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Sectoid Abjurer For LWOTC

So here's how the story goes. A while back, some folks were blubbering about how easy things like rockets and fire made combat in the LWOTC + Mod Jam setting. I then came up with the idea of an enemy Sectoid variant that could counter those things, but I was so lazy that it sat in concept hell for months. Finally, the Sectoid Abjurer is ready to do everything it can to annoy the commander! The Sectoid Abjurers have been tested in-game as far as spawning and behaving properly, but in terms of balance testing they've had absolutely none. I'll be relying on user feedback for that. Specifically, I tried to balance them around Mod Jam and its full suite of roster mods, in addition to my other LWOTC-related mods.

- The Sectoid Abjurer (named after a specific school of magic in Dungeons & Dragons, a game I've never played since it requires friends) is a dedicated support unit. Like other support units, it's not very dangerous offensively or on its own, but the more friends it has, the more effective it can be. Unlike other Sectoids, they do not possess the ability to create zombies of their own, and they don't have Mindspin or a similar ability that can be used against most XCOM units. They are still vulnerable to melee damage, and have low Aim compared to most enemy units. They do, however, possess some innate Defense that varies based on tier and difficulty. Only a maximum of one can show up per pod. They drop regular Sectoid Corpses and Sectoid timed loot.

- The basic variant has the Fortress and Bastion abilities to keep fire, explosions etc. off of their pods. Additionally, they have Corpore Sano and Solace (LWOTC edition) to support allies from a distance with heals and mental ailment removal. As a bit of a wild card ability, they have Zombie Puppeteer which they can not only use against the Lost, but also to counter the playable versions of the Sectoid and Frost Necromancer. Be wary about summoning zombies that have been buffed by specialized builds when there's an Abjurer around. Finally, as a first for enemy Sectoid variants, they have the ability to throw grenades. Specifically, Flashbangs, augmented with the Bluescreen Bombs ability, so even your robots won't be safe from those. They only carry one Flashbang initially. The single pip of armor they have protects them from AP Grenades, and they never get more armor than this regardless of difficulty or tier.

- The Sectoid Abjurer Adept (the Tier 2 variant) has all of the basic variant's abilities, in addition to Healer's Mind (two extra charges of heals) and Soul Mania which lets them better defend themselves from close range attackers. They also carry two Flashbangs. Health, Defense, Aim, Psi Offense (which they use for controlling zombies and healing) and the damage of their blasters are improved as well.

- The Sectoid Abjurer Magus (the Tier 3 variant) has all of the Adept's abilities, in addition to Compulsion, which makes them much more dangerous to XCOM soldiers. They also carry three Flashbangs. Health, Defense, Aim, Psi Offense (which they use for Compulsion, controlling zombies and healing) and the damage of their blasters are improved as well.

- In terms of AI, Sectoid Abjurers' first action prioritizes ensuring they're not flanked, and then Corpore Sano and Solace to support their teammates. If none of that needs doing, they'll either go for a grenade, control a zombie, or shoot based on what's going on. With their second action, Compulsion is top priority for the Magus, and other than that it's a lot of the same priorities as the first action. They don't really move around much if you don't flank them, but when they do move they do so defensively.

- All three variants use separate blasters and Psi Amps (which is where their Psi abilities live) from both each other and other Sectoid variants, so you can muck about with them without messing up any other enemies or buddies.

- They have been added to all relevant LWOTC encounter lists, and have robust supported followers lists. The addition of Sectoid Abjurers to other units' supported followers lists, however, is handled by Mod Jam. I specifically did not add them to Elite Priests' follower lists, and Elite Priests are not in the Sectoid Abjurer's follower lists either, as the two of them combined can be incredibly mean due to the stacking of Bastion with Solace Aura. It can still happen if another type of pod leader rolls both of them as their followers, however.

- Land your shots and don't get punished.

- All of their Psi powers, including Bastion, can be shut off by disorient. They can't use Solace on themselves if they're already disoriented. This allows you to follow up with burns for full control if needed.

- Soul Mania can be disabled by disorient or suppression (if you're running Mod Jam), or not triggered by Shadowstep or robotics (only full robots like SPARKs or SHIVs, not biomechanical units like MEC Troopers or Celatid Turrets). Lightning Reflexes won't do any good here, as Soul Mania is always a guaranteed hit.

- They can't use Flashbangs if they're disoriented or suppressed. They are also subject to the cooldown of 2 associated with thrown grenades.

- Although they can heal themselves and others, they can't bring back the dead.

- By the time the Magus debuts, you should have easy access to Mind Shields and other counters for Mind Control. Put these on your hardest-hitting units to ensure Compulsion doesn't get them.

- There shouldn't be any with the way I set up the items. Let me know if something comes up.

- LWOTC is required for the appropriate encounter lists, as well as some abilities. You COULD make this guy work without LWOTC, but that'll need a lot of config work on your part, or someone else's part. Not mine, obviously.

- WSR is required to make certain Psi abilities' animations work.

- Mitzruti's Perk Pack and ABB Perk Pack are required for abilities.

- While not listed in the "Required Items", if you don't have Mod Jam, these guys will basically only show up as leaders, not as followers. This is definitely more of a preference thing than a hard requirement though.

- Deadput for making the ABA/Elite Alien Unit Visual Changes mod, which is where the Sectoid Abjurer's visuals are from (more specifically, they're from one of the Sectoid types that debuted in Chimera Squad, but Deadput still made them and many other Chimera Squad looks accessible via that mod).

- DerBK for making A Better Advent, which I grabbed some AI configs from.

- InterventoR for making a ton of encounter list and supported followers stuff for B&T and sharing them with me, which I was able to recycle for this mod.

- ode for grabbing the Sectoid grenade throwing animation from Chimera Squad and hooking me up with it (I previously put it to work in my Playable XCOM 2 Aliens For LWOTC mod).

If you don't see your name in the credits and think you should be there, let me know ASAP and I'll take care of it.