Derpl [v1.1] - Builds WIP (Outdated)

This guide is outdated, but still works for the most part.

This Derpl guide will help you become a Derpl worth fearing. He has a lot of health and damage power. Anyone who comes close will be quickly detroyed or will run away very low on health. Teamed with a Voltar you can sit next to an enemy turret for a pretty long time and detroy the turret before it can even get you down to half health.

Introduction

 
Hello and welcome to the first Derpl guide on Steam Guides Beta. This guide will give you some tips and tricks to help you become the best Derpl you can be. First off before even considering playing Derpl, you should know his mechanics and play style. Derpl is an interesting character to say the least. Derpl can be played in a few ways. He has his Siege Mode where he transforms into a turret allowing him to deploy Nukes and use his high damage Gatling Gun. Derpl also has his regular mode where he can shoot cats, deploy snare traps, and actually move. Some people like to be a Cat Assult Derpl and some like to be a Super Nuke Turret Derpl. I will show you how to be the best Derpl you can be whichever path you want to take.

Things to know

• Derpl is unlocked at level 15. You should at this point know most of the gameplay mechanics and should also know how other players play.
  
• A good player in general knows how to predict their enemies. Derpl is the third (fourth soon) to last character you unlock so you should look into playing as all the other characters first to learn their skills and be more effective.
  
• This guide will teach you the basics, a few builds. and all his skills so you can customize the given builds however you like.

This guide is not magical so do not expect to be a pro after reading it once. The best way to become better is to play more and practice.

Basic Game Mechanics

Introduction
To understand how to play any character, one must familiarize himself or herself with the game's mechanics. In the last couple of patches, Ronimo has been encouraging buffs as the game progresses. This section will teach you exactly what happens in the game to give you the edge on planning your build and your strategy.

Attack Speed
So lets go over how the calculations for attack speed works. Ronimo's system for attack speed if very simple. Here is a simple equation:

(Attack Speed) / 60 = (Total Attacks per Second)

For anyone that failed basic math, this simply states that the total attack speed number divided by 60 will show the attacks per second. For example, if I have an attack speed of 60, then I will attack 1 time every second. If I have 200 attack speed, then I will attack 3.33 times every second. Simple.

Attack Range
Ronimo's range scale has been pretty confusing to many people. As of now, they are just empty numbers that can be used to compare ranges between other 'nauts. I can't give you an exact metric scale comparison, but I can help you find recognize the range scale ingame. Based on simple aproximations and tests ingame, I found that a range of 8 is about 3 Clunks standing side-by-side. If you dived 8 by 3, you get 2.66 as your answer. Therefore 1 Clunk is approximately 2.5-2.8 in width. You can use this approximation ingame to help you visualize how effective a range upgrade will be before buying it or including it in your build.

Area of Effect (AoE)
This will be a short section that explains 1 thing. When you are given the size of an AoE, you will get it in the same scale as Attack Ranges. Apply the previous calculations and apply them for AoE size. On another note, AoE sizes are given in diameter not radius. The size is from one edge of the circle to the other not from center to edge. Keep this in mind when visualizing its size.

Buffs (Very Important Section)
Buffs make your 'naut stronger. Simple as that. There can be buffs given by players, which are temporary, and retroactive buffs given as the match progresses, which are permanent. Over the course of 15 minutes, your character's health will increase by a total of 30 automatically. This stacks on top of health upgrades that you can buy. As the game progresses, minions will also become stronger and more powerful. Bot players get buffs such as health and cooldown reduction every time they die. This effect only goes up to 4 deaths.

Character Description

Story

Riding his combat walker onto the battlefield, comes Derpl Zork. The nephew of Blabl Zork, president of Zork industries. Derpl Zork lacks his uncle's business-smarts. In fact he lacks any kind of smarts, managing to get his IQ rated under the level of plankton in the official galaxial IQ test.

Nevertheless Derpl is the heir apparent to Blabl's galaxy-spanning business empire. This is something that doesn't sit well with Blabl, not well at all. Dreading the day Derpl would inherent the company and run all the hardfought accomplishments into the ground, Blabl put Derpl in charge of fieldtesting the new Specialized Universal Secretary Interface (S.U.S.I. for short) in one of Zork Industries' combat walkers. Asking Derpl what form of devastation should be issued forth from his vehicle of destruction he simply drooled and said: "I wuv cats!"

Now Blabl is anxiously awaiting the day that Derpl would suffer a fatal blow on the fields of battle but as of yet Derpl's combat walker has proven to keep making up for its dimwitted driver.

Stats

Health: 195(225)
Derpl has the second highest health in the game as of yet. The only 'naut that exceeds him in health is Clunk (by 10 health). Knowing this, Derpl already has a slight defensive advantage over most characters.
Movement Speed: 6.8
Derpl has the second slowest speed in the game -- tied with Swiggins. Only slightly faster than Vinnie and Spike walking, Derpl has a great disadvantage in mobility. He could even be considered to be the least mobile because Vinnie and Spike moves faster while flying.
Attack Type: Medium Range to High Range.
Depending on which mode you use, Derpl's range changes. His Cat Shot can be upgraded to go at riduculous ranges. His Siege Mode has an average range but can be upgraded to go a bit farther. To keep it short, Siege Mode has average range, and Cat Shot has the longest range for an auto attack in the game if upgraded.
Quick Tip: Derpl is the only 'Naut that can still outrange turrets.
Role: Tank
Derpl is one of two tanks in Awesomenauts. Clunk is one who has a bit more health but no where near as much DPS. In a one on one fight, Derpl can take on most characters in his Siege mode and win with pure damage or out reach them with his Cat Shot.

Pros

• Has the highest range of all characters with Cat Shot upgrades.
  
• Lots of health.
  
• Can fly temporarily with his jump.
  
• Can out DPS almost any 'Naut in Siege Mode if they come in range.
  
• Can upgrade skills to give Derpl a shield in Siege Mode.
  
• Can deploy a Nuke in Siege Mode to heavily damage enemies.

Cons

• Very slow.
  
• Can be outmaneuvered easily.
  
• Raelynn and Coco and use their skills to hurt you from range.
  
• Reflectonado Froggy G can destroy Derpl.
  
• Raelynn's TIme Rift also destoys you.

Skill 1: Grid Trap \ Nuke

Stats

• Solar Cost: 135 solar
  
• Grid Trap Cooldown: 6 seconds
  
• Grid Trap Lifetime: 10 seconds
  
• Snare Duration: 1.5 seconds
  
• Nuke Cooldown: 14 seconds
  
• Nuke Damage: 50
  
• Explosion Size: 8 (About 3 Clunks
  standing side-by-side)

The Grid Trap \ Nuke skill is one of the most essential skills you can get for Derpl. In most builds you will see with Derpl you will want this upgrade first. While in your Regular Mode, you will spawn Grid Traps that last for 10 seconds after being deployed. This time can be extended with upgrades. When an enemy walks into it, they will be snared for 1.5 seconds allowing you to finish them off or make your escape. That's all well but when you are in Siege Mode, you will deploy a Nuke. This Nuke does 50 damage and will lock on to the nearest enemy. It will automatically blow up upon hitting an enemy, after a short amount of time after deployment, or when you manually detonate it by hitting the deploy key again. The default key to use this skill is the right mouse button.

Upgrades

Empowered Grid (115 Solar):
Upgrade Levels: 2 levels
Total Solar Cost: 230 solar
Effect: Increases snare duration of Grid Trap by 0.4 seconds per level.

Strengthened Trap (195 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 195 solar
Effect: Increases lifetime of Grid Trap by 8 seconds per level.

Hydrocollision Lava Lamp (185 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 3 levels
Total Solar Cost: 555 solar
Effect: Increases damage of Nuke by 15 per level.

Cumbustion Lava Lamp (185 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 185 solar
Effect: Increases explosion size of Nuke by 2 per level.

Lead Casing (150 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 150 solar
Effect: Adds a silencing effect to Grid Trap for 1 second.

Super-Powered Nuke (165 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 165 solar
Effect: Increases nuke speed by 50% seconds per level.

In-Game (Grid Trap)

In-Game (Nuke)

Skill 2: Cat Shot

Stats

• Solar Cost: Free
  
• Damage: 8
  
• Attack Speed: 100 (Average)
  
• Range: 9.8

This is Derpl's basic attack skill. He shoots out cats from the big cannon attached to his side. It does 8 damage and has a very long range. If upgraded it's range could total up to 15.8 . That kind of range is enough to outreach any turret or enemy if you position yourself correctly. Turret out-ranging was easily done in previous versions of the gme, however, due to the Longcat range nerf, it is harder to do. I have found that it is still possible if you position yourself perfectly, however it is not practical. Just get some health and attack the turret. When in Siege Mode this weapon is replaced by his Gatling Gun which does more damage but has less range. As a result of Deprl's slow speed it is arguable if you should use cats or stay in Siege Mode at all times, but the decision is ultimately yours.
The default key to use this skill is left click on your mouse. "I wuv cats!" - Derpl Zork

Upgrades

Longcat (160 Solar):
Upgrade Levels: 2 levels
Total Solar Cost: 320 solar
Effect: Increases range of Cat Shot by 3 per level.

Kitty Catsuit (140 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 3 levels
Total Solar Cost: 480 solar
Effect: Increases damage of Cat Shot by 2 per level.

CAT Package (150 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 3 levels
Total Solar Cost: 450 solar
Effect: Increases fire rate of Cat Shot by 23% per level.

Split Personality Cat (235 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 235 solar
Effect: Splits cats into two smaller cats after impact on enemies where each cat does 35% damage per level.

Fat Cat (185 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 185 solar
Effect: Adds an explosive cat to your cat shot that does 20 damage with an attack speed of 15.

Bat Catsuit (340 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 340 solar
Effect: Increases damage of Cat Shot by 6 per level.

In-Game

Skill 3: Siege Mode

Stats

• Solar Cost: 135 solar
  
• Cooldown: 1.5/4.5 seconds
  
• Gatling Damage: 10
  
• Gatling Attack Speed: 240 (Fast)
  
• Gatling Range: 7.4

Activating this skill will transform you into an immobile turret. If you use this skill while in Siege Mode you will transform back into your Regular Mode. While In Regular Mode your skills will be the Cat Shot and the Grid Trap. While in Siege Mode your skills will be the Gatling Gun (Stats listed above) and the Nuke. Be cautious when switching into Siege Mode because you will not be able to move until the cooldown (1.5 seconds to enter siege mode, 4.5 seconds to exit siege mode) is done. This can be fatal if done with low health at the wrong time. The default key to activate this skill is the middle mouse key.

Upgrades

Sniper Bullets (110 Solar):
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 110 solar
Effect: Increases range of Gatling Gun by 1.2 per level.

Force Field (100 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 3 levels
Total Solar Cost: 300 solar
Effect: Gives you a shield in Siege Mode that reduces damage by 7% per level.

Solid Fist Missiles (225 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 225 solar
Effect: Adds 4 missiles to your Gatling Gun with an attack speed of 25 and damage of 10.

Hollow Point Bullets (220 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 2 levels
Total Solar Cost: 440 solar
Effect: Increases Gatling Gun damage by 2 per level.

Deployment Pads (160 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 200 solar
Effect: Deal a knockback pulse with a power of 1.5 when transforming out of Siege Mode.

Brim Force Field (290 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 320 solar
Effect: Gives you a shield in Siege Mod that reduces damage by 21% per level.

In-Game

Skill 4: Booster Rocket

Stats

This is Derpl's jump skill.
He can fly short distances while using it.

Using Rockets implanted in his body, he can fly for short amounts of time. Holding down your jump key will let you ascend and fly for 1 second. The default key to use this skill or the W key or the space bar. Upon use you will see
a big jet flame shoot out of the bottom of his battle suit.
This skill cannot be used in Siege Mode.

Upgrades

There obviously aren't any upgrades for the jump skill (with the exception of movement speed) so I will be putting the accessory upgrades here.







Power Pills Turbo (120 Solar):
Upgrade Levels: 3 levels
Total Solar Cost: 360 solar
Effect: Increases maximum health by 20 per level.

Med-i'-can (120 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 2 levels
Total Solar Cost: 240 solar
Effect: Regenerates 100 health per minute per level.

Space Air Max (135 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: 135 solar
Effect: Increases maximum speed by 1.6 per level.

Solar Tree (50 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 1 levels
Total Solar Cost: 50 solar
Effect: Increases the amount of solar obtained per minute by 20 per level.

Piggy Bank (FREE)
Upgrade Levels: 1 level
Total Solar Cost: None
Effect: Gives you 115 solar instantly on purchace.

Baby Kuri Mammoth (110 Solar)
Upgrade Levels: 2 level
Total Solar Cost: 220 Solar
Effect: Reduces effect of all debuffs by 20% per level.

In-Game

Build 1: Super Nuke Turret (Outdated WIP)

Loadout

Starting Off

At the beginning of the game you want to get as much solar as you can on the way down from spawn. 30 solar or above is ideal. You want to upgrade Piggy Bank, Power Pills (not Power Pills Turbo), Grid Trap / Nuke, and Siege Mode first. After that camp out near your turrets and help your team defend by killing other players, killing drones, and just being annoying. This is what I like to call the Stalling period. (Note: As soon as you get 165 solar start the Mid Game phase. You wont be effective until your range is higher with the turret.)

Mid Game

After you have a fair bit of solar you can start upgrading the fun stuff. Get Sniper Bullets ASAP. After that you either want to maximise both Power Pills Turbo and Force Field. Now both of these skills have 3 upgrade slots so you can mix and match what order you want to get them in. I usually get one Power Pills Trubo first, maximise the Force Field second, then finish upgrading Power Pills Turbo. This stage takes 860 solar to upgrade fully so start killing some players. This is the Beef Up stage.

End Game

The final stage is where you become a killing machine. After you are done with the previous stage upgrades get the Hydrocollision Lava Lamp upgrade and maximise it. It has 3 upgrades each one costing 225 solar. After that get the Hollowpoint Bullets upgrade two times to maximise it. After that get the Cumbustion Lava Lamp upgrade once to maximise it. Your DPS should now kill pretty much anyone that gets within range of you. Use your nuke if an enemy gets too close which at this stage does 85 damage. Thats enough to bring almost every naut to their knees. At this point you can just go kill turrets pretty quickly. If you position yourself right you can hit the turrets without them being able to hit you back. Any smart player wont even bother coming near you. This is what I call the Annihilation Phase.

Side Note

This build is a very versitile build and it can be changed around to suit your needs. A commom switch for this build is switch out Power Pills for Med-i'-can. You can also switch Piggy Bank for Solar Tree. Again just try out some switches and you will find a build that suits your playstyle. This given build is a good base to get started but it wont work for everyone so just play and you will learn what upgraddes you want and don't want.

Guide Demonstration Video

Here is a video on how the typical game goes with this guide. You will most likely never die and have the most kills in the match if you play right. This match I got 4 kills no deaths but that was becuase it was a short game and I joined part way into the game.

Build 2: Cat Assult (Outdated WIP)

Loadout

Starting Off

At the beginning of the game you want to get as much solar as you can on the way down from spawn. 30 solar or above is ideal. You want to upgrade Piggy Bank, Grid Trap \ Nuke, and Space Air Maxfirst. After that just get solar as fast as you can. Get enough solar to upgrade Longcat 2 times and Power Pills Turbo 3 times. These upgrades can obviously be upgraded periodically. At this point you should easily outreach and anyone you fight. Keep range from your enemies and fire away with your cats. Again get as much solar as fast as you can. You can outreach turrets at this point too so try to get some damage off on them for easy solar and to get a head start on pushing later.

Mid Game

After you have a decent amount of solar you can start upgrading your Cat Shot some more. Get CAT Package once. After that you want to upgrade Bat Catsuit giving you a big boost in damage. Get some more solar and finish up upgrading CAT Package (maximise it this time). Now you should rapid fire high damage cats with incredible range. You can easily take down turrets now. Again get some more solar for more upgrades.

End Game

At this point in the game you should have lots of solar. Now we will upgrade the Grid Trap allowing you to capture enemy players and finish them off with your cats. Get Super-Powered Grid first. After that maximise the Empowered Grid. This will trap enemies much long than it previously did. When you get enoguh solar, upgrade Strengthened Trap. Now you can place down Grid Traps anywhere you want and they will most likely always catch a victim in it during its lifetime. Use this to run away if needed or to kill unaware foes.

Side Note

Some of these skills do require you to be a high level so you can substitute some of the skills you don't have with other ones. It wont make too much of a difference. If at the end you have enough spare solar get Siege Mode and have fun with that. There are many different directions this guide can go so use your imagination and have fun!

Guide Demonstration Video

This is the progression guide of my new Cat Assault build. I was forced to play a bot game because I kept losing connection in every public game I was playing. I ended up with 3 kills and no deaths. I could have gotten at least twice those kills if the Clunk on my team didn't keep self destructing on all my kills -.-

Tips and Tricks

When Playing Derpl:

• You can go through glass platforms even in Siege Mode, use this to get out of sticky situations or to get the drop on somebody. (Perfect for AI Station in the middle!)
  
• Hide your Grid Trap in hidden areas (like bushes) that jump pads shoot through, surprise most players.
  
• Use your Grid Trap when running from someone, best time to use it is when there is a low ceiling above the Grid Trap to ensure they will get caught.
  
• Grid Trap an enemy near you and go into Siege Mode to Nuke them. This will be an easy kill on most lower health 'nauts.
  
• Keep in mind that you are immune to most CC debuffs in Siege Mode. (Exception of Cacoon and time slowing abilities.)
  
• Avoid Siege Mode on anything except glass platforms when playing against 'nauts that can outrange you like Raelynn and Coco.
  
• Siege Mode and Nuke while in mid-air to ambush people and give them less time to react. (When dropping from above them.)
  
• Tap your jump in intervals, don't hold it down, this will give you more flight time.

When Playing Against Derpl:

• Play as Derpl!

Special Thanks

• PenguinPandaZero: Introducing me to the game, inspiring me to make a guide, spell checking, awesome heals as Voltar, awesome tongue pulls into my Nukes as Leon.
  
• Creepy Pie: For making an amazing Voltar guide that helped me make mine better.
  
• Growingbman: Making nice comments and giving me a reason to expand the guide :)

[DemSatana]

BH2W-NCXC-B8JL

[Sabesaroo]

Allright, thanks.

[DZYA]

The videos displaying the guides will be redone, the ones for the skills were replaced by GIF images so I don't need to worry about putting a bunch of 3 second videos on Youtube.

[Sabesaroo]

Also, will the videos be re-added?

[Sabesaroo]

Thanks, that was really quick! Thanks for writing this guide.

[DZYA]

UPDATE:

Finally updated all the skills and added the final section, Tips and Tricks. I still need to update the builds but its pretty much done now. I will try to experiment with some builds over the next few days and put some up. Feel free to post your favorite builds in the comments for a chance to be put into the guide itself.

[DZYA]

Yeah sorry, I am a procrastinator, just updated Skill 3 now, will finish the guide right now, it has been too long.

[Sabesaroo]

Any updates coming?

[Dr. A Egon Cholakian]

for me I dont have power pills (normal not turbo) for derpl is there a way I can change it

[ratsunrise]

It says the video does not exsist