Husk

[Jabau]

I've seen some General Discussion threads about people saying they are disappointed/happy with the Husk and what-not, but I couldn't find any Suggestion threads, so I thought I'd make one. Feel free to add to it people.

I'm pretty happy with the Husk as it is, but the one thing I don't like about it's behaviour is the fact that it continues walking closer to the player, whether it can shoot the player or not. I think that seeing how it's a long ranged mob, it should atleast stay still if it's in range and can fire, or possibly even have some sort of "Kiting" strategy, where it walks backwards if the player starts moving closer(I don't mean running, just movement that isn't forward), as if it's trying to stay at max range. That would alteast allow it to take advantage of its range more effectively and provide even more of a challenge(woo?).

Also, I'd probably suggest increasing the Husks stun resistance.

 

[omarfw]

a lot of people were expecting something more powerful then the fleshpound so now they're disappointed.

 

[Kabelis]

Honestly, I like Husk.
Game doesn't need more powerful monsters, it needs variety and unpredictability from the specimen.


For example, Gorefast/Stalker/Scrake/FP are all basically the same "Get close and tear you apart" specimen, the only difference are their models/damage/life (ok, scrakes and FPs have 'enrage'..)

Also stalker is supposed to be invisible, but she really isn't, making her basically identical to gorefast, except not being able to attack-move.
At least clot has a special feature of grabbing the player..

Husk is a great addition and I'd rather see more of them than have them be more powerful, but spawn only few times

 

[Nekomancer]

Yeah, Husk is fine the way it is. Stalker could get buffed a bit regarding visibility of non-Commando Perks. I don't know if it's a bug or not, but i can see the Stalker Shadows on the ground, even if they are invisible. I'm using the circle shadows (blots?), so if i see a moving black circle, i fire at this place and i see a Stalker die.

Scrake and FP are pretty much the same, FP is just stronger. But i think they can stay the way they are.

More variety is always good.

 

[NekoChrissy]

Husks lose their lethality when in enclosed areas or hallways because it's easy to single them out for a quick headshot, but if you're playing on Farm and out in the cornfields ... Husks can be pretty scary when you got everything else nibbling on your ankles.

For example, Gorefast/Stalker/Scrake/FP are all basically the same "Get close and tear you apart" specimen, the only difference are their models/damage/life (ok, scrakes and FPs have 'enrage'..)

Also stalker is supposed to be invisible, but she really isn't, making her basically identical to gorefast, except not being able to attack-move.
At least clot has a special feature of grabbing the player..

You can't really deviate from close combat because if you start giving the specimens guns it'll become ridiculous. Though it is true that the specimens could use some variety. I could see the Stalker being more of an assassination specimen that will utilize it's invisibility to weed out the critical health characters or even being adept at disorientation.

 

[Evilsod]

a lot of people were expecting something more powerful then the fleshpound so now they're disappointed.

So was i, but i'm far from dissapointed. I prefer it this way. A husk in wave 2 Suicidal can be a bigger threat that some new gimmicky final wave foe that is way too overpowered.

 

[Nanostrike]

So was i, but i'm far from dissapointed. I prefer it this way. A husk in wave 2 Suicidal can be a bigger threat that some new gimmicky final wave foe that is way too overpowered.

That's the biggest issue with them: They appear early when you may not have the firepower to down them before they cause a LOT of trouble...

 

[PandaBear1337]

Well this game is suppose to be challenging isn't it? If you're playing suicidal, it's because you're looking for a challenge, thus the Husk is a great addition in my mind. But hey, that's just my way of thinking.

 

[ZeRo_InSaNiTy]

I've seen some General Discussion threads about people saying they are disappointed/happy with the Husk and what-not, but I couldn't find any Suggestion threads, so I thought I'd make one. Feel free to add to it people.

I'm pretty happy with the Husk as it is, but the one thing I don't like about it's behaviour is the fact that it continues walking closer to the player, whether it can shoot the player or not. I think that seeing how it's a long ranged mob, it should atleast stay still if it's in range and can fire, or possibly even have some sort of "Kiting" strategy, where it walks backwards if the player starts moving closer(I don't mean running, just movement that isn't forward), as if it's trying to stay at max range. That would alteast allow it to take advantage of its range more effectively and provide even more of a challenge(woo?).

Also, I'd probably suggest increasing the Husks stun resistance.

Sorry to say but the engine the game is based on almost forces the AI to walk towards you in the most linear path possible not even avoiding things like pipebombs(although they shamble from nades?) So coding the husk to stay at a range would be like coding patriarch to run to the top of offices and snipe you with his chaingun.

 

[nezul]

i have mixed feelings about the husk, its hard to kill, its fire power is nasty, and it is coded to hunt down its target/weakest person. i have to respect it and fear it and i hate it for all the times it got me.

persoally i would of preferd something that damages your vision or ruins your aim on its attack or something, i am really happy that it has a ranged attack though.

 

[Kabelis]

Husks lose their lethality when in enclosed areas or hallways because it's easy to single them out for a quick headshot, but if you're playing on Farm and out in the cornfields ... Husks can be pretty scary when you got everything else nibbling on your ankles.



You can't really deviate from close combat because if you start giving the specimens guns it'll become ridiculous. Though it is true that the specimens could use some variety. I could see the Stalker being more of an assassination specimen that will utilize it's invisibility to weed out the critical health characters or even being adept at disorientation.

I think husk has a nice niche to prevent people from indefinitely kiting in open areas.
I think that different specimen should force players to fight at different areas, for example, husks aren't as good if you are fighting in cramped areas with hallways and can get cover around the corner, while some slow, but extremely tough specimen with splash damage (think bloat with 10x more life) would be a nightmare in close combat if you cannot start damaging them from afar..

This is too much imagination on my part, but it would be cool to go something like "OMG, I hear [insert the name of slow but tough specimen] coming from around the corner, we should fall back to more open field to deal with it"
Let's say, if you are fighting in the 3rd floor of KF-offices, and you hear it coming from around the corner, it would be better to move to more open roof area.

Just some thoughts




Yea, I know it's hard to create too many unique features, but I'd like to see something like you suggested for stalker.
Let's say if stalker "scratches" you with her claws, you start bleeding (taking damage over time) and get slowed until you get healed.
She could also instantly kill you if you have below, let's say, 30% of life (assassination theme).

Obviously, there are more ways to differentiate the specimen, but something along those lines would be fun.

 

[ZomgzoR]

I like the Husk alot, used to find killing floor too easy (lol) on hard, never felt like playing suicidal but now they get a Husk, Makes the game alot more fun to play forcing you to change your strategies a REAL pain in the farm's corn field thingys so yeah because of that im pretty happy with him.

Would like to see somthing stronger than the fleshpound in future updates
without "enrage" tho to make him balanced.

If your finding my post weird, its probably due to bad choice of words, sorry.

 

[Shadow Stalker]

The husk...How i hate that guy especially if none of your team has a sharpshooter with an xbow>.< Their damage is fine(in regards to difficulty setting) but whats scary about them is if u play in the higher difficulties where the mobs are intense, have a husk fire his flaming fireball at your group which disorients your vision and you can't see what your supposed to shoot. In the hate list of specimens, the Husk overtake the siren for me as no.1 in the list. I view the husk as more of a threat in enclose spaces than in wide spaces, because you have your group close together, 1 fireball can disorient all your teams vision, and in higher difficulties, this are a killer. Husk's are a threat if you cant dispatch him quick enough, at least you can wait for the siren to come to medium range before dispatching her with concentrated firepower, but the husk doesn't care about how far his shooting from.

 

[-=AG=- Avery]

Yep Husk actually taking advantage of range needs to be a very important change. Otherwise hes just like the other zeds. NO insta kill stalker that would be too oped it would make the Commando more important but man that would be OPed. I find Husk's easy in general I can kite them on farm (but thats ok because even though I can kite him he still randomly shoots rockets at me which becomes annoying and can deal serious damage with direct hits). If the husk is close in takes 1 mag of medium damage weapon to kill it..

 

[omarfw]

Here's how a i judge the worth of a specimen:

How many times has it managed to kill me?

The husk has gotten me killed many times so far. It's earned its spot in my book.

Now the stalker on the other hand...

 

[Doggy]

edit: I've gotten used to it now, nothing too special.
Hated it first since it felt out of place in such an early wave.

 

[Lukkas]

First post on the boards for me. Been playing since July, but haven't felt like registering to the board.

Just thought I'd point out a few flaws with the way the Husk works. Overall, I really love the zed and I'm happy to have a new ranged creature added to the game.

However, I have noticed his fireballs deal purely fire damage. This means that Firebugs are entirely immune to his attacks. Perhaps that was intentional. (Yeah, I know, he can smack you in the head too, but Firebug is never going to get that close to find out unless he's spastic like me and will try knifing the Husk's head off. More effective than the Flamethrower against him, at least.)

The problem with him dealing purely fire damage is this: Husks cannot blow down doors. Doors are immune to fire damage. If you shut a door in a Husk's face, there's literally nothing he can do about it but sit there and go "pew pew" until you let him in. Welded door or not, he can't enter.

I propose the Husk be upgraded slightly, to deal a certain percentage of his damage as explosive damage, so he's part fire part explosive. Sounds reasonable, and means he should be able to break down doors. Also gives the Demo man a little bit of resistance against the Husk rockets. Win/win, right?

Also, is it just me or is the Husk immune to fire? I exhausted several tanks on the guy and never killed him. I resorted to knifing his head, as I mentioned earlier. Is the Husk-killing achievement even possible?

(editted for clarity)