| Skulk | |
|---|---|
| |
| Team Member Information | |
|
Team: |
Kharaa |
|
Health: |
70 |
|
Armour: |
10 (30 with Carapace) |
|
Energy: |
100 |
|
Speed: |
7.0 |
|
Gestation Time: |
3 seconds |
The Skulk is the primary form of the Kharaa, which all Kharaa players will spawn as from eggs. It is an agile lifeform that uses its razor-sharp teeth to deliver deadly bites and its spike claws to climb on walls and ceilings. Higher Kharaa lifeforms can devolve back to Skulks without using any Personal Resources. Unlike in the original Natural Selection, the skulk no longer gains speed from the Bunnyhop technique used in various Goldsource games. The role of a skill-based movement system has now largely been replaced by the Skulk's new Wall Jumping mechanic to gain speed to more quickly travel across the map and engage in combat.
Attacks
- Bite: The primary ability of the skulk, using powerful multi-hinged jaws to deal a lot of damage
- Parasite: An instant, long-range attack which infects a targeted Marine with a parasite, allowing all Kharaa players to temporarily track the target through the minimap. Parasite is removed upon duration end, death of the target, or manually removable for Marines by visiting an Armory. As of Build 216, Parasite is using a placeholder effect.
- Leap: The alternate attack for Skulk, allowing leaps on the ground or midair for a quick attack or escape. Leap becomes available when Evolve Leap is researched from a Hive.
- Xenocide: The Skulk can rapidly alter its body chemistry to create a devastating explosion, which causes premature death to the creature. Xenocide becomes available when Evolve Xenocide is researched from a Hive.
Skulk Abilities
| Ability | Damage | Time (seconds) | Energy Cost | Hive Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bite | 75 | 0.45 per bite | 5.85 |
0 |
| Parasite | 10 | 0.5 per parasite | 30 | 1 |
| Leap | N/A | Varies depend on length of use | 45 | 2 |
| Xenocide | 200 | 2.5 | 30 | 3 |
Name
Commanders were constantly reporting something "skulking" at the edges of sensor range, or through the shadows, and the name stuck.
Observations
The Skulk is the most common Kharaa sub-species encountered. Capable of blurring speed and leaps of near limitless height, the Skulk is a light, wiry creature around the size of a large canine. Lacking any significant projectile attacks, it specializes in ambushing its prey in melee range. The Skulk is a quadruped (moves on all fours) – each leg terminates in a long, sharp, bladed bone. Despite having dagger-like leg bones, the Skulk's powerful jaws are its most lethal weapon; if it cannot be stopped before reaching its target, its target has only a slim chance of survival.