THE ROOT

• ELITE
• THE BUNKER
• RANGED

THE ROOT is a named elite on THE BUNKER, a place of security.

It shoots from 230 away and ducks behind cover between shots.

The database underneath all the other databases, and therefore the landlord of the secrets of every agency in the corridors outside. He regards the hero's visit as a row already written, and would like to fill in the last column.

Where you meet it

THE BUNKER

It is placed by hand on THE BUNKER and waits at its post until you come close.

What to know

• THE ENTRANCECloses at 100/s until it has said its piece, then fights at its own pace.
• WHAT IT WAS CARRYINGMore than it should be. Its corpse sheds 3× the gold an ordinary body of its rank does.
• WHEN STRUCKIt bleeds. A blow that overwhelms it bursts it, and there is a face among what lands.

Mechanics

Every dangerous move is telegraphed — it roots, it winds up, and you get the beat you need to be somewhere else.

• SNARE FIELDIt roots for 0.6s first, then lays a field 52 across on the ground where you were standing, from as far out as 210. It lies there for 5s and cuts your pace to 55% while you are in it. It deals NO damage whatsoever — its whole strength is what else is on the field while it has hold of you. Walk out of it; a jump clears it too. Once every 8s.
• SIPHON TETHERIt roots for 0.7s first, then opens a drain onto you and holds still to drink: 28% of its contact damage every 0.5s for up to 2.8s, and it keeps 70% of everything it takes as health. The reach is 210 and the line is checked every moment it holds — step out of range or put something solid between you and it and the tether drops on the spot. It cannot move while it drinks, so it is also a stationary target for as long as you let it. Once every 11s.

Its shot

It fires every 2.2s from up to 230 away, for 30 before your armor turns its share. Walls eat the shot and a jump clears it. Between shots it puts the nearest solid thing between you and it, and only steps back out as the reload runs down.

What it drops

Every kill pays one piece of gear, one medkit, one repair kit and one XP scroll.

Its drops roll 40% better on the rarity ladder than the level's ordinary loot.

Guaranteed pieces by rarity: 1 rare and 1 magic, and a 50% chance of one more. A rarity the monster's own level has not unlocked yet is skipped, so the same fight pays better on a harder rung.

What it says

Spoilers for this fight, covered until you ask for them.

What this scene is part of — everything said and found around it — is its chapter of the story.