2 and 3? If the marines stomp back the aliens to one hive, how is shadow step and charge going to get the aliens back into the game? I think leap and umbra would be better. I'd like bile in there too, but early game one hive bile would be too much.
So I moved things around to suit my opinion and them some. It just makes better sense.
So I moved things around to suit my opinion and them some. It just makes better sense.
Comments
In your mockup, aliens would have no reason to even get a second hive until pretty late.
Aliens need bile when non rifles start showing up, which is when lerks usually show up. Moving it to second tier makes a second hive mandatory. Having umbra and leap available at 3rd biomass isnt a cheap advancement. 50 for the biomass, 45 for shift and lerk upgrade, 30 for whip and leap. That's a lot of cheese that's not going into a second hive. It's a choice which adds build possibility. Leap helps with early jetpacks and helps close the gap with good shot gunning marines. Having shadow step at 2 and charge at 3 is next to worthless. Really, how are aliens, with a late game single hive, going to come back with shadow step or charge?? Also, let's be honest, without bile gorge upgrade is worthless, making second hives mandatory for aliens.
It would also make the timings for leap/umbra too early for marines to deal with (you'd be fighting umbra with 1/1 at best).
Umbra is a great counter to shotguns, and so is leap. Marines can get to w2a1 with shotguns quickly for 90 res which is on par with umbra and leap costs. Also, aliens would need to decide to shift hive for lerk adrenaline if umbra is moved up. Shift hive is pretty much a mandatory second hive now anyways, so this would increase build options by because you can get 3 biomass with two hives or one, for umbra and leap, but you cant get bile till you have at least 2 hives.
It's not that you are supposed to use shadowstep or charge so early, but rather it's so that leap&umbra can be delayed to the second hive, giving the 2nd hive more importance (and the marines a timing window).
I agree 2nd hive should be important. That's why I put bile there.
fade and onos upgrades are at biomaxx 2 and 3 so higher life forms don't lose all their abilities after dropping to 1 hive.
As I mentioned, those skills are not going to help aliens mount a comeback. Maybe vortex on 2 and shield on 3.
alternatively, if you happen to be contained to 1 hive for most of the game, this gives onos/fade a boost if you chose to get the upgrades.
Be honest, if aliens are stuck on one hive the game is over.
plus bilebomb on biomass 4 would be brutal for aliens. bilebomb may be the second most crucial ability aliens have, right after skulk bite.
Only crucial because leap and umbra are pushed off to 2nd hive mandatory.
Thanks for the comments. I look forward to further discussion.1
I think it is a good idea to put the more menial abilities first and the awesome addons later. Lerks are good on their own and practically the alien tech equivalent to shotguns, even a bit more. putting umbra on 3 biomass enables you to almost have it researched as soon as the first lerks pop and that would be devastating.
I am on the fence about leap, to be honest. being down to 1 hive and being utterly unable to defend against moderatly skilled jetpackers is one of the most frustrating things in the game. At that point however you have to think if the marines did not earn the advantage that the aliens have to spend res on lifeforms to keep up.