300px-Palatine.jpg A.jpg
PALATINE: The Elite Defenders of Xenomorph Royalty.
Stats and abilities:
Gore: I imagine a combination of a Defenders tail whip and the charge of a ravager (but with significantly less damage), The palatine charges forward, haphazardly thrashing her tusks side to side damaging and knocking enemies over in an area around her much like the defenders tail whip. To balance the ability, It will come at a delay, like the acid spray of the praetorian.
Royal Guards Wrath (Passive): In order to incentivize players of the Palatine to do their job as a royal bodyguard, they will get a boost to their damage, and speed, while near the queen. I think this will also allow them to chase down marines that avoided the queens Screech and gore them into submission. As a Xenomorph, I've always hated how a badly timed screech can literally end the round for the hive, one of the jobs of the palatine is to mop up after the screech and to make sure that no threat to the queen is allowed to dual shotgun blast her into oblivion right after a screech. I also love the idea of a marine seeing a palatine and knowing "where there's smoke there's fire".
Damage: the damage of the Palatine would be about the same as a warrior while unbuffed (see abilities), and just less that a ravager while buffed.
Speed: The speed of the palatine would be the same as a defender while unbuffed, and as Just slower than an agile warrior while buffed.
Armor: The palatine will be heavily armored like that of a crusher or defender. (although notably not fire-proof, which makes flaming the queen during a screech MUCH more worthwhile, because it will separate her from her royal guard)
Health: The Palatine will have a health pool like that of a praetorian.
Evolution:
Runner > Lurker > palatine
OR
Defender > Palatine (In this case the palatine would receive a debuff due to his lower rank)
Notes:
In the Comics (specifically "Aliens: Female war") the palatine was the super elite guard of the Queen mother (or space mom) Xenomorph.
Their most distinctive feature being their large horns or tusks that flank both sides of their elongated head, they also "Are strong enough to destroy a P-5000 Powered Work Loader and seem to possess a greater resilience to physical damage."
I am very excited to know what you all think of my dumb idea, tell me your ideas too please, ill be happy to hear if this idea is garbage or poorly balanced.
Thanks.
Sources:
http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Palatine
http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Queen_Mother
http://aliens.wikia.com/wiki/Palatine
Aliens: Female War/novel
Aliens: Genocide/novel
EDIT: It seems most people agree that this caste would fit well with a nerfed queen, and I agree. (Also I fixed the thing about ravager armor, SORRY)