You guys might have your fun with cloaking, and I'm not trying to sound leetst, but cloaking is useless against compitent rines.
"Oh no, the skulk that I see is transparent! I better not shoot at it as it approaches me." That's usually the first thing NOT running through their heads.
Once people start figureing out that you <i>can</i> see cloaked lifeforms, cloaking isn't going to be nearly as good as you seem to think it is. You cannot walk towards a group of decent rines and expect to get anywhere near them without dieing. A whole lot.
It depends on how early I get my first level. If I get it right away, its Focus for me. If its later, leap, then I'll either save for fade or lerk, rarely stay as skulk or go onos.
As with armor 1 being first marine upgrade, its Mines for me ^_^. Love it when im waiting to spawn and see my mine kill a skulk going for the chair.
I prefer taking silence as my first upgrade. The best way to kill rines is to stalk them, and the best way to do that is to make no noise. I don't need focus if, by the time they realize they are being bit, they are 1 bite away from dead. If they are good enough to realize I'm biting them on the first attack, or even before, I bet they're good enough to peg a leaping skulk.
<!--QuoteBegin-NGE+Mar 14 2004, 12:18 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (NGE @ Mar 14 2004, 12:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> You guys might have your fun with cloaking, and I'm not trying to sound leetst, but cloaking is useless against compitent rines.
"Oh no, the skulk that I see is transparent! I better not shoot at it as it approaches me." That's usually the first thing NOT running through their heads.
Once people start figureing out that you <i>can</i> see cloaked lifeforms, cloaking isn't going to be nearly as good as you seem to think it is. You cannot walk towards a group of decent rines and expect to get anywhere near them without dieing. A whole lot. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Cloaking is not useless against marines, but there are upgrades more worthy of being selected.
The only time you can consistently spot a cloaker is if you know the cloaker is in the general area (You hear footsteps stop mysteriously). However, you're not going to spontaneously pick up a cloaker sitting on the left as you rush to the hive. Likewise, if the marine screen is moving at all (which it usually does), you will not spot a cloaker. If the whole alien team are cloaking skulks, you know what to look for and you can easily pick them off just by keeping your screen steady. 9 times out of 10 this is not the case though.
In short, smart cloaking is not exactly useless, but not exactly effective either. Higher lifeforms don't really have a use for cloaking, and in most cases leaping from around the corner will accomplish the same thing, and will probably cause the marine to jump a bit more.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Likewise, if the marine screen is moving at all (which it usually does), you will not spot a cloaker.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, usually you will.
Though you are right about smart cloakers not being spotted all the time, smart cloaking benifits are... miniscule at best. There's a good chance of being spotted anyways and you really should have spent the point elsewhere.
As for another point- Why would focus be the traditional first upgrade? What good is it if you can't get up close, and if they have lv 1 armor? It's still a great ability, but shouldn't be limited to "early upgrades only" because the 1 hit kill you think you're getting really won't last long. However, it's still supreamly usefull due to things like knockback and JP's.
If you get focus as your first upgrade, odds are that half of the rine team is still on lvl 1 and therefore dont have armor yet, and those who are at level two may not have it either. If you hide in some dark corner (or roof) and manage to surprise a group of rines, you can easily take out groups of 2-3 marines with the 1 bite kills. This means that marines didn't get any experience and focus is still useful, and by the time they get armor-shottys you will already have a bunch of other upgrades.
WOOT my first post <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>If I'm shooting for Onos, I never take leap first, I just get five levels and go vanilla Onos right off. Since I like using charge to increase Onos speed for driveby devouring, and stomp is always useful, I sometimes go: Leapxeno skulk, Webgorge with adren and regen, and just save all the way till I can buy onos, or just stay webgorge.
Leap is usually just the middle upgrade before I max out my attack abilities and start mixing my game up.</span>
I find the dependance on focus quite funny. I enjoy it for a hit and run fade, and maybe a lerk, but beyond that I think its pointless. Anyway, back to my original point. Somone said, you should ambush, you should yes. However instead of dropping down on them, you leap down on them. They have zero time to react. So IMO leap is perfect for ambush (Good skulk play). Leap also has the added advantage of vastly improving the rate at which you can get around the map. Without leap you generaly need to ambush. With leap you can ambush or take a head on approach with more success.
Using your first 3 levels to fade.... Usually it can be quite hard to get to lvl 4 without any upgrades and takes longer than it would to get to lvl 5 with 1 upgrade. Which is what I usually do. With leap marines no longer have the advantage of range, which was their biggest advantage. So off all the upgrades which 1 will be the most effective at getting me to lvl 5. Focus, no, because of armour 1. Cloaking, a waste whatever. Scent of fear, useful but obselete due to parasite early on. Silence, well its not bad but they can still see you coming. Celerity, your faster but still have to run at them, with leap your almost instantly at their feet. Adren, well no point. Carapace, probably the best alternative, you can take a good number of extra bullets especially early on, which could make the difference. Redemption, certainly not first, debateable at all. Regen, similar to carapace I suppose but not as effective. Which is more useful then of cara, regen or skill 1 to a fade. Tough one that, probably regen, but leap will get you to fade quicker.
I think one reason people don't appreciate leap is because they are unpracticed in using it. A lot of people play aliens as if they are tanks, just charging head in and fighting until they die. Thats one way to play, and those are the people that will find cara, focus etc more useful than leap. I'm not being nasty, but the ones that have more skill as a skulk will decimate marines simply by having leap. Enough mindless babble... <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Celery should be first upgrade not leap - I say this because in the majority of battles Aliens are the attackers. You can leap in and bite a few times and might even get a kill but then what ? You're a slow arse skulk with no adren left trying to get out alive. Get UMBRA - this is important for your team. Regen Cara Cloak (optional) Slience <- This is REALLY useful
The second upgrade is where you make you choices for the rest of the game.
You can go Super Skulk - Lerk - Fade - Battle Gorge or Onos.
If you want to Super skulk/Lerk/Fade go with Focus as your second. If you want to Battle Gorge or Onos get leap , I know that sounds wierd but it is a good way of get XP plus Leap converts to Bile bomb/stomp
Ok the next 2/3 levels for everything else is saving to get your desired life form. - with the exception of gorge, get XENO after leap - use this to get heaps of points.
Gorge. Make sure you get web
After that get Adren
From there its doesn't I would advise cloak/silence some people get focus in the end but i don't care.
Super skulk.
After L2 you should have focus.
A super skulk is playing the entire game as a skulk so what do they need ?
in this order.
XENO SOF CLOAK SILENCE ADREN REGEN/CARA REGEN/CARA
Lerk
People who play lerk must be aware that they are not there for kills they are there to back up the team. Lerks just like Gorges will either win the game or loose the game.
At L2 you should have focus.
An focused lerk with cel is a scarey thing - you will quickly be able to get heaps of points up of the n00b rines
OK from here all upgrades are support SOF <- use this in conjuction with Spores to soft'n up. Anything else is optional but for the final upgrade get primal scream - This is for use on the final rush. A good team will congratulate you for this.
Fade
L2 you should have focus.
just skulk until you have +3 points to spend and go straight to Fade - don't be a nob, if the hive is in bad shape - fix it up first with gorge then evolve to fade.
L5 - If you eveolved quickly you'll be owning
Regen i find is crucial for good fading. Then Cara I like to get Adren after this
This takes you to level 7
I never bother with the Fade upgrades in CO
After this it doens't matter that much
Silence/SOF are good.
Onos
L2 You should be a skulk with Cel + Leap
Do not buy anything until you have three points for fade
Get fade. You should not be L5 fade without focus.
You need to save another 2 levels so use blink heaps don't go solo but stay in the pack.
Get Onos - should be L7.
You need to get Regent and Cara
That takes you to L9
I would not advise to get charge or focus , just not enough damage in combat (and usless against CC) .Silence is good or Adren.
Roles: Presuming it is endgame and you have a good team.
Generally around L2/L3 people will yell out what life form they will play
Super Skulk - One shot and your dead.
Use speed
Don't run along the ground - bounce off walls Do not run straight at marine - you ate too easy to kill
Don't be afraid to camp in the shadows (thats what a skulk does) - If you can not attack parasite!!!! I can not stress that enough.
Remember to hit the CC as often as you can.
Gorge
WEB WEB WEB !!
Remember therer is a maximum amount of webs in a game so place them carefully.
Some people do not understand webbing. It works like a dot to dot IE. Floor Ceiling Floor Ceiling. Any two points cna be webbed as long as these is a gap seperating them (there are exceptions to this)
Help in the final rush(es) with healing web and bile
A good good can take down a HA with spit/web
Lerk
You are defence - do not try and get kills at the top level - you Spores/Umbra/Scream - Bait the Marines into coming out of there spawn but flying in and flying out.
Fade
Fading requires timing, try and get behind them and then swipe .. they will turn and blast you with a shotty blast but by then you'll have your second or third swipe and down they go. Then flee and regroup.
Do not attack the CC unless there are NO rines around.
Fades job is to clear the spawn with back up from the Lerks to make it possible for the Ono's to bring down the CC quickly.
Onos
Eat them HA's ! This is great ! A one shot kill and it really pisses them off.
Always have an escort of any class n Stomp that silly rine !
Let the team know what you are going to do. The game hinges on Onos's - You must work with the other Onos's if you don't you will fail. Think of how devestating a HA train is and how ineffective a single HA is in spawn. Same principle applies.
Always rush the CC - don't chase the rines around their spawn - just go the CC they will not be able to repair the damage by the time you respawn and rush the CC again.
Teams: (based on a max of 8)
Super skulks: Number - 0. I am not a fan of super skulks at higher levels they are inefective against rines - sure they might be able to pull a few xeno's out of the hat - but the majority of the time they are a waste.
Gorge: Number - 2 or 1. A good gorge will win the game for he Aliens. Being there to heal ya when you in the red - Webbing up the HA/JP do you can swipe him to death easily.
Lerk: 2 or 1 You never want more then 2 Lerks. At endgame they are not for combat - they are Umbra and Scream to help the Fades and Onos.
Fade: Minimum of 2. Fades under no circumstances camp, a cloaked camping fade is deadly - but will also cost the team the game. While this fade is clocking up his score the JP's are at hive. He/She is the type of player that shouts " WINNER !!" at the end of a match.
So to some up fades - GO GO GO and work in a pack
Onos: 1 or 2 (this can change at very very end game when you need an extra bit of power to rush down the CC)
Just go the CC and do not stop rushing.
Do not back up EVER this causes everyone else behind to get blocked you will die and they will die. As soon as your in make a V line for the CC the rines will all fire at you <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif' /><!--endemo--> , The lerk will drop in umbra and the fades will then take their pick and wipe them all out.
A fatty might drop in bile bomb also. And as we know once the aliens get into Rine spawn unaposed its GG.
My preference for a team is
Skulk - 0 Gorge - 1 lerk - 1 fade - 4 onos - 2
(please forgive typoes n stuff - i am dyslexic <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> )
Im not so great at the leap/ bite for skulks, i prefer focus and jsut to chill on a cieling and wait for a lilttle rine to pass by <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
If you ARE good at leap/bite though you really should get focus, since that allows you to "rail" marines(kill them and then proceed without stopping in mid-air). If you're not good at leap/bite, you might not want to get focus after all.
And cloak is for nubs and fgts. Get some bullet dodging skills.
---No one will glance twice at you unless there a gamma jacker---
Unless their taking 20 and searching the room solely for you for some reason they won't spot you, and if their shooting the ground trying to locate you....climb on the ceiling above them and...
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->And cloak is for nubs and fgts. Get some bullet dodging skills.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Then I guess I'm both. Oh, <i>woe</i> is me for believing that making your presence unknown to the enemy had any skillfull implications!
Comments
"Oh no, the skulk that I see is transparent! I better not shoot at it as it approaches me." That's usually the first thing NOT running through their heads.
Once people start figureing out that you <i>can</i> see cloaked lifeforms, cloaking isn't going to be nearly as good as you seem to think it is. You cannot walk towards a group of decent rines and expect to get anywhere near them without dieing. A whole lot.
As with armor 1 being first marine upgrade, its Mines for me ^_^. Love it when im waiting to spawn and see my mine kill a skulk going for the chair.
"Oh no, the skulk that I see is transparent! I better not shoot at it as it approaches me." That's usually the first thing NOT running through their heads.
Once people start figureing out that you <i>can</i> see cloaked lifeforms, cloaking isn't going to be nearly as good as you seem to think it is. You cannot walk towards a group of decent rines and expect to get anywhere near them without dieing. A whole lot. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Cloaking is not useless against marines, but there are upgrades more worthy of being selected.
The only time you can consistently spot a cloaker is if you know the cloaker is in the general area (You hear footsteps stop mysteriously). However, you're not going to spontaneously pick up a cloaker sitting on the left as you rush to the hive. Likewise, if the marine screen is moving at all (which it usually does), you will not spot a cloaker. If the whole alien team are cloaking skulks, you know what to look for and you can easily pick them off just by keeping your screen steady. 9 times out of 10 this is not the case though.
In short, smart cloaking is not exactly useless, but not exactly effective either. Higher lifeforms don't really have a use for cloaking, and in most cases leaping from around the corner will accomplish the same thing, and will probably cause the marine to jump a bit more.
Well, usually you will.
Though you are right about smart cloakers not being spotted all the time, smart cloaking benifits are... miniscule at best. There's a good chance of being spotted anyways and you really should have spent the point elsewhere.
As for another point- Why would focus be the traditional first upgrade? What good is it if you can't get up close, and if they have lv 1 armor? It's still a great ability, but shouldn't be limited to "early upgrades only" because the 1 hit kill you think you're getting really won't last long. However, it's still supreamly usefull due to things like knockback and JP's.
If you hide in some dark corner (or roof) and manage to surprise a group of rines, you can easily take out groups of 2-3 marines with the 1 bite kills. This means that marines didn't get any experience and focus is still useful, and by the time they get armor-shottys you will already have a bunch of other upgrades.
WOOT my first post <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Not saying it's bad, saying it's not limited to "early only" usefulness.
Leap is usually just the middle upgrade before I max out my attack abilities and start mixing my game up.</span>
Using your first 3 levels to fade.... Usually it can be quite hard to get to lvl 4 without any upgrades and takes longer than it would to get to lvl 5 with 1 upgrade. Which is what I usually do. With leap marines no longer have the advantage of range, which was their biggest advantage. So off all the upgrades which 1 will be the most effective at getting me to lvl 5. Focus, no, because of armour 1. Cloaking, a waste whatever. Scent of fear, useful but obselete due to parasite early on. Silence, well its not bad but they can still see you coming. Celerity, your faster but still have to run at them, with leap your almost instantly at their feet. Adren, well no point. Carapace, probably the best alternative, you can take a good number of extra bullets especially early on, which could make the difference. Redemption, certainly not first, debateable at all. Regen, similar to carapace I suppose but not as effective. Which is more useful then of cara, regen or skill 1 to a fade. Tough one that, probably regen, but leap will get you to fade quicker.
I think one reason people don't appreciate leap is because they are unpracticed in using it. A lot of people play aliens as if they are tanks, just charging head in and fighting until they die. Thats one way to play, and those are the people that will find cara, focus etc more useful than leap. I'm not being nasty, but the ones that have more skill as a skulk will decimate marines simply by having leap. Enough mindless babble... <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
This is MY guide for most maps (my opinion only)
Celery should be first upgrade not leap - I say this because in the majority of battles Aliens are the attackers. You can leap in and bite a few times and might even get a kill but then what ? You're a slow arse skulk with no adren left trying to get out alive.
Get UMBRA - this is important for your team.
Regen
Cara
Cloak (optional)
Slience <- This is REALLY useful
The second upgrade is where you make you choices for the rest of the game.
You can go Super Skulk - Lerk - Fade - Battle Gorge or Onos.
If you want to Super skulk/Lerk/Fade go with Focus as your second. If you want to Battle Gorge or Onos get leap , I know that sounds wierd but it is a good way of get XP plus Leap converts to Bile bomb/stomp
Ok the next 2/3 levels for everything else is saving to get your desired life form. - with the exception of gorge, get XENO after leap - use this to get heaps of points.
Gorge. Make sure you get web
After that get Adren
From there its doesn't I would advise cloak/silence some people get focus in the end but i don't care.
Super skulk.
After L2 you should have focus.
A super skulk is playing the entire game as a skulk so what do they need ?
in this order.
XENO
SOF
CLOAK
SILENCE
ADREN
REGEN/CARA
REGEN/CARA
Lerk
People who play lerk must be aware that they are not there for kills they are there to back up the team. Lerks just like Gorges will either win the game or loose the game.
At L2 you should have focus.
An focused lerk with cel is a scarey thing - you will quickly be able to get heaps of points up of the n00b rines
OK from here all upgrades are support
SOF <- use this in conjuction with Spores to soft'n up.
Anything else is optional but for the final upgrade get primal scream - This is for use on the final rush. A good team will congratulate you for this.
Fade
L2 you should have focus.
just skulk until you have +3 points to spend and go straight to Fade - don't be a nob, if the hive is in bad shape - fix it up first with gorge then evolve to fade.
L5 - If you eveolved quickly you'll be owning
Regen i find is crucial for good fading.
Then Cara
I like to get Adren after this
This takes you to level 7
I never bother with the Fade upgrades in CO
After this it doens't matter that much
Silence/SOF are good.
Onos
L2 You should be a skulk with Cel + Leap
Do not buy anything until you have three points for fade
Get fade. You should not be L5 fade without focus.
You need to save another 2 levels so use blink heaps don't go solo but stay in the pack.
Get Onos - should be L7.
You need to get Regent and Cara
That takes you to L9
I would not advise to get charge or focus , just not enough damage in combat (and usless against CC) .Silence is good or Adren.
Roles: Presuming it is endgame and you have a good team.
Generally around L2/L3 people will yell out what life form they will play
Super Skulk - One shot and your dead.
Use speed
Don't run along the ground - bounce off walls
Do not run straight at marine - you ate too easy to kill
Don't be afraid to camp in the shadows (thats what a skulk does) - If you can not attack parasite!!!! I can not stress that enough.
Remember to hit the CC as often as you can.
Gorge
WEB WEB WEB !!
Remember therer is a maximum amount of webs in a game so place them carefully.
Some people do not understand webbing. It works like a dot to dot IE. Floor Ceiling Floor Ceiling. Any two points cna be webbed as long as these is a gap seperating them (there are exceptions to this)
Help in the final rush(es) with healing web and bile
A good good can take down a HA with spit/web
Lerk
You are defence - do not try and get kills at the top level - you Spores/Umbra/Scream - Bait the Marines into coming out of there spawn but flying in and flying out.
Fade
Fading requires timing, try and get behind them and then swipe .. they will turn and blast you with a shotty blast but by then you'll have your second or third swipe and down they go. Then flee and regroup.
Do not attack the CC unless there are NO rines around.
Fades job is to clear the spawn with back up from the Lerks to make it possible for the Ono's to bring down the CC quickly.
Onos
Eat them HA's ! This is great ! A one shot kill and it really pisses them off.
Always have an escort of any class n Stomp that silly rine !
Let the team know what you are going to do. The game hinges on Onos's - You must work with the other Onos's if you don't you will fail. Think of how devestating a HA train is and how ineffective a single HA is in spawn. Same principle applies.
Always rush the CC - don't chase the rines around their spawn - just go the CC they will not be able to repair the damage by the time you respawn and rush the CC again.
Teams: (based on a max of 8)
Super skulks: Number - 0. I am not a fan of super skulks at higher levels they are inefective against rines - sure they might be able to pull a few xeno's out of the hat - but the majority of the time they are a waste.
Gorge: Number - 2 or 1. A good gorge will win the game for he Aliens. Being there to heal ya when you in the red - Webbing up the HA/JP do you can swipe him to death easily.
Lerk: 2 or 1 You never want more then 2 Lerks. At endgame they are not for combat - they are Umbra and Scream to help the Fades and Onos.
Fade: Minimum of 2. Fades under no circumstances camp, a cloaked camping fade is deadly - but will also cost the team the game. While this fade is clocking up his score the JP's are at hive. He/She is the type of player that shouts " WINNER !!" at the end of a match.
So to some up fades - GO GO GO and work in a pack
Onos: 1 or 2 (this can change at very very end game when you need an extra bit of power to rush down the CC)
Just go the CC and do not stop rushing.
Do not back up EVER this causes everyone else behind to get blocked you will die and they will die. As soon as your in make a V line for the CC the rines will all fire at you <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif' /><!--endemo--> , The lerk will drop in umbra and the fades will then take their pick and wipe them all out.
A fatty might drop in bile bomb also. And as we know once the aliens get into Rine spawn unaposed its GG.
My preference for a team is
Skulk - 0
Gorge - 1
lerk - 1
fade - 4
onos - 2
(please forgive typoes n stuff - i am dyslexic <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> )
And cloak is for nubs and fgts. Get some bullet dodging skills.
Cloak, walk on walls or the ceiling.
---No one will glance twice at you unless there a gamma jacker---
Unless their taking 20 and searching the room solely for you for some reason they won't spot you, and if their shooting the ground trying to locate you....climb on the ceiling above them and...
Marine1: WT----
Gorge yourself upon his delicious head.
Then I guess I'm both. Oh, <i>woe</i> is me for believing that making your presence unknown to the enemy had any skillfull implications!
</sarcasm>
yet cloak by SC is worse cause then you run.