'Noid commander

Template:Appearances

General information
Species	Tyhrranoid
Location	Lot 42, Holostar Studios Metropolis, Kerwan Outpost X12, Aridia Command center, Mylon
Offense	Large plasma pistol

'Noid commanders are four-eyed tyhrranoids encountered in Up Your Arsenal. They are the largest and strongest type of common tyhrranoid, leading other tyhrranoids in battle or holding important positions. When converted to robonoids by the Biobliterator in Metropolis, they were thus known as the robonoid commander.

History

'Noid commanders were first encountered at Holostar Studios during "Escape the Tyhrranoid Ambush", in which they ambushed Ratchet while he waited at Clank's trailer. Afterward, they commonly appeared in pairs or the company of a group of three-eyed tyhrranoids. They appeared to often have a role in guarding passageways.

In Metropolis, Kerwan, during "Find Dr. Nefarious", they were converted into robonoids by the Biobliterator. These robonoid commanders appeared in Outpost X12, Aridia, during the Galactic Rangers mission Operation: DEATH VALLEY. They led the assault until Ratchet eliminated each of the leaders during the mission "Assassination".

Several improved robonoid commanders guarded the command center on planet Mylon during "Battle your way to the launch site".

Characteristics

The 'noid commander is a four-eyed tyhrranoid, which denotes its rank as the highest. Considerably larger than the three-eyed tyhrranoid, the 'noid commander is easily visible by their skin color, which is bright green, except for their beige-colored abdomen. Four eye stalks rise from the top of their torso, above a large mouth, with misaligned teeth and a large underbite. On Kerwan, they also wore additional armor panels on their shoulders. The four-eyed robonoid had a more olive green color to its plating, whereas the V2 variant had an almost entirely dark grey design, with only the arms being a metallic gray.

The four-eyed tyhrranoids were armed with a large pistol that shot long-distance blasts of plasma. The pistol could only fire five shots in a row, before requiring a reload. They are oftentimes equipped with a jetpack, which allows them to indefinitely remain aerial until too much damage is taken. The robonoid on Mylon was the only variant that was never seen using a jetpack.

Combat

The 'noid commander is most dangerous when it either manages to ambush the player, something it can do by utilizing its jetpack to appear out of a window or from below a platform, or when accompanied by other troops. This is because its pistol has considerably high damage and fire rate, and the reload window is short enough that it does not seriously impair them long enough. Added to this, their jetpack frees them from any ground-based hazards, and their plasma pistols leave short momentary remains of plasma on any surface upon hit, further limiting the player's movement.

Assuming Ratchet relies on well-timed side flips, these tyhrranoids are relatively simple to dodge and serve as sufficiently big targets for the majority of Ratchet's weapons. With enough damage, their jetpack stops functioning, grounding them and thus making them more vulnerable to attack. Nonetheless, it is recommended to use any available sufficiently strong weapon such as the Annihilator, Disc Blade Gun, or Plasma Coil. Combining these with the Holoshield Glove or Shield Charger is also recommended if there is a lack of available cover. It is also possible to engage them in close quarters, as they will attempt to pistol-whip Ratchet, instead of relying on their firepower, meaning they can do less damage. On the inverse, simply taking them out at a distance using the Flux Rifle is also a viable tactic.

Behind the scenes

Concept art of the 'noid commander and five-eyed 'noid commander from Up Your Arsenal

Originally, there was going to be an upper rank of tyhrranoids above the 'noid commanders that had five eyes, as well as a fast rope and shield, which was cut in the art phase.

References

Video games

• Insomniac Games (2004). Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal [Game]. PlayStation 2.

Bibliography

• Greg Off (2004). Ratchet & Clank Up Your Arsenal Official Strategy Guide [Book]. BradyGames. ISBN 0744005000.

Videos

• Mike Stout, Tony Garcia [@uselesspodcasts] (n.d.) . Ratchet and Clank 3 - Developer Commentary - Episode 3 [Video]. YouTube.