Battle Sprites - Chips

The goal of this chip idea is to provide more function for all battle sprites in different field scenarios. Please remember that battle sprites are, according to lore, clockworks-influenced robotics that typically look extremely organic. Thus they might respond to programs.

Chips "reprogram" how your battle sprite behaves and are "slotted" or "plugged" into your loadout on the Battle Sprite interface, just like picking a harness or perk. Behavior modified by chips is not the same as different ultimates - some chips modify the execution of the moves and others influence what your sprite does during cooldown, not the effects of the abilities. More information below.

A chip will have its own square in the interface, but it's implied that it "plugs into the harness" as if it's a USB or whatever...like it's implied that the harness is like a collar on the sprite, or that the perk is...wait where does the perk actually...nevermind. Chips will contain little "programs" that will run if equipped/toggled. There are a variety of different kinds of chips, but only one chip at a time can be plugged in (per player for a loadout, like harnesses, perks, etc). Like other items, chips can be changed (plugged/unplugged) at arsenal stations. Chips can be used on any sprite and are bound upon purchase. Like a harness, they don't really show up in the player's arsenal - just the BS interfaces.

Riley will provide the player with chips in exchange for crowns or minerals (he currently only provides harnesses and I want to expand his merchanting skills to include minerals). Researchers always need more minerals! And not because Biscotti is asking for them. Nope. Not at all.

Ability-influencing chips function on a toggle mechanic. Toggle a chip on/off by pressing your sprite's relevant (sometimes depends on chip) ability key. For example, I have equipped the Chip of Targeting. I have my firebolt bound to the "1" key on my keyboard. If I press 1, drakon will spit at anything in range whenever it can repeatedly, indefinitely. If I press 1 again, it will finish its most recent attack if relevant, and await further commands like it does normally. If I press one again it goes into autotarget mode. Blah blah tah dah.

Cooldown-influencing chips are always on (if equipped of course). I find it extremely odd that using one ability causes all 3 to cool down. To "justify" this weirdness, perhaps we can give the sprites secondary functions that are neat, useful, and not overly taxing like their abilities are. Like taking a brisk walk after a sprint instead of coming to a full stop, it's healthier - makes sense to me. As you can imagine, cooldown chips are not very aggressive.

The default chip is of course the current "execute once on command and wait" behavior we are all very familiar with. It comes with your sprite and will remain equipped until a chip bought from Riley is equipped in its place, and will pretty much behave like the harness with equipping mechanics. All relevant chips have this default program in place when not activated, a.k.a toggled off.

Naming: Chip of "X," where "X" is one of the below:
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Targeting: sprite will use first ability on any hostile target in range whenever it can. Useful for Leeeeerooooooy Jeeeeeeenkins. Or keeping poison going for masker users. Sprites will have some intelligence - they won't shoot at shielded enemies or invulnerable enemies etc.

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Recasting: sprite will use any commanded ability repeatedly as soon as it cools down. This is ideal for most speedrun situations with drakon's backfire barrier, or seraphynx's 3rd ability in frequent nasty battles, or masker's 3rd ability for long drawn out battles. Once the player understands the "wave" behavior of enemies in sk, toggling this chip, especially in arenas or danger prestige, will be a great boon to any party.

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Scouting: the sprite will venture away from the player and scout the area while abilities are cooling down, always returning just as the cooldown finishes. This expands the map for the entire party if possible (assuming the map is incomplete of course). Does not cause spawn or draw aggro etc. Range is influenced by cooldown length, so using the 3rd ability at the start of the level will grant the most. Movement is controlled by the knight - the sprite will travel one tile per step in the opposite direction the knight is moving, taking a dash/bash to be a single step (you can walk against a wall and be cute AND useful at the same time now!). Can pass locked gates (it's like an adorable camera that can fit through/fly over gaps etc). More useful for clockwork tunnels during events and many intersections, not very useful for areas that have set maps that you've been to before. Good to use with drakon's backfire barrier at intersections, and better for solo runs or for parties that wish to move quickly.

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Holding: sprite will carry one additional pickup. Sprite will pick up any pickup in YOUR pickup range that you don't have room for in your belt and carry it until the end of the level unless it uses an ability or there's suddenly room in your belt. This lasts until sprite is commanded to use an ability (it will just drop the pickup on the ground right where you commanded it to use an ability). It will pick up the pickup again if it's in range (or another pickup in range) after using the ability. At the end of the level the pickup will just get dropped onto the ground as the elevator activates. You and your party can visibly see the pickup in the sprite's "hands" as you move around - how adorable. Might look a little weird for some sprites. Interestingly, the pickup will appear for the entire party if a sprite picks it up and drops it, but then it can only be picked by one player/sprite. Very interesting indeed (really this is just similar to old gameplay mechanics and somewhat allows pill sharing). This will force players to pay attention to their pickup belts a little more. This also works with vitapods that HAPPEN to drop at the same time - I've noticed something about pods, they don't tend to drop once you have them unless they're higher. Anyway... This scenario: Hey everybody look what I found! Now who's my favorite party member ;P

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Activating: sprite will pickup pickups in YOUR pickup range and use them on the spot (no throwing). Only works for non-pill and non-remedy pickups, and only if the knight walked over the pickup and didn't pick it up. So if your knight walks over a shock vial with an occupied belt, the vial will seem to just detonate on the spot. Works only if sprite is not currently using an ability. Be careful when around monsters like quicksilvers with shock vials or other similar scenarios. Can be used in junction with someone elses's sprite that has the Chip of Holding equipped for interesting strategies.

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Taunting: sprite will make rude gestures (signified by repeating the three shout dashes and a laughing head) and draw 100% aggro to itself within a 4 tile range. Does not take damage of course. For some reason, bosses are not fooled by this nonsense (lol). Only activates after an ability executes and lasts for the duration of the cooldown - 2 seconds (these 2 seconds used to return to master's shoulder). Key point here: sprite stays where it was commanded to use whatever the ability was for the duration of the taunting. I would use this to distract respawning enemies, especially healer units like silkwings, for as long as i could - the taunt includes "help me I'm damaged" as well as "hey blubberbut! Your sprockets are rockets!" Sprite will "taunt" even if no enemies are nearby - it's just a program after all. You can read these taunts on April 1st along with other monster dialogues normally not seen.
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Chips could look like this. This is a shoddy sketch of course. The design is similar to the artifact, with the energy-blue material-like background emphasizing the sprites' connection to the clockworks (via exposure), and possibly hinting at why the Gremlins are going after the sprites with the Collector as well as the artifact. I believe the artifact will offer access control to the clockworks by powering certain entrances, but it could be the Higgs Boson of the clockworks for all we know, so why not add another twist to its rotating facets. Clockworks plugs with internal programs/plans look like dis, big or small. Remember..."chips" are small pieces of a larger whole.

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TL;DR:

New items called "chips" modify sprite behavior. One chip per loadout, like a harness or perk. Chips include:
*Chip of Targeting: your sprite will shoot its first ability at enemies in range whenever it can.
*Chip of Recasting: your sprite will recast an ability as soon as that ability cools down indefinitely.
*Chip of Scouting: map the area with your sprite while it cools down. Is only an observer and can pass around/through gates. Learn what map shapes mean in relation to areas to really get "mileage" out of this chip.
*Chip of Holding: hold onto an extra pickup (vitapods too) until needed. Can be shared with party.
*Chip of Activating: use pickups that you don't pickup on the spot.
*Chip of Taunting: your sprite will draw aggro while it cools down.

Chips could look like this.
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This idea inspired by many players desiring autotargeting sprites and my core desire for "all things possible and optional." Please talk about what other chips you'd like to see, how they would work, and how you would use them.