One neat idea for merc to be released after the beta, is to have them all be themed somehow.
Here’s my ideas for a set of mercs themed by their use of robotic/exoskeletal equipment.
Assault
Codename: GEMINI
Mini-Bio: Robotics prodigy turned mercenary when his research funding was cut following the London dirty bomb incident.
Appearance: British male wearing a simple, casual, outfit underneath straps and belts that hold his exo-suit.
The suit itself runs on the outer sides of his arms and legs, with a pair of small manipulators acting as an extra pair of arms extending from the lower back.
Health: 120
Speed: 410(Sawbones/Fletcher)
Primaries: Timik-47/M4A1/Crotzni
Secondaries: Tolen/Empire/MP 400
Ability: Akimbo
GEMINI uses his exo-suit to enhance his strength to the point where he can comfortably wield two copies of his ranged weapons with NO penalties, other than the inability to aim down sights. This can be toggled on or off with the ability key. While active, fires the left weapon, fires the right one.
Combat-Role: Lighter version of the fire suppression offered by Rhino. Pure ‘Rambo’ character.
Other: The passive benefits to his strength and speed the suit provides are nodded towards with the additional 10hp he gets over other characters of same speed.
Instead of a standard reloading animation, GEMINI lowers his weapons to a position where the extra arms can reload them for him.
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Engineer
Codename: KANGA
Mini-Bio: Technician who lost her legs years prior, having joined a mercenary operation that went horribly wrong as a civilian replacement for the group’s usual Engineer.
Appearance: Australian female wearing a custom sleeveless body vest, integrated with a mechanical corset, that further interfaces with a pair of robotic legs.
Carries a small robot in a pouch located at her stomach.
Health: 80
Speed: 450(Proxy)
Primaries: Kek-10/SMG-9/Hockfir SMG
Secondaries: M9/Caulden/Selbstadt
Ability: R.O.O.
Rather than the passive ability to complete the objectives faster, KANGA is equipped with a R.O.O. device.
Robotic Override Option is a throwable robot that will attempt to arm itself as a C4 explosive or begin repairing valid devices near it’s deployment location.
In addition to the usual auditory cues those actions produce, the robot also emits a gentle glow.
Deployed in an invalid location, it becomes a weak proximity explosive, or it can be reclaimed.
Only one can be active at a time, and it have a moderate cooldown if not reclaimed.
Passive: Jump-Servos
KANGA never incurs movement penalties as a result of excessive jumping.
Combat-Role: Ultra-Fast objective ‘ninja’, capable of completing tasks behind enemy backs.
Other: Special quotes around VOLT, who designed the corset she uses to control her robotic legs.
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Fire Support
Codename: MORTIER
Mini-Bio: Soldier of fortune who got his hands on an experimental piece of equipment.
Appearance: French male of muscular build. In addition to a compliment of tactical body armor, he wears an exo-suit with additional protective plating around his limbs.
Health: 140
Speed: 385(Fragger)
Primaries: Dreiss AR/M4A1/Timik-47
Secondaries: Simeon .357/Caulden/DE .50
Ability: Mortar
With the <Skill 1> key, the personal-mortar located at the back of the exo-suit can be fired at a high angle, targeting the desired location. Integrated targeting computer disables this function underneath a roof or other obstacle.
With the <Skill 2> key, the personal-mortar located at the back of the exo-suit can be fired straight ahead at lower velocity, much like throwing the airstrike marker, causing an explosion seconds later. In this mode, the damage is much lower and the grenade can be thrown back at the user by an appropriately skilled merc.
Carries one charge at a moderate cooldown.
Passive: Ammo Dock
Restores one reload worth of ammo every few seconds, twice as often to allies within a short range.
Combat-Role: A wild mixture of Fragger, Arty and Kira.
Other: N/A
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Medic
Codename: VOLT
Mini-Bio: An electro-stimulation and neurology specialist who tested much of his research on himself, in an attempt to restore his partially paralyzed body to full function.
Appearance: Swedish male with a visible stiffness on the left side of his face. A standard field medic uniform is complimented by mechanical reinforcements encasing his left leg and arm.
Health: 100
Speed: 420(Nader)
Primaries: Bishlok/SMG-9/Crotzni
Secondaries: Simeon .357/Caulden/Selbstadt
Ability: Enhanced Defibrillator
Replacing the standard compliment of medical tools, VOLT uses a specially calibrated defibrillator unit that dose not require a charge period to revive allies at full health, and can be used on live ones to kick-start and hasten their standard health recovery.
The strain it’s use puts on the battery results in a limited amount of safe discharges.
Combat-Role: Emergency rescue, offering a more up close version of Spark’s “surprise revive”.
Other: Special quotes around KANGA, who uses a corset of his design to control her legs.
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Scout/Sniper
Codename: PANZER
Mini-Bio: Veteran soldier specialized in neutralizing armored vehicles.
Appearance: German woman with gray streaks in her hair. Uses a load bearing exo-skeleton that encases her legs to carry around a massive rifle, folded at her back.
Health: 100
Speed: 410(Skyhammer)
Primaries: FEL-IX/MoA SNPR-1/PDP-70
Secondaries: Smjuth & Whetsman/Simeon .357/DE .50
Ability: AMR
A massive single shot weapon that can deliver lethal damage regardless of hit location or target health.
More importantly, it’s excessive damage is so high that it is better used against EV’s and other destructible items.
Has a lengthy equip time and cooldown.
Passive: Sonar
Firing the AMR causes two shockwaves: at PANZER’s position, and around the point of impact.
A elaborate sensor integrated into her exo-suit analyzes the distortions to their spread, tagging any enemies that were present within a short range of either location.
Combat-Role: Objective oriented sniper, as much as that is even possible.
Other: N/A