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[Mech#4]

Ooo, what if it wasn't covert? You could have missions like levelling a building to knock out an alien transmitter, deploy anti-UFO towers in cities around the world and fund fortifications against larger scale alien assaults. Turning cities into fortresses would be a neat angle on the base defence mechanic.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Hmm....you know, EXALT missions take place in supposedly covert conditions. That means there really should be civilians. I bet EXALT could do some interesting things with Chryssalid parts, Meld, and a total disregard for ethics.

I had one EXALT mission in that bombed-out military base map. "Yeah, sure, 'covert op'. That's why all the tanks have massive plasma holes in their sides, and the entire facility is on fire."

Well obviously. Whatever was happening at the awesome party you missed, compared to it your little scuffle with laser cannons and rocket-punching robots is a covert op.

[Jelle]

So I've been thinking. Chryssalids. Love em, but during late game they stop being scary. They need something...more. There should be an Elite Chryssalid. Thoughts? I've mostly only been able to come up with ideas for the Elite Zombie (grows chitinous plates, can cocoon at low health to raise the odds of a successful hatching, can produce a normal Chryssalid even if killed). Unfortunately, I don't have much for the Elite Chryssalid itself. They're insectoid, so...wings? Explosive death?

The other missing niche is Elite Thinmen, but that one is obvious (Snakemen).

Anything but elite thinmen. No god no please no.

How about a chryssalid broodmother. Massive hp and protective armor making her tough to crack, but doesn't move or attack. All she does is sit there and spawn a bunch regular chrysallids every turn. Real hard to advance and take out the source when you've got  constant waves of chrysalids coming your way.

Although I suppose that wouldn't make sense since they reproduce throughs eggs in host but eh, alien genetic engineering.

Hmm....you know, EXALT missions take place in supposedly covert conditions. That means there really should be civilians. I bet EXALT could do some interesting things with Chryssalid parts, Meld, and a total disregard for ethics.

To be fair once you send in a strike team the mission isn't really covert anymore. I guess the covert part is from dispatching of the agent to them getting caught by exalt armed forces.
Actually does the operative ever succeed without getting caught? Always have to send in strike one...

[Sean Mirrsen]

Chryssalids are special in that they seem to be species-hardened (the same chryssalid appears from a shark as does from a human). A cybernetically enhanced "Chryssalid Terror Tank" could be a unit combining the speed and infectivity of a Chryssalid, the armor of a Sectopod, and the melee power of a Berserker. It'd be a nigh-unstoppable melee powerhouse that can smash walls, tear MECs apart with a few strikes, and is immune to poison, mind control, and fire, on top of its regular infectivity bonus. And it could get the Sectopod's little auto-overwatch cannon if you're feeling it's too easy. Of course, it's still a regular Chryssalid in the core - infected people still become regular Chryssalids. But it's a damn sight more effective than a single Chryssalid at tearing into the middle of your squad. About its only weakness would be the final level MEC's shock weapon.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Hmm....you know, EXALT missions take place in supposedly covert conditions. That means there really should be civilians. I bet EXALT could do some interesting things with Chryssalid parts, Meld, and a total disregard for ethics.

Indeed.

Hmm....you know, EXALT missions take place in supposedly covert conditions. That means there really should be civilians. I bet EXALT could do some interesting things with Chryssalid parts, Meld, and a total disregard for ethics.

I had one EXALT mission in that bombed-out military base map. "Yeah, sure, 'covert op'. That's why all the tanks have massive plasma holes in their sides, and the entire facility is on fire."

"I didn't say it stayed covert once I was ready for takeoff. I kinda blew my cover when I found that bastard who killed Rogers and shot him..."

Chryssalids are special in that they seem to be species-hardened (the same chryssalid appears from a shark as does from a human). A cybernetically enhanced "Chryssalid Terror Tank" could be a unit combining the speed and infectivity of a Chryssalid, the armor of a Sectopod, and the melee power of a Berserker. It'd be a nigh-unstoppable melee powerhouse that can smash walls, tear MECs apart with a few strikes, and is immune to poison, mind control, and fire, on top of its regular infectivity bonus. And it could get the Sectopod's little auto-overwatch cannon if you're feeling it's too easy. Of course, it's still a regular Chryssalid in the core - infected people still become regular Chryssalids. But it's a damn sight more effective than a single Chryssalid at tearing into the middle of your squad. About its only weakness would be the final level MEC's shock weapon.

Good lord. Why do you all hate your squads.

[Sergius]

So I've been thinking. Chryssalids. Love em, but during late game they stop being scary. They need something...more. There should be an Elite Chryssalid. Thoughts? I've mostly only been able to come up with ideas for the Elite Zombie (grows chitinous plates, can cocoon at low health to raise the odds of a successful hatching, can produce a normal Chryssalid even if killed). Unfortunately, I don't have much for the Elite Chryssalid itself. They're insectoid, so...wings? Explosive death?

The other missing niche is Elite Thinmen, but that one is obvious (Snakemen).

A Chrysallid unit that drives in a tank, and infects your shivs with little tank eggs.

Cyber cryssalids?

Chryssalid + Floater = ♥

Though you'd have to make it able to move again after flying. 

That's pretty much what they did in Terror from the Deep. It kinda worked.

[GreatWyrmGold]

A Chrysallid unit that drives in a tank, and infects your shivs with little tank eggs.

That's just silly.

[forsaken1111]

A Chrysallid unit that drives in a tank, and infects your shivs with little tank eggs.

That's just silly.

Any more silly than sentient slime in diving suits?

[Furtuka]

It would have been neat for the Reapers to have been included. I just love those fuzzy cyborg T-Rexs. They probably could have made them more unique by playing around with their enhancements somehow

[Sirus]

If you want chryssalids to be more dangerous, just give their movement range and damage a large buff and give them that perk which allows them to dodge the first overwatch shot automatically.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

A Chrysallid unit that drives in a tank, and infects your shivs with little tank eggs.

That's just silly.

Any more silly than sentient slime in diving suits?

Don't underestimate slimes. They're tricky fuckers.

[GreatWyrmGold]

If you want chryssalids to be more dangerous, just give their movement range and damage a large buff and give them that perk which allows them to dodge the first overwatch shot automatically.

Oh god.

Or, just give them stealth, Thin Man jumping, and maybe wall-crawling and/or -smashing. Then have them attack in large packs.
Maybe make them a bit frailer, though.

[WillowLuman]

They can already jump like thinmen. A sniper on a ladderless roof is not safe...

[umiman]

The only problem Chryssalids have in the lategame isn't their damage, but their range. Melee range means they're not a threat at all.

So all you have to do is overcome the range problem.

So you could fuck over players by doing things like:

1. Chryssalids in the late game start out burrowed underground or hidden inside stage props like cars and trash bins. Any XCOM soldier that walks by gets om-nom-nomed.

2. Chryssalids can jump at XCOM operatives from 6 tiles away. This will incapacitate the XCOM soldier that's been jumped onto until the soldier dies or the Chryssalid is shot off.

[WillowLuman]

It could be more simply solved by effective placement of chryssalids. Hiding them around tight corners, doorways, etc. This way you don't spot them out in the open, but at the same time don't guarantee death just for finding them.

And like you say, damage isn't a problem with balancing chryssalids, because they kill fleshy targets instantly.