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[WOTC] Proficiency Class Plugin: Skirmisher

Proficiency Class Plugin: Skirmisher


This mod reworks the Skirmisher class to fit alongside (and depends upon) my [WOTC] Proficiency Class Pack. This is a moderate re-imagining of the Skirmishers using a Focus-based Heat mechanic and a bigger emphasis on the Ripjack and melee combat.

Skirmishers were by far the weakest of the WOTC faction classes, and they needed some changes to establish a more focused identity. The overall goal was to make them true close-quarter combat experts (as Betos claims), while keeping their action-economy theme intact. Below are the major changes from the WOTC Skirmishers you are familiar with:



Skirmishers now have a Focus-based Heat mechanic, where firing their bullpup builds up Heat, which is routed to and stored in their Ripjack, boosting its Critical Hit chance and Damage. Where the Reapers slowly build up their Focus at the beginning of each turn, rewarding a more patient, precise application of their skills, the Skirmishers instead LOSE some of their Focus each turn, encouraging aggressive momentum and pressing an advantage. You'll have to balance back and forth between the Bullpup to generate Heat and the Ripjack to take advantage of it before it dissipates.

Skirmishers still start with an integrated grapple ability, but now gain their other pull abilities (Justice and Wrath) automatically through their proficiency ranks. These abilities are also tied into the Heat mechanic and using the grapple abilities consumes 1 unit of Heat. These abilities also have a shared cooldown by default, but the Ripjack Strike on the other end of them can now be much, much stronger.

A basic Ripjack melee strike ability is now also a starting ability for Skirmishers and it functions just like the Ranger's Sword Slice ability. It is not a 1-action ability like Reckoning (and Reckoning is no longer available at all), but again, the the Ripjack Strike can now be much, much stronger with high Heat levels.



Skirmishers now have a full 3-branch ability tree and will have the same increased AP cost for purchasing abilities as the core Proficiency Classes. To further distinguish them as a special class, they gain increased AP per promotion compared to a core class and have access to some less restrictive versions of many abilities where their roles overlap with the core classes (especially the Assault Infantry).

Their stat progression has been tweaked alongside their ability tree to fit their new role(s). You can go to the discussion page Here or the Googledoc Here[docs.google.com] for more details on all of their abilities and stat progression. Abilities are split up into three thematic groupings:

• Enforcer - Push your way through the enemy and make your presence known. Woe to those who stand in your way.
  
• Stryker - Eliminate the enemy with rapid, tactical positioning and focused, decisive strikes.
  
• Punisher - Rip through the enemy, striking fear in their hearts with brutal, unbridled aggression.

Almost all values for abilities and effects are configurable and will be updated in ability descriptions accordingly. Anywhere you see a colored value in a description, that value can be adjusted. The custom AP costs for abilities can also be adjusted. By default they are intentionally pretty high, but if you don't like it, you can change it.

GTS Unlocks allow a limited number of standard, non-faction soldiers to train as Skirmisher Cohorts, taking the Skirmisher's equipment and skill tree.


The following mods are required for things to work properly:

• WOTC Community Highlander
  
• WOTC Proficiency Class Pack

The Skirmisher was designed around the same kinds of mods and game environments suggested in the core Proficiency Class Pack mod - the suggested mods there apply here as well, though they are not required.

I recommend using this with one of the two options below that enhance the unit flags (UI above the unit that shows stats, etc.) to support the focus bar. The choice depends on which you prefer visually (I prefer the blocks in Unit Flag Extended over Tac Info Overhaul's solid bars):

• Unit Flag Extended
  
• Tactical Information Overhaul

• Grapple/Justice/Wrath visualizations bug out sometimes - this happens occasionally in base Skirmishers too, but does seem to happen a little more frequently with my Skirmishers. Not sure exactly what the cause is, but it's only a visual issue.

Why is the Proficiency Class Pack required? Can I use this without it?

• This class utilizes several abilities and functions from my core Proficiency Class Pack and these elements will not function without it. You will need to have the mod active, however you may disable all or any of the classes if you desire.

What happened to all the cool disruption things like Interrupt and Battlelord?

• They didn't work (bugged/broken), they didn't fit (thematically or with the Skirmisher's loadout), and they had no synergy with my other plans.They're gone for good.

Do you plan to give the Templars and Psi Ops a similar treatment? When?

• Templars, yes, they are now complete! I have no plans to do anything with Psi Ops - I don't like or use them and the Templar will fill that role enough for me. You can keep an eye on the linked Googledoc above for any further development plans as they unfold.

Special thanks to the authors and contributors of the required mods - without them, I would not have been able to make this mod at all. I've learned much from MANY members of the community, but I'd especially like to thank Pavonis/LW2, robojumper, Musashi, Iridar, and xylthixlm - their assistance with my questions and their mods as assets and examples have been crucial in getting this to release! I also need to thank Lago and Flashstriker for a lot of brainstorming & feedback that played heavily into the new design for the Skirmisher. Thanks!


(See Change Notes for full history)

1.2.1
• Updated Heatsink description text so it fits in the window for Skirmisher Cohorts.
1.2.0
• Added GTS unlocks and limited, trainable non-faction Skirmisher Cohorts.
  
• Unlinked all grapple abilities from the Heat mechanic. Using grapple abilities no longer removes Heat or have increased cooldown when used with no Heat. This change should make the Skirmisher's play more natural, and now that Heat can drop more than 1 unit per turn at high levels, I no longer feel this restriction is needed.
1.2.1
• Corrected setting for Skirmisher Cohorts so they don't get a random XCOM row (in addition to their pre-defined XCOM row).