[READY] Hulk smash

[kevingranade]

After the 100% armor coverage fix, I noticed that the Zombie Hulk and Brute are completely unable to damage a player wearing power armor. This addresses that problem by giving them a smash/fling attack that not only does the requisite damage, but also will fling the player through windows, doors, walls, vehicles, trees.... well pretty much anything that gets in the way.

[KA101]

No dodge chance? Even the jabberwock and bio-operator can be dodged or countered.

[kevingranade]

Good point, a dodge is perfectly reasonable.

[KA101]

Thanks. Since this is calibrated to get through the heavy tanksuit, folks not so well-protected might want that extra save available. ;-)

[Lain-]

Nice! Looking forward to being flung throught the wall by a hulk :)

[Barhandar]

It's calibrated to get through a 169-bash-protection of a heavy power armor? Please tell me the smash is only used if zombie got REALLY ANGRY (high damage received/low damage delivered to player).

[Lain-]

I think a part of this is to disencourage people in full armor from casually melee brutes/hulks to death. VS those things the approach should be (powerful) ranged weapons, explosive and IF you gonna melee, you must rely more on MA with dodge and speed instead of raw armor value.

[Shoes01]

Yeah, getting bashed still transfers energy to the player inside the suit. You could think of adding a "concussed" or such state to the player after being bashed, regardless of armor, that lowers various stats. Isn't that why war hammers started being used when armor became too effective vs swords?

[Barhandar]

Yeah, getting bashed still transfers energy to the player inside the suit. You could think of adding a "concussed" or such state to the player after being bashed, regardless of armor, that lowers various stats. Isn't that why war hammers started being used when armor became too effective vs swords?

Wrong war hammer you're thinking off. But you're partially right - they got more use against plate because they bashed said plate in and through easily (though often getting stuck in the process) and damaged person within.
(For war hammer, think 'combat pickaxe', not 'combat hammer'. It's a breaching device, not boinking one.)

[kevingranade]

Just like with that other hulk, "they're always angry". It is however
rate limited, though It could probably stand to be made a little more
infrequent. Right now if a hulk smashes you the cool down has passed by
the time it walks over to attack you again.
I forgot to test this, parkour drops the damage from being flung as well.

[Barhandar]

Just like with that other hulk, "they're always angry". It is however rate limited, though It could probably stand to be made a little more infrequent. Right now if a hulk smashes you the cool down has passed by the time it walks over to attack you again.

So you can be stunlocked by the hulk? While I do appreciate danger of certain tactics, automatic failure is kinda frustrating for players - same way as with shocker chainstuns.

[bug-sniper]

It would be more interesting if it has a chance to toss the player far away, where he might be able to run away or use a vehicle to get away. Or if it has a chance of pushing vehicles offcourse.

[kevingranade]

Planning on adding the vehicle pushing seperately. And yes increasing the
cooldown is precisely to avoid stunlock.
Flinging the player far enough to get them away from the hulk is pretty
unreasonable, it would either be instant death for anyone not wearing power
armor, or require nerfing the damage from being thrown to a ridiculous
degree.
I thought of something, in addition to the ability cooldown, if I make the
special attack simply use a lot of move points, it would give the player a
bit of a chance to get away, and might even make hulk encounters less
lethal if you can turn it to your advantage.

[jcd000]

"if I make the special attack simply use a lot of move points, it would give the player a bit of a chance to get away, and might even make hulk encounters less lethal if you can turn it to your advantage."

yes please. more tactics to gameplay.

[kevingranade]

I forgot to increase the cooldown, it should be at least doubled for the
hulk, brobably increased by 50% or so with the brute.
Increasing the move cost of the attack doesn't accomplish much, the pain
you get from the attacks is the main thing contributing to stunlock.
I'll take a look at what's going on there.
One tactic I thought of is to have the hulk fling cars, furniture, and
monsters as well, and have those reset the special timer too. That way if
you lead the hulk through intervening stuff you can dart in after the
cooldown and do some damage.

[kevingranade]

Fixed a bug where pain was being inflicted despite the damage it brings being negated by armor. I decided to go with taking the average of the pre and post armor damage levels, so you still take some damage through the armor, but not all of it. I think this is good to go for now,

[KA101]

I'm gonna merge this, but I'd like to ask for a recheck on whether it's a grab-and-throw or a punch For Massive Knockback. I've heard/seen both rationales and I'd like to get that solidified.

(Currently it's the latter. In that case, Toad Style could make an opposed Unarmed v. Hulk roll to no-sell it once we get it overhauled to proper spec. Grab-and-throw might allow Judo to squirm out in time. Neither is an immediate priority.)

[kevingranade]

Considering the lack of mental faculties of the hulk and brute, I'm going
with 'shove'.

[KA101]

OK, thanks.