Big 5 discussion 3. Alien Strains.

[awan]

To clarify, stat mutators will NEVER return. Baseline stat upgrades at whim begets a meta forming around the most effective stat purchases, leading to greater competition, and shame on others for breaking away from those predefined 'best optimized' routes. Instead, that proof of concept system is now called STRAINS. Strains are a lot more like Heavy's Primary weapon in Team Fortress 2. While you can always use a different minigun, both your alternate choice, and default, are (likely) simple side grades of one another that promote different playstyles.. This is what we intend with strains. Sidegrades that shift up xeno playstyles.
At the moment, we are actively preparing and coding new strains. In time, we would like to have 2-3 strains for each caste member.

The best topic to discuss this big 5 item.

[Heraclitus]

I love strains, haven't played in a couple of weeks but they're exactly what xeno gameplay needed. The only two things I think bare mentioning are:-

-hive mutators: there's SO MUCH you can do with this that I they deserve as much attention as all strain mutators put together. Just off the top of my head you've got capture hives, defensive hives, aggressive hive, rapidly redeploying hives, I'm sure people will think of many more spins you could put on this.

-distinguishing strains: I've always felt like a vomitor and a spitter should really be visually distinct. Not just renaming them from Spitter 233 to Vomitor 233 (though that should happen too) but maybe recolouring the sprite so their is green or something. I'm aware of the effort Nic put into making those sprites, and how important it is that they look good and maybe even more importantly consistent but I've always felt strains need a little visual element to them too.

[Madventurer]

I completely agree that strains should be distinguishable if you get a good look, perhaps not immediately, but definitely in the open.
It would allow sneaky xenos to hide their capabilities a bit longer.

[WinterClould]

Hifa boiler don't feel like no side grade to me. Gas clouds never hit anyone unless they're trapped, hifa done hits everyone with zero Dodge chance. Boilers also in general can tank anything at range just to get their shots off so counter play, not much but a flank, except they'll see you coming. Wack

[awan]

Honestly I want strains to be 100% viable.
But they should not be mandatory.
The strains should do something other then what the original caste does.
Or make them more specialized in a certain thing.

[CryoDrake]

Ideas for strains:Carrier-transporter gives the carrier the ability to be able to eat up to 3 marines ad keep them inside more.
Why?
Because usually carrier is just used for infecting marines and they just get back on alamayer to be operated.So now the carrier would be a literal carrier with this strain.

Burrower-Abductor gets rid of planting traps but gives the abduct ability which works like tunneling but you can do it under a marine and drag him from the place he is to the place you chose to abduct from,to warn marines they will get a message that they are being drag in the earth and got a few moments to move.
This way a good burrower paired with a carrier can just abduct and quick infect marines and would not get attacked by the tank.

Boiler-Gazer which gets rid of being able to fire gas but gives him the ability to spread acid or neuro gas around him or normal acid.
Boiler when fighting very close to were marines are is weak if being sniped this way if queen makes a screeche he can just gas rush the marines or acid the tank.
-Mortar gives boiler big sight and the ability to fire his gas like a mortar but takes a lot to fire or being able to fire again.
This way xenos would be able to deal with a good mortar marine if they got a clear sight to his position