Ambrosia Beetle (Xylosandrus sp. or any other of the many species)

[slow fossil]

Ambrosia Beetles are a guild of beetles known for their symbiotic relationship with Ambrosia Fungi. They bore tunnels into dead trees and then basically plant the ambrosia fungi in those holes to feed off the tree, and they in turn feed off the fungi. I think these guys would make for the perfect support class by supplying their fellow beetles with pathways and Ambrosia.

Support, Speedster, Striker

Passive: Farming Beetle

The Ambrosia Beetle can click a key bind to swap between speed and strength mode, giving a 10% boost to the respective stats (speed and shot/headbutt strength) and also changing the effects of its abilities, a filter can be applied to the screen and the beetle’s outline color to make this obvious. The Ambrosia Beetle can also harvest fully grown Ambrosia Fungi and store it in its ‘Jars’ (5 Jars of Ambrosia total, sorted by type, amount of ambrosia required for a jar can be adjusted for balance, but maybe like 10 beetle lengths of it?) by going through fully grown Ambrosia.

On-Ball: Ambrosia Agriculture

The Ambrosia Beetle gets infront of the ball and starts tunneling through the ground, any hard surfaces like rocks, pyramids, etc. it encounters will stop this ability and stun the Ambrosia Beetle. As it digs this tunnel, it leaves behind spores of the selected type of Ambrosia that grow into full, harvestable, fungi in ~10 seconds. This tunnel can be used by other beetles and lasts the whole round, it can only go a bit under the ground and the Ambrosia Beetle and ball are highlighted during this. 30 second cooldown, 7 second duration.

Off-Ball: Food of the Gods

Ambrosia Beetle selects a teammate (or itself for a reduced effect) and gives them a pot of the Ambrosia Beetle’s collected ambrosia (speed or strength depending on the toggle) this pot gives them a 15% boost to the respective stats and gives them a tinted highlight and screen for that type. 10 second cooldown, 5 second duration.

Thoughts? The tunnel mechanic maybe should just be a trench kinda thing to keep it balanced, and feel free to suggest changes to values and times for the abilities, I’m not the best at balancing

Obligatory @analog bough ping for balancing and idea input

[versed idol]

I upcote

Your welcome

[slow fossil]

Skin Ideas:
Farmer (Denim Overalls and Plaid shirt kinda)
Bullet (I mean just look at that shape)
Construction Worker (He build and that big ol head looks a lot like a hard hat)
Medic (again the head looks like that one type of hat, also support role)

[analog bough]

Don’t be ghost pinging me now

[slow fossil]

I already normal pinged you but uh I’m desperate for feedback sorry 😔

[analog bough]

I’ll look at it later

[stable herald]

Off ball maybe a little offbalanced, who the hell is ever going to buff strength for 5 seconds or speed

5 seconds is mad short but also the cooldown is 10 seconds so thats ehhh

You can basically buff someones speed for 50% of the game

By 15%

Which is pretty good

But strength?

Really really strange to buff

And 15% would really be nothing for strength

Now passive + ability used on self

I feel would be like the main way to use the beetle

A straight 35% for half the round

And 10% speed buff for the other half

is kinda insane

The onball seems interesting i think it would be cool

[analog bough]

It seems a bit bloated

[slow fossil]

Ok yeah I felt like the numbers would be off, so maybe the passive gives Ambrosia either higher jumps and slightly faster flight speed or a stronger headbutt and shorter headbutt cd, and then as for the buffs maybe Ambrosia gets 70% if it hits itself and then the speed buff stays 15% and the strength gives 30% shot strength and headbutt power?

[slow fossil]

Do you think it would be better without the choosing between speed and strength gimmick?

Another option would be just having one buff that gives speed and maybe reduces cooldowns a bit

[analog bough]

There’s just so much

Like you kinda need to simplify it

[slow fossil]

Well it’s a lot of explaining for the on ball digging a tunnel and growing the ambrosia, and then the off ball using that ambrosia to buff it or its teammates

and then the two modes which makes it a lot more complicated

[slow fossil]

supporting the beetle family from out in the fields