Lambda Sector Guide
Contents
Lambda Sector Guide
A Guide to the Lambda Sector Incarnate Trial
| Incarnate Trial | Lambda Sector |
|---|---|
| Zone | Neutropolis |
| Arch-Villains | Marauder |
| Enemies | Warwalkers, Praetorian Clockwork, Seers, IDF |
| Difficulty | Challenging |
| Numbers of Players | 8-16 |
| Level Requirement | 50 |
| Requires Alpha Slot Unlock | No |
Hello everyone! Paragon Studios Senior Designer Chris "Baryonyx" Behrens here. In my previous development diary, I introduced the Incarnate Trials and some of the lore behind them, with a specific focus on the first of these new trials, the Behavioral Adjustment Facility. Today, it's time to turn our spotlight on the second of the new Incarnate Trials we'll be releasing with Issue 20, Lambda Sector.
Where the Behavioral Adjustment Facility is a target of opportunity for the Incarnates arrayed against Emperor Cole, Lambda Sector is a target of necessity. Located in the heart of Neutropolis, this large military installation is a symbol of Emperor Cole's might to all of Praetoria and the center for military research and development.
It is within Lambda Sector that weapons research continues day and night, and where the genetically engineered supersoldiers of the Olympian Guard are brought online from their first moments as an awakened clone. It is here that monstrous experiments are conducted free from prying eyes and where the most powerful materiel in Emperor Cole's arsenal finds its origins.
Some have theorized that its labs and storage facilities extend so deep into the earth that it would take weeks to catalogue all of them. No one outside of Emperor Cole's inner circle can be sure, however, because no one who has ever attempted an investigation of the facility has ever been seen again... a trend the Incarnates intend to break.
Taken all together, the case for Lambda Sector as a prime military target could not be clearer. The Incarnates must take out Lambda Sector to have the best chance for victory over Emperor Cole. The neutralization of Lambda Sector will give the Incarnates a freer hand to operate in Praetoria, for without that facility, Emperor Cole's military power would be crippled.
Taking control of Lambda Sector is easier said than done. Lambda Sector is a secure military fortress on constant alert. Emperor Cole and his lieutenants are not foolish enough to leave their prize military installation undefended. The powerful Praetor White, aka Marauder, the head of Powers Division, has been charged with securing the facility and responding to any attempted assault with lethal force.
If the Incarnates are to have a real chance at disabling Emperor Cole's personal army and limiting his military support they must succeed in neutralizing Lambda Sector.
Lambda Sector
Lambda Sector is an Incarnate Trial, which is content meant to be a challenge for those who have reached level 50 and are interested in continuing their advancement as an Incarnate. While players who have not unlocked their Alpha Slot can participate, the simple act of playing in and completing this trial will start players on their Incarnate path, even if they have not completed Mender Ramiel's arc. Those who have unlocked their Alpha Slot, however, will be able to earn Incarnate Experience for the Interface and Destiny slots, which are two of the four additional Incarnate Power slots being released in Issue 20.
Like the B.A.F., this Trial will take place on a dedicated map. However, this trial is meant for leagues of 8 to 16 players. This smaller size as compared to the B.A.F. is to ensure that long-standing teams of friends or Super Group members have a trial that they can run together without needing to look for extra members. Below is a brief description of the various stages of the event and the challenges therein:
- In stage 1, the Incarnates will begin their invasion of Lambda Sector. Players begin outside the facility on the streets of Neutropolis, and must find a way to break in. Those who wish to walk right in the front door can do so, but they will need to deal with the IDF forces standing in the way. Those preferring to instead scale the walls will still need to deal with the massive Turrets that line Lambda Sector's walls. In this stage, players must defeat some combination of 60 IDF guards to gain entrance to the inner facility.
- Upon entering the interior lobby of the facility, the players are confronted with a powerful War Walker security guard. This particular War Walker, in addition to being stronger than those that have been encountered previously, also maintains a constant security lock on the doors to the interior labs and storage facilities. Until this Security Guard is defeated, players will be unable to enter the lower sections of the facility and begin their clearing of its primary defenses.
After defeating the Security Guard, players are warned that entering the facilities will trip the alarm and notify Marauder of the attack on Lambda Sector. - Once any players enter either the lab or storage sections of the facility, the alarm will go off. From that point forward, it is a race against time to clear the facility and recover anything at all that could be of use in the final battle against Marauder. Two items in particular are of interest:
- Weapon Caches in the storage facilities contain Pacification Grenades. These temporary powers, which can be traded between players, seem like they would be useful against an individual of raw strength who has been made even more imposing by his brush with Incarnate power and, for good measure, some of Praetor Berry's super serum.
- Containment Chambers in the labs can be destroyed to salvage some Molecular Acids. These temporary powers, which can be traded between players, seem like they would be most useful against large metal structures, like the mysterious gateways found in Lambda Sector's courtyard.
- The final stage begins when Marauder arrives in the main courtyard of Lambda Sector. When he arrives, he orders the IDF forces within Lambda Sector to activate the Reinforcement Portals found all around the inner courtyard. Once these Portals are online, the IDF are able to stream support personnel to the surface and aid Marauder in repelling the Incarnates. Additionally, Marauder drinks one of Neuron's Serums, amplifying his already Incarnate improved strength significantly. After this preparation is completed, Marauder orders the internal teleporters activated, forcibly moving players to the main lobby of Lambda Sector and leaving no choice but to confront him in the courtyard.
Through the course of this battle, which must be completed within fifteen minutes, players will need to deal with two different elements:
- The Reinforcement Portals will continuously produce new allies for Marauder as long as they remain open. There are ten portals scattered around the inner wall of Lambda Sector, and two found inside bunkers in the courtyard. While the two inside the bunkers cannot be shut down and will continue to spawn additional forces for the entire battle, each of the ten main Portals can be destroyed by a Molecular Acid.
- On drinking the Serum, Marauder's resistances and defenses skyrocket. When under the effects of the Serum, he is effectively invulnerable. The only way to break through these defenses is to use a Pacification Grenade on Marauder. This opens up a 45 second window during which these high resistances and defenses are suppressed. However, once that window expires, the only way to get another is to use another Pacification Grenade.
If players failed to recover enough powers while inside the facility, there is still a chance to recover. Resistance forces have taken advantage of the chaos and have hacked into the weapon teleportation system, which allows regular deliveries of Weapon Caches and Containment Chambers to be made to the surface. It isn't necessarily a perfect plan, however, as these Caches and Chambers come with guards. Furthermore, the IDF will be able to recover the Caches and Chambers after a minute, meaning that if the object is not destroyed in that time window, the opportunity to gain a power from it is lost for good.
This is not all, however, as Marauder has a couple of tricks up his sleeve.
- First among these is the Nova Fist power. This devastating melee range attack posts a visible warning when it has begun, and players have a short window to flee the area immediately around Marauder before the attack is completed.
- For those who prefer to stay at range, however, Marauder has brought along some mobile artillery which will regularly barrage those who linger outside of his reach.
- Also, at several points during the fight, Marauder will leap away from the players in an effort to regroup and rally his supporting IDF personnel, forcing the battle front to move and adjust to the new location.
- Additionally, Lambda Sector's perimeter is wired to detect when Marauder has left the facility and take this as an opportunity to lock down all remaining parts of the facility. Avoid dragging him outside the facility, or the battle will be lost!
- Finally, as he nears defeat, Marauder will trigger his last resort defenses and become temporarily unstoppable.
If the Incarnates can manage to control the onslaught of the IDF and endure the many tactics at Marauder's disposal, Lambda Sector can be theirs!
I hope you've enjoyed this brief introduction to Lambda Sector and hope everyone has a lot of fun with it as the progress through the Incarnate System. Marauder awaits! Good luck and happy hunting, everyone!
