Eff those guys. Eff them hard.
I don't mind them being unkillable by conventional means. I don't necessarily mind them making me rush through a level and miss the loot I came for. But I want to KILL THEM DED and TAKE THEIR STUPID LOOT for making me sweat. And then I want to explore the rest of the level.
So, my suggestion is to have holy water seeded throughout graveyards that instakills phantoms. The party rushes to find it, obliterates the phantoms, and continues playing normally.
Phantoms require more strategy than the usual 'swing at everything' approach.
If you solo, you can't do anything about it. If you're with a team, the most badass member can stay back and handle phantoms for the rest of the team, while they clear the level.
This is what I do. All the time. On Tier 3. With four players. I spend an entire level killing four phantoms all at the same time. Constantly.
*equips shades*
My only complaint is how you can knock them off terrain in ways that makes it hard to judge their relative distance from you, which complicates blocking/dodging. (Namely, when you knock them on top of a building.)
Considering that graveyard levels are easier than normal levels otherwise (skeletons seem to be weak against everything) and offer well above average rewards in terms of heat, crowns and materials, the phantoms provide a nice balance.
If you don't like phantoms you can try to pick stratum that do not contain graveyard levels.
This is not a balance issue, but a decision for the player to make.
Sounds kind of like the suggestion I made, to turn them into race style levels where you race to find a purifying sanctuary (checkpoint) in the Graveyard.
But when you get there you can't rush back and kill the skeletons for loot, so you either have to deal with the Phantoms and Skeletons or just run as fast as your stumpy li'l legs will let you.
I'd have to agree with Hazel there, that whole knocking on top of a building is messed up.
Phantoms are a pain, but thats how they work. Like trojans, they easier to defeat in a team. Skeletons suck and it would be kinda boring to just go through a level in 3 sec. flat.
Rush to the end, ignore dead companions unless there is a compulsory battle along the way. Once you reach the elevator all your dead companions will be automatically revived on the next floor with a quarter of there health. No clue if the game charges them the 10 energy elevator trip.
I've found that the phantoms only bother me (solo, T1) when they bust in on a regularly scheduled battle. It's not that it makes things that much harder, but I'm trying to have an orderly smash-fest with a few rounds of skellies, and this loonie in red shows up. It's also unclear at first if he has to be killed to open the gates or not.
I find Phantoms quite easy. Then again, I play it safe: Run backwards and fire at 'em. They can't do much anything to you at that point, and even a multitude of them can be dealt with this way as long as you have some room to run around in.
i don't see whats the prob i solo the graveyard a few times in t2 (without dieing maybe i'll have a harder time at higher tiers) the thing i do is run like hell or if needed i kill all the enemies except the phantom then once their all dead i just "kill" the phantom and run away before he revives. infact i seem to have the most trouble with teamates due to them dieing forcing me to rev them causing me to lose half my health. the way i see it having unkillable enemies changes it up so you'll have to change your tactics
For amusement's sake, and not to say that phantoms aren't hard or anything as they are now, but they used to be worse. http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/1515
Cursing all your inventory and suchlike.
Phantoms don't "Revive". Once it's dead it stays dead. Also with 4 players they are incredibly tough, but beatable, at least with 3* gear.
Phantoms don't "Revive". Once it's dead it stays dead. Also with 4 players they are incredibly tough, but beatable, at least with 3* gear.
You're partially correct, in a way, but mostly straight-up wrong. You're kind of correct in that they don't really "revive". That's only if you take the perspective that you can never actually kill them.
Bottom line is that however many times you "defeat" them, they will always be back for more.
The inconsiderate jerks never drop anything either, because they're never dead-dead. Nothing truly kills them. Those little circles of red energy left over after you defeat them? They follow you and respawn.
Nope, they never ever move once dead. the red flame of a dead one stays perfectly still forever until you leave the floor. New ones may however spawn over time and chase you.
I'd rather take on 4 phantoms than 8 rocket puppies any day
I think we need to fix the puppies first
"I think we need to fix the puppies first"
Help control stray populations in the clockworks today.
Spay or neuter your engines of mass destruction.
Thank you :)
"Nope, they never ever move once dead."
I've had them flare back to life if I hang around long enough. Never say never!
Nope, they never ever move once dead. the red flame of a dead one stays perfectly still forever until you leave the floor. New ones may however spawn over time and chase you.
Yes, they do respawn. (at least, as of two weeks ago they did).
Me and a buddy started a party button battle near the end of a graveyard level and two of em showed up with the usual skeleton repertoire. We did enough damage to the phantoms to put them into their "dormant state" and by the end of the battle they had "awoken" and been put down again two times each.
So yes, they wake up again.
Lately I have been trusting my party with the crown/heat gathering, and I just aggro all the phantoms and have 10 minute (freezing) dance battle with them.
Yay for teamplay. I doubt the devs intended the levels to be played like this though.