Lancer NPC - Demolisher
Core Detail Overview
Stats
The Demolisher is the big bruiser of the battlefield, with high Hull, Engineering, and HP; above-average Armor, average Heat Cap and Sensors, low Systems and E-Defense, Save Target that’s average in Tier 1 but above-average in higher Tiers, and terrible Agility, Evasion, and Speed. Despite being quite easy to hit, it’s one of the most durable NPCs (particularly against non-AP attacks) and is very resistant to forced movement (which is further supported by Heavy Frame), but it needs both of those qualities because it takes an age and a half for the Demolisher to get anywhere if it has to move, and being Size 2 is often a hindrance as that can restrict its movement in tight spaces and make it harder to break line of sight or benefit from cover.
Base Systems
Demolition Hammer is the defining ability of the Demolisher. It brings big AP damage, ignores cover, and has a chance to cause Stunned on hit (though with a Hull save). Unfortunately, it also requires a Barrage to use and can’t be used for reactions, only reaches two spaces, and has built-in 1 Difficulty, so going for a bonk is a big action cost that has higher risk than average. The damage is high enough to come close to immediate Structure damage on low-HP mechs (even with good Hull) if they lack Resistance, and if the Stunned effect lands, the target will be fortunate to get out of the situation with only one Structure lost, so the potential rewards are also high. The built-in Difficulty is annoying but fairly easy to overcome; among other options for gaining Accuracy, consuming Lock On is usually a good choice since this weapon can only do one attack per turn (excepting Broad-Sweep Haft) and can’t be used off-turn. If the Demolisher is starting its turn within four spaces of a PC, it’s probably going to Barrage. Support it well, and the payoff can be worth it. As usual when an NPC is built around a weapon, be careful about using templates on the Demolisher that give it more Structure; it has no other weapons or System-tagged abilities in its base systems, so by default, taking Structure damage means a 50% chance that this gets destroyed.
Dig In gives the Demolisher a better version of the PCs’ Brace reaction on paper, but it’s more complicated in practice. Because the Demolisher is so slow by default, self-inflicting Slowed is a high cost, since unless it’s already close enough to someone to bonk them with just standard movement or it has an ability with more range than the Demolition Hammer, using Dig In probably means it will need at least one more turn of movement before it can bonk. Add in that the Demolisher has high HP and above-average Armor, and it often becomes wasteful to use this reaction. Also, this is worthless against melee attacks because of Shock Armor. There are definitely times when it’s good, like tamping down on a hit from an AP superheavy weapon or shrugging off a CQB weapon overwatch while stepping into range for a bonk, but the downside is bad enough that I use this much less than similar reactions like the Ace’s Barrel Roll or the Assault’s Hunker Down. If the Demolisher is in a good position, though, or if there’s an NPC that can move it around, this is great for cutting down on ranged damage while it gets bonking.
Shock Armor is what makes the Demolisher an even stronger counter to melee-focused PCs than just having its big stick, granting blanket Resistance to all damage from melee weapons. It can be important to note that this is specifically against melee weapons and not against melee attacks, meaning that bonus damage on Grapple or Ram bypasses it, as might Improvised Attack (I don’t interpret it that way since the flavor text for Improvised Attack says it uses an “improvised melee weapon” even if that’s a fist, but there is some ambiguity as-written). Between this ability and being able to keep moving through engagement with smaller mechs, the Demolisher has some freedom to adjust its positioning in melee; taking overwatch from an aux or main weapon can be worth it to set up an AOE or reach a better target for the Demolition Hammer, though don’t be reckless with that, since the Demolisher lacks any direct benefits from taking hits (unlike the Berserker, Goliath, or Pyro). That all said, I honestly think this ability is a hindrance more often than not. The Demolition Hammer alone is already a deterrent to melee PCs, so having this as well often makes them choose to ignore the Demolisher entirely unless there’s nothing else for them to do, which means more time that the Demolisher ends up spending trying to get close to someone. It’d be an overstatement to call Shock Armor a bad ability, because melee weapons are often dangerous and so having Resistance to their damage is objectively good, but this is something the players usually avoid engaging with once they learn about it (much like the Ronin’s Rebound), so getting value out of this requires predicting how the players will adjust their play and acting accordingly.
Heavy Frame gives some protection against PCs who think using forced movement on slow NPCs is fun (which they should, because it is, but that’s beside the point). Unfortunately, it doesn’t discriminate and so also blocks forced movement from smaller NPCs who might otherwise be helpful about punting the Demolisher forward. This is a bigger issue than it might seem like at first thought because the NPCs with high Speed or forced movement tend to be Size 1 or smaller and thus lose out on a lot of potential synergy with the Demolisher, though at least the Mirage can bypass it by causing teleports (which is part of why it is the best ally for the Demolisher). On the plus side, though, this does let the Demolisher ignore most PC attempts at forced movement, which is otherwise quite painful given the Demolisher’s bad mobility and short reach. Overall, it’s mostly a good ability for making the Demolisher difficult to dislodge once it’s in a good position, even though it does also block what could’ve otherwise been some nice options for helping it get into that position to begin with.
Optional Systems
Broad-Sweep Haft grants the Demolition Hammer an alternative way of bonking than just a Barrage. There is some ambiguity about exactly which of the weapon’s attributes carry over to this, but I treat it as inheriting all the tags, replacing the damage with the value in Broad-Sweep Haft’s description, and replacing the chance for Stunned with the guaranteed Impaired. The damage per hit of this is about half of the Demolition Hammer’s base, but a Burst 2 AOE around a Size 2 mech is a substantial area, and since this only attacks targets that the Demolisher chooses, it’s safe to use around allies (who might be grappling with PCs, for instance). In theory, this could be used to clear out drones while also attacking nearby PCs in Tier 2+, but in practice, anyone relying on drones after the first few levels is likely to have Drone Commander 1 to give them enough HP to survive one hit from this ability (and often also using the Hydra frame for even more HP), so that doesn’t tend to work out as well as it sounds. If there are at least three PCs in the AOE (or at least two with one of them being low enough for this to threaten Structure damage), this can be a viable alternative to a Barrage, but personally, I think the Demolisher is usually better off going for its full damage on one target rather than dealing out lesser damage across multiple targets, even if that would be more damage in total.
Kinetic Compensation is an attempt to raise the Demolisher’s performance floor by giving it a consolation prize for missing a bonk. Note that, as-written, there’s an argument that the extra Accuracy can apply to any attack, but I think it’s pretty much consensus that it should only work with Demolition Hammer attacks. In most cases, this is not good, because there are better ways to get Accuracy from an ally rather than having the Demolisher waste a full action and the Accuracy from this has no effect until the Demolisher’s next turn. There is some synergy with Broad-Sweep Haft also triggering this, so using that and first rolling the attack on a high-Evasion target (potentially even an ally like the Ace, Hornet, or Specter) for a chance at some Accuracy before attacking the target you most want to hit is an option. I don’t think that using two optionals for a chance of better odds of landing an attack at roughly-halved damage is a good main plan, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you want to have both optionals for other reasons. The main advantage of Kinetic Compensation is that it’s the Demolisher’s only passive optional, and considering the Demolisher is usually an action-strained NPC, having something automatic to reduce the sting of a bad Barrage attack roll can be nice.
Concussion Missiles is my favorite Demolisher optional. It’s ally-friendly (unlike Seismic Destroyer), Range 5 is a large AOE, especially since this requires only a quick action to use (and thus can be used after a Boost or with Prepare), and while calling for a Hull save makes this unreliable even with the Demolisher’s above-average Save Target in Tier 2+, it’s probably better than trying an Invade on a single target (and certainly better if it can affect multiple targets). Slowed may not seem like big deal, but getting to use this together with Boost can help catch up to a PC trying to kite the Demolisher (while its Speed is bad, a standard move and Boost combined let it move an average distance), and the potential to land Impaired on multiple PCs is also very nice for worsening both incoming attacks and possibly also the save against Stunned from an ensuing bonk. It’s a rare situation where I’d consider using this over a Barrage if I can pick between the two, but this comes in handy surprisingly often, unless the rest of the NPCs are handing out Impaired generously already, in which case Seismic Destroyer or Sap can become more attractive.
Seismic Destroyer is potentially extremely powerful as an AOE stun, even with the AOE template choices being fairly small and the placement flexibility being limited by the Demolisher’s bad mobility. The bigger issues with this are that it costs a full action (so it can’t be used with Prepare for a two-turn duration and lacks the action flexibility of Concussion Missiles or Sap, although at least it has better reach than the bonk), Recharge 6+ means you’re probably only getting one use, it can affect allies, and any PC with a flight system or trait is immune (personally, I rule that the GMS EVA Module only grants immunity in zero-G or liquids, but there is a slight argument for it to also grant total immunity as-written). Overall, it’s a big gamble; the extra reach over a Barrage does give it practical use cases (especially if you’re willing to let it rip on just a single PC, which can be worth it since Stunned is a powerful effect), and good turn sequencing can give the Demolisher a high chance to land a bonk on its following turn (or possibly even more than one, if it’s getting multiple turns per round), but two PCs is typically the realistic high-end for how many it can target even with set-up support, Agility is commonly a good stat for PCs, and while it is an emergency situation if this lands on someone, the players will usually have a chance to respond before the NPCs can take advantage. At its best, this can completely swing a fight and snowball into an NPC victory, but the chances of things actually working out like that are much lower than many other high-risk/high-reward abilities (like the Breacher’s Painmaker or the Sniper’s Mark). Most of the time, I end up feeling like using this was a favor to the PCs because it was one fewer turn of a more reliable threat. It’s great when it works, though, so it can be worth trying out if you’re willing to accept the gamble that it ends up being a wasted turn.
Sap is my preferred way of trying to land Stunned with the Demolisher, bonking aside. Engineering is a low-priority stat for many PC builds, and as a quick action, this can be used with Prepare to trigger at the start of the target’s turn. Since the duration is until the end of the target’s next turn, that would effectively cost them two turns (or one turn plus another ally doing something to clear Stunned from them) if it works, and that’s on top of the Demolisher also getting a high chance to land a bonk on its next turn if it can act again before Stunned expires (plus whatever other pain the other NPCs can deliver). If that’s too cheesy (or too risky), you can still get a lesser version of the same boon by using it on a target who’s acted already in the round for a chance to double-turn the following round. That all said, Sap certainly has flaws. Needing to be adjacent is difficult on its own for the Demolisher, but it also means that using this means forgoing a bonk unless the target was exactly five spaces away (so that a standard move and Boost would grant adjacency for Sap but a standard move alone wouldn’t be in range of a Barrage). The Recharge roll always brings some uncertainty to how often it’ll be available, and while it’s better than average after Tier 1, the Demolisher’s Save Target isn’t high enough to make this feel likely without Impaired (or a similar effect). The pay-off if this lands is very good, though, and having something that can work as a quick action is very welcome for the Demolisher. In general, I think the additional range and multi-target potential of Concussion Missiles usually leaves me preferring it over Sap, but in a composition with ample Impaired already, this can be a very strong ability, especially if there’s an NPC like the Breacher, Operator, or Specter who can put out enough spike damage to compensate for potentially passing on a chance to bonk.
Templates Overview
Grunt Demolishers are probably the worst Grunts possible, slightly edging out Grunt Goliaths because at least the latter can compel some attack redirection with Crush Targeting. RPV can be an interesting idea, on the other hand. It would need some help to deal with being permanently Impaired on top of the default 1 Difficulty of the Demolition Hammer, but the Demolisher is enough of a tanky baseline for Bonus HP to be a noticeable difference, especially if it’s also getting further support on that front. I don’t think it’s the best RPV by any means, nor even particularly good, but it’s usable, especially if it also has Concussion Missiles, Seismic Destroyer, or Sap to give it an ability that doesn’t care about being Impaired.
Mercenary is a good fit for the Demolisher, giving several options for more Accuracy; I actually rather like the Scout Drone here since none of the Demolisher’s AOE abilities are a danger to it, being a quick action to deploy initially and a protocol to relocate works great for the Demolisher (standard move, Boost, and quick action to deploy on the first turn, then keep relocating it while moving with no further action cost, even if a Mirage teleported the Demolisher across the map in between its turns), and its AOE is large enough to potentially catch multiple PCs in a Broad-Sweep Haft attack. Favors Owed is also nice as a surprise ranged option that can slow down PCs with its Prone effect, or Last Word is nice as a circuit-breaker even if the Demolisher can’t get adjacent to someone first, both of which go well with the Demolisher’s above-average Save Target. Exotic is as nice as usual for an NPC with a weakness to tech attacks, with Hardened Target and especially Living Chassis to patch that up (and the Demolisher has enough Armor to generally cancel out any additional damage from Heat converted to Energy for Living Chassis), Living Weaponry or Paracausal Weapon to make bonking more reliable, Chronotorus to force a reroll of either a missed bonk or a successful PC save, or Regenerator to make the Demolisher significantly harder to take out. Realspace Extrusion is generally a bad fit (but can be playable to focus on causing debuffs), and I don’t like Blinkspace Carver with how bad the Demolisher’s mobility is (though it can be useful against PC compositions that rely heavily on movement-triggered reactions). Spacer can be interesting for the Gravity Rifle as a way of getting PCs into range for a bonk (possibly combined with a Sealant Mine to trap them one time), though Concussion Gun or Thumper Grenades are bad for knocking PCs away. Pirate can seem like a bad fit since the Demolition Hammer doesn’t get critical hits easily, but Boarding Leash can pull a PC starting up to nine spaces away into bonking range (with a grapple on top to make escaping that much harder), and either Coreworm Rockets or Slaver Signal can be alternatives to Seismic Destroyer as a full action debuff that can buy time for the Demolisher to close in.
Seeing as the Demolisher’s main weapon is melee and its mobility is bad, Ship and Vehicle are pretty awful templates for it. There is a niche use for a Ship RPV Demolisher that uses Massive Size to spam Concussion Missiles over a large area while Armored Hull and Bonus HP makes it tough to remove and Flier gives it some debuff immunities, but that is very annoying and tedious in actual use to both play as and against, and I’d rather use the Archer, Barricade, Hornet, or Witch as the base if I wanted a unit like that.
Commander can be a decent template, with Size 2 tending to give the Demolisher better line of sight for Bolster Network or Quick March along with more surface area for a slightly easier time triggering Military Discipline (not to mention the Demolisher’s anti-melee pressure makes it slightly safer to be next to than the average NPC), plus Voice of Authority is never bad to have. Press The Attack doesn’t work with the Demolition Hammer as a superheavy, and Press On is hard to fit into the Demolisher’s actions once it’s in range to bonk, so I’d avoid either of those options. Veteran can vastly improve the Demolisher’s mobility with Acrobat (I don’t like using this, personally, since being slow is part of the Demolisher’s identity to me, but it is a very strong option), can grant a last chance to bonk with Feign Death and/or more staying power with Self-Repair, can relieve some action strain with Limitless, can ignore Invisible with Lesser Sight, or can pick up additional defenses with any of Hardened Target, Insulated, Lightning Reflexes, or Shock Armor (confusingly reusing the name of its own base ability for a different form of conditional Resistance). On the other hand, Steel Jaw is mostly wasted with 2 Armor, Slippery is mostly wasted with the Demolisher’s bad mobility, the Demolition Hammer doesn’t tend to get critical hits enough for Deadly or Headshot, and Hacker is mostly negligible because the Demolisher doesn’t build much Heat. The extra turn per round from Elite makes the Demolisher much more threatening by effectively bringing it up to average Speed overall and giving it significantly more potential to capitalize on its own debuffs; one good bonk, Seismic Destroyer, or Sap leaving a PC Stunned likely means they’re going to take at least one Structure damage from one or two Barrages before they can act again. Ultra’s Reflex is wasted without another weapon for overwatch, but it’s otherwise the usual upgrade from Elite; Supreme Melee is great for a free Ram or Grapple each round along with offsetting the Difficulty for the Demolition Hammer, Siege Shield leaves only a small band within bonking range for PCs to stand if they want to attack without facing Resistance, Limitless is good for extending the Demolisher’s effective bonking range on top of its usual utility, Lead The Charge is a different way of improving the Demolisher’s mobility (much preferred over Acrobat, personally, even though it’s weaker), any of Silvershielding, Evasive, Fortress, Legion, or Superior Construction can add significant staying power (I don’t like Argus Armor as much since the Demolisher has nice Armor already); and either of the Ultra weapons are decent options for multi-target attacks with a better chance to trigger Deadly as well as protecting the Demolition Hammer from being lost in Structure damage. I’d avoid Extra Deadly because of its poor synergy with bonking, Short-Cycle Lance because it’s unreasonable to line up a good shot with the Demolisher’s bad mobility, Volley Module for not working with a superheavy weapon, and Supreme Maintenance because using a quick action to restore a destroyed Demolition Hammer is pointless unless done via Overcharge.
General Use
Overall, the Demolisher is a major presence on the battlefield, packing high AP damage with a chance to cause Stunned and several optional abilities granting AOE debuffs or Stunned as a quick action, while its high HP, above-average Armor, Resistance to damage from melee weapons, immunity to forced movement or Prone inflicted by smaller characters, and reaction to gain Resistance to damage from any single attack collectively give it a lot of staying power. However, it cannot be overstated how terrible its mobility is, and together with having little reach (aside from Concussion Missiles, and even that is still limited to close-range), an unsupported Demolisher is very likely to spend all of its time trying to chase after PCs kiting it until they finally shoot it down. This is a unit with very pronounced strengths and weaknesses, and aside from a few template abilities, there is very little it can do on its own to cover up its weaknesses once the players know to avoid its melee range.
Because of the general threat that the Demolisher represents, it being in a combat at all will tend to have a strong influence on the players’ target prioritization (assuming they have some idea of how it works), namely that melee characters will try to avoid it while ranged attackers and hackers try to focus it down from mid-to-long-range. Being prepared for this kind of split attention is often helpful for managing the encounter effectively and predicting when to shift support towards the Demolisher or let it act as a big and shiny distraction to soak up PC actions and grant the other NPCs more space to operate. This is how it fills a defender role despite not having any abilities to protect its allies directly, and as much fun as the big bonk stick can be, I think the defender role is accurate for how the Demolisher tends to best contribute to a fight.
Most of the Demolisher’s opening actions are likely to be using standard movement and Boost to reach the area of the map it expects to occupy and maybe throwing in a Hide if it can get behind something to block line of sight. Ideally, the PCs will have some incentive to approach it (either because of the sitrep or because of other NPCs drawing them that way), and once they get within mid-range, it can start looking to close in, making use of anything it can do to have an impact (such as Concussion Missiles or Seismic Destroyer) until it finally gets in range to Barrage. Because the Demolisher is so slow, unless it has help moving around (the Mirage being the best option, though some other NPCs like the Bastion or Support can also fill that role), it won’t realistically be able to disengage and regroup after reaching the PCs, so the other NPCs will be critical to limiting the PCs’ options to back off from the bonk. This usually means the Demolisher will want at least one close-range ally, despite how that might complicate its movement options.
As touched on above, the Demolisher works best on sitreps where it can guard an objective that the PCs have to approach (like Gauntlet). It has the toughness to take a beating most of the time, so splitting up the PCs for smaller engagements is less important than it can be with other close-range NPCs, though if the sitrep does encourage the PCs to spread out (like Control), the Demolisher can work as the main guard of one area as long as it has reasonable support (because any melee PCs are probably going to another part of the map). Sitreps where the PCs are going to move around a lot (like Escort or Extraction) are its nightmare; unless it has major help with its mobility (like the Mirage or using the Veteran template’s Acrobat ability), it’s very possible to spend the whole combat trudging around and dragging down the NPC team. That said, sitreps where the PCs are defending a location (like Holdout) can work out for it, either as a bodyguard for the NPC artillery or as the danger meant to flush them out of cover; for the latter purpose, though, it will likely need more help than usual cutting down on both the incoming ranged damage and how long it takes to reach the PC fortifications, because the downside of Dig In will make it very costly to use while approaching.
Compositions of Note
Generally, the main things that the Demolisher wants from allies are ways to improve its movement and ways to bring/keep PCs in its range. Allies who present a high immediate threat at range can also help, since that can break up some of the focus on the Demolisher and help give it time to get into position.
As that may imply, controllers are some of the Demolisher’s best allies. The Archer restricts PC actions and movement with its “make your choice” abilities, its rapid attacks with fairly high Reliable damage compliment the Demolisher’s offensive profile very well (one for unarmored and elusive targets, the other for heavy tanks that can shrug off several small hits), its easy access to applying Impaired combines well with the Demolisher’s save-based abilities, and Blinding Shells and/or Impending Threat can help the Demolisher’s mobility indirectly by providing an extra layer of protection before it uses Dig In. The Hornet is similarly great at imposing Impaired and can reduce incoming fire with Impale Systems and/or Umbral Interdiction, while its overwatch range and potentially Lock/Hold Javelins keep the PCs in place for the Demolisher to close in. The Hive is arguably the best NPC at manipulating PC positioning with Drone Barrage and Driving Swarm, and that alone makes it one of my favorite partners for the Demolisher. Meanwhile, Razor Swarms can offer soft cover on demand for the Demolisher, and stacking up Burn damage (via Hunter-Killer Nexus, Razor Swarms, or Grind Maniple) can go well with the Demolisher inflicting Stunned (to block Stabilize) or Impaired (to make the end-of-turn Engineering check harder to pass). The Witch can disable ranged PCs with Blind or empty out Loading weapons with Predatory Logic, Petrify can keep someone in place for the Demolisher, Chain can similarly put someone in a bind between getting Jammed or letting the Demolisher get close, and its array of Heat-bombing abilities can put anyone the Demolisher reaches into a no-win scenario of not being able to avoid both Structure and Stress damage. The Seeder can be good at inflicting various debuffs while the PCs approach a location the Demolisher is guarding, and Grav Spike can pull PCs into positions to get bonked, though if the sitrep involves more offense from the NPCs, the Demolisher’s bad mobility can make it hard to stay out of mine AOEs, so this can be awkward. The only controller that I’d say doesn’t mesh well is the Barricade, since its large Size and cubes always seem to take up space that the Demolisher wants to move through if they’re near each other. The pairing isn’t entirely terrible (spreading Slowed from Graviton Lance can help the Demolisher reach someone, Drag Down can put any PC caught in bonk range into a no-win scenario of picking which pile of AP damage to expose themselves to, Titan-Snare Drone can inflict Immobilized on any number of PCs in its reach, and as a fellow Size 2, the Barricade can Grapple the Demolisher to help it move; this is not often a good idea due to its own low Speed, but if the PCs are relying on difficult terrain to slow down the Demolisher, this can be a nasty surprise thanks to Bulwark Mods), but it’s definitely a weak combination for each of them.
Support NPCs as a whole are also great partners for the Demolisher. The Mirage is easily its best friend, with Glitch Scanners/Blip granting incredible mobility, Warp Sensors/Warp Targeting for soft cover, Illusory Subroutines for Invisible (Dataveil as well, but I prefer to keep the Mirage Invisible when working with the Demolisher, because the Mirage can often still provide plenty of support to other NPCs after the Demolisher goes down, while the Demolisher loses a massive amount of power if the Mirage gets taken out), and potentially Metafold Shove or Manifest False Idols for even more repositioning or Multiplicity for reaction immunity and repositioning. Every ability that the Mirage has (aside from Reality Flicker) is something the Demolisher can benefit from immensely, and the Demolisher’s offensive potential can make up for the Mirage’s lack of weapons (which also tends to leave it free to Lock On or Invade for even more support when it doesn’t have a non-generic ability it wants to use). The Aegis is probably the worst support partner as one of the rare NPCs with less mobility than the Demolisher, but when the sitrep calls for holding a fixed location, it offers effective hard cover and protection from tech attacks with Defense Net, possibly along with actual hard cover in Hardlight Cover System, and it usually has the spare quick actions once the bubble is up to use quick techs or cause some Burn damage for more support. The Priest’s Investiture offsets the built-in Difficulty of the Demolition Hammer, while the Demolisher is usually slow enough that the link length limit isn’t going to hold back its movement, and any combination of Dispersal Shield, Sanctuary, Abjure, and/or Fractal Assault can ramp up the Demolisher’s durability significantly. The Scout’s Marker Rifle can freely hand out Lock On with a side dose of Shredded (so that the Demolisher can bonk through Resistance) and foil PC attempts at using Hide or Invisible, while it can often Invade to also hand out Impaired, and Cloaking Field can give some extra protection to the Demolisher if the Scout is staying near the front; in the other direction, the Demolisher’s potential to cause Stunned (or sometimes even just Slowed from Concussion Missiles) can work nicely to set up Orbital Strike. The Support is tied with the Bastion as the fastest NPCs that can grab and move the Demolisher, its healing abilities go well with the Demolisher’s innate toughness, and Nano-Repair Cloud or Empowered Cloud can help the Demolisher avoid debuffs (or Remote Reboot or Defensive Pulse can cleanse them) that would make it waste turns.
Among strikers, the Assassin is a surprisingly good ally. Heavy Frame protects the Demolisher from being knocked Prone by Leap, Spinning Kick can punt a PC into range for a bonk and inflict Prone along the way, the Devil’s Cough Shotgun can make up for the Demolition Hammer’s inability to be used for overwatch, the Assassin usually has more action flexibility to use Sap (albeit at only average Save Target), Cloud Projector can break line of sight to help protect the Demolisher, and the Demolisher’s own abilities to cause Stunned can enable Heated Blade. The Cataphract doesn’t have nearly as much in the way of ability synergy, but its high Speed and fondness for pulls and grapples makes it very handy as a delivery service to snatch PCs and bring them to get bonked. The Berserker can threaten close-range PCs into trying their luck with the Demolisher instead, and either Harpoon Cannon or Nail Gun can help position PCs for the Demolisher, though it can take some care to avoid putting the Demolisher at risk from Aggression. The Engineer can have a similar effect of pushing close-range PCs towards the Demolisher if it has time to set up its turrets, though its typical lack of threat in the first round or two can also leave the Demolisher exposed to getting focused down before the turrets can snowball. The Breacher or the Specter frequently try to inflict Prone (or also Stunned, if the Specter has Drain Systems) and tend to get prioritized over the Demolisher by players, but I find both tend to be awkward fits; the Breacher usually wants to fight the same high-Armor/low-Evasion targets that the Demolisher does, while the Specter usually worsens the issue of close-range PCs staying the hell away. I think the Avenger tends to clash, too, unless there’s further help (like from the Hive or the Mirage) to make the Demolisher an immediate threat; otherwise, the Avenger just brings more incentive to avoid the Demolisher so that the PCs don’t trigger Revenge.
Despite being a defender itself, the Demolisher’s approach to that (drawing attention by being a dangerous brute) actually works decently with most of the other defender NPCs. For a sitrep where they can afford to be static, the Pyro can be a good compliment with its soft cover on demand that also effectively provides Invisible against ranged attacks, Flamethrower to cause consistent distributed damage to compliment the spike damage of the bonk, potentially Siege Armor to draw in close-range PCs, and Explosive Vent or Explosive Jet for AOE Prone that the Demolisher can ignore with Heavy Frame. The Sentinel can pop Bodyguard on the Demolisher and then use its high Speed to chase down ranged threats with Reflexive Blow as a way of directing other PCs to the Demolisher, or it can back up the Demolisher in close quarters with Combat Shotgun overwatch (potentially with Eye of Midnight, Punisher Ammunition, and/or Impaler) to discourage PCs from moving around. The Spite is a fellow tough and slow mech that can draw in PCs with Imprison, lock them in place with Seize, draw attention with Crush Targeting, or use Feedback Shield to discourage targeting the Demolisher; even on sitreps where there isn’t a focal objective location, the Spite itself is one that the Demolisher can guard. The Bastion and the Goliath are more mixed bags; they’re both big enough to grab and move the Demolisher (and the Bastion has the Speed and often the action flexibility to justify doing that), but they also take up a lot of space that can restrict the Demolisher’s mobility on its own turns. I find the Bastion can provide enough extra defense with Friendly Interdiction (after releasing a grapple, it can Prepare to Boost when the Demolisher moves to help maintain adjacency) to be worth the effort, and Pause Engine can be amazing if you can somehow trap one or two PCs in reach of an invincible Demolisher. The Goliath doesn’t work well, in my experience; it takes up too much space and is too slow for the grab and drag tactic, and while its attack redirection, Guardian hard cover, and debuffs from optional systems can provide useful support, I don’t think that tends to be enough to make up for the flaws of the pairing.
Artillery NPCs have good baseline synergy with the Demolisher, since they can provide damage from afar while it guards their nest. Beyond that, though, there are some notable combinations. The Operator is great at attacking high-Evasion/low-Armor enemies and just generally provides a steady stream of high damage output while often being Hidden (and/or Invisible, with Fade Generator) to stymie ranged attackers or tossing out quick techs if it can teleport back to safety, making it a good offensive compliment to the Demolisher. The Rainmaker’s Javelin Rockets can hinder PCs trying to stay out of the Demolisher’s reach (especially with Endless Rain), while Hound Missiles or Atlas Missiles are much harder to avoid if the PCs are Stunned and Hades Missiles or Volley will be guaranteed their full effects. Lastly, fellow superheavy-user the Sniper can present a spike damage pincer, where PCs staying in cover have a harder time avoiding the Demolisher while those prioritizing kiting risk being caught in the open for the Sniper. Selective Loader can inflict further debuffs to benefit either NPC, and Moving Target can make up for the Demolition Hammer’s inability to overwatch. It’s a pairing prone to inconsistency due to both using superheavy weapons with major flaws (the Demolition Hammer has little reach and the Anti-Material Rifle has Loading), but few PCs are taking their combined assault without losing at least one Structure, especially if they also get Stunned.
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