Root Network

**Root Network** is a term for a playstyle with certain units and buildings that can connect to other similar entities in the vicinity to create a powerful network. Most of these entities are endowed with an immobilizing toggle ability named **Root** which grants access to the passive ability **Linked Fire** . Buildings have their respective connecting ability permanently enabled.

## Functionality

The purpose of a root network is to utilize the power of idle network members to aid other currently fighting network members even across vast distances. The support power an idle entity can provide is indicated in the description of these cards. For connected members, all their connections are represented by a green bond, but this does not indicate whether they are currently receiving or providing support.

### Support Distribution

Whenever the combat status of any connected network member changes, the distribution of the currently available support power is recalculated in the following way:

1. All connected entities are set to receive 0 support.
2. All connected entities that are not in-combat provide their support to single pool.
3. All the available support is distributed evenly amongst entities that are in combat (in the order they were spawned).
4. If anything is left in the pool the support is distributed evenly in the order they were spawned.

## Usage

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Entities connected to a root network support each other, which enables more powerful or more frequent attacks and effects. However, only completely idle entities provide support. As soon as an entity is active, like being in combat or using its ability, it instead draws support. The root network is not global. This means that entities have to be connected through a root path, even over multiple ones, in order to count as part of that particular root network.

For a root network to function efficiently, the entities meant to provide support need to be placed far enough away from anything that might cause them to activate. Using  or  to increase the distance between active and idle entities should be considered.

If there are multiple active entities then the total support will be split evenly among them. For example, if there are 5 idle entities within a root network but 2 active ones, then one of them will receive support from 3, the other from 2. As such the support "battery" should be big enough to provide the maximum support for each active entity.

Fully upgraded root entities can receive support from up to 6 idle entities.

For example,  shoots 1 giant spore every 4 seconds, which splits into 3 smaller spores by default. The amount of small spores increases for each supporting entity. The rule for damage-scaling root entities is that for each support they deal as much extra damage as an additional entity of its kind would. So a Spore Launcher receiving one support deals as much damage as two Spore Launchers and so on. The damage scaling is displayed in the table below.

Some units attack faster when supported by the root network, such as , who unleashes a wave of spines every 10 seconds. The delay between attacks decreases as more support is added to the network. The rule for speed-scaling root entities is that each support gives diminishing returns to its damage output. The first support will have the delay between attacks halved. The next two supports will reduce it by 1 second each, and the last 3 supports reduce it by 0.5 seconds each. The attack speed scaling is listed below.
(Notice: These values may be incorrect due to uncertainties in testing)

## Patch History

Patch #400035
* Increased the maximum support within one connected Root Network from 10 support to infinite support possible.