EPIC: Save The Savage Theron!

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 12:43 AM

The Glory of the Theron Guard Soiled?
Ok... so the Sawed-Off is nerfed and all is well and good in the forums... but if I may, is there anyone else who thinks that AI Savage Therons in the campaign/horde are.... just a little too slow on the melee reflexes for being the most elite of Locust warriors? There have been numerous well documented cases of Savage Therons making huge tactical errors like running into walls and heading mindlessly towards players, despite the obviousness of the dangers and tactical flaws... not to mention, their reflexes in melee combat are severely lackluster. This has lead to many people seeing the Savage Theron as more of a cannon fodder, a worthless, easy enemy that can be killed by Snub pistols for fun.

So, Why Does this Bother Us?
These Locust warriors represent the elite of the Locust... the elite guard, the onyx guard of the Locust. Theron Guards have always brought a kind of fear with their presence since Gears of War 1... the haunting, reptilian whispers and their tendency to insta-kill you with ferociously well-planned attacks. Though the Hollows were flooded... they still represent the peak of Locust military prowess, especially due to their now-limited numbers. A Savage Theron, simply put, would be a really nasty foe to face in combat... they would not be willing to throw their lives away for nothing. If they were going to pick up a cleaver and use it... they would use it very effectively, they would wield it in a way that makes people fear their presence and respect them, otherwise they would drop it for something more effective. These Locusts are the Queen's chosen elite, even when Savage, they are commandos of the Locust Horde.

Here are the prime examples of these flaws:

They run terribly slow, don't take cover, and don't employ the cleaver's roadie-run... often times, they can be seen running into walls or taking the most blunt, direct route to reach an enemy... making them a severely obvious target in most occasions.
They cannot mantle or mantlekick over cover with the cleaver, making them terrible at almost all forms of melee... the Butcher Cleaver suffers from many drawbacks normally, but it is severely amplified when the AI is trying to use it.
Their reflexes in melee combat are *very* slow, you can walk up and melee one before it takes a swing at you... I've tried this myself, and it has been confirmed by various horde/campaign players even on Insane difficulty.
The cleaver by standard swings twice for every one swing... thus leaving the Theron open to just about any melee attack or shotgun blast you desire. An elite, adept warrior would never make such a glaring mistake.
They have absolutely no resistance to chainsaws, and most people carry lancers in campaign/horde... perhaps they should be able to parry a chainsaw blow and stun the user? THAT would be dangerous... even if it wasn't innately a cleaver ability for players. The cleaver is difficult to use even for the most elite of players... Savage Therons at least deserve some kind of defense.
They drop their cleaver and use a boltok, regardless of whether the cleaver is nearby, or if there are friendly-dropped weapons nearby... this is not imperative to fix, but once disarmed, their effectiveness in combat naturally decreases to something of a minor combat-support role with the boltok.

Please Epic, You Are Our Only Hope!
The Theron Guard has been a long-time staple character of the series, I have played as a Theron Guard in every single Gears of War game... I was so very excited when I found out there was going to be Savage Therons fighting alongside the Savage Locusts. When I got the game at launch and played through the campaign on hardcore... I felt empty, having seen the Savage Therons run foolishly up to Delta and get cut down like petty drones. But, I brushed this aside and hoped it was just luck on my side... then went through again on Insane solo. Still that glaring flaw... then, still hopeful, I went to horde. Even on hardcore horde, insane horde, these Therons act like nothing more than a butcher with a smaller hitbox. They do not employ the cleaver roadie-run that looks like it was designed especially for them... they do not strike fear in the hearts of Gears... indeed, they rarely get a single kill, unless they somehow manage to sneak up on a manned-turret gunner, which even that is a rarity.

Please Epic... please Developers, heed our humble words!

We think the Savage Therons deserve something more than what they have... yes, they may just be AI characters, but they are iconic and beloved as being one of the coolest Locust in Gears of War since the very first title. They are the Theron Guards... and now they are also iconic as the hardest Locust to unlock in GoW 3, by having to beat Insane Beast mode without losing... ever since I unlocked the Savage Theron, I've played as one in every single Versus match, despite his flaws in AI... hoping to restore the glory of the Therons and indeed the Locusts as well.

Do You Think the Savage Theron's AI Needs Buffed?
Click Here and Vote Now!

All of us here love the Theron Guard, and we think their legacy shouldn't be soiled by these flaws in AI any longer... please, help out the cause. We greatly appreciate every single contribution you can give.

**SA T0WNS FINEST** · 10-13-2011, 12:49 AM

That actually sounds really good of an idea, they always seemed like mindless zombies that were only dangerous if you got unexpectedly cornered much like the butchers, but the queen used therons as her royal guards?? even as savages they should be more dangerous than this.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 12:56 AM

Theron Guards are THE elite of the Locust... they aren't given heavy armor and the ability to hiss like a giant snake monster for nothing. xD They are very much mindless zombies... they need some buffs, and I mean desperately.

Being Savage, it basically emphasizes their eliteness... they recolored their armor and redesigned it to blend in with the Deadlands, and according to their profile on the MP character, it suggests that if you saw one you should be afraid of it. The Savage Drones look almost even more combat ready than they did when they were regular drones, they adapted even devoid of leadership and in a harsh atmosphere... Savage Therons, of all the savages? They wield that butcher cleaver like a fool, when they should wield it like a ninja.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 01:00 AM

I mean... if I got hacked in half by a sprinting badass of a theron wielding a giant blade, I would gladly tip my hat to their victory.

**b3nje909** · 10-13-2011, 01:02 AM

Nicely put Amp. I agree on all accounts

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 01:05 AM

This has just seemed like a topic people haven't taken notice to... but since launch, it's been staring me in the face like a rabid raccoon. o_O I noticed it on the third day I had the game while playing horde, and I've had nightmares about how bad a bug it is ever since. xD

**Pandut** · 10-13-2011, 01:24 AM

Butchers are more of a threat then Savage Therons. I agree so much. The general AI could be improved so much as well too.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 03:00 AM

EPIC: SAVE THE SAVAGE THERON, FOR THE QUEEN!

I refuse to let this matter go unaddressed any longer!

AI is integral to the experience of the campaign... while it is very well done, the AI definitely needs tweaking in a few choice spots. This also goes for beast mode COG ai... they are a little twitchy as well, but nowhere near as bad as the Savage Theron

**Mr brownstain83** · 10-13-2011, 03:03 AM

I was playing campaign today on chapters where you see them in the trenches and they all had sawed offs and I was like wtf?

**Emu'sBack** · 10-13-2011, 03:04 AM

These guys just look hilariously retarded running around the map with their cleavers.

**james288gto** · 10-13-2011, 03:11 AM

They definitely need to be more of a challenge in Horde. I'm more concerned with the regular Theron's and their Torques.

The Svg Theron should carry a Torque and shotgun and ditch the cleaver. Make a poll dude!

**Richtophen** · 10-13-2011, 03:11 AM

Instead of having cleavers, they should've been badass digger masters who arc all the shots through the air with incredible accuracy.

but yeah, save for one small part in campaign where I saw one on a retro turret, I always see them with the cleavers. too bad a charge with a cleaver will NEVER beat me standing still with a revved chainsaw.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by Mr brownstain83

I was playing campaign today on chapters where you see them in the trenches and they all had sawed offs and I was like wtf?

To be honest, I think they'd be better off with sawed-offs than the cleaver with their current AI... but that doesn't change the matter at hand, you know? They suck at using sawed-offs even, and that's saying something. Something bad. xD

**Mr brownstain83** · 10-13-2011, 03:20 AM

Originally Posted by Amphedark

To be honest, I think they'd be better off with sawed-offs than the cleaver with their current AI... but that doesn't change the matter at hand, you know? They suck at using sawed-offs even, and that's saying something. Something bad. xD

Lol I know. They will just stand there with the sawed off in your face and melee you and walk away.

**G x Girlgamer x** · 10-13-2011, 03:23 AM

I agree, the Savage Theron Guard is my favourite character.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 03:28 AM

Poll is now up, check the OP for a link. ^^

Lets get this fixed so we can get Gears 3 one step further on the path of perfection.

**alby13** · 10-13-2011, 03:43 AM

savage theron needs a buff. i agree, pls read the original post.

**Solobyrd** · 10-13-2011, 03:51 AM

Agreed if you remember gears 2 they were the oh S#!% locust with their torque bows lol I think even as savages they should be able to wield anything with finesse

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 02:08 PM

I mean, a torque bow on insane... THAT, my friend, is scary as hell. You know you're just one insanely accurate arrow away from being a pile of meat on the sidewalk. You can rush them, and they are weaker in that situation, but they aren't helpless... they will shoot you, melee you with the torque, anything they can to keep you away. I've been hit by Therons mid-roll half-way across the level... and normally, that would piss people off... but to me? I think that's how a Theron should be. You should see that yellow glow and dive for cover immediately.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 03:14 PM

SAVE THE SAVAGE THERON! Savage, mutated, humanoid elite warriors need love too!

**iRaMPaGe** · 10-13-2011, 03:30 PM

Yes this needs to be fixed they are the cutest looking locusts

and the most badass but they suck. They are sooo slow and easy to kill from far away in horde. And once they get to you they start swinging thier cleaver and miss half of the time. You would think a "Savage" theron would be more brutal than the regular one.

**Lurdan** · 10-13-2011, 03:49 PM

They went ahead and made such an awesome running animation for the cleaver - it looks like it was MADE for the Savage Theron, yet they don't run. Seems like an easy fix.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 03:51 PM

I know! Not to mention, have you ever stood in front of a Savage Theron? Their reaction time is horrible. I've only ever been hit by a savage Theron once or twice, and it's because I was using a manner turret or something. xD They didn't even down me either.

**craze indian** · 10-13-2011, 04:09 PM

he's right the level of difficulty does seam a little on the low side

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 04:30 PM

RAISE AWARENESS! Lets get this fixed! =)

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 05:55 PM

This may be something that doesn't matter to some... but I like Therons. I like playing as them and being killed by them, because they're awesome. Savage Therons are the hardest version to unlock at the moment... I think they should decimate even in campaign.

**Pandut** · 10-13-2011, 06:18 PM

Hear, hear! Despite being a Kantus fan meself, I generally like all Locust more then those dirty groundwalkers

.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 06:22 PM

I applaud your enthusiasm. ^^ Locusts... Forever.

If people can post some 90+ posts about the Sawed-Off, I can post all I want about the Savage Theron to get it fixed. xD

**T4X1DR1V3R** · 10-13-2011, 06:36 PM

Awesome thread, personally I think they should keep the cleaver, employ the cleaver roadie run, have a torque bow and SOS as secondary weapons and a boltok for back-up.
At the moment they are bullet-sponges and remind me of the retarded aliens in Duke Nukem 3D

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 06:42 PM

Thank you for your support. Every post is one more step towards getting this fixed. They are elite guards, unlocked by beating Beast Mode on INSANE... obviously Epic doesn't care about that at the moment. >_>

**xx CRIM B xx** · 10-13-2011, 06:49 PM

Sheeeeit, the savage theron guard has bodied me on multiple occassions with the cleaver.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 07:47 PM

I think we need the Bump Boomer to come in here and fix something...

"BUUUUUUMP!"

**Trop** · 10-13-2011, 08:01 PM

When I kill one (MAD EAZY!!) I try to go on a killstreak using one XD !

**Xaybiance** · 10-13-2011, 08:11 PM

I wish the Savage Theron Guard AI acted more like some sort of sand ninja, quietly dashing across the ground like an elite Theron should with a deadly Cleaver grinding against the ground behind him. The very sound of it should strike horror into my heart, but unforunately, the bloated and fat Butchers appear to be a much more deadlier threat than these so-called Therons.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 10:21 PM

Precisely... sand ninja is what they're meant to be like... unfortunately, all we have now is a stupid cleaver-toting zombie that mindless runs slowly towards a target and bumps into them, maybe swinging by accident every now and then. =(

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 11:05 PM

"BUUUUUUMMMP!"

Again, thank you Thread Boomer

**Fight4Humanity** · 10-13-2011, 11:16 PM

It takes 25 minutes to unlock, not the hardest

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 11:18 PM

Still harder than the regular Theron... and either way, that's not the point.

I have the Savage Theron, and I always play as it... the point is not a matter of opinion, it's a matter of obviousness.

**iRaMPaGe** · 10-13-2011, 11:23 PM

Yes Yes i love it keep it up till we get at least a reply on here from epic. But we need more than that..... we need this to be fixed. It HAS to be fixed.

**Amphedark** · 10-13-2011, 11:27 PM

I agree. Feel free to add a link to your signature, any help I can get would be greatly appreciated.

I refuse to let it go... I'll double post, triple post, quadruple post if I have to, I'm not letting this issue slide. Indeed, I'll be (god forbid) a troll if I REALLY have to be... but I don't want to be. People can get away with complaining about the sawed off, I think fixing a real issue is more important.

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