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Evolves From: Larva Evolves To: Spitter Role: Guard the nests until hosts mature. Provide ranged support in combat by stunning foes from afar. Use your acid to help the Hive break into places. Guides: The Guardian Caste Guide |
General Information
The Sentinel is a relatively fragile caste, not able to engage in direct combat due to its low durability and low damage. However, this is completely made up for with a massive advantage compared to other melee castes. Sentinels can Spit Neurotoxin, giving them a ranged attack that will disable any human hit by it. This, coupled with their surprising speed and their large plasma reserve, makes them an excellent support caste both inside and outside of combat.
As its name implies, the Sentinel's main job is guarding the Hive, and more precisely the nests. While the Hive at large is usually so important that every single Xenomorph will go on guarding duty when it is being attacked, the skills of all other castes would be wasted sitting next to a nest watching over hosts. However, its skill set is perfect to guard hosts, with its speed, tackle and spit all tools to restrain hosts trying to escape.
It should also be noted that Sentinels have access to a corrosive spit they can use to melt structures. While Sentinel acid is agonizingly long to act, it will eventually melt through. However, as it cannot deploy weeds for itself, it are dependent on its local Drone for massive melting projects.
Playing as a Sentinel
The Sentinel's Neurotoxin Spit is perhaps its single greatest strength, and while often underestimated can easily disable targets without putting yourself in much risk. If you ever find yourself in a dangerous fight, a single well placed glob of Neurotoxin can allow you to immediately disengage while your target recovers. Of course, if you have some support, a stunned target is a trivial target for even the most ill-suited castes.
Your speed and your personal plasma reserve actually makes you a great flanking class, much like the Runner. While your spit is more expensive to use than a Pounce, it can be used to straight up murder any single Marine you catch if you are lucky and your globs all hit. Of course, if you get in a sticky situation, you can spray neurotoxin in the general direction of your pursuers to make your escape easier. Then again, your very presence will make most people think twice before pursuing.
Never forget your corrosive acid. Whereas Runners might be blocked by a walled-off area, you can simply douse it in acid and come back later when it finally melts down. In the meantime, you can recharge at weeds, maybe find more things to melt. Just be careful not to waste all your plasma, not having enough plasma to spit can go wrong extremely quickly.
If you want to help directly in the fight, try to find a small flank and stun people. You don't ever have to hit them, every single person down on the floor is not firing at your sisters. Do it enough, and you might goad the Marines into falling back in despair. Just be careful not to get lit up in a position where you can't be saved. If you can shoot them, so can they.
Abilities
Sentinel Tactics
- Sentinels make wonderful ambush partners. You can easily stunlock a particular target while your buddy has a field day on their poor body. If you feel less vindictive, you can also try to go for an infection.
- Neurotoxin Spit is extremely convenient to cool down escaping hosts. Whereas tackles are not reliable and put you at risk of a point blank buckshot blast or rifle burst, spits can be delivered at comfortable ranges and are more likely to hit. If they don't, just duck and cover. You can also use the Tackle and the Spit as a double dip to try and immediately stun hosts that just left their nest, so you can buckle them back up immediately.
- Don't get too cocky with your neurotoxin stuns. Running in to slash someone you stunned might expose you to offscreen Marines who spotted their teammate going down and are coming in to rescue. If your reflexes are not on point, you might take a full burst and end up in a bad shape.
- Do not pressure yourself to fight as a Young Sentinel. You can be useful to the Hive and evolve in the safety of your nest. All you need to do is guard nested hosts.
- Do not underestimate the ability of the Neurotoxin Spit to immediately down a serious threat, just don't rely on it too much as it can always miss. A buckshot Marine suddenly rounding the corner, a M5 RPG Specialist suddenly appearing from off-screen, launcher up on the shoulder, a SMG Marine rushing in. A single spit can make or break it, and turn their rush into a miserable failure.
- As a fast ambushing caste, you can fight dirty to harass Marines. Run up to them and stun them, and then melt their gun. This requires you to be a bit nimble, but if pulled off correctly you've just set someone's fighting tool to self destruct in a few minutes. If you manage to hit a unique gun like a Flamethrower or Specialist gear, expect many manly tears to be shed.
- Of course, you also are the best caste to melt flares. You can move in fast, melt it, and leave before the hail of bullets smashes into you. It is usually a good idea to inch forward and back first to make sure someone doesn't have their sights on it already.
Sentinel Evolution and Upgrades
Sentinel Upgrades are mostly focused on making them an even better fighter. They become faster, stronger, hit harder with their claws, store and regenerate more plasma. All you could desire, but perhaps the pinnacle is that it also improves your spit. While its effect will always be the same, you will now be able to fire much faster and the range of the spit will increase. Some say upgrading as a Sentinel is a waste, but an Ancient Sentinel can easily prove them wrong. Spitting like a machine gun will send most smart humans way back.
Sentinels can Evolve into the Spitter. The Spitter is slower, but it gains more health and a new, extremely powerful ability to spit corrosive acid, allowing them to dish out regular damage from afar. Their corrosive acid also becomes stronger in general, allowing them to melt through defenses faster.