View source for Lurker

{{XenoPageHeader
|headerbgcolor = black
|headerfontcolor = white
|tiertype = ALIEN - TIER 2
|imagebgcolor = 
|img = Alien-Warrior.png
|castetitle = Lurker
|evolves_from = [[Runner]]
|evolves_to = [[Ravager]]
|role = A highly mobile alien which packs a punch, good for ambushing and general harassment of the marines supply lines. 
|guides = No External Guides. 
}}
== General Information ==
The '''Lurker''' is a large step up from the [[Runner]] that precedes it. What it loses in speed and agility is largely gained in becoming a fearsome and destructive force, capable of '''effortlessly slaughtering any single [[Marines|tallhost]] that it finds wandering alone''', where a Runner might have needed to go for a long, sloppy brawl to secure a kill.
<br><br>
The Lurker is not as fast as the Runner and its '''<code>Pounce</code>''' is more cumbersome, having him pin down his target instead of simply flooring him, as well as the need to be cloaked, for the pounce to actually work. However, its attack quickly becomes devastating, capable of tearing a tallhost apart once subdued, meaning that they will usually stand no chance if caught with their pants down. Its health is nothing to laugh at, although it will still go down quickly if focus fired by a group.
<br><br>
[[File:Hunt_stalk_HUD.gif|thumb]]The Lurker loses its ability to hide under objects, being a caste of much greater stature, but it gains a fascinating ability to '''Cloak'''  on activation, for 30 seconds. While the Cloak is far from perfect and will easily be spotted when moving or hiding on a bright background, it will allow the Lurker to hide in far more spots, and to spring ambushes even in the open if it finds a good spot.
<br>

== Playing as a Lurker ==
As a Lurker, you lose your ability to easily dodge attacks in exchange for more solid health and a greater attack. As such, you become more of an ambush caste, with an ability to skirmish and seriously wound tallhosts using hit and run attacks. Your '''Cloak''' helps you to set up ambushes, meaning you can wait for the perfect moment to strike instead of making a risky sprint into a potential target, which could reveal an off-screen group accompanying them, a turret, anything that could ruin your day.
<br><br>
While you keep your ability to '''<code>Pounce</code>''', it is important to note that its purpose shifted from a disarming pounce that you and the tallhost will recover from quickly, to a disabling pin that will cause both you and your target to be floored for a significant duration, allowing you to tear them apart while they lay defenseless on the floor. This does mean however that pouncing on someone in the middle of a group will almost certainly get you killed, so avoid it at all costs.
<br><br>
Your '''Cloak''' is a fantastic tool. While it is not as reliable as the Runner's Hiding to conceal you for long periods of time, it can allow you to blend into the environment in a pinch to find and subdue a target. The fewer tallhosts expect you, the less they will think to carefully scan their surroundings for that one shimmer in the distance. And remember that cloaking will make you much faster, but it only lasts for 30 seconds. If tallhosts are tracking you down, they will probably see through your cloak unless you find an excellent spot.
<br><br>
Should you find yourself in direct combat, you are still a formidable foe, although you will not take as many shots as your bigger sisters to knock down. It is important that you try and run on the flanks as much as possible, using your Cloak wisely to close the distance without being sprayed down by gunfire from alert and ready Marines.

== Abilities ==


{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
! style="background-color:#423042;" width=150|<span style="color:white;">Abilities:</span>
! style="background-color:#423042;" |<span style="color:white;">Description:</span>
|-
![[File:Xeno_Rest.png]]<br>Rest
|Used to rest and get up. Aliens heal faster when resting on weeds.
|-
![[File:Regurgitate.png]]<br>Regurgitate
|{{Devour}}
|-
![[File:Pounce.png]]<br>Pounce
|Pounce at target, pining the victim on the ground and causes them to drop their weapons, but only if you are invisible. Lasts longer than a Runner's pounce, but also makes you immobile for a short duration while you pin the target down.


Costs 10 plasma, cooldown: 7 seconds.
|-
![[File:Turn-Invisible.png]]<br>Turn Invisible
|Turns you partially invisible for 30 (thirty) seconds. While invisible, your movement speed is drastically increased. The further you are from friendly a alien, the faster you are. If you attack or pounce on a target, your invisibility will wear off. 


Costs 10 plasma, cooldown: 30 seconds.
|-
![[File:Crippling-Strike.png]]<br>Crippling Strike
|The next target you slash will receive extra damage and be slowed down. This will only work on resting targets. If you attack a target standing while the ability is active, it will use up the strike and the target won't receive extra damage nor the slow down.


Costs 50 plasma, cooldown: 12 seconds.
{{Tail Stab}}
|}

== Attainable Strains==
{| style="border: 2px solid black;
 ! style="background-color:#423042; text-align:center;"|'''Strain:'''
|-
|style="width:125px; border: 2px solid black; border-bottom: 2px solid black; padding: 5px; text-align:center;" |
'''[[Strains|Vampire]]'''
|}
===Strain Abilities===
<br>
====Vampire====
* '''Health''': 390
* '''Armor''': 20
* '''Slightly faster movement speed - just under that of a cloaked lurker, but always active.'''
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
! style="background-color:#423042;" width=150|<span style="color:white;">Abilities:</span>
! style="background-color:#423042;" |<span style="color:white;">Description:</span>
|-
![[File:Pounce.png]] <br> Rush
|A four-tile pounce that causes your targets screen to shake. This ability does not stun them.


Cooldown: 6 seconds.
|-
![[File:Spike_spray.png]]<br>Flurry
|An attack that has a range of 1x3 tiles, dealing 30 damage per target and healing you for 30 HP. A short slow is also applied to you upon landing it. This will hit a random limb.


Cooldown: 3 seconds.
|-
![[File:Pierce.png]]<br>Tail Jab
|An AoE attack that telegraphs its hit pattern akin to a Ravagers Scissor Cut, dealing 35 damage and healing you for 30 HP, alongside pushing the target back. If you click on the sprite of your target with it, it will deal an extra 15, for a total of 50 damage, alongside throwing them back. If they impact an obstacle such as a wall, window, door or barricade, they will take more damage and will temporarily be stunned.


Cooldown: 7 seconds.
|-
![[File:Headbite_Ability_Icon.png]]<br>Headbite
|A high-damage attack that bypasses all armor, instantly killing your target and healing you for 150 HP. Requires your target to be unconscious and adjacent to you, and has a 0.8 second windup before it will hit them.
|}

== Lurker Tactics ==
* Your '''Cloak''' is best used when stationary and on a dark background. Moving will not make you any more visible, but humans will have a far easier time spotting your shimmer if it's moving across tiles. Darkness also works fairly well in concealing you, although it is not necessary. Since the tiling used in colonies is often bright outside of bathrooms, maintenance areas, and high-security areas, you might have trouble finding spots to hide in buildings.

* Isolated targets are in essence free kills for you. A single Pounce will disarm them and floor them for long enough for you to start the fight with a handful of slashes. At this point, they might have a window to fight back, but they will undoubtedly be wounded. Make a simple evasive maneuver to avoid CQC weapons like buckshot shotguns and pounce again, and you should have them in the bag.

* If you do need to brawl against a group, or partake in a massive fight, only use your Pounce for evasive maneuvers, and use your regular speed to get close to Marines and slash them. Of course, it is heavily recommended to approach from the rear or sides.

*Your pounce can be used to quickly cover distance, and will let you leap into windows immediately instead of having to climb on top of them. While still not as smooth as a runner simply running over it, this will allow you to travel faster. Be careful though, pouncing into a window frame will stop your movement, so if you do it to attack a host behind it will cause you to stop on the frame. If your target has a shotgun this can end very poorly for you.

== Lurker Evolution ==

Lurkers can only '''Evolve''' into one possible caste, being the Ravager:

* The [[Ravager]] is the ultimate combat form of the [[Runner]]'s evolution tree. While it loses some more speed, it grows into a large and powerful Alien, capable of utterly destroying humans even under fire. Your Pounce will no longer pin tallhosts, instead of knocking them off their feet, allowing you to come in for a devastating blow immediately. Your attacks also gain an increased damage, allowing you to unleash devastating blows. You also gain some resistance to explosive stuns (depending on the strain) and immunity to damage from fire, allowing you to engage into fights that would be ill-advised to even the most seasoned Lurkers.

== Lurker Stats ==
{{XenoSkills
|meleelow=4
|meleehigh=4
|health=5
|plasmaregen=8
|plasma=4
|explosiveresist=2
|speed=8
}}
You can learn more about alien stats [[Xenomorph Stats|here]].

[[Category:Alien Castes]]