Nerf Crusher Slightly

[Steelpoint]

Summary: I propose that either the Crusher loses a lot of its lethal attack damage OR it loses its stomp stunning ability, or both if you want to be crazy.

Benefits: Based on my playtime and observations I question the utility of taking a Ravager over a Crusher. The Crusher is almost outright immune to 90% of attacks from the front (sans maybe AP rounds and a direct hit from a SADAR AT rocket), has a unique inbuilt stomp stun ability that is only comparable to the Queen's screech ability and too boot its melee attack is quite respectable and capable of killing a Human quickly. Not to mention it can trample stunned enemies and it can build up speed to a respectable speed and killing power.

All this leads too is a powerful defensive unit that I think is superior to the Ravager.

[lucashunter608]

i agree with the stomp stunning ability, he already has a lot of lethal damage and can go on a rush destroying everything he sees in his way, taking the stunning ability off would't be that bad

[Varnock]

Rav is for hit and run, Crusher is for tanking. If you want speed and damage you take the former, if you want something to soak bullets, the latter.

Besides, every marine and their mother take AP rounds anyways. I ONLY play crusher when I manage to T3 the runner caste, and let me tell you, the block isn't as high as you think.

I know, I checked.

Besides, if you take away the stun on stomp they're pretty much useless in their main function of softening up a well defended area. If they can't knock down a few of the seven to fifteen marines turtling the FOB they're just going to get turned to swiss cheese every time.

Anyways, aliens feel pretty balanced to me right now, I see both sides win, and it's an actual give and take. -1

EDIT: About 80% sure that they get most of that damage for upgrading too. They don't actually hit all that hard, they're more support oriented.

[ThatCrazyBridgeOfficer]

I will have to -1 this.

There are plenty of ways to balance the Crusher, but making it /weaker/ isn't the answer.

Instead create more Counters for the Crusher and tactics to defeat it.

Examples: (And Suggestions)
*Buff Grenades and Rockets to stun the crusher, the latter becomes a hard-counter which penetrates the Crusher's armor from the front and causes heavy damage and stunning it to be finished off by marine's standard weapons.
*Buff Flamethrowers to completely ignore crusher frontal armor, obviously the crusher's frontal armor shouldn't stop this.
*Buff Orbital beacons to be able to stick to people and aliens when thrown (If it hits)

Of course if the above suggestions are added then we will need to give the Crusher more health VS light arms to keep things balanced due to adding more counters for it.
(Which in turn creates more flavorful/meaningful tactics and strategy)

Thoughts?

[Gentlemanly_headcrab]

-1 I may be biased as I mainly pick crusher but the whole ideal is that it's a bullet sponge, ONLY effective from the front, if you play a good crusher you'll stay with the line and tank shots for other xenos. A young crusher will get bullets through his armor regularly, a mature will be able to tank MOST bullets even rarely AP and an Elite (which is a high class) will tank most rounds but getting there without dying is the point.

Crushers are slow, they have almost NO back armor, can't tank Sadar shots (at least AP ones) and if they're retreating can be EASILY flanked by marines if alone. A crusher can only stay alive if with others. Removing stomp all together is iffy in itself as you'll just remove a key aspect to them, a damage decrease I'm sorta for but sorta not as in their young state, they do little damage unless they can accurately slam an oncoming marine headon. (Which most just dodge out of the way from anyway)

[apophis775]

Ravagers, are liquid death. An ancient ravager, has more health and damage than an ancient crusher.

Crushers, are fast and almost immune to frontal attacks, but super-weak if you get behind them.

[MrJJJ]

-1, mature and young crushers are fine, if you get a elite crusher, prepare to get very tactical, once its ancient...yeah...

[coolsurf6]

Crushers should have more health than a ravager to be honest. They are made tanky. Make them slower with more health and stop the ability to spam the other direction to stay facing the bullets. The stomp will stay, no doubt.

[RavingManiac]

If we're nerfing crushers, removing stomp, which greatly increases the crusher's survivability as an individual, makes more sense than reducing its armor, speed, or health, which would only make it less useful as part of the team.

Crushers are usually reliant on retreating towards the rest of the aliens in-between charges and shielding actions. On their own, they're surprisingly easy to chase down and flank.

[northcote4]

-1 for removing their stomp. It's possibly one of the most useful aspects about them, considering the prevalence of AP rounds, and has been since they were added.

Indifferent for altering any stats. The only time I ever see crushers being a major threat is when they're ancient. And if there's an ancient crusher... Well you done goofed.

[Egorkor]

*cough* just make that fucking SADAR useful so we'd actually score some AP hits, I'm sure it'd lessen amount of problems.

[Toroic]

If we're nerfing crushers, removing stomp, which greatly increases the crusher's survivability as an individual, makes more sense than reducing its armor, speed, or health, which would only make it less useful as part of the team.

Crushers are usually reliant on retreating towards the rest of the aliens in-between charges and shielding actions. On their own, they're surprisingly easy to chase down and flank.

This is literally backwards. Stomp is primary team utility, individual stats are largely for personal utility.

Young crushers are pretty vulnerable to bullets from the front, and extremely vulnerable to sniper fire relative to other things.

Crusher damage is also pathetic compared to other t3 xenos, it always has been.

As far as when to pick which caste, they have very different purposes. Crusher is a support class whose purpose is to open walls and tank bullets for allies. Ravager is a damage class meant to pick off marines with charges and deadly slashes.

-1 to removing stomp, I personally hardly use crusher for damage unless it's 1v1 anyway. Otherwise I tacklespam a group and let the elite runners rip them up.

[MauroVega]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k0SmqbBIpQ

[Sarah_U.]

I solo'd 5 crusher since the update. Keep making it panic by poking it like an hornet and run all-around it. The sides are great, the rear is exceptional. I often see greytide crushers not even moonwalking too.

But yea, when they moonwalk, cry.
Furthermore my only problem with the crusher is the tackling power to keep you down FOREVER (literally) if he camps a choke and you make the mistake to get in range.

[outordinary]

Seriously, I wrote a damn guide to get crushers to get good, but still like 70% of the time you get greytide summer crushers that don't moonwalk or tackle, so just yakkety around them and poke with sharp object then get friends to come shoot the idiot in the back when they don't moonwalk while still poking with said object. Bonus points if you wear B18 and have a riot shield.

[Wickedtemp]

-1

Don't shoot the armored bits. Instead, shoot the fleshy bits.

[Snypehunter007]

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=7075#p122569

Locking.