Grubling

= Summary = The Grublings (previously called Squatters) are small sized creatures of the Dirtbeast class. It is the weakest creature in its class, using weak melee-only attacks, and has the lowest health points of any dirtbeasts.

Description
The Grubling is quadrupedal, with 2 hind legs, and 2 forelegs. It has a short tail, with odd-sized spinal plates protruding from the base of the neck to the tip of the tail. A larger bone protrusion is found along the forearms. Two large blade-like bones extend from the shoulders. The front paws have a claw protruding upwards, while the hind legs do not have any claws. A small bone runs exposed along the forehead. Two large tusk-like horns extend from either side of its mouth. These are used to defend itself from attackers, and are a result of mutations set on by the Cycle.

The standard grubling is furless, with a red back, covered with black stripes. The belly and arms are lighter coloured to white. The grublings's skin has small golden glowing patches as a result of the mutations of the Cycle.

The grubling has 2 eyes, and 2 nostrils, with a narrow face compared to other dirtbeasts. It is the least muscular of all the dirtbeast, with a skinny frame. Its mouth is lined with a single row of teeth on the bottom and top jaw

Behaviour
The grubling does not have any ranged attacks, and relies solely on melee attacks. It is the fastest of the dirtbeasts and runs towards its target. It will make very few attempts at dodging attacks, and if it does attempt to avoid attacks, it will do so by slightly moving its head side to side. It is also the creature with the most frequent attacks, with an average of 3 seconds between attacks if it is not dodging or running. The grubling has 4 basic attacks consisting of slashes with its claws, with each slash dealing the same damage.


 * Right Upper Slash: The most common attack, attacks with a single upward swipe of the right claw
 * Left Downward Slash: A single swipe downwards
 * Leaping Attack: In order to close distance to it's target, it leaps at the target while slashing with its right claw
 * Combo Attack: Quickly slashes with its right claw, followed within 0.8 seconds with a downward swipe of it's left claw. Each slash counts as a single attack.

It is very easy to avoid this creatures onslaught, and it will often miss attacks. Jumping and sprinting severely hinders this creatures aim.

Like other dirtbeasts, it spawns by burrowing from underneath the ground to the surface.

Variants
Like the other dirtbeasts, the grubling has 5 variants.


 * Standard Grubling: This is the base version of the creature. Appears very frequently throughout a match
 * Weak Grubling: A grubling with the same physical appearance as the standard grubling, however it is only spawned by the Howler. The weak grubling has less health points and a weaker attack and is also worth less credits than the standard grubling
 * Storm Grubling: A variant of the grubling that will spawn in mid to late game. It is dark grey and black, with the exposed bones glowing gold. This grubling is tougher to kill as it has a higher health pool than the standard variant, but awards the same amount of XP and Credits.
 * Thunder Grubling: A variant of the grubling that will spawn in the late game. This variant is dark grey, with the exposed bones coloured black. Sparks of lighting will occasionally arc across its body, with tiny arcs running across its skin. This creature is tougher and stronger than the basic variant, and reward more credits than the standard grubling.
 * Mutated Grubling: A grubling that spawns for the Hunt contract, and drops biospheres when killed. This grubling is is grey and a bright pink, with its exposed bones and horns coloured a bright pink. It is significantly stronger than the standard grubling, with a large increase in health to the standard grubling, however it rewards the same amount of credits and XP.

Lore
Grubling's (Squatters) are mentioned by Sullivan of the Osiris Faction

'' ""Squatters"", they're common to other H.C-5 planets, but nowhere near as big. Even here on Fortuna III, before the Cycle began they were just pests the size of a common cat. Nobody knew what they'd turned into until Gerald Badum and the first prospectors started going back to the surface two decades ago. ''

'' I'm sure by now you've noticed the difference between regular squatters and the ones I set up Hunt contracts for. That imbecile running Korolev probably uses the samples for soup at his decadent parties, but those samples are priceless. They show the next stage in the evolution of these creatures, or rather potential next steps. More importantly, they help us understand how their evolution works, how they're affected by the Cycle. ''

'' Continue hunting these creatures for us, Prospector. Rest assured we're not using them for petty trophies. ''

 Sullivan 

Grublings are an invasive species to Fortuna III. They used to be much smaller, but mutated to be much larger due to the Cycle. The mutation also caused bone and cartilage to be exposed, which the grubling uses both defensively and offensively. The Spitter, Ravager, Skulker, Howler, Brute and Warden, collectively referred to as the Dirtbeasts, are all further mutations of the grubling due to the Cycle, and are thus unique to Fortuna III.