Lancer NPC - Breacher

Core Detail Overview

Stats

The Breacher is a close-range vanguard unit, with high Hull and HP, above-average Evasion, average Engineering, Armor, and Save Target; below-average Agility, and Heat Cap; low Systems and Sensors, Speed that starts low but becomes average after Tier 1, and E-Defense that starts below-average and never improves. They’re good at taking a conventional beating and resisting most forced movement, but they’re on the weak side to Smart and tech attacks (especially in high Tiers). While their low Speed and Sensors may make them seem slow and bad at supporting allies, they have abilities to close the distance quite quickly, like to inflict Prone, and can threaten to inflict Shredded lasting for the rest of the scene (unless cleansed), so they can be better in those areas than their stats suggest. Overall, it’s a workable baseline for a unit expecting to expose itself to counter-fire in order to lay down the boom.

Base Systems

• Dual Shotguns is the most damaging non-superheavy NPC weapon if it hits completely. The main problem it has is that “if”, because having only Range 3 means it will take time to even get close enough to use it, and once you can, the built-in 2 Difficulty will make it miss often; in fact, starting so low means that the first effect granting Accuracy does less to help this hit than any other NPC weapon without at least 1 Accuracy by default, so if you can’t get at least to a neutral attack roll, it’s arguably better to direct any relevant buffs towards other NPCs first (debuffs on the PCs that all NPCs can benefit from are always welcome, of course). This is why the Breacher will often spend a quick action to get some Accuracy first (with Ram or Breach Ram to inflict Prone being the preferred choices without optional systems) and why it loves having allies that can give it Accuracy (whether by inflicting Prone in its place, leaving up a Lock On, having an ability that just gives an ally Accuracy, etc.). Since this is effectively two half-damage attacks instead of one big blast, it’s not uncommon for at least one of them to hit for good damage, which does help mitigate how bad the built-in Difficulty is, but it also means Armor is good at reducing its damage (unless Break Armor triggers). Ultimately, this weapon is often something of a gamble because it’s hard to get into positive Accuracy consistently without Follower Count or ally support, but as long as there is a low-Evasion PC that the Breacher can hunt down, this makes it a threat to blast away for heavy damage. Also, as usual for NPCs built around a single weapon with multiple abilities that work with it specifically, be thoughtful about using templates that give the Breacher more Structure because it runs of the risk of becoming a useless unit if the Dual Shotguns get destroyed (base 25% chance, since Breach Ram has the System tag to help protect it).

  
  

• Breach Ram is the first of the Breacher’s ways to move much more than its Speed suggests. This covers more distance than a Boost (going from twice as much distance at Tier 1 to still one space further at Tier 3), can destroy potential cover along the way, ignores engagement (so the only general thing that can stop it early is an object with too much HP to break), and has a chance to knock anyone along the path Prone. On the downsides, it does still provoke reactions, doesn’t ignore difficult terrain, uses the Breacher’s average Save Target, and does not protect allies from the chance to Prone (though at least only affecting characters along the Breacher’s path limits the AOE enough to usually be able to avoid friendly fire at the cost of rarely targeting more than two PCs, and often only one). Additionally, because Dual Shotguns would suffer Difficulty from being Engaged, the Breacher usually won’t want to end up adjacent to an enemy after this if it’s trying to stack Accuracy (unless it’s going to then use a standard move to step away), further limiting how well this can be used to inflict Prone. Altogether, if the Breacher doesn’t have the Superior Ram optional, I like to think of this almost exclusively as a super-Boost to get into position and maybe clear out some cover along the way, as opposed to a gap-closing engagement tool like the Assassin’s Leap or the Berserker’s Avalanche Charge. Recharge 6+ makes it unlikely to be usable more than once without being an Elite/Ultra, though if it does happen to hit the roll (or if I somehow hadn’t used it prior to getting in the fight), it can be a decent option to charge through the main target for an alternative chance at Prone compared to doing a generic Ram; I wouldn’t consider it an automatic choice because this will probably have a lower chance of success unless the target is Impaired, but the Breacher can at least avoid being Engaged afterwards (unlike a failed Ram), and the utility of destroying some cover might open up better options for its allies.

  
  

• Break Armor is the top reason why PC frames like the Barbarossa, Drake, or either version of Genghis dread the Breacher; while unlikely, the Breacher always represents a threat to inflict anyone it decides to focus on with Shredded for the rest of the scene (or until cleansed). Realistically, this doesn’t actually happen often, because the built-in Difficulty on Dual Shotguns is a lot to overcome twice in a single turn, especially with just an average base bonus to-hit. But there’s always a chance, especially if the Breacher is using Follower Count in Tier 2+ and/or unloading a six-shot salvo with Painmaker into a Dual Shotguns Skirmish. Admittedly, not every PC is going to care about being Shredded, but if they don’t have Armor or Resistance to begin with, Dual Shotguns will be a spike damage threat already. Break Armor helps to make the Breacher dangerous to almost every PC; even if it dies afterwards, the Shredded condition is not going away on its own until the end of the scene. It’s not something to count on, it probably comes up less than a third of the time that the Breacher is used if even that often, but it’s always a big moment when it triggers, and getting it on a good target can swing a combat massively.

  
  

Optional Systems

• Painmaker is a very powerful ability in theory that’s very difficult to use in play. Outside of some rare edge cases (like an Elite/Ultra Breacher taking its first turn after its target has acted in the round and causing Structure damage that results in Stunned, then activating Painmaker on its second turn), the Breacher will need at least one ally helping to keep its target nearby enough to trigger the benefit, and it’ll probably also take some clever turn sequence manipulation to attempt this with minimal opportunity for the PCs can cancel it (assuming the players know how it works, but I do assume that to be the case because I prefer to play with high information-transparency). If it does trigger, though, it is one of the strongest offensive abilities of any NPC, granting the Breacher four immediately-consecutive Dual Shotguns attacks focused on a single target as a free action during its turn. It is important to note that it isn’t a protocol, it’s a true free action, which means the Breacher can precede it with movement or other actions like Ram, Breach Ram, Follower Count, etc. As well, since the attacks are a free action, triggering Painmaker does not conflict with also doing a quick action Skirmish on the same turn. Realistically, the Breacher is extremely unlikely to land six Dual Shotguns hits in a row, even with allies granting it more Accuracy, but it gives the Breacher a chance to inflict Structure damage multiple times on most PCs, and getting so many attacks in one turn is the Breacher’s best chance of triggering Break Armor. Activating Painmaker is something the PCs are compelled to respond to because the potential free action is huge, and while it is a high upfront cost for the Breacher to give up a full action just for a chance of a big free action on its next turn, if it works, this can be an even bigger swing on how a combat is going than Break Armor because even just half of the attacks hitting will tear chunks out of the target on top of triggering Break Armor and still leaving its whole turn to spare. Overusing this can end up with the Breacher having many turns where it doesn’t actually do anything more than looking menacing, but if you can find good spots to activate it (such as when an ally has Stunned a PC who hasn’t had their turn yet in the current round), it can pay off tremendously, even if just by disrupting the PCs’ priorities with an emergency situation.

  
  

• Superior Ram is a big upgrade for Breach Ram, increasing the maximum length enough to cover the distance of two to three Boosts (depending on Tier), along with making it significantly more reliable at inflicting Prone by applying 1 Difficulty to the save. This changes Breach Ram from being primarily a mobility tool to having practical offensive application, since it becomes much less cumbersome to avoid being Engaged at the end of the movement, particularly if you’re also trying to start from enough distance to avoid triggering overwatch, and there’s a decent chance to stick the Prone effect even on a PC with a little Agility investment. If it had also reduced the Recharge target for Breach Ram, I’d think a lot better of it, but as it stands, I think Recharge 6+ hurts the availability of Breach Ram too much make it a real support tool, even with Superior Ram. That said, the extra charging distance can help the Breacher get blasting with the Dual Shotguns a turn earlier than it would otherwise, with a better chance to have an extra Accuracy on that first turn of attacks as an extra on top. That’s not bad, and it even combines well with Follower Count for a hyper-mobile Breacher set-up that’s more self-sufficient than the Breacher usually is.

  
  

• Follower Count is my favorite Breacher optional system. It’s held back by the Breacher’s low Sensors, but once the Breacher is close enough to whoever it wants to focus on, the permanent extra Accuracy from this alone easily makes it worth using instead of Ram or Breach Ram (even on a PC with moderately-high E-Defense, since the tech attack gets both a base bonus to-hit and built-in Accuracy). Even better, though, is that it becomes quite difficult for the target to get away afterwards unless the Breacher is Slowed or Immobilized, because getting a free action to Boost on every turn will close any distance quickly. Granted, the free Boost must be in a fixed direction and doesn’t ignore engagement/reactions, so there is counterplay, and this doesn’t grant the defensive benefits of the Assassin’s Mark (nor is the range nearly as good), but for an NPC that’s usually as reliant on ally support as the Breacher, having an ability for it to grant itself much more reliable attacks and pursuit can go a long way towards changing it from being a theoretical threat to being an actual menace, especially since this ability also scales incredibly well into higher Tiers and isn’t even limited to only granting Accuracy for the Dual Shotguns. If the Breacher can activate this on an isolated PC, there is a reasonable chance that a couple of lucky Structure damage rolls will give it the chance to use this on another target soon afterwards. Painmaker is more flashy and exciting, but I think Follower Count is generally stronger, especially after Tier 1, as long as the other NPCs can hold back the other PCs from getting in the Breacher’s way (though that’s also true for Painmaker).

  
  

• Thermal Charge is a strange ability. To start with its good points, it has a large AOE, always does some damage (unless the target has Immunity to Burn), has the inherent advantages of Burn damage, isn’t an attack, and does the same damage to objects that Breach Ram does. On the other hand, it’s only Limited 1 and doesn’t benefit from Follower Count’s Accuracy boost, and the damage is low prior to Tier 3 even assuming the targets don’t make the save to halve it. The main uses I’ve found for this are that the reliability of doing some minimal damage in a Blast 2 area can mean that it guarantees Structure damage on one target while still doing some damage to others (particularly since it can be used in the same round as a Dual Shotguns Skirmish) and that the AOE template is generally better than Breach Ram for the purposes of clearing out cover (while also doing some damage to any PCs hiding behind it). That said, being Limited 1 is a big hindrance to its utility, and since I prefer to assume that a PC is going to make the save (and also make the end-of-turn Engineering check against Burn) if I’m thinking of using it for the chip damage, the low base damage leaves a very narrow window where I think that use is worthwhile. If it had been Limited 2 or Recharge 4+, I would want to use it more for influencing terrain (particularly with allies like the Sniper or Witch that are very reliant on line of sight), but as it stands, unless the PCs make heavy use of effects where doing AOE damage without attacking is useful (like Hidden, Invisible, or Jammed), I think Flechette Shot is generally better for chip damage and Breach Ram mostly covers the Breacher’s own desires to destroy objects.

  
  

• Flechette Shot is mostly a bad weapon because of its low damage, but it does have some situational uses that can make it worth having. It has more reach than the Dual Shotguns, being able to hit up to six spaces from the Breacher. It has an AOE template, so it can get more value from hitting multiple targets (though Cone 3 is not a good AOE in most cases, just hitting one more PC while causing Structure damage to another is a good option to have) or bypassing Hidden against targets in obscuring terrain. Break Armor can help make up for the Flechette Shot’s damage suffering against Armor/Resistance normally, and if the Breacher has more than one Structure, this can serve as a sacrificial weapon to protect the Dual Shotguns. On the topic of template-specific benefits, it’s also arguably the better of the Breacher’s weapons to fish for critical hits for Deadly, Headshot, or similar abilities since it’ll get full benefits from any Accuracy (albeit lacking any base to-hit bonus). Unfortunately, unlike the PC ability that this is emulating mechanically (Throughbolt Rounds from Tortuga 3), the initial range doesn’t pierce objects, so this can’t be used to shoot through cover too sturdy to destroy immediately with Breach Ram or Thermal Charge. It does technically allow for a Barrage, but given the low damage, I’d generally prefer using a quick action to boost the Dual Shotguns instead (e.g. Follower Count, Ram, etc.), and while it can technically be used for overwatch, it has the same Threat as the Dual Shotguns, so unless this would cause Structure damage, it’s hard to imagine using it in that situation over the Dual Shotguns needing to hit just once out of two chances to do more damage. Overall, the low damage just really sinks this in Tier 1, and then the lack of any bonus to-hit makes it less reliable in higher Tiers, so I just have trouble justifying the opportunity cost of picking this ability over Painmaker, Superior Ram, and Follower Count.

Templates Overview

The Breacher makes for a bad Grunt, considering its HP pool is its main defensive tool and its E-Defense is fairly weak, plus allies often can’t stack more than Prone and Lock On as debuffs to help with hitting, though if a group of them can get close to the PCs, the raw number of Dual Shotguns attacks incoming will probably result in some good damage getting through. RPV is a template that should be bad (because the Breacher hardly needs more Difficulty from being permanently Impaired), but there are two ways it can kind of work. The first is to just accept that the Dual Shotguns are going to have multiple Difficulty and hope to roll high, because going from 2 Difficulty to 3 Difficulty is well into diminishing returns on how much that’s likely to reduce attack rolls by (roughly 2% difference in overall hit chance per attack on a given target) and mostly isn’t worth the effort to counter unless using Follower Count in Tiers 2 or 3. The second is to partner the RPV Breacher with an ally who can inflict Stunned (my personal favorite combination being a Vehicle RPV Breacher with Transport and Superior Ram to carry a Size 1/2 Assassin with Sap) and rely on that effect’s reduction of Evasion as your means of compensating for the Difficulty, since it ends up being roughly 60-70% overall chance to hit per attack with 3 Difficulty on a target with 5 Evasion. It’s a gimmick that’s probably more trouble than it’s worth because a Stunned target should be eating big damage from any good offensive NPC already, but the Breacher’s payoff of big damage plus potential Break Armor is nice.

Mercenary’s various options for gaining Accuracy are great to help get the Dual Shotguns out of having Difficulty (especially since a melee ally can also discourage having a PC Engage the Breacher to cause more Difficulty), and either Favors Owed or Scout Drone can be a better Limited 1 ability than Thermal Charge since they replace the slight redundancy to Breach Ram with opportunities for more damage or reliable Accuracy, respectively. Last Word can also work well, since the Breacher wants to be at close-range and has the toughness to generally survive the hit that takes them under half HP. Exotic helps with their general vulnerability to tech attacks via Hardened, though the only additional abilities I particularly like are Chronotorus (mostly to help with fishing for Break Armor if the first attack of a Dual Shotguns Skirmish hits), Living Weaponry (because Jammed is always terrible for weapon-based NPC), Blinkspace Carver (because better mobility that ignores reactions is never bad, even though I don’t let it work with Breach Ram), or Regenerator (to compel PC focus); Living Chassis would mean the Breacher can’t benefit from Follower Count, Paracausal Weapon is somewhat redundant with Break Armor, and Realspace Extrusion is bad for a damage-dealer. Pirate can seem like a weak fit at first because the Dual Shotguns aren’t going to get critical hits reliably without help, but it brings some useful options; Boarding Leash is a decent additional weapon for either a Barrage or just a more reliable weapon that hits harder than Flechette Shot, and Slaver Signal gives the Breacher a way to inflict Stunned at a longer range than its usual effectiveness (albeit with its average Save Target, but nothing else about the Breacher is consistent). Spacer’s options to either inflict Prone in more ways while Breach Ram is unavailable (with Gravity Rifle or Thumper Grenades) or potentially stack Prone with Immobilized (with Sealant Trap) are attractive, too, with the usual Save Target caveat.

I like Ship as a template for the Breacher, because Massive Size overcomes most PC abilities to be immune to Prone from Breach Ram along with increasing the area that its overwatch covers (while the downsides of being Size 4 don’t matter much since it’s more likely to destroy cover than benefit from it in the first place), Armored Hull is a nice bit of extra durability, and being limited to only Ram as a melee attack suits the Breacher just fine. Breach Ram or Follower Count can also give it the mobility to work well with Transport, particularly since hovering three spaces above the ground can counter many ways to block Follower Count’s free Boost. Vehicle isn’t as good since it lacks Massive Size, Armored Hull, and the better version of Flier, but either Flier or Treads Or Hover can still help improve its mobility, Breach Ram or Thermal Charge can help with moving through obstacles that would otherwise be an issue for Limited Handling, and while a Size 1 Transport isn’t good overall, all of the Size 1/2 mechs get along well with the Breacher.

Commander’s abilities aren’t great on the Breacher, but Voice of Authority can help with landing a key attack (like the Specter’s Drain Systems or the Witch’s Petrify); the other abilities are all fine in their use cases but don’t do much of note with the Breacher other than Press The Attack giving a chance to trigger Break Armor. Veteran is a juicy template, though; Acrobat or Slippery are very useful for positioning adjustments (particularly to step safely out of Engaged), Feign Death and Limitless work well with an NPC that threatens big spike damage with a Skirmish, Lesser Sight covers the Breacher’s main effective range, and the defensive abilities can all make it fairly tanky, as can Self Repair. Elite is good because the extra turns both give more chances to use the Dual Shotguns and help improve the potential to trigger Painmaker. Ultra does that as well as adding Reflex for more overwatch potential and bringing several nice optionals to the table; of note, Siege Shield or Silvershielding are both viable ways of layering defenses instead of just stacking more HP (though Resilient certainly isn’t bad), Legion can patch up its E-Defense while also making Follower Count more reliable, Lead The Charge can combine with Follower Count to give the Breacher incredible off-turn mobility, Supreme Melee for a free action to Ram with extra Accuracy is quite good at inflicting Prone, and either of the Ultra weapons are good compliments to the Dual Shotguns with better potential to trigger Deadly, particularly against high-Evasion PCs (I usually prefer Hellfire Projector, but Ravager Turret can be an unexpected upgrade to the Breacher’s range and gets more critical hits).

General Use

Overall, the Breacher is an imposing, if often unreliable, close-range spike damage menace. Between the damage potential of Dual Shotguns and the chance to trigger Break Armor, along with the possible threats of Painmaker or Follower Count, the Breacher tends to have a warping effect on the PCs’ target prioritization even when it’s struggling to actually land hits, giving it sort of a hybrid striker/defender role despite seeming like an entirely offensive unit. That said, it’s also one of the NPCs most reliant on its allies for support.

There are two broad approaches for how to play the Breacher: either using it as an independent threat or using it as a focal point for an NPC assistance crew (which could be anywhere from one dedicated ally to the whole rest of the NPC composition). In the former case, the built-in 2 Difficulty for the Dual Shotguns is justification to not pour resources into helping it out directly; the Breacher is left mostly to go after low-Evasion targets and trust itself to roll high enough (plus any debuffs that happen to be on the PCs) to overcome the Difficulty. This lends itself more towards Follower Count or Superior Ram as optional systems to help it get into the fight and be as effective as it can manage. It might seem wasteful, but if the Breacher can ward off a heavily-armored tank PC by itself, that can give the rest of the NPCs space to focus on more fragile PCs. Alternatively, one or more NPCs can try to prioritize using buffs to boost up the Breacher since it generally has the durability and damage potential to make those actions pay off better than whatever the allies would’ve done without it. Painmaker and Thermal Charge (for its cover-clearing) usually become more useful with this approach, though Follower Count is never bad.

In terms of its actual use in play, the Breacher is fairly straightforward in its strategy, though its fine tactics can be more complicated (especially with Painmaker). I like to pick a primary PC target and work towards closing on them, usually making use of cover and Hide on approach since the Breacher’s low Sensors and short effective range tends to leave it with a quick action to spare after Boosting. Once the opportunity is there, I’ll move in (using Breach Ram if it can get the Breacher in position faster than otherwise), pop Follower Count if I can, and just stay on my target’s ass as much as possible, ideally standing one or two spaces away instead of being adjacent, though it’s not terrible to be Engaged if I’m not trying to buff the Breacher (as mentioned with the RPV template, going from 2 Difficulty to 3 Difficulty or more is not a big difference in the Breacher’s general chance to hit; even a full 6 Difficulty is only about 5% less overall chance to hit per attack than at 2 Difficulty); the main reason to stay a little bit away is for more chances to overwatch, since the Dual Shotguns are among the most damaging NPC weapons capable of that. The other quick action that the Breacher will have is generally best used to inflict Prone for more Accuracy, though repositioning to exert more overwatch control and/or destroying cover via Breach Ram or Thermal Charge to let more NPCs get involved can also be good choices; Lock On is usually a lower priority for me with the Breacher since it benefits only one attack while Dual Shotguns always attacks twice, but there are times where I’ll throw one out (to help hit someone about to suffer Structure Damage or to leave up for an ally to consume, for instance). If I have Painmaker, I tend to save it for a time when there is both sufficient ally support available to make me feel fairly confident about triggering it and enough damage on my target already that it’s going to threaten multiple Structure damages (which threatens mech destruction by default), though it can also be good sometimes to just throw it out as an immediate distraction that the players will subsequently tend to worry about for as long as the Breacher is still on the field.

It’s worth noting that, while Break Armor requires landing both attacks of the Dual Shotguns on a single target and Follower Count’s Accuracy applies only to a single target, there is always the option to split the attacks in a Skirmish (as-written, Painmaker requires focusing on a single target). In a situation where there are at least two decent targets nearby who are low on HP, it can make sense to gamble on dealing Structure damage to both. This is less of a big deal in Tiers 2 or 3 as more NPCs start gaining multiple attacks with their weapons, but the high damage of the Dual Shotguns can make it something worth keeping in mind even then.

Like many single-target spike damage threats, the Breacher works best when it can pounce on a target in isolation, so it usually works well in sitreps that pressure the PCs to spread out (like Control or Recon), especially if it can destroy obstacles that open up more options for the NPCs. While it can have good burst mobility with Breach Ram or Follower Count, its sustained mobility is low to average at best, so it can struggle to stay relevant in sitreps like Escort or Extraction unless it can make good use of Follower Count’s free Boosts. Similarly, while it can break through fortified positions to get into the PCs in sitreps like Holdout, its short effective range and high potential threat leave it vulnerable to getting shot down on approach or piled on once it gets in. It might be obvious, but the Breacher is also very strong in sitreps where the NPCs are trying to destroy something (none of the core rulebook examples are like this, but Nexus Defense from Lancer: Enhanced Combat can be an example if the objective structure has HP instead of a more abstract meter); while this is true for some other NPCs as well (such as the Bombard with Bunker Buster), the Breacher is only one where enhanced damage to obstacles is a base feature.

Compositions of Note

The Breacher’s high damage potential, tendency to attract attention from the PCs, and hostility towards cover helps it get along well with most NPCs, and its mix of direct attacks and save-based abilities along with positioning needs and weakness to high Evasion also means that most NPCs can do something to help make it more effective, too.

Among strikers, the Ace might be the best at rounding out the threats that the NPCs present, bringing high mobility and Evasion to distract PCs while the Breacher moves in, a Smart main weapon to threaten high-Evasion/low-E-Defense PCs, a general tendency to deal consistent damage for persistent pressure between the Breacher’s spikes, decent Sensors and Systems along with some quick action flexibility to throw out Invades as set-up for saves, and potentially Bombing Bay to inflict Prone in an AOE as a free action. Meanwhile, the Breacher brings more consistent durability, higher inherent threat to draw attention from the PCs, Break Armor to help with the Ace’s generally-low damage, and a willingness to leave up Lock On (in independent-style) so that Missile Swarm can deal meaningful damage. The Assassin doubles down on damage-dealers that really like to have Prone or Stunned targets, few other NPCs can capitalize on Sap causing Stunned as well as the Breacher can (whether firing off the Dual Shotguns or activating Painmaker), the combination of Devil’s Cough Shotgun and Dual Shotguns is a lot of overwatch pressure, and having Assassin’s Mark on one target plus Follower Count on another can make it hard to for the players to decide to who protect, especially if it’s also a sitrep that encourages splitting up. The Berserker is generally unremarkable except for the specific niche that the chip damage from either Thermal Charge or Flechette Shot can be used to set off Aggression with low friendly fire cost, plus it’s a good choice to Grapple a Prone PC. The Cataphract is similarly fond of Grapple, either to hold down a Prone target for them to double-team or to drag off someone troublesome. The Specter likes to Ram, brings its own pressure on PC positioning with Hunt, presents another high-priority target that can draw a lot of attention if the PCs don’t have a good answer to Invisible, and can have a reliable way to cause Stunned in Drain Systems, with the Breacher being one of the NPCs who can best justify spending a full action to set it up, particularly if it has Painmaker. The Strider can provide support by causing Prone from Offensive Weapon Swap, causing Lock On and Jammed with the Sapper Kit, or spreading difficult terrain to restrict incoming PCs with the Siege Kit swap bonus, while the Breacher draws attention to cover for its fragility and destroys objects to open up lines of sight for the Ranger Long Rifle. The main weak fit in this role is the Avenger, because the Breacher’s inconsistency means that the players can gamble on taking out the Avenger before Revenge gets triggered, and both are susceptible to kiting (to stay out of range of Dual Shotguns, Assault Armor, and Judgement Shotgun).

Artillery generally enjoys having the Breacher as a close-range screen to tie up the PCs at a distance, but the synergies with that role are relatively limited beyond that. The Sniper can put a PC in a bind with Sniper’s Mark putting pressure on its target to go Prone if the Breacher destroys their cover, and Selective Loader can target a different save with a chance to Prone (though it’s unfortunately Hull). The Bombard also has a chance to Prone with Earthshaker Shells (unfortunately also on a Hull save), and Bunker Buster can soften up terrain that the Breacher can’t run through normally to help increase its actual mobility. The Rainmaker’s Javelin Rockets can restrict PC movement to help with setting up Painmaker, and the independent-style Breacher can leave up Lock On to trigger Huntsman. None of these are great compliments, but again, the Breacher’s general play goes well enough with artillery they’ll still get along fine just from each doing what they want to do.

Defenders tend to have some role overlap with the Breacher, but there are a couple of notable allies for it among them. The Bastion loves to Grapple and Ram, and the Breacher is a good target for Pause Engine once it’s in position; putting all three of those together can work as a nasty Painmaker set-up. The Goliath can also offer a lesser version of that with either Pin or Crushing Embrace, while Crush Targeting breaks off focus on the Breacher, who can be a close-range deterrent to help keep Siege Armor in effect. The Sentinel can do a funny (though admittedly inefficient) strategy of using Impaler together with Ram to tee up targets for the Breacher; more realistically, either Painmaker or Follower Count can tempt PCs into the Bodyguard and Eye of Midnight punishment engine (though that usually needs further support to stop the PCs from just moving enough to separate them).

Controllers are usually good at applying debuffs to the PCs that can help out the Breacher, while its damage potential helps to make up for their general lack of direct threat. The Archer often applies Impaired, helping Breach Ram or Thermal Charge land their effects, while Blinding Shells can disable PCs reliant on line of sight and the Breacher’s destruction of cover can open more options for Impending Threat, Covering Fire, or Hail of Fire. The Hive’s Smart consistent damage goes well with the Breacher’s spike potential similar to the Ace, but where it really shines is in being able to provide indestructible friendly-only cover with Razor Swarms (which can also discourage getting into melee with the Breacher) and unparalleled influence over PC positioning with Drone Barrage and/or Driving Swarm; it’s my favorite enabler of Painmaker aside from the Mirage. Grind Maniple can also discourage making the reactions that the Breacher’s movement can provoke, along with restricting PC actions on their turns. The Hornet is another great source of Impaired with its Stinger Pistol, frequently degrades PC offensive potential with Impale Systems or Umbral Interdiction, can build Heat rapidly with HEX Missiles and Invade to threaten the PCs on that front while the Breacher is threatening their HP, and Lock/Hold Javelins is a strong option for setting up Painmaker. The Witch brings even more Heat-bombing potential, appreciates having someone giving it better lines of sight, and Petrify is yet another strong option to set up Painmaker (potentially even twice in a row). The Seeder’s mines and spikes all have useful effects, though this pairing can be awkward because the Breacher might need some care to stay out of the potential AOEs. The Barricade is another awkward one because the Mobile Printer cubes are too tough to destroy instantly in Tier 1 (which can greatly limit the mobility from Breach Ram) and its difficult terrain from Seismic Repulsor or Hunger/Pursuit Limpets will slow down the Breacher as well, but the combination of large areas of difficult terrain, Graviton Lance, and/or Drag Down can also stifle PC movement enough to set up Painmaker (especially with a cube or two printed to suddenly cut off the expected escape route), and the Barricade tends to be good at both tossing around quick techs and using Grapple or Ram on smaller PCs.

Supports are also a role that tends to go well with the Breacher. The Aegis is the only one that doesn’t bring much help, and even that doesn’t mind having a high-damage bodyguard while providing the benefits of Defense Net and action flexibility to Invade. The Mirage is its usual amazing self; Glitch Scanners/Blip is likely the best way of triggering Painmaker by being able to reposition the Breacher ten to fifteen spaces outside of its turn, Warp Sensors or Warp Targeting give the Breacher soft cover that it can’t destroy, Dataveil or Illusory Subroutines can stack Invisible on top of the Breacher’s good durability, and Multiplicity is always great. The Priest’s Dispersal Shield is good for giving the Breacher some extra toughness as it gets into position, after which Investiture can grant universal Accuracy to attacks, potentially with the further threat of Fractal Assault to cause Stunned on anyone attacking the Breacher while they’re linked. The Priest would be relatively exposed with only Dispersal Shield to protect itself, though, so this pairing is much better used against split PCs rather than a deathball; for dealing with that kind of approach, I prefer to use Dispersal Shield, Abjure, and possibly Sanctuary for mid-range support while putting Investiture on a more distant attacker like the Assault or the Rainmaker. The Support has the durability and mobility to stay close to the Breacher, providing its various cleanses and heals to keep the Breacher active, potentially also using a Latch Drone for regeneration and Accuracy; keep in mind that good turn sequencing can let an ally benefit twice from a single Remote Cloud. The Scout can either try to support from the front with Cloaking Field and Rebound Scan (ideally with System Flayer as well to make it more offensive and Dataveil to help the Scout survive) while potentially granting Accuracy from Spotter, or it can hang further back using the Marker Rifle on targets who have not suffered Break Armor (or even those who have, if it has Expose Weakness) coupled with Invade as a general debuff, and Orbital Strike can put a PC in a no-win situation since Dual Shotguns does the same total damage if both attacks hit as an overwatch (excluding conditional Resistance).

NPC Index