Sir Gamer
Member
I really like it when the game allows to modify the level during the gameplay (rock and stone!) because it adds another layer of strategic thinking. But I also understand that the Source Engine has its... ugh... limitations, so here's something simple.
Buzz Queen is a defense-oriented character who can build permanent¹ structures on the map.
Weapon: short range shotgun.
Attributes: stamina +2.
1. Not the bees!
2. Grow a hive.
3. Place a cocoon.
4. Hatch.
The general strategy for her is to nest in a chain of choke-points where she can fight with advantage and trap escaping (or chasing) enemies. During the early game, she needs a bit of risk management and some setup time to establish an easily-defensible point, potentially releasing the paired player from their duty. During the mid game, she provides an outpost for retreating teammates (including herself). And during the late game, she can try the very bold move of building under the enemy gates — or inside her patron's base, if things have gone south.
Finally, here's some troglodyte art to support the concept:
Buzz Queen is a defense-oriented character who can build permanent¹ structures on the map.
Weapon: short range shotgun.
Her muti-faceted eyes can't perceive distance well, making accurate long-range weapons not very useful to her.
Attributes: stamina +2.
She's a very buzzy bee, obviously.
1. Not the bees!
Throw a grenade that deals impact damage and releases an angry swarm of flying insects of unknown origin, seemingly made out of thin origami pieces. The swarm cloud follows the nearest enemy and shoots insects at every nearby enemy doing stacking poison damage, until the swarm is completely exhausted (1 shot equals to 1 spoonful of insect used up, the cloud visually diminishes with every shot).
2. Grow a hive.
Buzz Queen sacrifices a chunk of her health to place a new or upgrade an existing hive. When doing a new hive, she places² a scent mark at the spot, the scent mark will attract insects to build a hive here. The enemy team can destroy a hive, but the hive will regrow on its own (that is, the scent mark can't be removed by the enemy). Can have up to 5 hives active at once. Using the skill on existing hive upgrades it, up to 4 upgrades per hive.
A hive steadily accumulates up to 5 charges of a buff that grants regeneration and movement speed (the latter is very important for maintaining a network of hives). Any teammate can get the buff by getting close to the the hive, but the very last charge is reserved for the queen herself. Upgraded hive accumulates charges faster and has bigger capacity.
The hive will also deal a bit of damage to any nearby enemy, ignoring line of sight. Place it behind a car or a statue to give your troops a slight advantage. Or use it to slowly farm some creeps.
3. Place a cocoon.
Buzz Queen sacrifices a bit of health to place² a cocoon mid-air in an enclosed³ space. The cocoon shoots webs in every direction, attaching itself to the place. Up to 3 cocoons can be active at once.
The webs will slow down and bleed any enemy that tries to walk through. The webs are damaged in the process, but can regrow; the cocoon pauses it's function (and the remaining webs stop breaking) while the number of webs stays below the minimum required to hold it in place. The cocoon can be damaged and destroyed by the enemy and will NOT regrow by itself.
A cocoon will slowly mature over time. Killing any hostile creature (including the troops) in the cocoon's vicinity will bump cocoon's maturity by a whole lot.
4. Hatch.
Buzz Queen commands every cocoon on the map to hatch into a friendly creature that immediately joins the nearest lane, or rallies to their queen if she's close enough. The creature can attack at range, heal friendly characters (including the troops). It also knows to stay behind a front-line and to retreat when alone (no troops nearby). The creature's strength depends on the cocoons maturity.
The emptied cocoons will stay in place (to keep functioning as traps) and can be renewed by recasting the 3rd skill on them.
The general strategy for her is to nest in a chain of choke-points where she can fight with advantage and trap escaping (or chasing) enemies. During the early game, she needs a bit of risk management and some setup time to establish an easily-defensible point, potentially releasing the paired player from their duty. During the mid game, she provides an outpost for retreating teammates (including herself). And during the late game, she can try the very bold move of building under the enemy gates — or inside her patron's base, if things have gone south.
Finally, here's some troglodyte art to support the concept:
¹ "Permanent" until destroyed by the enemy.² Her structures cannot be placed inside neutral locations like creep dens and mid-boss arenas.³ Enclosed space requires some roof and a nearby wall.
