2.0 Fade Guide
Kid-A
Join Date: 2002-12-17 Member: 10908Members
Join Date: 2002-12-17 Member: 10908Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Complete Change!</div> From what I've seen of 2.0 aliens seem to be having a bit of a more difficult time atm. It's a bit of a generalization but I'm going to put this down to <b>bad fading</b>.
Currently many people just neglect Fade after they died once of twice trying to 1.04 fade, they just wait till Onos. This is as bad onii are very expensive meaning half the time your missing a powerful attack unit. Also Fades excel in the 'middle game' when most people are hitting 50res and you need to cripple the marines res supply that was previously electrified.
Basic Principle: Hit and Run (Think super-skulk rather than 1.04 tank)
They may be other ways to play it but I've found this the best. First you need to master blinking in and out. I have a script to help that is at the end of this. But its best if you can do it without. You just need to blink in swipe as long as possible, but leave health for your escape. The run away with blink. Takes a bit of doing but to practice you can also do the same with skulks and leap.
Once you've mastered this you are almost done.
Obviously now you need to heal, for any other alien its a lenghty trip to the hive usually. Not for fades, the 3rd weapon slot 'metabolise' heals you fine (I emphasie this as I did not RTFM so didn't know what it did :o ). Heal up to full strength and attack again. The fast speed of blink means your usually back in the thick of it in under a minute.
Now for the evolutions/upgrades. As sens is the 'big thing' at the moment I recommend SoF (Sense of Fear) it allows you to plan your attacks well and you'll never be surprised. I was a bit dubious about SoF at first but then I realised its effectivly a wall hack and well worth 2 res. (Marines need to spend 65!)
For the movement upgrade I use 'Adrenaline' as blink means celerity is obsolete and generally I find you struggle for energy with all the blinking in and out. Although silence is still useful I don't think its as good as Adren as blink often allows you to flank for surprise.
The defense upgrade thats most useful is almost certainly 'Carapce'. Metabolise allows you to heal so regen is obsolete and blink means you can run away on your terms rather than randomly getting redemptioned.
You have to be a bit wary of Shotguns so to see if they have any and just general 'good practice' it's best to try and get marines to fire a few shots off by strafing at long range, they'll waste a little ammo so when you blink in you wont get a full clip at short range.
Killing electrified RT's is easy, check the area is clear with SoF attack then metabolise and attack, if marines start to come just take them out at full health heal and go back to the RT.
One of the best things about Fades is their independece almost every other alien really needs other aliens to be effective, this is least true for the Fade although for assualting serious outposts you will need help. As the Fade play style gives you quite a few kills you'll often find you have an abundence of res, don't be afraid to do gorge jobs with this res.
The script was made for both skulks and fades so is a bit lenghty: <i>Edited - Ty Ottodestruct</i>
<!--QuoteBegin--autoexec.cfg+--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (autoexec.cfg)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
alias wait5 "wait;wait;wait;wait;wait"
alias +leap "slot3;wait5;wait5;+attack"
alias -leap "-attack;wait5;wait5;slot1"
alias +blink "slot2;wait5;wait5;+attack"
alias -blink "-attack;wait5;wait5;slot1"
alias leapbind "bind mouse4 +leap;developer 1;echo Leap;developer 0;bind mouse5 blinkbind"
alias blinkbind "bind mouse4 +blink;developer 1;echo Blink;developer 0;bind mouse5 leapbind"
bind "mouse5" "leapbind"<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<i>You need to create a file called 'autoexec.cfg' and put it in the NS folder(And a 5 button mouse <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->). This is not a script tutorial thread so please seach on google for 'HL script' rather than ask here.</i>
<b>What the script does:</b>
When you hold the button with +blink or +leap bound to it you will continue to blink/leap until you release the button. You could bind them to seperate keys but the rest of the script cycles through the functions. So my 4th mouse button can be changed from blinking to leaping. (also added to original post)
With these tactics you'll find most things can be taken down. Even quite large squads (4-5).
Any comments, suggestions, other Fade tactics - Post Away!
Currently many people just neglect Fade after they died once of twice trying to 1.04 fade, they just wait till Onos. This is as bad onii are very expensive meaning half the time your missing a powerful attack unit. Also Fades excel in the 'middle game' when most people are hitting 50res and you need to cripple the marines res supply that was previously electrified.
Basic Principle: Hit and Run (Think super-skulk rather than 1.04 tank)
They may be other ways to play it but I've found this the best. First you need to master blinking in and out. I have a script to help that is at the end of this. But its best if you can do it without. You just need to blink in swipe as long as possible, but leave health for your escape. The run away with blink. Takes a bit of doing but to practice you can also do the same with skulks and leap.
Once you've mastered this you are almost done.
Obviously now you need to heal, for any other alien its a lenghty trip to the hive usually. Not for fades, the 3rd weapon slot 'metabolise' heals you fine (I emphasie this as I did not RTFM so didn't know what it did :o ). Heal up to full strength and attack again. The fast speed of blink means your usually back in the thick of it in under a minute.
Now for the evolutions/upgrades. As sens is the 'big thing' at the moment I recommend SoF (Sense of Fear) it allows you to plan your attacks well and you'll never be surprised. I was a bit dubious about SoF at first but then I realised its effectivly a wall hack and well worth 2 res. (Marines need to spend 65!)
For the movement upgrade I use 'Adrenaline' as blink means celerity is obsolete and generally I find you struggle for energy with all the blinking in and out. Although silence is still useful I don't think its as good as Adren as blink often allows you to flank for surprise.
The defense upgrade thats most useful is almost certainly 'Carapce'. Metabolise allows you to heal so regen is obsolete and blink means you can run away on your terms rather than randomly getting redemptioned.
You have to be a bit wary of Shotguns so to see if they have any and just general 'good practice' it's best to try and get marines to fire a few shots off by strafing at long range, they'll waste a little ammo so when you blink in you wont get a full clip at short range.
Killing electrified RT's is easy, check the area is clear with SoF attack then metabolise and attack, if marines start to come just take them out at full health heal and go back to the RT.
One of the best things about Fades is their independece almost every other alien really needs other aliens to be effective, this is least true for the Fade although for assualting serious outposts you will need help. As the Fade play style gives you quite a few kills you'll often find you have an abundence of res, don't be afraid to do gorge jobs with this res.
The script was made for both skulks and fades so is a bit lenghty: <i>Edited - Ty Ottodestruct</i>
<!--QuoteBegin--autoexec.cfg+--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (autoexec.cfg)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
alias wait5 "wait;wait;wait;wait;wait"
alias +leap "slot3;wait5;wait5;+attack"
alias -leap "-attack;wait5;wait5;slot1"
alias +blink "slot2;wait5;wait5;+attack"
alias -blink "-attack;wait5;wait5;slot1"
alias leapbind "bind mouse4 +leap;developer 1;echo Leap;developer 0;bind mouse5 blinkbind"
alias blinkbind "bind mouse4 +blink;developer 1;echo Blink;developer 0;bind mouse5 leapbind"
bind "mouse5" "leapbind"<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<i>You need to create a file called 'autoexec.cfg' and put it in the NS folder(And a 5 button mouse <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->). This is not a script tutorial thread so please seach on google for 'HL script' rather than ask here.</i>
<b>What the script does:</b>
When you hold the button with +blink or +leap bound to it you will continue to blink/leap until you release the button. You could bind them to seperate keys but the rest of the script cycles through the functions. So my 4th mouse button can be changed from blinking to leaping. (also added to original post)
With these tactics you'll find most things can be taken down. Even quite large squads (4-5).
Any comments, suggestions, other Fade tactics - Post Away!
Comments
regen heals health/armor
meta only heals healh (unless I've drank too much and am seeing things)
with meta you can't get back up to 100% effectiveness in the field
with regen you can
not sayin meta is bad.......but it doesn't make regen worthless either
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
alias wait5 "wait;wait;wait;wait;wait"
alias +leap "slot3;wait5;wait5;+attack"
alias -leap "-attack;wait5;wait5;slot1"
alias +blink "slot2;wait5;wait5;+attack"
alias -blink "-attack;wait5;wait5;slot1"
alias leapbind "bind mouse4 +leap;developer 1;echo Leap;developer 0;bind mouse5 blinkbind"
alias blinkbind "bind mouse4 +blink;developer 1;echo Blink;developer 0;bind mouse5 leapbind"
bind "mouse5" "leapbind"
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
i don't like the new blink. it costs your entire adrenaline bar to move across a room...
<!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo-->
The first thing is that Meta is a second hive ability, which means that you have to be very careful if you are at one hive with no def chambers. I find that Meta alone is slow, and drains my energy bar annoyingly. For healing regen is NOT useless by any means, it heals faster then meta, without using energy, heals as you are running and fighting, and can be used WITH meta for super fast healing. The trick with the last one is to time the metas right when you regen every 2 seconds, if you do it right you will get ~42 health every 2 seconds, not bad.
Second, I have found each and every one of the movement upgrades to be very useful. Silence is indeed an extreamly deadly upgrade, and when used with cloaking it is very hard to beat. Not to mention that its fun as hell. Second celerity can make the fade move at ungodly speads, moving much faster then a marine on foot, and so fast when blinking it makes your head hurt. Excellent at running and attacking quickly, and the increadilous shouts from the marines make this one another winner. Adren, on the other hand, is the least useful of the three, but only by a small bit. With good energy managment, blinking and slashing is no problem, this just makes it easier. But where it really shines is at three hives, where it lets you spam acid rockets like no tomorrow, and still have energy left to blink away and heal.
For sensory, I usualy take cloaking for everything less then three hives. Ambushing marines with cloaking will let you handle groups of 5-3 marines, depending on upgrades, ping, and skill invloved on both sides. Scent of fear, on the other hand, lends itself wonderfuly to acid rocket as it is pretty much an almost free wall hack.
For the late games I've noticed the fade really starts to suffer, as upgraded HMGs and shotguns really tear it apart, even with carapace, HAs are very hard to kill, and jetpackers won't hold still long enough to be torn up. For this part of the game, if you have three hives, I recommend using adren, regen, and scent, applying hit and run tactics with acid rocket and blink to slowly wear down and kill the marines with minimal danger to ones self. If you don't have three hives, take cloaking/celerity (depending on advaible upgrades) as these two abilites help you dish out a few blows and blink out. Weither or not carapace is better then regen here I do not know, as I die very fast with both of them.
The key to the fade is hit and run, suprise and tactics. The fade is a thinking man's class, so be devious and pick your upgrades to fit the situation and map. (Some maps make better use of celerity, or cloaking for example.)
And Meta does heal armour, and make sure you heal it fully as even with full health a LMG can take you down with no armour.
What the script does:
When you hold the button with +blink or +leap bound to it you will continue to blink/leap until you release the button. You could bind them to seperate keys but the rest of the script cycles through the functions. So my 4th mouse button can be changed from blinking to leaping. (also added to original post)
As for taking on HA, your gonna need help but there were two isolated HA/Shotty and after 3-4 hit and run attacks I got one down and then the last had no one to weld him. For actual marine base assualts I think Fades are better at going through the frontline to attack some structures, again an old skulk role.
Another great Fade Tactic: Divide and Conquer
Because many marines are still in a 1.04 mindset after you run after attacking a large group often 1 or 2 will chase you not realising now Fades are uncatchable. Ambush them, then try the weakened original group.
Another great Fade Tactic: Divide and Conquer
Because many marines are still in a 1.04 mindset after you run after attacking a large group often 1 or 2 will chase you not realising now Fades are uncatchable. Ambush them, then try the weakened original group. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sometimes Motion Tracking will make ambushes much harder (if the marines have a working visual memory) and the marines will still expect you.
What totally ownz is to run out then manage to catch them from behind by blinking around taking an other path (works extremely well on Eclipse and Origin) , with a bit of luck you can find a lone , exposed HA thinking he covers the rest of the train... odds are he will die before his HA mates realize he is under attack.
Oh , and if you see a node / phase gate only defended by bunches of marines (no TF or elec yet) just try to lure the marines somewhere else by running away instead of blinking. Harass them if they don't move far enough. Keep luring them as far as possible , then blink to the undefended structure and smash it.
ed: you almost rarely see pairs of HA either.
...
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->A fade will generally lose 1 on 1 with a HA,<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes. That's because they're bad Fades. Fade vs HA is exactly the same as Skulk vs LA - a good fade eats HA for breakfast, but even a good skulk can't handle five or six HA.
A little odd waiting until hive 3 for some range, but so far its fun.
When I know im far away from combat, like at the hive, Just hold down attack with blink.
You fly faster than a lerk. Its silly.
And im 99% sure metabolize heals armor.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
//binds
bind mouse4 +useslot
bind mouse5 changeslot
//script
alias wait5 "wait;wait;wait;wait;wait"
alias +useslot "moveslot;wait5;wait5;+attack"
alias -useslot "-attack;wait5;wait5;slot1"
alias leapbind "alias moveslot slot3;developer 1;echo Leap;developer 0;alias changeslot blinkbind"
alias blinkbind "alias moveslot slot2;developer 1;echo Blink;developer 0;alias changeslot leapbind"
leapbind // resets it back to skulk settings when you join a server
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This way it's much simpler to edit both the script and the binds you've set up for them. There are plenty of other "good scripting" techniques you could also apply here like adding in 3 echos before you report a message to the console in order to keep things tidy for the player:
<i>developer1;echo;echo;echo;echo <message>;developer 0</i>
And also adding in a whole bunch of alias abbreviations will help keep the script size down.
<i>alias d1 "developer 1"
alias d0 "developer 0"
alias e "echo"
alias 3e "e;e;e"
d1;3e;echo <message>;d0</i>
Without adrenaline, you can't blink into a turreted marine base, swipe 3 armoury humpers to death and blink out with plenty of health to spare. Without adrenaline, you can't metabolise indefinately. Without adrenaline it's incredibly difficult to blink into the crouch sized vents on high walls.
Celerity fades will never keep up to adren fades due to a lot less blink juice. Silent fades really aren't all that useful unless you are doing a lot of fighting under sens towers (which are only useful in the first place if their comm is a noob who doesn't know what an observatory is......)
<!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
The Claw Fade took much more skill in 1.04 , mainly because of the buggy , extremely unreliable , stamina consuming Blink... besides there was no scent of fear or cloaking back then (if there was then it was GG anyway)
...
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->A fade will generally lose 1 on 1 with a HA,<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes. That's because they're bad Fades. Fade vs HA is exactly the same as Skulk vs LA - a good fade eats HA for breakfast, but even a good skulk can't handle five or six HA. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
a Good HA will kill the good fade if he has either a hmg or shotty.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
//binds
bind mouse4 +useslot
bind mouse5 changeslot
//script
alias wait5 "wait;wait;wait;wait;wait"
alias +useslot "moveslot;wait5;wait5;+attack"
alias -useslot "-attack;wait5;wait5;slot1"
alias leapbind "alias moveslot slot3;developer 1;echo Leap;developer 0;alias changeslot blinkbind"
alias blinkbind "alias moveslot slot2;developer 1;echo Blink;developer 0;alias changeslot leapbind"
leapbind // resets it back to skulk settings when you join a server
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This way it's much simpler to edit both the script and the binds you've set up for them. There are plenty of other "good scripting" techniques you could also apply here like adding in 3 echos before you report a message to the console in order to keep things tidy for the player:
<i>developer1;echo;echo;echo;echo <message>;developer 0</i>
And also adding in a whole bunch of alias abbreviations will help keep the script size down.
<i>alias d1 "developer 1"
alias d0 "developer 0"
alias e "echo"
alias 3e "e;e;e"
d1;3e;echo <message>;d0</i> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't know... those aliases upon aliases were always a bit too confusing to follow to me. It's not as tidy the other way around but it feels simpler. Maybe I'm just stupid <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> Oh, something actually constructive: I like to use lastinv instead of slot1 at the end to reset the weapon.
A good fade might be able to take down a bad HA HMG.
It takes about 50 bullets to kill a full cara fade....
Much smarter to acid spam them, if you dont have 3 hives, only take on HA HMG with backup from stomping onos and lerks umbra.
You can do hit and run on HA HMG quite easily, but youll rarely take them down, youll just slow them down, and generally cause a bit of panic... but you gotta <b>learn to back off when youre in trouble</b>
And about the scripts, trust me, youll do better without usin them. Youll be more skilled and versatile if you learn how to leap/bite or blink/slash without scripts.
Besides some people do not like "scripting"
Personally i dont mind because scripting stuff like leap bite is more of a hinderance than an advantage.
As a matter of fact, I'm rather glad that they moved Acid Rocket to a third hive ability, and laughed at all the whining that came after that announcement. "Fades suck, I can't use Acid Rocket anymore."
Moving Acid Rocket back to a third hive ability puts a good emphasis on what a Fade is supposed to be doing: MELEE. The new Blink supports that even more, which I love for hit and run situations.
Regeneration in no way is negated by Metabolize. As a matter of fact, it supplements it rather well and is usually my first pick over carapace when DCs are put up. If I do decide to use Cloaking over SOF, I can heal without constantly revealing myself with Metabolize (except for the sounds). It has also helped me take HA 1v1, and has saved me a number of times when Blinking the hell out of a confrontation. When you can't use Metabolize, Regen definetly makes up for it.
As for movements... I origonally played around with Celerity, but switched back to Adrenaline to feul heavy Blink and Slash usage. Using blink alot for evasion purposes sends Marines into disarray, and if I don't have energy to use Blink, I'm screwed.
The don't like, Not as good for popping in and out(dont get me wrong the new one is good for that too) and causing massive confusion by blinking all over the place. O and the most depresing aspectect of all. no more blinking through doors and such. Man that was beyond ausome.
The like, More versitile than old blink. I can blink only 10 feet with ease and have better control over where i am. And most importantly no more blinking into objects.
Just an idea, im not sure if they did this before and took it out but perhaps fades should be invible when blinking and can go through doors like the old one. That would be the untamate blink. But i lik the whole new traveling thing.
In NS I have one small bind that asks for welding/heal-spraying, and I've set a whole bunch of weapons to various buttons on my mouse (ie bind mouse4 slot2). A script that forces you to switch back to swipe right after you do a quick blink will add a good couple of seconds until you can blink again, it really hurts you far more than it helps you.
However I do love scripting for scripting's sake. I really enjoy making a script that can do all sorts of weird and wonderful things, and playing around with different combinations of togglers, cyclers and variables... Though scripting does come in handy for servers that you have admin powers in...
As for blink, just the fact that you can get into ANY vent on ANY part of the map just as easily as any skulk or lerk really blows my mind away... Opens up a whole new world of possibilities!
my fav classes are now ha/gl/pistol and fade/silence/cloak/carapace
You will certainly do more damage than if you blink in , do a little damage to single marine, and then die.
You cant stop a HA HMG train as a fade, but you can slow them down and distract them, and thats better than nothing.
Leave the HA HMG killings to the redemption + devour Onos.
oh and please dont claim you can blink, slash, kill a HA Marine in a group of 8 HA HMG/GL/Shotties.
As this skulk you are simply too fast to get hit by single marines are bunched up groups of up to 3 marines (if you actually do attempt to confuse and dodge).
As this fade you can blink into a base, kill the armoury humpers and get out again with the ability to sit right outside the base metabolising (since u know exactly when they're about to round the corner and get you). Carapace also works very well for this sort of fade. You tend to spend 99% of your time either swiping, blinking or metabolising, so even the mighty Sensory Chamber cloaking does very little for you.
HA are freakin difficult to take on in 2.0... You wont much longer than the common skulk, and yet you are twice the size and half the speed... Definately time to call in the air support for this one...