Secret tech synergies

[TheDarkMaster]

After playing for a bit I decided to look at a bunch of the secret tech units and unlocks. I have seen some patterns with them and some race mixes are better than others.

For example, any race that gets weapon technologies that match with the damage channels of the secret technologies will naturally have more mods they can use on those secret technology units. Some races aren't as good at using secret tech stuff in general due to a lot of their units being non-infantry, see Amazons, Vanguard, and Dvar. Certain secret tech status effects synergize better with certain damage channels (voidtech's dimentional lowers kinetic damage resistance), while others are universal (xenoplague's parasitic infection just needs to be on the unit).

Another is something that I think the devs might have actually run out of time on. The amazons in particular have a unique unit variation for the promethean, voidtech, and celestian tier 2 units (their psynumbra units do get unique abilities though). Most of the other races just have a default unit with maybe slightly varied body shape. Dvar do have unique variants for voidtech and synthesis though. They probably intended to give all races these variations, but ran out of time to do so, mostly finishing only the amazons plus a few scattered others.

Some of the other secret tech units do get a few slight variations based on race. For example, melee races will get their tier 1 melee unit ability on a tier 2 secret tech melee unit. Kir'ko get frenzy and Assembly get scavenge. A few units get a racial expertise +10% damage trait (D'var plasma weapons, Kir'ko dark psionics). Sometimes vanguards will get grenade-like abilities instead of the normal ones. A couple of the syndicate units are indentured with the control collars built in.

Funfact, no one actually gets direct synergies with xenoplague units, since there are no unique racial variants for them. The most you get are unit mods that happen to fit with them and mods from the tech that fit your units. Funnily enough, one of the most important mods for xenoplague are the plague pods which can be applied to any non-animal. This means the amazons are arguably the worst combination with them due to so many of their units being unable to use plague pods to cause parasitic infection.

 

[Jean-Luc]

Not every race is meant to have unique unit variants for all secret tech but many do in subtler ways. Kir'Ko Echo Walkers have Frenzy, Assembly ones have Assimilate (life drain), all Dvar Promethean units get +20% dmg (maybe not the aegis tank) so they're really good even though they're not "unique" in terms of abilities, Syndicate Purifiers are Indentured which has huge implications.

Amazons have great mods they can put on Xenoplague units like the Bloodfury Inducers, they go well with anything non-mechanical.

There's a lot to find...

 

[Archonsod]

After playing for a bit I decided to look at a bunch of the secret tech units and unlocks. I have seen some patterns with them and some race mixes are better than others.

Define 'better'. Would I be better off with the Dvar going for Promethean for the 20% damage bonus they gain, or is it better to go Xenoplague or Synthesis to get access to damage channels I'm otherwise locked out of? Having more mods for my explosive or kinetic damage is useful only so long as I'm facing enemies who aren't resistant or immune to those damage channels.

Another is something that I think the devs might have actually run out of time on. The amazons in particular have a unique unit variation for the promethean, voidtech, and celestian tier 2 units (their psynumbra units do get unique abilities though). Most of the other races just have a default unit with maybe slightly varied body shape. Dvar do have unique variants for voidtech and synthesis though. They probably intended to give all races these variations, but ran out of time to do so, mostly finishing only the amazons plus a few scattered others.

That may be more for balance purposes rather than time as such. You may not want to give a unique Purifier unit to the Dvar because their racial techs or units could make it overpowered; on the other hand since the Amazon's have little that combo's well with the unit you can afford to make theirs a little stronger than would otherwise be the case.

 

[TheDarkMaster]

Define 'better'. Would I be better off with the Dvar going for Promethean for the 20% damage bonus they gain, or is it better to go Xenoplague or Synthesis to get access to damage channels I'm otherwise locked out of? Having more mods for my explosive or kinetic damage is useful only so long as I'm facing enemies who aren't resistant or immune to those damage channels.

There's some give and take, but some combinations do get either more raw numbers or more flexible choices. Some combinations will have your units with more mod options than others, like a combination that shares damage types with the weapon categories. Picking either Assembly or Syndicate and Synthesis will mean you can apply your arc weapon mods to the synthesis units. You can pick secret techs as a faction that normally does not have normally have psionic, biochemical, or thermal damage, but you will not have as many mods you can put on those units. All factions have access to arc and kinetic damage.

That may be more for balance purposes rather than time as such. You may not want to give a unique Purifier unit to the Dvar because their racial techs or units could make it overpowered; on the other hand since the Amazon's have little that combo's well with the unit you can afford to make theirs a little stronger than would otherwise be the case.

What I'm talking about here is unique versions of the units. For example, the Amazon Light Bringer is a flying cavalry unit, all five of the other races have very infantry Light Bringers very similar to one another. Several of the units still get stronger/different versions of abilities, but there's only 5 units by my count that change the primary attack or unit category. Three of those are Amazon (Echo Walker, Light Bringer, Purifier), one is Dvar (Echo Walker), and one is Vanguard (Purifier). The Dvar actually do have the highest base damage output for their promethean units, and are the only ones with a racial variant of the Phoenix Walker (only difference is a +20% damage modifier).

 

[Gyor]

There's some give and take, but some combinations do get either more raw numbers or more flexible choices. Some combinations will have your units with more mod options than others, like a combination that shares damage types with the weapon categories. Picking either Assembly or Syndicate and Synthesis will mean you can apply your arc weapon mods to the synthesis units. You can pick secret techs as a faction that normally does not have normally have psionic, biochemical, or thermal damage, but you will not have as many mods you can put on those units. All factions have access to arc and kinetic damage.



What I'm talking about here is unique versions of the units. For example, the Amazon Light Bringer is a flying cavalry unit, all five of the other races have very infantry Light Bringers very similar to one another. Several of the units still get stronger/different versions of abilities, but there's only 5 units by my count that change the primary attack or unit category. Three of those are Amazon (Echo Walker, Light Bringer, Purifier), one is Dvar (Echo Walker), and one is Vanguard (Purifier). The Dvar actually do have the highest base damage output for their promethean units, and are the only ones with a racial variant of the Phoenix Walker (only difference is a +20% damage modifier).

I'd add Syndicate Indentured Purifiers, they even changed the name to that. With Indentured Contracts they are cheaper then regular purifiers, Can be raised from the dead by Subjectators, healed and buffed by Overseers, and so on.

And Amazon Purifiers have a Bow.

Syndicate Starguides cause Hallicinations.

Syndicate Echowalkers get nothing special, but can equipt Targeting Systems (Flanking) mod and that Arc mod that shocks attackers within 2 squares. That is what I did with mine and I called them Storm Knights.

 

[Promethian]

Syndicate + Void: You get two mods that give 20% evade. One is on the first Void tech. A pair of Echo Walkers with Phasewalk Modulators backed up by a Mirage devastate fools and do it safely. Voidtech also has a mod that grants a demolisher grenade. Syndicate lacks a good measure to clear enemy cover. So those Echo Walkers can clear the terrain for your ranged.

Syndicate + Xenoplague: The first two xenoplague units can become indentured.

Syndicate + Psynumbra: Psynumbra units get bonus damage per indentured in the battle up to +5. This is crazy good, the attacks that get this are repeatable and one of them chains. The early tac op from Psynumbra is especially useful to Syndicate because of limited access to stagger as well. I have saved myself loads of damage by having the ability to stagger a target once per turn.

Assembly + Paragon: Vorpal Snipers with the ability to ignore cover thanks to the Smart Rounds mod. Yah, that is terrifying.

Syndicate + Paragon: Overcharged Indentures.

 

[Ethorin]

honestly I'm pretty sure there's a LOT of synergies that are really subtle...

also you missed at least one changed primary attack, Syndicate, Hacker, Breach SMG which ignores 1 armor and shield, and since it's otherwise the same as the Hasher it's basically a free +1 or 2 damage, per hit.

Also Syndicate and Synthesis have a really fun hidden flavor synergy, read the doomsday project flavor text.