Just one of my threads where I talk about thoughts on new things. 
Mostly just for fun, but I heartily welcome anyone else weighing in with their own thoughts on new Skaven enemies that could (in theory) be added.
The only new Special idea I have is the Warp-Grinder. My thought is that this could be an area-denial enemy who actually burrows up from below. It would be announced by the sound of drilling, and the ground beneath the players actually cracking and buckling. After some seconds, it bursts open (staggering and injuring any unit standing there), and a small horde of Skaven Slaves appears. The Warp-Grinder will also come out, and can do heavy melee attacks, but is relatively vulnerable. If allowed, they will disappear back into the tunnel (which will then collapse) and attempt to do it again.
The problem with this is, of course, there isnât really counter-play until after they create the bore-hole and release the Slaves. That could be a source of frustration, though given that the area-denial is relatively limited in comparison to Globadiers or Blightstormers, it might be okay.
For Elite enemies, I feel there are a lot more options.
Iâd like to see more Clan Pestilens enemies, such as a Plague Censer Bearer. Iâd imagine them as having slow but very heavy attacks with a DoT. Perhaps they can even make a toxic AoE cloud around them by twirling their Censers. Theyâd have to have a lot of health, and perhaps even some kind of missile resistance - maybe their spinning censers block ranged attacks?
Along with that, a Plague Deacon could be a special Pestilens enemy who can use some limited spells such as Plague Breath and Poisonous Pustules. The former would create a cone-shaped attack (with noticeable warning marks so players can learn to avoid it) that deals damage and poisons heroes, akin to Burblespueâs snot clones. Poisonous Pustules would cause splashes of acidic damage to enemies near him when casts it, forcing players to dodge back to avoid it.
I imagine Deacons as leading Pestilens Patrols, which would have 1 Deacon, 2-4 Censer Bearers, and the rest being Plague Monks. Definitely not a patrol most people would want to aggro.
I would also love to see a Warlock Engineer, with his warpstone halberd and Warp Lightning as an attack. Theyâd be armored and have high health, able to use their halberds like Stormvermin, but damage through block (since theyâre warpstone weapons). At range, theyâd be able to cast Warp Lightning, which would be well-telegraphed, and dodgeable with good timing. In general they wouldnât be aggressively trying to get into melee, just trying to pelt you with Warp Lightning from a distance.
Finally, I was thinking about the idea of reactive enemies; what if some elites would attempt to avoid your attacks? Thinking of agile enemies made me think of Clan Eshin, and so I thought of Night Runners, a lower class of assassin from that clan. They would have black cloaks, but lack the glowing warp-blades. They would have a limited number of dodges they could use to avoid attacks, even ranged attacks (within reason), with damaging lunges (they would not pin you, but would do a leaping melee attack that can be blocked but would stagger you), or swipes like regular enemies. The idea with these enemies would be to overwhelm their ability to dodge with a flurry of attacks, or bait out their lunges.
I know these are a departure from our current enemy types in the breadth of their abilities and general behaviour, but I think itâd be more interesting than just âhereâs a new enemy with slightly different timing of attacks and different health breakpointsâ. Perhaps itâs outside the scope of the current game - but as always, itâs just fun to think of.
I know thereâs an elephant in the room of Warplock Jezzails, but I canât think of how to incorporate them as an enemy without them just being super annoying. If anyone has any balanced ideas, do speak up!
