ADVENT was first created to by the aliens to assist the same Aliens in establishing their reign on earth after taking down the XCOM organization. Nowadays, the Ethereal forces are completely allocated to ADVENT ever since the destruction of the XCOM rebellion, the execution of Central Officer Bradford and the re-capture of the Commander (at least that's what the propaganda says).
As of now, ADVENT is the Dark Outliners' biggest army and branch with arguably an infinitely growing number with the unlimited resources they can gather throughout the Multiverse. As such, many mistaken it and the Über Ethereal as the leading branch of the Dark Outliners, when it isn't the case. They're arguably the sacrificial face that defends the real monstrosities behind the organization that puts the ends before the means.
Resources: With the Multiverse at their disposal, such an advanced civilization has almost limitless resources to craft their constantly evolving weaponry and technology. They primarily use the energy source 'Elerium' to fuel more or less anything they make, like the magic ingredient that allows them to pretty much craft as they wish.
They have mastered cloning and genetic manipulation farther than most known universes. As such they can easily clone endless troops given sufficient resources but also constantly make them better with microtechnology. ADVENT also hold the infamous substance 'Meld' which essentially enabled absurdly quick gene manipulation and perfect mastery of robotics. It is child's play for them to fuse organic tissue with metal parts and create bigger and better foot soldiers through that.
Interdimensional travel is perfectly mastered, especially since joining the Dark Outliners as they've thoroughly studied the Terminals. They fleets can travel through galaxies without a problem and their equipment can adapt to any environment at a reasonable extent of course.
As for weaponry, the smaller troops usually have gauss weapons but it is clear that plasma weapons are the way to go. Any equipment on a minion self-destructs when the wielder is killed, limiting scavenging for the opposing force. Their biggest focus is creating as many Psionic capable beings to produce even deadlier and unstoppable weapons.
Vehicles:During their invasion on earth, the aliens have demonstrated a strong use of scout UFO's and supply bridges to assault the population. It must be noted that their goal was never to destroy humanity, simply test them. The basic UFO's, even the large ones, are as fast as the swift interceptors (fighter jets) of XCOM and can easily lose them after a few seconds. Their more aggressive ships are as big as a small city (As seen in operation Progeny), while their mothership, the Temple Ship, as comparable to a small country, nothing in Earth arsenal could even dent it. Their overseer ships are exceptionally fast and can arguably fly around the earth in a few minutes, plus their durability is particularly overwhelming.
The cloaking devices used were strong enough to counter any form of readings available, concealing even the mighty Temple Ship until it just decided to show up. The amount they have now is unknown. Every Temple Ship holds a Psionic orb capable of creating a small block hole (more than enough to wipe out a planet in a few seconds).
As of now, ADVENT mostly uses transport ships to travel in high speeds on the globe. They can use them to carry multiple troops from a city to sparsely populated area in a matter of seconds.
Notable Members/Troops:There aren't any particular figures in ADVENT with the exception of the Über Ethereal and the Speaker of the group who may as well be a puppet to the former. The distinct troops however all deserve a description as their capabilities are proof of how merciless ADVENT truly is. Before accessing Arcadia, ADVENT forces could be counted in the millions, being all connected to a hive mind, it wasn't hard to control them. As of now, their numbers could potentially be infinite. Some say it is Quantity over Quality, and in most cases it is true, though some of these entities would even make the toughest Space Marines think twice before charging in.
The ADVENT Captain holds a lot of power among the standard ADVENT troops. Wearing superior armor to the regular soldiers, he can take a few more plasma shots before expiring. Wielding a gauss rifle that can be exchanged for a plasma if need be, its main ability falls on its targeting power. Because most ADVENT soldiers and aliens are connected to him via the hivemind, they will be considerably more aggressive to a target he'd designate, gaining in accuracy and lethality when ganging up on the selected victim. They are arguably better shots too.
The standard trooper that relies on his gauss rifle and follows direct orders from the Captain or whatever in the hivemind guides him. They can eventually hold plasma grenades but they're somewhat frail with the weakest possible armor, taking one shot, maybe two. They're the easiest to produce and hold the highest number.
The stun lancer may seem like a pushover, but its fanatical nature makes it one of the biggest threats to have one on one. While it holds similar armor to the captain, it can sustain more damage due to its zealous behavior and lack of care of its own safety. The stun lancer holds a rifle like any other trooper, but favors a stun baton rigged with spikes to go into close range with the enemy, even if it means being exposed to their allies. The lance itself is quite damaging with its design but it also delivers a powerful hock of electricity that can easily knock out the toughest of individuals. Some may just be stunned or not even affected. However if it is to cripple mechanical enemies, they are rather efficient.
Clearly the support class of the standard ADVENT troops, the shieldbearer has the strongest armor and defenses in the organization. They also hold the same rifle as their peers but their greatest strength lies in their main ability. By spreading their shield ability, they are capable of creating an energy shield around every ally their recognize in the vicinity and temporarily enhance their defenses. It can sponge multiple small shots and cushion bigger blows like explosives. They coat themselves with it as well to enhance their already big defenses.
With XCOM's technology at their disposal and the already powerful Mectoid fully optimized, ADVENT easily produced a fully autonomous MEC trooper capable of engaging in the field without a pilot. Connected like any trooper to the hivemind, it behaves like any other trooper despite being completely metal. They can be hacked, though failing to do so in the small frame it leaves its enemies out of fire will cause it to gain enhanced capabilities or even provoke reinforcements to focus on the hacker.
Because of their frame and structure, they have superior defenses than ADVENT armor, their general resilience being large, it doesn't help that they wield extra layers of armor to many direct shots in the hopes of stopping it vain. They hold large magnetic guns that deal significant damage to the environment but also to their targets, easily piercing through tough armor and killing most exposed targets. The biggest danger they present is the mini-rocket attached on their back they can use multiple times to levels area of the field. It's without a doubt that they hold immense physical strength too due to their physiology and resemblance to the XCOM MEC. A punch could arguable kill a human in one shot.
The new and improved Sectopod is here. This time bigger than ever and capable of extending its legs to reach absurd heights and easily pick off targets with its vast array of destructive weaponry. With a plethora of weaponry, insane resilience and massive armor, it makes an amazing boss fight. Whether it is close range or long range, no amount of cover is enough to stop it as it can just step on any obstacle with little effort.
WARNING! These can be a potential threat to Player Characters! They cannot be instantly fodderized unlike many of these.
Once the most laughably frail of the aliens, now one of the most terrifying creatures one could come across, the Sectoid has went a long way with human genes added to its pool. Now even sturdier than a stun lancer with various augmentations, it is swift and efficient under fire, capable of tanking multiple shots before inflicting dangerous psionic damage to the enemy. It holds a plasma pistol on its wrist, though recent analysis shows that is appears to be as powerful as a rifle nowadays with deadly accuracy.
While being swift and more imposing physically, the sectoid gained something grander thanks to humans genes added to the mix. They can use their psi power to revive a fallen organic being and turn them into a zombie (they die if the sectoid dies), but also impose disturbances to the enemies via Mindfray. The worst however, is the fact that the Sectoid Commander lost its relevance due to the fact that they can all potentially mind control (NPC's) if they are weak enough (or weakened).
Known as the
Thin Men when the Ethereal genetically modified the Viper race to infiltrate the human world. Because of their superior intelligence, they were the right candidates. Now, the Vipers are in their purest form and much more adapted to combat. They hold a plasma rifle with a bayonet to get close and personal while having an insanely powerful tongue to grapple on distant foes and pull them in to bind them. One must note than even soldiers with robotic armor were effortlessly pulled by this tongue and bound to the point where they were completely helpless.
Their physiology makes them exceptionally fast and agile as their strongest asset rests in their their swift dodging skills of enemy projectiles, managing to get through no man's land with a few scratches with enough skill. Also, they can cough out clouds of venom like their modified form.
Likely the most linear soldier in the ADVENT arsenal, the Berserker does one thing and it does it freaking amazingly: Destroy whatever is in its way. Anything without advanced armor or defenses is either dead or knocked out by this thing. Player characters be warned, Level 3 Ruiko had trouble with four of the WEAKER versions of this. The Berserker is exclusively female for some reason and she can use her ability Bullrush to run a twice the speed she already has (which is pretty big) to crash and stomp whatever is before her. She is particularly resilient and doesn't care about her safety. She will attack whatever provokes it as it doesn't know fear.
The successor to the Outsider, Codex is a female-like entity that constantly appears as though it is 'glitching' through reality, phasing from vision for a second and appearing in a somewhat different position. Being made of a bizarre fluxing energy, one would think she is intangible, but she is not. She does require however heavy damage to destroy. Remember however, that if she takes damage and isn't destroyed in the couple of seconds following the shots, she will duplicate, successfully making a clone of herself, though that would require her to split her energy into two.
The clone can double upon taking damage and also teleport anywhere wish in the nearby vicinity to surprise attack any opposition. To attack she uses a plasma rifle like most of its colleagues. The biggest power it wields however is Psi Storm that covers a large perimeter. All projectile weapons are disabled within the storm, all of them, and shortly after, it explodes, damaging and killing most fodder troops left in there.
Like its past self, the Muton is still a hulking mass of muscle existing mostly for combat. However they've gained a significant amount of intelligence and lean physical shape thanks to human genes. They're strong in any kind of range, with their physical bulk they can impale the strongest with the bayonets of their plasma rifle, or they can use their powerful tactical sense to beat opposition in a shootout. They're still capable of spreading pheromones to other Mutons, The Blood Call, to enhance their accuracy and brutality in battle. They also love grenades.
There exist the
Muton Elites. However whether they've been modified or not is a mystery held by ADVENT as they remain the main protective force of the Ethereals.
One of the most frustrating enemies ever produced, the Chryssalid has kept most of its appearance since the invasion of earth. Many are still capable of the same exact thing as they did, though many have evolved to something more ... Radical. Now holding stronger shells, they can sustain more damage as well as hold the evasiveness of a Viper. If they kill a living being, or damage it, they will leave a poison that'll leave them in deep pain if they survive the attack (and slowly shut down their life functions), unless they get treated. If they die from the poison, they'll turn into a cocoon. If the cocoon isn't destroyed in the following minute, three Chryssalids will be born.
They can also implant embryos on corpses and turn them into zombies as they feed the larvae for a minute until it turns into a mature chryssalid. Now the Chryssalids can burrow deep underground and attack any unsuspecting foe as they step near it.
The more aesthetically pleasing version of the
floater, the Archon is more of a marketing attempt to please the human population than anything. Holding everything a floater could do: Flying, ascending high enough to land safely anywhere, firing plasma blasts. But they also hold a powerful rocket system that completely bombards an entire field with plasma rockets.
If damaged, the Archon will go on a frenzy and assault any enemy on sight with its plasma lance which can inflict considerable damage if a direct hit happens.
Possibly the most terrifying being to any opposing organization. The faceless replaced the Thin man for a good reason, its mimicry is insanely efficient. So efficient that many settlers in rebel camps couldn't distinguish them from their comrades they imitated. Using its particular structure, it perfectly imitates everything about the being's physiology while using the hivemind to have memories and reflexes/habits superimposed in its morphed body. Truly one of the most threatening covert minions. Apparently undetectable unless wanted to be (or though a long and extensive process).
Bizarre robots that are capable of turning invisible, though detectable through over means such as special visors or scanners. They primarily try to ensnare victims and gas them with oxygen suppressing smoke. The tentacles are so strong that only superhuman strength can hope to rip them off, assuming the lack of oxygen doesn't prevent that. They can also fire plasma shots from their mouths. They're mostly useful at hitting lone snipers or supports left behind by the true aggressors.
A very mysterious being that clearly indicates ADVENT's leaning toward biological warfare. Utilizing a plasma shotgun and and acid blaster, it is clear their goal is to inflict as much pain as possible to the enemy. Their armor is extremely robust and is meant to tank multiple shots while conferring it the strength of a MEC. Its suit is where lies its biggest strength however, and while the defense attributes are great, it grans it immunity to any possible and extreme environmental hazard. If the pilot is killed, the suit can enter autopilot and assault any nearby foe with its superhuman stength.
Another insanely powerful minion that has recently showed itself to decimate opposing forces. Many speculate it is the successor to the
Cyberdisc, a robotic minion still used to this day with its immense speed, strong defensive and offensive capabilities.
However this thing, from what's been seen, is much more terrifying. Boasting a large plasma beam to inflict massive damage to the opposition, it already holds tremendous power without revealing it trump card. Once open, it reveals its soft interior with tentacles protruding out. The Gatekeeper employs psionic energy to sap the life force out of beings it strikes with the appendages only to resurrect them as zombies, can create a massive 'Gate' of psionic power to decimate anything nearby and revive any corpse in the blast into zombies, and of course maintain the zombies up even after death.
It is insanely robust with its armor up, arguably the strongest minion in the whole army, barring ...
Also known as 'The Elders' are the race ruling over Earth and governing the ADVENT forces. They are clearly MUCH stronger than any being listed here. An Ethereal can arguably pose quite a threat to any average member of a major faction, considering their overwhelming pool of psionic energy, will and general experience/knowledge.
But rarely will they be found in this form now, for they are plagued by a disease that forces their body into rapid atrophy after so many year, so much that even their psionic abilities can keep them alive. As such, they've created ...
The Avatars are the 'perfect' bodies constructed by the Ethereals out of the accumulate superior genes found within humans, fused with the best of genes from the other races they had enslaved. Avatars are capable of tremendous Physical and Psychic feats, with super reflexes, enhanced speed, enhanced strength, multiples powerful psionic abilities such as Mind controlling weaker and even other inferior yet strong psychics - Null lance - Rift and absolute immunity to environmental hazards as well as any psychic influence. Indeed, the bodies as so optimized that they are no longer at risk of outside psychic influences.
They are constantly evolving this project, but as of now the bodies automatically heal while being equipped with decent armor. The healing isn't insane but it can restore terminal wounds if not finished off within minutes. It can also instantly teleport and employ a weapon considered even stronger than the plasma weaponry of the foot soldiers.
Avatars are overwhelmingly powerful, and remain in somewhat small numbers.
