Hivelord: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:13, 19 July 2017

XENOMORPH - TIER 2

Hivelord

Evolves From: Drone
Evolves To: N/A
Role: Shape the Hive to your will with a massive plasma reserve. Become one with weeds and sprint around weeded terrain like a Runner. Create tunnels to bypass harsh terrain. Use pheromones to assist fellow Xenomorphs. Use your strong acid to quickly melt into places.
Guides: Hivelord Guide, My Badass Hive Guide, Guide to Hive Building, Guide to Pheromones

General Information

The Hivelord, as its name implies, is the workhorse of the Hive. Where Drones would be the humble workers, the Hivelord is capable of moving mountains, more or less literally. Enjoying an increased plasma reserve and a greatly increased plasma regeneration, it can build far more, far more often, far more efficiently, capable of easily creating a whole new Hive chamber where a Drone might have to take multiple breaks to recharge its plasma.

The Hivelord, however, trades this ability to shape the Hive with probably one of the weakest combat abilities in the entire Hive, notwithstanding Larvas. It has a small health pool, a very weak attack, and a sluggish speed when caught off weeds. This all compounds into making the Hivelord a big, obvious target, meaning that any badly planned adventure out of the Hive, much less near Marine positions, will end very poorly.

Luckily, the Hivelord is not just a better Drone, and enjoys new, powerful abilities. Like the Drone, it has access to its trusty Pheromones, but it can also Dig Tunnels, allowing it to transport castes from one end of the colony to another seamlessly. For its own uses, he also has access to the Resin Walker ability, allowing it to become one with the weeds and get a speed boost that would almost rival a Hunter as long as it walks the weeds.

Playing as a Hivelord

As a Hivelord, the vast majority of your time will be spent away from the frontlines, building up the Hives that your sisters will soon use as defensive positions or forward nests. It is highly recommended to not step up into direct combat with tallhosts, even if assisted by stronger sisters, as you will probably take a major thrashing without much use and might even get killed on the spot. The Hivelord can however afford to stay in combat on terrain it controls, fully weeded and built up with resin to allow it to easily get out of dangerous encounters and use its Resin Walker ability to rapidly change positions.

Tunnels are perhaps your strongest ability, being unique to you to start with. Tunnels are an upgrade to potential existing vent networks, allowing all Xenomorphs to move from one point of the colony to another stealthily and near instantly, as long as neither entrance was found. It is highly recommended you conceal your tunnel as much as possible to prevent an ambush, preferably using natural cover and trying to plant them in rarely visited and remote parts of the colony. All that matters for the efficiency of a tunnel is that the Xenomorphs using it appear behind enemy lines, they don't have to be ten steps away from the main enemy position.

To dig a tunnel, you simply need to dig out both entrances in a row and they will connect. Tunnels must be dug on natural terrain, artificial flooring and water will prevent you from digging new entrances. As such, you will probably dig them either at the foot of rarely visited structures, or far away into the wilderness. You would do well to remind your Xenomorphs of when tunnels are ready to use and where they lead.

Resin Walker should always be enabled when possible. While it will draw into your plasma regeneration, it is already massive enough to not be an issue. In exchange, you will gain a massive speed boost, allowing you to get around quickly as long as you stick to weeds. Of course, if the path you need to take does not have said weeds, you might want to expand your garden a little bit.

Hivelord Tactics

Hivelords can use their massive plasma reserve and impressive plasma regeneration to build rapidly, and since they are not burdened by the need to lay eggs like the Queen, they can afford to do so as much as they need. Never stop planting until it's all weeded, and never stop building until the tallhosts are defeated.

Make sure to study your Hive Building theory. Knowing all the resin structures you can build and their uses in and out is a must, not a plus, as a Hivelord. A Hivelord that cannot build proper Hives is a waste of a Tier 2 slot.

Tunnel Entrances are best built in a central "Hub" room of the Hive, generally in a five by five square, with entrances planned relative to their position in the colony. For example, that tunnel you made in the deep south east edge of the colony would go on the bottom right square, and that forward Hive right in front of the main Hive would go on the top center square. This way, you can easily let your fellow sisters know where your tunnels lead.

Should your tunnels be discovered, they might be destroyed, but it is also likely that Marines will camp at the exit in the hopes of killing helpless sisters going through to do their business. If you are made aware of Marines camping at one of your tunnel exits, immediately inform the Hive and tell them what tunnel they should be looking for.

In combat, you should always be in the back line, fortifying and repairing damage while your sisters bring the fight to the tallhosts. In siege, you can afford to be the frontline as you build and rebuild your main line of resin walls, but if you get shot you should fall back quickly. Despite your size, you are no tank and bullets will rapidly tear through your delicate chitin.

If ever you are caught on direct combat, emit Frenzy pheromones, stick to weeds, and use your resin structures as cover. Running should however always stay a solid option, a single mistake can cost you your life.

Hivelord Evolution and Upgrades

Hivelords Upgrades, much like the Drone's upgrades, focus on making him better in general, along with making his plasma reserve and regeneration even better. An upgraded Hivelord is worth multiple Drones and will be of great help to a growing Hive. Quality is highly preferred over Quantity, since multiple Hivelords are usually a very risky strategy for a Hive, and likewise Drones do not scale too well in number.

Hivelords can not Evolve any further, as there is no Tier 3 castes available in the Drone succession.

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 |evolves_to = N/A
 |role = Shape the Hive to your will with a massive plasma reserve. Become one with weeds and sprint around weeded terrain like a Runner. Create tunnels to bypass harsh terrain. Use pheromones to assist fellow Xenomorphs. Use your strong acid to quickly melt into places.
-|guides = [http://www.colonial-marines.com/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=4560 Hivelord Guide], [http://www.colonial-marines.com/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=7675 My Badass Hive Guide]
+|guides = [http://www.colonial-marines.com/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=4560 Hivelord Guide], [http://www.colonial-marines.com/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=7675 My Badass Hive Guide], [[Hives|Guide to Hive Building]], [[Pheromones|Guide to Pheromones]]
 }}
-====Playing a Hivelord====
-----
-The role of a Hivelord is nearly identical to that of a [[Drone]]. However, the Hivelord benefits from an increased Plasma cap, greatly increased Plasma regeneration, and a new unique ability, <code>Dig-Tunnel</code>. Unfortunately, these benefits are offset by an increase in size and a lumbering decrease in movement speed.
-<br><br>
-The Hivelord caste is a useless waste of space if they're not played properly.  If played well, they give the Xeno team an incredible advantage in offense and defense. Understand that you are a force multiplier. You make the existing Xenos say, twice as strong. The problem is, 2 times 0 is still 0. If the Xenos you're supporting are incompetent, you won't be able to help the Hive as much as playing a more combat oriented caste.
-<br><br>
-A Hive does not need more than one Hivelord who knows what they are doing. Every other Drone is more effective evolved into a [[Carrier]], a caste that is absolutely fantastic at all stages of the game. Good Carriers give marines nightmares, but even bad Carriers will destroy a few helmets and soften up a squad of marines. The Hive might only need two Hivelords if it has 30 Xenos who don't know how to transfer plasma effectively. Once a tunnel network is up, the first Hivelord's utility goes down significantly. The Hivelord is better in defense than attack. Two Hivelords should really only happen if the first doesn't know what to do.
-<br><br>
-The Hivelord's goals are:
-# Build effective tunnels
+==== General Information ====
-# Build an effective Hive
-# Build supporting defenses in combat and use pheremones correctly
-<br><br>
-=====Building Tunnels=====
+The Hivelord, as its name implies, is the workhorse of the Hive. Where [[Drone]]s would be the humble workers, the Hivelord is capable of moving mountains, more or less literally. Enjoying an increased plasma reserve and a greatly increased plasma regeneration, it can build far more, far more often, far more efficiently, capable of easily creating a whole new Hive chamber where a Drone might have to take multiple breaks to recharge its plasma.
-----
-The primary purpose of a Hivelord is building a good tunnel network. This is almost certainly the most important ability of the Hivelord and can drastically change the course of a round. Any [[Drone]] can build the Hive. Drones also have acid to melt walls and weapons. A Hivelord who doesn't tunnel is just a slow, fat Drone with no acid.
-<br><br>
-Xenos never need anything resembling a "forward base" if they have good tunnels. Anything outside the caves can be hit with an orbital barrage, which is a good way to lose a lot of eggs, hosts, and your [[Queen]] in a single attack. Tunnels allow the Aliens to completely control movement on the planet and removes the need for the Queen and others to risk themselves establishing a forward base. Marines can't use the tunnels and all Aliens can move through tunnels straight back to the Hive. Instead, build deep in the caves and use tunnels for mobility. This gives you the best of both worlds. You have a lot of space to build the Hive out to frustrate any attacks and your most critical areas are immune to orbital barrage.
-<br><br>
-To dig a tunnel, choose a spot and use the <code>Dig-Tunnel</code> ability. This takes a bit of time, so be safe. Consider taking an escort with you. Even a tier 1 [[Runner]] is enough to distract Marines so you can escape. The first hole is useless without a second hole. Go to a spot where you want the other end of this tunnel and use <code>Dig-Tunnel</code> again. These two holes are automatically considered connected and can be used right away. A Hivelord can and should pre-build an entrance before they leave the Hive to place an exit, so they can use the newly built tunnel to travel back. Also, smaller Xenos go through tunnels much faster than bigger Xenos.
-<br><br>
-Tunnels must be dug on natural terrain, not inside domes or other buildings. The best place to put tunnel entrances is deep in the Hive and next to other tunnels. Consider creating a room in the Hive dedicated to most or all of your tunnel entrances and an arrangement that makes sense. Perhaps a 3x3 to 5x5 area, where the location of the tunnel entrance indicates where it exits. (As examples, a tunnel entrance in the top right of the tunnel room might exit in the far northeast corner of the map. A tunnel entrance in the bottom right of the tunnel room might exit close to LZ1.)
-<br><br>
-The best tunnel exits vary. Place exits in areas with minimal marine foot traffic and at least a full screen away from any fighting. Along the edge of the map tends to be good because there are plenty of areas to break line of sight. Coordinate with offensive castes to see where the fighting is, and drop a tunnel nearby. '''Under no circumstances should a tunnel exit be out in the open!''' This will just lead to xenos being killed.
-<br><br>
-When you build a tunnel, announce it in the Hivemind and specify the entrance and exit very clearly.
-<br><br>
-=====Hive Building=====
-----
-To understand what a good Hive looks like, let us first discuss the properties of a bad hive:
-# Stacked doors - These provide minimal cover from bullets and slow down any Xeno passing through. Any Xeno under fire will almost certainly die if they need to pass through 2 or 3 doors. Don't do this.
+The Hivelord, however, trades this ability to shape the Hive with probably one of the weakest combat abilities in the entire Hive, notwithstanding [[Larva]]s. It has a small health pool, a very weak attack, and a sluggish speed when caught off weeds. This all compounds into making the Hivelord a big, obvious target, meaning that any badly planned adventure out of the Hive, much less near Marine positions, will end very poorly.
-# Large open spaces - Marines are faster on foot than Xenos and have the advantage of powerful ranged attacks. Any large open spaces play heavily to their strengths and your weaknesses. Consider making no room larger than a queen's screech. If there are wide open spaces, break them up with a wall. Even a 2-3 tile wall will provide some cover and break line of sight in an emergency. Come back and fill it in later.
-# Eggs/hosts close to the cave exit (or worse, outside the caves) - Put these as deep as possible. It's harder on Xenos to drag infected hosts deep into the Hive, but resist the temptation to build nests outside of a deep, well-protected Hive.
-<br><br>
-There can be multiple general strategies when it comes to hive building, each with their pros and cons. Generally speaking, the more walls and distance that marines need to cover, the more time you have to coordinate a defense/counterattack:
-* Build a maze like Hive that will have marines getting lost and struggling to find areas of value.
+Luckily, the Hivelord is not just a better Drone, and enjoys new, powerful abilities. Like the Drone, it has access to its trusty [[Pheromones]], but it can also '''Dig Tunnels''', allowing it to transport castes from one end of the colony to another seamlessly. For its own uses, he also has access to the '''Resin Walker''' ability, allowing it to become one with the weeds and get a speed boost that would almost rival a [[Hunter]] as long as it walks the weeds.
-PRO: Effective in misleading marines, sometimes all the way past the Hive; May be very efficient with plasma use
-CON: If robust marines are confused, Xeno players may also be confused and may struggle to drag hosts to nests
-* Have a series of small rooms filled with sticky resin
-PRO: Easy to navigate for Xenos; Marines hate fighting through sticky resin
-CON: Very expensive use of plasma, time consuming to set up
-<br><br>
-====Pheromones====
-Pheromones scale based on what caste and upgrade tier is emitting them, aka a tier 2 xenomorph emitting pheromones will have a stronger pheromone effect then a tier 1 emitting them and as such the strongest will be used instead. If a Xeno is injured, use recovery. Also use recovery to keep the pressure up if there's a skirmish. If there's a big push or fighting on grass, use Warding. Frenzy may be most useful during an attack, trying to contain escaped hosts, or moving around the map with high plasma. '''Note that pheromones do not stack.'''
-{| class="wikitable"
+==== Playing as a Hivelord ====
-! style="background:#C075C7" width=150|Pheromone:
-! style="background:#C075C7" |Description:
-|-
-![[File:Recovery_Pheromone.png|64px]]<br>Recovery
-|Increases heath regeneration, plasma regeneration on weeds, reduces stun times of affected Xenos.
-|-
-![[File:Warding_Pheromone.png|64px]]<br>Warding
-|Grants armour and damage reduction, can also slow and even prevent crit bleedout for Xenos.
-|-
-![[File:Frenzy_Pheromone.png|64px]]<br>Frenzy
-|Increases movement speed, damage, and tackle chance.
-|}
-<br><br>
-====Resin Walker====
+As a Hivelord, the vast majority of your time will be spent away from the frontlines, building up the Hives that your sisters will soon use as defensive positions or forward nests. It is highly recommended to not step up into direct combat with tallhosts, even if assisted by stronger sisters, as you will probably take a major thrashing without much use and might even get killed on the spot. The Hivelord can however afford to stay in combat on terrain it controls, fully weeded and built up with resin to allow it to easily get out of dangerous encounters and use its '''Resin Walker''' ability to rapidly change positions.
-----
-Resin walker is an amazing ability that should be toggled on and off frequently. For long distance travel, frenzy and resin walker will make you hunter speed. A mature Hivelord can sustain frenzy and resin walker indefinitely.
-<br><br>
-====Hivelord Tips====
+Tunnels are perhaps your strongest ability, being unique to you to start with. Tunnels are an upgrade to potential existing vent networks, allowing all Xenomorphs to move from one point of the colony to another stealthily and near instantly, as long as neither entrance was found. It is highly recommended you conceal your tunnel as much as possible to prevent an ambush, preferably using natural cover and trying to plant them in rarely visited and remote parts of the colony. All that matters for the efficiency of a tunnel is that the Xenomorphs using it appear behind enemy lines, they don't have to be ten steps away from the main enemy position.
-----
-* A Hivelord creates structures faster than a [[Drone]] due to its higher Plasma regeneration. Use this to fortify the Hive, build nests, and cover the floors in sticky resin.
-* Build [[Hives]] with narrow corridors and small rooms. The Marines are fast and have powerful ranged weapons, so force them to fight on your terms. Covering the floors of these areas with sticky resin further adds to your advantage.
+To dig a tunnel, you simply need to dig out both entrances in a row and they will connect. Tunnels must be dug on natural terrain, artificial flooring and water will prevent you from digging new entrances. As such, you will probably dig them either at the foot of rarely visited structures, or far away into the wilderness. You would do well to remind your Xenomorphs of when tunnels are ready to use and where they lead.
-* Nests are frequently built in a checkerboard fashion. Place a single door, and put four nests adjacent to it. (Above, Below, Left & Right). Then, surround those nests with doors. This allows [[Sentinel]] castes to guard all four nests when standing in that initial door.
+'''Resin Walker''' should always be enabled when possible. While it will draw into your plasma regeneration, it is already massive enough to not be an issue. In exchange, you will gain a massive speed boost, allowing you to get around quickly as long as you stick to weeds. Of course, if the path you need to take does not have said weeds, you might want to expand your garden a little bit.
-* When the assault begins, tag along at a distance unless you are needed to guard hosts. You are not a front line fighter. You will likely be needed to plant weeds, build defenses, secrete pheromones, and share Plasma. Try to be on the second row, building weeds and nests to support the advance. You can move up and around to build short, useful walls for cover.
+====Hivelord Tactics====
-<br><br>
-====Sources and Reading====
-----
-[http://www.colonial-marines.com/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=4560 Hivelord Guide]
-[http://www.colonial-marines.com/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=7675 My Badass Hive Guide]
+* Hivelords can use their massive plasma reserve and impressive plasma regeneration to build rapidly, and since they are not burdened by the need to lay eggs like the [[Queen]], they can afford to do so as much as they need. Never stop planting until it's all weeded, and never stop building until the tallhosts are defeated.
+* Make sure to study your [[Hives|Hive Building theory]]. Knowing all the resin structures you can build and their uses in and out is a must, not a plus, as a Hivelord. A Hivelord that cannot build proper Hives is a waste of a Tier 2 slot.
+* Tunnel Entrances are best built in a central ''"Hub"'' room of the Hive, generally in a five by five square, with entrances planned relative to their position in the colony. For example, that tunnel you made in the deep south east edge of the colony would go on the bottom right square, and that forward Hive right in front of the main Hive would go on the top center square. This way, you can easily let your fellow sisters know where your tunnels lead.
+* Should your tunnels be discovered, they might be destroyed, but it is also likely that Marines will camp at the exit in the hopes of killing helpless sisters going through to do their business. If you are made aware of Marines camping at one of your tunnel exits, immediately inform the Hive and tell them what tunnel they should be looking for.
+* In combat, you should always be in the back line, fortifying and repairing damage while your sisters bring the fight to the tallhosts. In siege, you can afford to be the frontline as you build and rebuild your main line of resin walls, but if you get shot you should fall back quickly. Despite your size, you are no tank and bullets will rapidly tear through your delicate chitin.
+* If ever you are caught on direct combat, emit Frenzy pheromones, stick to weeds, and use your resin structures as cover. Running should however always stay a solid option, a single mistake can cost you your life.
+==== Hivelord Evolution and Upgrades ====
+Hivelords '''Upgrades''', much like the Drone's upgrades, focus on making him better in general, along with making his plasma reserve and regeneration even better. An upgraded Hivelord is worth multiple Drones and will be of great help to a growing Hive. Quality is highly preferred over Quantity, since multiple Hivelords are usually a very risky strategy for a Hive, and likewise Drones do not scale too well in number.
+Hivelords can not '''Evolve''' any further, as there is no Tier 3 castes available in the Drone succession.