Just Some Random Xeno Brainstorming

[Mayro678]

For all my sisters out there a bit displeased with how xenos have come along, what're some ideas you would do to make them more fun / viable?

I'm talking new xeno castes, abilities, etc.

For my little contribution to the topic, I've been thinking about a caste that could replace burrower. Personally to me the burrower doesn't fit in the hive too well, as literally every xeno in the caste system currently (aside from burrower) has some kind of a combat potential to bring to the table. It's arguable the burrower has some advantages, like tunnel flanking and burrowing through cades to get AFK / pain crit marines... but not much else beyond that.

That is why I am bringing forth a caste idea like no other... ThE fUCkInG cOmbAt LArVa. Jokes aside though, I feel like burrower being replaced with some sort of snake-caste would be perfect. It could keep most of it's ablities it has now, but with a few bonuses. Instead of acid traps, the snake caste could burrow onto the tile it is standing on and leave some sort of indication it is burrowed there for marines to try and spot (like leaving it's tiny mouth stickying out or something). If a marine is dumb enough / blind enough to step on the burrowed caste, the xeno would get a instant devour on the target and submerge. The snake caste could still tunnel and keep that flanking power the burrower gives to it's hive, but it would be able to add some more capture and combat potential in the form of it's toxic damage bites and devour pitfalls. To compensate for the amount of times this caste would likely just crit marine groins to toxic overload them, it could be incredibly squishy and be some sort of glass-cannon like role.

That's about as much thought I put into the role. Maybe slap it on t2 or t3. Call it Pit-Viper or something. How about the rest of you benos? Got any ideas?

[lurkermain]

How about.. brainbug.
T3, different overwatch abilities but weaker than the queen

[xXen0zS1ay3rXx]

For all my sisters out there a bit displeased with how xenos have come along, what're some ideas you would do to make them more fun / viable?

I'm talking new xeno castes, abilities, etc.

For my little contribution to the topic, I've been thinking about a caste that could replace burrower. Personally to me the burrower doesn't fit in the hive too well, as literally every xeno in the caste system currently (aside from burrower) has some kind of a combat potential to bring to the table. It's arguable the burrower has some advantages, like tunnel flanking and burrowing through cades to get AFK / pain crit marines... but not much else beyond that.

That is why I am bringing forth a caste idea like no other... ThE fUCkInG cOmbAt LArVa. Jokes aside though, I feel like burrower being replaced with some sort of snake-caste would be perfect. It could keep most of it's ablities it has now, but with a few bonuses. Instead of acid traps, the snake caste could burrow onto the tile it is standing on and leave some sort of indication it is burrowed there for marines to try and spot (like leaving it's tiny mouth stickying out or something). If a marine is dumb enough / blind enough to step on the burrowed caste, the xeno would get a instant devour on the target and submerge. The snake caste could still tunnel and keep that flanking power the burrower gives to it's hive, but it would be able to add some more capture and combat potential in the form of it's toxic damage bites and devour pitfalls. To compensate for the amount of times this caste would likely just crit marine groins to toxic overload them, it could be incredibly squishy and be some sort of glass-cannon like role.

That's about as much thought I put into the role. Maybe slap it on t2 or t3. Call it Pit-Viper or something. How about the rest of you benos? Got any ideas?

I thought that was what the burrower was going to be from the start, kinda like from the movie tremor. But instead it was a massive pile of shit.

But as for other changes, making beanos not slow as shit and dying in 3 hits would be nice. Maybe unfuck the crusher... and the defender... and the warrior.... and pre-mature t1s... and .....

[kastion]

how about a brain bug that can take over a marine for like 2 minutes so you can run around friendly firing the marines for fun as that marine.

[Griffith78]

I like the idea of instsnt devour, the marine would certainly be shocked after stepping there lol

[Mayro678]

Brainbug idea seems neat. We could make it into something of a like, alternative to just face hugging captured marines.

For instance, you get a captured marine and the hive is doing okay on bodies to spawn larva from. In comes t3 or t2 Brainbug as he eats the GoDDaMN MaRiNES bRAiNS LiKe A SmOoTHiE. Maybe for like a limited time after the S U C C, xenos can understand what marines are saying? Or the brainbug can sift through a "logging" ability that he has and see everything that marine he just brain sucked said since beginning of the round? COuld be a sort of, "get lucky and reveal the marine's strategies", role.

Dunno. Anyone else think of any ways that could work? Other ideas are welcome too.

[Madventurer]

Brainbug idea seems neat. We could make it into something of a like, alternative to just face hugging captured marines.

For instance, you get a captured marine and the hive is doing okay on bodies to spawn larva from. In comes t3 or t2 Brainbug as he eats the GoDDaMN MaRiNES bRAiNS LiKe A SmOoTHiE. Maybe for like a limited time after the S U C C, xenos can understand what marines are saying? Or the brainbug can sift through a "logging" ability that he has and see everything that marine he just brain sucked said since beginning of the round? COuld be a sort of, "get lucky and reveal the marine's strategies", role.

Dunno. Anyone else think of any ways that could work? Other ideas are welcome too.

Xenos can already deal with marine strats pretty easily, it would be moderately useless IMO.

[IrishCow]

aDd tHe fuCkING cOmbAt LArVa

[Mister Jeether]

aDd tHe fuCkING cOmbAt LArVa

[Hughgent]

aDd tHe fuCkING cOmbAt LArVa

[Ketrai]

how about a brain bug that can take over a marine for like 2 minutes so you can run around friendly firing the marines for fun as that marine.

Lol, that'd be so busted. Imagine taking over the smartgunner, and just gun down like 3 marines before getting gun'd down yourself. Having someone else capable of healing xenos and supplying them with plasma seems like an ice chill caste to play.

[DefinitelyAlone0309]

Brain bug will be so oppressive, and it will cause so many unnecessary confusion if the signs aren't cleared enough. If the brain bug is like invisible, griefers can use it to validate their griefing. If the brain bug is easily seen, that's just some poor fucker gone without him being able to do anything to stop it because he'll just get gunned down by his mates. Can you imagine a new player going in and getting shot down without having a clue why he's getting the bullets ?

[Mayro678]

Oookay.. I can see brainbug is a bit G A Y. Lets keep it away from that, and instead on a new idea I got. How about we get a xeno medic? Some sorta caste that can use it's plasma to regenerate the health of a xeno more quickly than resting on weeds? Sort of like what the queen has going on, but in a smaller caste and through a physical ability and not ooga booga plasma voodoo.

Probably would need to give it a few more touches to actaully make it a good caste, like maybe spitting resin globs that can slow down marines unless the spend a few seconds resisting to break it off?

Shoot me a few ideas on this one.

[DefinitelyAlone0309]

Oookay.. I can see brainbug is a bit G A Y. Lets keep it away from that, and instead on a new idea I got. How about we get a xeno medic? Some sorta caste that can use it's plasma to regenerate the health of a xeno more quickly than resting on weeds? Sort of like what the queen has going on, but in a smaller caste and through a physical ability and not ooga booga plasma voodoo.

Probably would need to give it a few more touches to actaully make it a good caste, like maybe spitting resin globs that can slow down marines unless the spend a few seconds resisting to break it off?

Shoot me a few ideas on this one.

Throw that onto Hivelord, who needs something new after losing its tunnel ability anyway. Don't make an entire new caste on one itty bitty mechanic.

[Hughgent]

I think there may be a place for a Crusher battering ram ability. This is beyond the standard charge and ram.

in use it would be a middle click on a barricade or wall. Then the crusher would get a period of time where they have to stay in place. afterwards the barricade or wall is demolished. it would cost some plasma of course.

I see this taking the same or a greater amount of time as a drone needs to acid a barricade.

In practice, it would be a faster way to demolish walls when not under fire.

In a FOB or manned barricade fight, this would lead to the crushers death as marines pour fire into the immobile crusher. The only way this could work (assuming mildly competent marines) would be with a neuro/acid cloud obscuring the crusher, and even then, blind fire would provide a serious deterrent.

[kastion]

I think there may be a place for a Crusher battering ram ability. This is beyond the standard charge and ram.

in use it would be a middle click on a barricade or wall. Then the crusher would get a period of time where they have to stay in place. afterwards the barricade or wall is demolished. it would cost some plasma of course.

I see this taking the same or a greater amount of time as a drone needs to acid a barricade.

In practice, it would be a faster way to demolish walls when not under fire.

In a FOB or manned barricade fight, this would lead to the crushers death as marines pour fire into the immobile crusher. The only way this could work (assuming mildly competent marines) would be with a neuro/acid cloud obscuring the crusher, and even then, blind fire would provide a serious deterrent.

this would be cool but one thing is theres alot of areas where a crusher cant break a wall because it needs a long ways to run. So it may unbalance some of the maps if it can just stand still and break walls.

[Ketrai]

this would be cool but one thing is theres alot of areas where a crusher cant break a wall because it needs a long ways to run. So it may unbalance some of the maps if it can just stand still and break walls.

Boiler can do it for the crusher given time tho. This just makes it so the crusher can do eet themselves.

[kastion]

Boiler can do it for the crusher given time tho. This just makes it so the crusher can do eet themselves.

ya that's true so it shouldn't really matter.

[Garrison]

how about a brain bug that can take over a marine for like 2 minutes so you can run around friendly firing the marines for fun as that marine.

What I'd like to see is the Queen being able use telepathy to mentally dominate a marine. But it can only be done a few times per round and has a moderate chance to fail. Or perhaps depending on what methods the victim could use to attempt to resist a psychic attack.

[DefinitelyAlone0309]

What I'd like to see is the Queen being able use telepathy to mentally dominate a marine. But it can only be done a few times per round and has a moderate chance to fail. Or perhaps depending on what methods the victim could use to attempt to resist a psychic attack.

> Brain bug Mind control will be so oppressive, and it will cause so many unnecessary confusion if the signs aren't cleared enough. If the brain bug mind control sign is like invisible, griefers can use it to validate their griefing. If the brain bug sign is easily seen, that's just some poor fucker gone without him being able to do anything to stop it because he'll just get gunned down by his mates. Can you imagine a new player going in and getting shot down without having a clue why he's getting the bullets ?

[Ketrai]

What I'd like to see is the Queen being able use telepathy to mentally dominate a marine. But it can only be done a few times per round and has a moderate chance to fail. Or perhaps depending on what methods the victim could use to attempt to resist a psychic attack.

I'd love this if it would only apply to survivors. And they don't go completely stupid. Would make it more interesting when marines don't know survivors have their alliance changed to lie with the hive instead. Like a bit of a mini HvH. On the other hand, it sounds like an easy way to justify griefing . Nothing would prevent a brainwashed/dominated survivor from bombing the almayer or something.

[CABAL]

There is no point to argue about mind control. Despite how cool it sounds I'm 100% sure that they are high ranking staff members "lore purists" that they would not even let this though cross your minds. The same "lore purists" who defend "faceless killers" by "lore" argument despite games and comics where there are individual xenos who are diffrent in behaviour/skill from others.

[Ketrai]

There is no point to argue about mind control. Despite how cool it sounds I'm 100% sure that they are high ranking staff members "lore purists" that they would not even let this though cross your minds. The same "lore purists" who defend "faceless killers" by "lore" argument despite games and comics where there are individual xenos who are diffrent in behaviour/skill from others.

The more we stick to lore, the more we risk getting sued :^)

[kastion]

we need to brainstorm something for the spitter. As it stands now spitters arent worth even having. They are only marginally better that sentinels in a few ways but worse in ways like run speed. They arent worth a t2 slot.

[Ketrai]

we need to brainstorm something for the spitter. As it stands now spitters arent worth even having. They are only marginally better that sentinels in a few ways but worse in ways like run speed. They arent worth a t2 slot.

They're beefier, and they can melt cades quick. That's pretty much all I need of them. Hard to get them to bother doing even that! Otherwise I can only think about making acid spit make a tiny spray puddle that doesn't stun the marine that got hit and is standing in it, but only people walking into it. Just like a 0.5 second stun, but like 10-15 spread out burn damage? gives them the niche ability to make it harder for marines to fall back. And lets them harass better from behind the cades as long as they catch a marine in the puddle.