Thoughts and Ideas for the bigger infected/Ancients.

[Zolea]

( Note: For ideas, Read past the dashes. )

As far as my plays in infected maps go, I've noticed that the number of tougher "Ancients" come in greater numbers than the Heavy Grineers do. ( Heavy Grineers usually coming in pairs of two in most scenarios. That on top of these pairs only appearing twice or maybe three times in a map, thrice or four times granted that the squad happen upon an added objective. )

Provided that these bigger and beefier ancients provide a nice level of challenge in these maps, their numbers are a bit "overwhelming" for the punch they can pack. On top of being swarmed by the more common infected, it just doesn't seem quite fair when you have 3-4 special guys ramming your team down constantly. ( on top of the other things they can do that wreak havoc when your squad is in a pinch.. ( ie, when they heal, or have the ability to passively poison you upon getting too near them. ))

Now, my intentions aren't exactly leaning towards nerfing these mobs, but treating them more like mini-bosses. Considering their ability to withstand multiple shots along with their varied skills, I think it would be better if these monsters were treated more as singular, terrifying threats; opposed to being the big bad tanks that come in packs as they do.

In suit, I have a few suggestions/ideas for possible retakes on the bigger "ancients."

( I don't remember all of them properly, or which skills went to which respective enemy, so correct me if i slip up. )

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IDEAS FOR THE THREE ANCIENTS:

- The Healing Ancient would still have their ability to take on heavy damage, but would be less dangerous in the aspect of not charging their own way though squads. They would use their healing ability to push on the weaker mobs onto unprepared squads, and remain in the backlines while doing so. ( This utilizing an ideal that the infection would actually have some sort of intelligence, rather than their usual aggressive nature Just something that would be interesting to debate. ) They would still be able to fend themselves off against any melee aproaches, but be less suspectible to being the "fighter types" that would plow down entire squads on their own. They would always be accompanied by giant mobs of infected, proving to be an ideal threat if th squad cannot fend off the numbers quickly before they get healed.

- The Poison Ancient ( As i call it ) Would still have its' ability to passively secrete toxious fumes around itself, but also have the ability to explode upon death, releasing a much bigger cloud of deadly poison. This would do great in hindering the progression of maps and hold squads back while they try to fight the horde around them. It would also not have the ability to charge, but it would utilize its' ranged ability more aggressively as the distant fighter of the Ancients. The toxic around it would only be a defensive mechanism for melee attackers, and would not do heavy melee damage. ( As the contact would already cause enough damage to players overtime. ) Thus rendering a melee approach less successful. It's ability to sustain damage would be less than that of the healer, but would still be able to hold off longer than the usual common horde.

- Lastly, the Agressive Ancient. This Ancient would retain it's ability as the tank of the three, mowing down squads AND infected alike. It would keep its' ability to charge at players, but also have devastating melee attacks if within range. HOWEVER, with such menacing power, these ancients would lack the mobility to quickly get to their targets. These Ancients would have considerablly HIGH amounts of HP and defense and also prove to be quite big in size to note players that it actually is a threat. They would only come once or twice in a map as singular threats on their own, and play the role of halting map progression as well as highering the level of difficulty if a squad were to be unlucky enough to encounter one.

Other than that, I have nothing much else to say. The exploding infected among the regular ones were a nice catch, and the atmosphere of the infected ships were nicely portrayed.