Enemy Stats

Summary of Tactics and Strategy

Melee

This unit makes up for not having the unparryable Stomp attack which standard Rubrics utilize by possessing the ability Icon of Flame. This attack not only deals significant damage, but it can also pulse several times and quickly stacks up corruption, making it more threatening than Stomp. Compounding on this, since all of this unit's ranged attacks are relatively short distance, it may become challenging to predict which attack is coming next. There is a particular dangerous distance that the player may fall into--exactly 3m away from the unit--where every single attack from either subtype is viable (still subject to restrictions other than range, such as available tokens). This is an incredibly precarious distance to maintain; players who choose to do so will have to react accordingly.

For the above reasons, melee weapons that can play at relative distance (ex: power fist) or can cause frequent staggers while also generating distance (ex: power axe) are generally advisable. If the player instead chooses to use a melee weapon that requires close proximity to this unit, they will have to contend with the full arsenal of abilities.

Ranged

Nuking this unit down from range is generally the safest option. Neither subtype has a way to deal damage to the player when they are beyond a distance of 8m. The only counterplay this unit has to a player staying out of this range is Engage Dash, which is further limited since it is only available to the Flamestriker subtype. As long as the player remains wary of this gapcloser, destroying this unit at range is relatively easy.

General Advice

Whenever possible, attempt to identify the subtype by initial action: if it dashes toward you, it's a Flamestriker; if it holds position and sprays, it's a Suppressor. While this advice isn't as practical when dealing with standard Rubric Marines, the same is not true for Flamers. Flamer subtype recovery options share nothing in common, meaning that as soon as you deal any sort of damage to one, it will become very evident which subtype you are dealing with.

Knowing the subtype isn't a massive advantage, however, understanding how the unit will respond to damage may prove to be invaluable for planning your next attacks.

Specialists

Subtypes

This unit is characterized by two subtypes: Flamestriker and Suppressor. The subtype of this unit is immutable and set at spawn, and the odds of getting each are weighted equally (1:1). Unit subtypes will impact available move sets and general combat behavior. There is no discernable way to differentiate between subtypes while in game except by paying attention to their tendencies and which attacks they use.

Rule of thumb: Flamestrikers want to close distance; Suppressors want to flee to midrange and continue spraying their flamethrower.

Flamestriker (Melee Oriented)

Suppressor (Gun Oriented)

Enemy Behavior

Game File Flowchart

Root
├── Task System (sorcerer commands, reinforcements scream, etc.)
└── Aggro / Idle
    ├── While Enemy set → Combat
    │   ├── Recovery (interrupts combat on threat)
    │   │   ├── Stunlock
    │   │   ├── StaggerDamager set → Stagger Recovery
    │   │   ├── MeleeThreat set → Melee Recovery
    │   │   └── RangeThreat set → Range Recovery
    │   └── Combat (ActiveSelector - tries branches in priority order)
    │       ├── Melee Combo                   [FlameStriker only]  SPECIAL token
    │       ├── Shotgun Burst                 [FlameStriker only]  HEAVY token, priority 0.9
    │       ├── Light Melee                   [FlameStriker only]  LIGHT token, priority 0.8
    │       ├── Standard Spray (no path)      [both subtypes]      HEAVY token, fallback when no melee path
    │       ├── Standard Spray                [Suppressor only]    HEAVY token, priority 0.9
    │       ├── Sustained Spray               [Suppressor only]    HEAVY token
    │       ├── Sweeping Spray                [Suppressor only]    LIGHT token, priority 0.9
    │       ├── Approach Spray                [both subtypes]      TINY token
    │       └── Approach / Stand By (parallel movement layer)
    │           ├── Approach Dash             [both, 3s CD]
    │           ├── Regular Approach          [both, no sprint]
    │           ├── Disengage Subtree         [Suppressor only]    Zigzag dash away when target < 9m
    │           └── Engage Subtree            [FlameStriker only]  Zigzag dash toward target when > 12m
    └── While Enemy not set → Idle

Unit-Specific Recovery

It is recommended to first read the generalized document on the Recovery System. The following information covers this unit's particular recovery options, not an explanation on recovery itself.

The counterattacks listed in the Action columns of the following recovery tables can be found in the Attack Catalog section for consistency. These attacks will have a row in their respective tables to indicate that they are strictly counterattack options.

Stagger Recovery

Triggers when this unit is staggered by a player and sets the stagger source as the new Enemy target. Forces a Heavy token and branches by subtype.

Melee Recovery

Triggers when the target player is melee attacking. Forces a Heavy token and branches by subtype.

Ranged Recovery

Triggers when the target player is ranged attacking (and within 40m). Requires a valid path to the player. Forces a Heavy token and branches by subtype.

NOTES:

• The Side Dash teleport is only ever used by Suppressors during this particular recovery. It operates similarly to Disengage Dash but with a 9s cd and 6s target cd.

• Flamestriker's Engage Dash bypasses its cooldown entirely when used in Ranged Recovery.

Stun Durations

Comparisons to Standard Rubric Marines

A few key differences and similarities between how Flamer Rubrics react versus their inferno boltgun-wielding counterparts:

• Rubric Marines will react to being aimed at; Flamers do not.

• Rubric Marines do not have a specific recovery option tied to being staggered; Flamers do.

• The stun durations of various sources are the same on both units.

• Bayonet Lunge, Kick Attack, and Shoulder Bash are identical between the Flamer and the standard Rubric Marine.

• Flamers share the same 1.5x damage sensitivity that Rubrics have to virtually all forms of ranged damage.

Attack Catalog

Ranged Attacks

Standard Spray

Flamethrower attack of small interval. Requires vision to target. Moves to fire position within range if too close or no line of sight.

Sweeping Spray

A wide sweeping flame cone. Uses a special aiming (effectively perfect). The sweep pattern is randomized between two options: left-to-right, the other right-to-left.

Sustained Spray

A long-duration tracking spray that slowly sweeps to follow the target, applying continuous damage. The most dangerous ranged attack.

NOTE: Scales to full width over 10-25m distance. This attack has a 2s damage detection window—once it hits you, it ends. Purposefully eating a small tick of damage and waiting behind cover will cause this attack to end early.

Shotgun Burst

A close-range burst from the flamer used like a shotgun. Has light (single burst) and full (triple burst) versions.

NOTE: Both versions are unparryable. The triple burst has a secondary damage event with knockback and is unique to Flamestriker.

Approach Spray

Fires the flamer while approaching the target. While it does theoretically do damage, this is meant for cosmetic purposes.

Melee Attacks

Bayonet Lunge/Kick Attack (Light Melee)

NOTE: Bayonet Lunge and Kick Attack have the same properties in all ways except aesthetically. For all intents and purposes, they are the same attack.

Melee Combo

A Light Melee initiation that chains into 2 follow-up attacks if the initial hit connects. The chain attacks are selected by weighted random from: Icon of Flame, Shoulder Bash, or Shotgun Burst. If the initiation strike doesn't deal damage, falls back to another Light Melee instead of chaining.

Initial hit: Bayonet Lunge/Kick Attack

Follow-up selection (equal weighted):

• Icon of Flame (light version only)

• Shoulder Bash

• Shotgun Burst (light version only)

Follow-up if Initial Hit Misses:

• Bayonet Lunge/Kick Attack

Icon of Flame

A close-range AoE flame burst. This is the "circular flame" attack that pulses damage in a radius around the Flamer. Regular and Light versions of this attack (not an indication of token used, just the nomenclature for the differences between the two versions).

Regular: Performs a cast animation that and then detonates once within the 5m radius.

Light: Can pulse up to 4 additional times after the initial explosion (potentially 5 total pulses). After each pulse, the ability rechecks whether enemies are still within the 5m radius. If no enemies are within 5m, the pulsing stops early and the abort animation plays.

Attack Properties

Enemy Attack Names: an Editorial Note

Certain attack names in this document have been changed so that the average player can easily understand which attack is being referenced; should one be so inclined to investigate on their own, one may see naming discrepancies between this document and the game files (ex: Bayonet Lunge is actually called BayonetAttack1). No other information about the attacks has been altered.

Game Files

• Folder: ssl/characters/chaos/rubric_marine_flamer/

• Server class: ssl/characters/chaos/npc_rubric_marine_flamer_server.cls

• Behavior tree: rubric_marine_flamer_behaviour.sso

• Recovery: rubric_marine_flamer_recovery.sso, _recovery_heavy.sso, _recovery_melee.sso, _recovery_range.sso

• Katas: _kata_melee.sso, _kata_melee_combo.sso, _kata_shooting.sso, _kata_shooting_cone.sso, _kata_slow_shooting.sso, _kata_approach_shooting.sso, _kata_shotgun.sso, _kata_icon_of_flame.sso, _kata_gap_closer.sso

• Subtrees: _engage_subtree.sso, _disengage_subtree.sso, _side_dash_subtree.sso, _stand_by.sso

• Melee weapon desc: ssl/weapons/melee/weapon_descriptions/melee_weapon_descs/rubric_marine_body_desc.sso

• Firearm: chs_rubric_heavy_flamer