User blog:Willbachbakal/Singleplayer Enemies: Bouncer



Bouncers are the most famous enemies in the entire BioShock series. They're the first Big Daddy the player encounters in both games, and their fighting style is as deadly as it is terrifying. Despite this, they have rather obvious weaknesses (their lack of range and inability to attack across different levels), which pretty much every player has now managed to identify and exploit, to the point where thay are no longer a threat. To be able to work, the Bouncer needs to be surprising again.

Research Bonuses

 * Level 1: New Gene Tonic (will be added later)
 * Level 2: +Damage
 * Level 3: Knife Jockey 2 Gene Tonic
 * Level 4: ++Damage
 * Level 5: 25% damage reduction from all ranged attacks

Changes
Since 2007, in-game physics have evolved a bit, so the Bouncer could interact more with the environment. For example, instead of trying to find the stairs, Bouncers could just drop down from high ledges, performing the equivalent of a Drill Slam when it hits the ground and dealing serious damage if you're underneath. In addition, if a Bouncer charges into a wall it'll have to take the time to pull its Drill out of the material before attacking you. Happy dodging!

Evolution
You know Elite Bouncers have a harpoon instead of a Drill, right? In the two previous games this was purely cosmetic, but here it gives him two new advantages: Number one, he can fire his harpoon at you, impaling you and dragging you towards it. He'll tend to do this if you've got a height advantage or if you're trying to run away (in which case you'll be able to see the harpoon bit exiting through your upper torso). Number two, he can use the harpoon like a mace, swinging it at you from a good distance and dealing a crippling amount of damage if you get hit, as well as throwing you to the side.

While these attacks might seem overly powerful at first, they present to new openings for the player. Firstly, both of these attacks can be dodged by ducking at the right moment. If the harpoon hits a wall, the Bouncer will have to yank it out before being able to attack you. Secondly, the flying harpoon can be caught with Telekinesis, which you can use to throw into a wall to wedge it into place (thus temporarily distracting the Bouncer), throw it at another Splicer for an instant kill on most cases, or at the Bouncer itself.

And that was the Bouncer. Like it, every other Big Daddy will evolve two new abilities after the midpoint. Likey?

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