Lancer NPC - Goliath

11 minutes ago

24 min read

Core Detail Overview

Stats

The Goliath has the stats of a lumbering wall of meat (or metal, in this case), with the highest HP of any NPC, high Hull, above average Save Target, below average Engineer and Armor, low Speed, terrible Agility, Evasion, and E-Defense; Systems that starts average but never improves, and Heat Cap and Sensors that start average but scale up to high by Tier 3. It’s almost as easy to hit as a Stunned target, and the combination of low Speed and Size 3 can constrict its movement options, but it will take a beating (especially if it happens to have more Structure from templates) even before considering its frequent Resistance, it usually has good line of sight for ranged or tech attacks, and it projects a decent-sized area of threat despite having only close-range abilities.

Base Systems

Drum Shotgun is a decent weapon. The short range combined with the Goliath’s low Speed can make it take longer than ideal before it can be used, but Threat 3 on a Size 3 mech gives it a hefty area of overwatch (72 squares or 54 hexes), and above-average bonus to-hit makes it relatively consistent at hitting, particularly as it get multiple attacks at higher Tiers. The single-target damage in Tier 3 is good against a target with less than 2 Armor, but the Goliath will usually need help getting good targets into its range, so I don’t think it really compares to weapons like the Hive’s Hunter-Killer Nexus or the Ronin’s Carbon Fiber Sword in terms of its threat ramping up significantly as it gets more attacks. It usually does enough that ignoring the Goliath’s Skirmish would be a mistake (unlike the Bastion or the Engineer having mostly-cosmetic weapons), and the scaling fits decently with its bizarrely-static Systems, so that using this helps pick up the slack as its Invade becomes a worse option after Tier 1, plus the relatively high to-hit bonus in later Tiers (when it’s also getting multiple attacks) goes decently with fishing for critical hits, in case the Goliath has template abilities interacting with that. Overall, it’s usually not the first thing I’m thinking of using when the Goliath’s turn comes up, but it’s a fine baseline option to have, and the sheer area that it threatens with overwatch can make for some complications to PC movement.
Crush Targeting is the Goliath’s way of drawing attacks despite not being a major threat itself. Note that this is a quick tech (despite not having a purple border), so Jammed will prevent the Goliath from using it, and anything that ends tech effects (like Shut Down or the Napoleon frame’s core power) will cleanse it. Those limitations mentioned, this leaves the target to pick between attacking the Goliath normally, attacking anyone else with a big pile of Difficulty, or doing things that aren’t attacks. Requiring only line of sight (which is relatively easy for a Size 3 mech) and Sensors range (which can be trickier until the jump in that stat in Tier 3) makes it reliable to apply, though having Recharge does always add some uncertainty to how often it can be reused (4+ is normally good for at least two or three uses per combat, especially with the Goliath’s high durability, though I have had cases where this never comes back after the first use), and the effect expiring at the start of the Goliath’s next turn instead of the end of the target’s next turn can make it surprisingly awkward to actually have any effect with this at times, particularly if the Goliath is getting multiple turns per round. There is some ambiguity in what happens if two different units apply this to the same target, but I interpret the Difficulty as not stacking, simply applying at its base value to all attacks (since any given attack roll would be unable to target both users at once). All in all, this is the Goliath’s main active ability for interfering with player target-selection, particularly for mid- to long-range PCs (who would then have to also deal with Siege Armor); close-range influence is usually better done with optional systems or a Grapple and movement.
Heavy Frame makes it rather hard to dislodge the Goliath from wherever it is, short of involuntary teleportation. It also prevents smaller allies from moving the Goliath (again, excepting teleportation, such as from the Mirage), but that’s less of a problem than it is for the Demolisher since the Goliath’s Speed isn’t as bad (until Tier 3, but it gains a Sensors boost at that point to help make up for that), and it has better reach overall. This ability works nicely with Guardian and Watchful Guardian to make the Goliath’s passive protection more reliable for its allies, and it negates most attempts at getting the Goliath out of a position that’s inconvenient to the PCs without having to deal with its high HP. There are certainly times when being too big for an ally to move it can be annoying, but generally, this fits well with the Goliath’s overall design and is typically a nice passive.
Guardian lets the Goliath be mobile heavy cover for its adjacent allies, and being the largest NPC by default, it can fill that role well. I’m not a big fan of this ability in general, but being Size 3 makes the Goliath harder to flank around than others, and Heavy Frame will mean the PCs often won’t be able to move it (though they generally will be able to move whoever’s taking cover behind it, provided range isn’t an issue, because characters don’t block line of sight by default), so the Goliath’s cover is more reliable than any other NPC’s (and most PCs). This can go well with having allies help cover the Goliath’s relative weakness against close-range attackers, too. While it’s only effective against ranged attacks (and not even all of them, due to tags like Seeking), this can work like a back-up for when Crush Targeting is unavailable, particularly if the PCs are lacking in melee or tech attack capabilities (or if there are other ways of handling that). Exactly how useful this can be depends on the map terrain, but if there’s a good choke point that the Goliath can block off and provide cover for allies while the PCs are exposed, this can be great (particularly if any melee-focused PCs lack the reach to attack someone hiding behind the Goliath). Most of the time, it’s something that crops up a handful of times in a combat and either imposes its Difficulty or convinces the player to do something else to avoid the hard cover penalty, but that’s a fine return for a passive on a unit who generally wants to slow things down and mess with PC turn efficiency. And if that makes the Goliath enough of a problem to draw more attacks, even better.
Siege Armor gives the Goliath the best potential durability of any NPC by effectively doubling its HP pool against attacks outside of Range 3. Note that, while it doesn’t reduce damage that isn’t from attacks (such as damage from grenades or Burn ticks), it isn’t restricted to just ranged attacks; any direct-damage tech attacks or melee attacks from beyond Range 3 will have to deal with the Resistance. The protection from Siege Armor isn’t absolute, since it can be negated by Shredded or damage that cannot be reduced on top of its minimum distance, but if the PCs aren’t getting close, it will tend to work more often than not. Combined with its high HP, Siege Armor is the crux of what makes the Goliath such a tar pit, often forcing PCs to pick between having their damage halved from attacking it or taking the risk of missing its allies from all of the Difficulty that the Goliath can impose without needing to do any rolls (between Crush Targeting and Guardian), while those who close in to get around this Resistance are potentially exposing themselves to the Drum Shotgun’s steady damage and the best grappler among standard NPCs.

Optional Systems

Power Knuckle is the first ability the Goliath gets to deal with PCs trying to negate Siege Armor by getting close, forcing a Hull save to avoid being knocked Prone, pushed out to mid-range, and taking a decent bit of damage on top. I don’t consider Hull a good save to target, but at least the Goliath’s above-average Save Target doesn’t make it as bad a choice as usual, and using it on a target that’s Impaired, Stunned, or otherwise vulnerable can help make it more likely, but keeping in mind that this also has Recharge 5+, it’s more of a gamble than I like to take for an ability I may only get to use once. That said, getting more or less the combined effects of a supercharged Ram and a Drum Shotgun hit for a single quick action, plus the usual benefits of having an offensive ability that isn’t an attack, is pretty nice, and this can also work well as a follow-up to Pin to first inflict Impaired and Immobilized so that Power Knuckle both is more likely to work and has a chance to consume most of the target’s next turn (damaging the Goliath to clear Immobilized and then using their standard move to clear Prone). Personally, I prefer either Crushing Embrace or Watchful Guardian in most cases, but the result when this does work is almost like four quick actions in one, and the Goliath has enough durability that this tends to land the Recharge at least once. I think this can work especially well with allies who set up hazards (like the Hive or Seeder) or who can further keep a target in a bad position (like the Archer or Spite). If I just want to cause Prone (to set up the Assassin or Breacher, for instance), I’ll usually rather Ram, but otherwise, the variety of effects this inflicts for just a quick action makes it pretty easy to find good uses for it, even with its inconsistencies.
Pin is almost like a better Grapple, with some important pros and cons compared to that. To its advantage, it simply works without any rolling, reaches out two spaces (which can be a big area to threaten when it’s coming from a Size 3 mech), and inflicts Impaired on top of Immobilized, making it a strong way to start a turn before another quick action that calls for a save (like Power Knuckle). It also doesn’t end if the target or the Goliath is moved involuntarily, nor does it stop the Goliath from using reactions. On the downside, the target can also still use reactions or end it early by just damaging the Goliath (in any way). The Goliath is also Immobilized for the duration, and unlike Grapple, this can only effect one target at a time. Used on its own, it’s mostly to keep a PC from just running by the Goliath without taking some action against it (to end the effect by causing damage) and then risking an overwatch to move away; usually not the worst idea, but fairly minimal pressure on its own. Where this can pop off is in combination with any other Goliath optional systems, because they all have synergy with this. As mentioned a couple of times, using Pin as the first quick action before Power Knuckle makes the latter much more likely to work along with making it more punishing from the Immobilized/Prone combination. Similarly, using it before Crushing Embrace also helps with the save on that ability, and being Jammed usually makes it more complicated for the target to damage the Goliath to end Pin (Improvised Attack is a universal option, but it’s also a full action for only 1d6 damage). The Pin target being Immobilized usually makes it easy for other NPCs to position themselves to benefit from Watchful Guardian (or regular Guardian, of course, but granting blanket Resistance to allies is very rare and powerful), and the most common solution to Pin (the target damaging the Goliath) becomes riskier if the Goliath gets to gain one or more Retribution stacks from it. If Siege Armor is the glue that brings together all of the Goliath’s base systems, Pin is the sauce that can elevate all of its optional systems, with its only major weakness in my mind being that it can be underwhelming on its own.
Crushing Embrace is my favorite Goliath optional and its other alternative to a generic Grapple. This calls for a save instead of being an attack, which admittedly tends to be less reliable, though at least it’s an Agility save rather than Hull. If it lands, being Jammed on top of the standard grapple effects can leave most PCs with no clear useful actions to take (note that this Jammed effect cannot be cleared with a Stabilize since still being in the grapple would reapply it immediately, and Heavy Frame will stop most PCs from breaking the grapple with Ram). This does also count as a regular grapple, so the Goliath can use it to drag around whoever it’s hugging, and it can also use generic Grapple attacks against other PCs while maintaining this (assuming their combined Size doesn’t exceed 3). I think the Goliath is at its best when it’s slowing a fight down and getting in the way (metaphorically and literally) of PCs trying to go after high-priority targets, and this works very nicely to achieve that against PCs who try getting inside Siege Armor’s minimum distance. That said, keep in mind that Jammed doesn’t stop the use of non-tech Systems, so PCs that have a plan for damaging Invisible opponents will usually also be able to use that while Jammed, too. This isn’t as strong of a disable as a Stunned ability, and the initial save adds a failure point compared to most of the Goliath’s abilities just working (either as passives or as actives with guaranteed effects). I think the lack of Recharge helps mitigate the potential unreliability, and the rewards for landing this are usually big enough to be worth the risks, but it’s worth being aware of the limitations.
Watchful Guardian is an amazing passive, and the combination of this and Siege Armor can make the Goliath the best NPC at playing as a straightforward tank. While anything that ignores the cover from Guardian will also ignore the effects of Watchful Guardian, note that the Resistance this provides is a blanket against all damage, not just damage from attacks (like Siege Armor), so even allies with broad conditional Resistance (such as the Bombard) can still benefit from this. As I’d said for Guardian, the benefits of this tend to come up a handful of times in a given combat, and forcing a PC to deal with Resistance on top of the Difficulty from hard cover is usually enough to make them attack someone else (whether the Goliath or a different NPC entirely), making it a generally-effective redirection tool as long as you can manage the positioning to make Guardian relevant. This is at its best when used with NPC compositions that can pressure the PCs into relying on ranged attacks (such as using the Engineer or Rainmaker as a high-threat unit that is best dealt with quickly, along with the Archer or Hive to slow approaching PCs, the Cataphract or Scourer to deal with close-range PCs, and/or the Aegis or Witch to counter hackers), but even having just one ally content to stay behind the Goliath and benefit from Watchful Guardian can be enough to make it useful. As an added bonus, Power Knuckle, Pin, and Crushing Embrace all have synergy with this as simple ways of dealing with someone coming close to flank more easily, though there’s always Crush Targeting as another option for that (or as another simple way of dealing with a second would-be flanker). Similar to Guardian, the map terrain can have a significant influence on how easily the PCs can get around this, so be on the lookout for good choke points to plug. The main reason why I don’t tend like this as much overall as Crushing Embrace is that the PCs usually have more options for dealing with cover than they do for dealing with Jammed, but used well, Watchful Guardian can do more to slow things down and draw attention to the Goliath since it isn’t limited to affecting only one target at a time.
Retribution is a way to encourage directing long-range fire and/or large chunks of damage into the Goliath, since hitting it repeatedly at close- or mid-range will likely mean it gets to blast a big attack back. This can help make up for the Drum Shotgun’s damage per attack being on the low side, and the Goliath’s combination of high durability and ways of discouraging attacking its allies can help this build up stacks, but it does often require some adjustment in how the Goliath is played to make good use of them, since grappling will impose Difficulty on the Drum Shotgun from being Engaged, and missing with its first attack would waste any Retribution stacks. The damage can add to Grapple or Ram instead (though not to Power Knuckle, Pin, or Crushing Embrace, since none of those are attacks), but that’s usually not worth doing if the would-be target has any Armor. The damage that this can add is significant (usually about a 50-100% increase in the damage potential of a Drum Shotgun Skirmish per round, though potentially more if the PCs are built around main or aux weapons as their main damage sources) and certainly makes the Goliath a more credible threat, but it also tends to pressure the PCs into attacking the Goliath’s allies instead, which is often counter to its role in a composition. I think this becomes more valuable if the Goliath is gaining Structure from templates (since that both gives it more health to build stacks and tends to increase how much impact it needs to have to contribute its share to the combat), but on a standard Goliath, while I would say this is a good ability, I think the others add contributions that are harder to make up for than just more damage potential, and just chasing more damage on an NPC that is mediocre in that department feels it’s usually a smaller impact than improved influence over the flow of the fight.

Templates Overview

Goliaths are the second-worst Grunts, only coming out ahead of Demolisher Grunts because Crush Targeting means they can’t be completely ignored at range. RPV isn’t the worst fit, but it’s still not good in my mind; Bonus HP is a relatively small increase from the Goliath’s high base HP, and while it has ways of working around being Impaired on its turn, the extra Difficulty on saves and checks along with Vulnerable To Tech tends to open up ways for the PCs to control or otherwise deal with the Goliath that undermine how well it can defend its allies.

Pirate opens up some offensive potential, between Deadly (and potentially Splinter Rounds) working decently with the Drum Shotgun’s above-average bonus to-hit and multiple attacks after Tier 1, Boarding Leash potentially giving both a decent melee attack and a way to pull PCs into a grapple, and Prying Claws or Slaver Signal meshing with its above-average Save Target, though it’s not always easy to find a full action for them. Mercenary offers ways of gaining Accuracy through passives, but the Goliath isn’t very reliant on attack rolls unless it’s using Retribution or generic Grapple/Ram; that said, Last Word can be very useful as a circuit-breaker for a unit with high durability who is often best dealt with at close range. Exotic has its usual benefits, with Regenerator being especially notable with the Goliath’s high HP and Paracausal Weapon being attractive to make the Drum Shotgun a more consistent threat, but I’d avoid Realspace Extrusion since body blocking is often a valuable tool for the Goliath. Spacer’s Concussion Gun can be an alternative to Power Knuckle if you want to push PCs away without a save or Gravity Rifle can be a way of drawing them closer for Pin or Crushing Embrace, but I feel like its options generally don’t fit as well with the Goliath’s overall kit as the NPC’s own.

Vehicle is an interesting option. No Manipulators means that Crushing Embrace is unusable, which is a big loss on top of losing the general utility of Grapple, but Heavy Frame helps to cover some of the weakness of Limited Handling, and being the sole Size 3 NPC means it can move anyone else with Transport (while also providing the benefits of Guardian and potentially Watchful Guardian). It takes some adjustment in how the Goliath gets played compared to usual, but it’s not a bad option to use with fragile NPCs that work well near the front (such as the Hornet, Priest, or Scout, all three of which could fit on a Vehicle Goliath simultaneously with room to spare for another rider up to Size 1). Ship has the same issue with No Manipulators and doesn’t get a big benefit from Armored Hull (as with RPV’s Bonus HP), but growing to Size 4 makes everything the Goliath can do leveraging its large footprint even better. The larger area of overwatch and reach for Power Knuckle or Pin are palpable advantages, as is making it harder for the PCs to flank around Guardian, if you can accept giving up on grappling.

The Goliath usually makes for a good Commander, since its high durability helps it stick around to keep providing its benefits, though keep in mind that its low E-Defense and Systems can make it susceptible to being Jammed. Military Discipline stacks nicely with Guardian to further reward huddling around the Goliath, and being the largest base NPC gives it the best lines of sight for Bolster Network, Press On, or Quick March. I’d avoid Press The Attack because of the Drum Shotgun’s short Range (especially if also using Retribution, since halving that extra damage feels wasteful), but the rest can all have their uses. Veteran is decent, too, with Veterancy to help boost a weak save and several nice optional traits; stand-outs include Acrobat to improve mobility, Deadly and/or Headshot to give the Drum Shotgun some more potential punch, Limitless to take advantage of its average-to-good Heat Cap, and Insulated, Lightning Reflexes, Self Repair, or Steel Jaw can make it feel like an absolute wall (Shock Armor can work, too, but it has some redundancy with Siege Armor), though I’d advise against selecting only defensive options because that can also make fighting it feel like a boring slog if it’s presenting little threat but seeming to shrug off everything the PCs can do in return. Elite is a mixed bag; the extra turn per round can help it keep better control over nearby PCs and give more chances to hit the Recharge roll on Crush Targeting or Power Knuckle, but the odd duration for Crush Targeting can also make it awkward to take another turn when you’d rather not, and it’s not rare for the Goliath to want to just stay in place and be reactive (especially if the PCs are staying far). The extra optionals for Ultra help a lot; with the Goliath’s high HP pool behind each Structure, it should get plenty of turns to hit the Recharge on Short-Cycle Lance or Wolfhound Missile, while Hellfire Projector can give much more offensive kick, Lead The Charge can give a big boost to mobility, Repulsion Field can add more of a risk/reward complication to being inside of Siege Armor’s minimum distance, or Limitless or Supreme Melee can open up its action flexibility. I’d stay away from Silvershielding, Argus Armor, or Superior Construction for similar reasons as advising against stacking defensive passives with Veteran; the Goliath is plenty tough already, so helping it carry more offensive load as an Ultra is a better way to go, in my experience.

General Use

Overall, the Goliath is a big-bodied tar pit, usually doing its best work as a problem interfering with PCs trying to focus on high-priority targets. Similar to the Bastion, having the Goliath take damage is usually a good thing for the NPC team, though it brings more durability for itself in return for having less reliable abilities for shielding its allies. While the Drum Shotgun is a credible chip damage threat, it’s not a weapon that should be counted on to carry an encounter (even with Retribution), so the Goliath is usually better off focusing on its control and support capabilities in most cases, with some opportunistic damage mixed in.

Although the Goliath is a large unit and so provides a relatively high amount of surface area for allies wanting to benefit from Guardian (or Watchful Guardian), that still places a significant restriction on their mobility, so it’s usually not worth planning on having the Goliath protect a whole composition (the main exception to this is a Vehicle or Ship Goliath large enough for the whole composition to ride on). I like to have one or two NPCs coordinating their movement with the Goliath to make use of Guardian and rely on Crush Targeting or other control methods to extend protection to the rest. As mentioned earlier, the extra Difficulty from hard cover (and Resistance from Watchful Guardian) can discourage players from attacking NPCs benefiting from Guardian; if that is working, Crush Targeting can be used to help a more distant ally, or else it can be used against the most threatening PC who isn’t bothered by the Goliath’s hard cover.

I have spoken earlier about the large overwatch coverage of the Drum Shotgun and the benefits of having the Goliath grapple (either with the generic Grapple or with Crushing Embrace), but keep in mind that these are mutually exclusive options due to grappling disabling reactions. Generally, the Jammed effect from Crushing Embrace is worth giving up overwatch, while choosing between overwatch or Grapple is a more situational matter, but there are times when having the option to overwatch can be worth forging a Crushing Embrace. Aside from that, most of the Goliath’s abilities are fairly good about supporting its typical role and not getting in each other’s ways, so I suggest picking optionals based on what would work well with the rest of the NPC composition and/or the sitrep, rather than thinking about what makes the Goliath strongest in a vacuum.

Actually playing the Goliath is fairly straightforward. Early turns are usually spent getting to an important position on the map (usually either a control zone or someplace that the other NPCs would like there to be one-way hard cover that won’t block their line of sight), with most quick actions being either Boost or Crush Targeting. Once in place, try to bog down the PCs and be a headache to get around; if there’s a good chance to make a Drum Shotgun Skirmish, that’s fine to take, but the Goliath is usually better off prioritizing stopping its allies from taking damage over dealing damage itself (unless it has Retribution stacks, though even then, the main purpose of the extra damage is to draw attention from further PCs who feel pressured to help out whoever is hitting the Goliath).

Although the Goliath is on the slow side, being able to move through smaller objects and characters can help it feel more mobile than its raw stats imply. Together with Crush Targeting, the Goliath can start exerting influence at a fairly long range while Siege Armor grants its Resistance and Guardian offers further protection to allies, so sitreps focused on mobility (like Escort or Extraction) usually aren’t terrible for it unless it gets very unlucky with Recharge rolls, though it generally wants to cut off the PCs in advance rather than chasing after them. That said, most of the Goliath’s kit is aimed at close-range fighting, so it’s better suited to more stationary sitreps. Defending an objective from a PC offensive (like Gauntlet) is usually its best fit, but being the only Size 3 NPC and having Guardian (and potentially Watchful Guardian) also makes it capable of providing cover for an NPC offensive (like Holdout); in this case, it will probably want to Prepare to Boost while distant to help coordinate its movement with its allies. Despite seeming like they should incorporate elements from all of those, I find sitreps that encourage spreading out (like Control) to be the worst fit for the Goliath, because it lacks the gravity to influence distant PCs with anything but Crush Targeting. While that is a good ability, between the Recharge making its availability inconsistent, the “dead” turn often giving the targeted PC a chance to Hide to avoid having it applied again immediately, and the at-times unfavorable duration, the players can usually find ways to deal with it fairly effectively if the Goliath itself is also busy defending its position from another PC group.

Compositions of Note

The Goliath is fairly well-rounded for its role, with its main weaknesses being somewhat low damage (particularly against PCs with high Armor), limited mobility, and short effective range, so artillery NPCs tend to compliment it well. The Bombard’s Siege Armor stacks nicely with the Goliath’s Guardian to encourage PCs to come close, where the Goliath can tie them up to help keep the Bombard’s Siege Armor in effect, but I think this is the weakest artillery pairing. The Sniper has big AP damage and massive range, plus the Goliath’s various ways of moving or immobilizing PCs can help set up Sniper’s Mark or multi-hit Deadmetal Rounds shots, and having the Goliath scoot a bit once it’s in a good position can be used to set off Moving Target for off-turn reloading. The Operator and Strider both bring consistent high damage and good mobility to help keep the Goliath between them and the PCs. The Goliath’s general lack of benefits from Lock On help set up Huntsman for the Rainmaker, while Javelin Rockets (especially with Endless Rain) or Atlas Missiles can provide area-denial utility to either ward off PCs from getting inside of Siege Armor’s minimum distance or add a damage threat to the Goliath’s grappling and forced movement.

Most strikers also get along well with the Goliath, as they can provide the direct damage it lacks while working at a similar distance to take advantage of Guardian or Watchful Guardian. The Goliath’s ways of inflicting Prone or Immobilized help enable Heated Blade for the Assassin, while Heavy Frame avoids any friendly fire risk from Leap, having the Goliath drawing fire cuts down on how many PCs can help protect the one targeted by Assassin’s Mark, and the potential combination of Power Knuckle and Spinning Kick can give the pair surprising capability to reposition PCs as they want. The Cataphract can either use the Goliath as cover to drag a PC behind for bullying or snatch away PCs who come close while it distracts the rest. The Berserker, Breacher, and Lurker can all work well as close-range damage-dealers who’re effective at threatening PCs relying on Armor, with all of them having ways to inflict Shredded on top of their spike damage potential. The Assault can also threaten armored PCs with either High Impact Rounds or its generally solid and consistent damage output, and hiding next to the Goliath to benefit from Guardian can also trigger Rank Discipline. The Engineer needs a couple of turns to get its turret count built up, which the Goliath is suited to provide, so any location fortified by the pairing can quickly become a nightmare for the PCs to attack into. The Goliath’s durability and potential to hold a target in place also helps enable Focus Down for the Scourer, and the high Burn damage from that (along with the potential to have Supercharged) acts as a counter to high Armor; PCs trying to get close to negate Siege Armor and/or Guardian also run the risk of getting shut down for a turn by Flash Lens. That all said, there are a few pairings that can be awkward. The Goliath’s large Size can make it hard to stay out of the Ronin’s AOE optional abilities, Rebound already discourages taking ranged attacks at the Ronin, and Chaff Launchers can further reduce the relative value of Guardian, but there is some improved synergy in Tier 2+ where the Goliath can send one attack of a Drum Shotgun Skirmish at the Ronin to trigger the reaction attack of Instinct Mode. The Goliath’s large Size is also an issue for the Specter, since PCs have an easier time getting adjacent to it to deactivate Hunt, though repositioning them with Ram or Power Knuckle can alleviate that to some degree. The Avenger is also an awkward partner; while it has an AP weapon, the Avenger wants to trigger Revenge to really become a threat, so the pairing usually encourages PCs to focus on the Avenger while accepting the Goliath’s chip damage. That said, if there is another NPC who is enough of a threat to make the PCs trigger Revenge, the Goliath’s qualities as a defender can then help the Avenger make the sacrifice worthwhile, especially if it’s also getting Overshield from Infectious Revenge.

Defenders tend to be poor allies for the Goliath, unfortunately, since they often share weaknesses and can struggle to take advantage of their collective bulk. The main exception to that is the Spite, since a longer combat tends to make its Heat-building potential and the threats of AP damage from Enthrone and Insidious Prison ramp up in impact; if it also happens to have Crush Targeting or Feedback Shield, the two can fairly reliably make at least one or two PCs constantly feel like they’re out of the fight. The Pyro provides mobile cover that even the Goliath can benefit from and Burn damage to bypass PC Armor, but every offensive ability it has is a close-range AOE, which can make it difficult to avoid friendly fire. The Bastion lacks damage, and the Goliath’s large Size can limit how easily it can stay adjacent to its baby, plus their protective abilities often have issues of feeling redundant with each other (Friendly Interdiction, Siege Armor, and Watchful Guardian don’t stack their Resistance benefits, and as good as Pause Engine is, the Goliath is usually not a good target for it, with its natural high durability and low damage), though there can be some merit to having two different tough bodyguards for a dangerous Ultra. The Demolisher has big AP damage, but its mobility is terrible even before worrying about not being able to overlap with a Size 3 ally, and while the Goliath can pick up and move the Demolisher to help somewhat with that, I find they’re often too liable to get in each other’s way for them to work well together.

Controllers tend to be better partners, though there are a few that can have issues. The Barricade’s terrain alterations can hurt the Goliath’s mobility as much as the PCs’ and can’t provide cover to the Goliath with its cubes being only Size 2, but it can also funnel the PCs into the Goliath’s zone of influence and slow down anyone trying to avoid them. While the Seeder’s mines don’t get triggered by allies, the Goliath is large enough to often be at risk of getting caught in their AOEs if it’s in the minefield; from a little distance, though, they can add some extra spice to Ram or Power Knuckle, and the Goliath’s girth can also mean that PCs trying to move around it have a harder time of avoiding mines. The Hornet’s poor damage can make it feel bad with a base kit Goliath, but if the Goliath has any save-based optionals, the Hornet’s ease of inflicting Impaired can make them much more reliable. Impale Systems and Umbral Interdiction can cut down on how much the Goliath is being attacked, Crush Targeting can help give the Hornet some protection from Smart weapons or hacker PCs, and Lock/Hold Javelins is a good way of inflicting Shredded; in theory, Watchful Guardian could also help the Hornet take a hit, but in practice, it usually wants to be too mobile and forward to benefit from that. The Archer is mostly a better version of the Hornet’s fit, also providing ample Impaired with much better damage to make up for lacking Jammed or Shredded, while Blinding Shells can disable PCs trying to keep their distance and Impending Threat or Covering Fire can discourage attacks from someone the Goliath is dealing with at close range. The Hive has Burn damage to deal with Armor, Razor Swarms to provide cover to the Goliath that also tends to discourage getting close, and incredible influence over PC positioning. The Witch is a high-threat NPC that greatly appreciates the protection of Crush Targeting (particularly if stacked with Guardian and even Watchful Guardian), Blind can disable ranged PCs, and its Heat-bombing can help deal with high-armor PCs by either inflicting Exposed or threatening meltdowns.

Supports also tend to partner well with the Goliath, though any such pairings are likely to need the other NPCs to be good at dealing damage for the composition to feel effective. The Aegis’s Defense Net and potential Hardlight Cover System are capable of protecting the Goliath, and Light Laser brings some Burn damage to help against Armor, though the Goliath’s large Size blocking much of the bubble’s area can be a hindrance, especially if the Aegis has Ring of Fire. The Mirage makes any NPC feel highly mobile, and stacking soft cover from Warp Sensors or Warp Targeting and/or Invisible from Dataveil or Illusory Subroutines with the Goliath’s innate durability can make it very difficult to destroy, plus anything that gets through all of that might still be negated by Multiplicity. The Priest can be a bit awkward since Investiture, Dispersal Shield, or Sanctuary don’t do much by themselves to help the Goliath, but Abjure can make it painful for the PCs to bash through Siege Armor (especially if they’re relying on rapid attacks from lighter weapons), or Fractal Assault supporting a linked Goliath can make Crush Targeting even more trouble for the PCs. The Scout’s ease of inflicting Shredded can cover the Goliath’s weakness against Armor, Expose Weakness can stack some bonus damage on top of that, Guardian or Watchful Guardian are nice for helping the Scout survive while using Cloaking Field, and a PC being held in place by the Goliath can be a prime target for an Orbital Strike. Lastly, the Support’s healing and cleanses are good at keeping the Goliath active, while its protective abilities can help augment the Support’s toughness as a frontline medic.

NPC Index