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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. 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 hivelords resin constructs are also a lot stronger then that of the Queen and Drone which provides more of an incentive to concentrate on reinforcing the hives defences.
The Hivelord, however, trades this ability to shape the Hive with probably one of the weakest combat abilities in the entire Hive. 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.