Overview
This is a short guide on seeker’s cababilities. This guide would not be possible without the extensive help of the other contributor, Bert.
Stats
Health: 5 (The loadout screen lies)
Will: 0
Aim: 65
Defence: 10
Abilities
Seekers can use the following abilities:
- Fly:
The standard flying, same as floater. Flying gives 20 defence, which is equivalent to low cover. When flying, if you wish to land, you must use the toggle flight action. This is a free action and you can toggle this as many times as you wish. When flying above a certain height, or onto ledges that are normally inaccessable, there is a danger of your unit becomming stuck, so proceed with caution when flying. - Strangle:
This ability only works on human units, including the EXALT, but does not effect MECs or robots units. Additionally, units using Chitin Plating, or using Ghost, Archangel or Titan Armor, are immune to getting Strangled. All of these apply in Singleplayer, with the additon of the Respirator Implant giving strangling immunity.
Must be adjacent to target, and on the same elevation. You may be stealthed when using this. When Strangling someone, they immediately take 2 damage and the Catching Breath debuff, which causes -50% aim, and reduces movement significantly, and you occupy the same square as they do. When beginning a strangle, everyone on overwatch with line of sight to the target gets to take overwatch, unless it has already been triggered. The damage for being strangled per turn goes as follows:
- 2
- 2
- 4
- 8
- 12
While being strangled, neither medkits nor the MEC Restorative Mist ability will work, but the AoE healing from EXALT Elite Medics does. The game does not end immediately if everyone on the enemy team is strangled, as you must wait for everyone to die.
- Stealth:
Stealthing has 5 charges, which are used up each turn you are stealthed, regardless of movement. You can be stealthed while flying, and you will not unstealth until all charges are used, you attack, or you are seen by either:- Battle Scanner
- Electric Skin
When in the radius of a battle scanner, you will become unstealthed. Do not restealth until leaving the radius, as doing so will result in you losing a charge, and still being visible.
The same goes for the Bioelectric Skin, which reveals units when stealthed or not in LoS.
Stealthing will not prevent you from setting off MEC mines, so if your Seeker is in the radius of one, it may not move, or it will die.
Price and Use
Price: 2200. This means you can have 4 in 10k point matches, and 6 in 20k+.
Use: I personally recommend bringing a maximum of one Seeker, and keeping them back for the first few turns. Once you are sure that nobody has Bioelectric Skin, and you can see every unit, chances are low that they will use a Battle Scanner. This is the time to strike. Move the Seeker to an isolated unit, or if they are spread out, go for a pair by killing one and strangling the other. If something goes wrong, do not forget that Seekers have a Plasma Pistol, which if they crit, can do a max of 6 damage. Seekers are meant to be used as a distraction / striker unit, which is why they are very squishy, with 5 health. If used properly, they can take out a pesky unit, such as the much hated EXALT Elite Medic, or a Sniper.
Conclusion
Seekers are worth their price of 2200, but do not take more than 1. They have high damage output if they can strangle uninterupted, and their high aim (65%) and plasma pistol makes them deadly in situations where sh*t hits the fan. They are very economic units, and are second to only Thin Men in points per health/damage dealt.
Thank you for taking the time to read this guide, and I hope that it helps you in the future. Please leave a comment, as constructive criticism helps me know what I can improve. If you want me to make a guide on something, let me know.