Available from: Protolab, buildable from start of game, but with HA/JP needing AA.
Res cost: 20

Effect: Hardens standard issue marine armour to Powered Armour grade, allowing them to withstand the effects of spores and parasites with minimal damage. Unfortunately, marines are still injured by these attacks.

What it means: Currently spores and parasite deal damage to both marine health and armour. After getting this upgrade, the marine's health will still drop at the same rate as before, but the armour will not take damage.

Possible gameplay effect: Unless the protolab is made much cheaper, this tech will be expensive to obtain. Alternately, the devs, if they think this is feasible, may stick it into the armoury or arms lab.

if it only has an effect on parasite and spores i don't think it would be very popular with the comms. it's much more effective to drop a GL or JP to kill a lerk

also it removing parasite damages from armor dosen't do that much considering that the parasite will still mark the marine.

lastly not damaging the armor is not necessarily a good thing since it means that parasites and spores can kill a marine much faster if not medded

nah..you want to siege soemthign and 2 lerks gas the crap out of you. You get thsi upgrade. Problem solved. Gls dont always workj there...

but for the idea itself..i dont like these "counter" suggestions.
You shoukdnt be able to counter everything with the right upgrade...makes the whole thing very boring.

If you have a Lerk against you set up a trap and bring him down
If aliens parasite a lot then try to dodge the parasites or sneak

Marines should be counters...not tech-only

Take note, the health will still drop at the same rate. It won't take 100% damage.

alright the thing is there is already a counter for spores: Heavy Armor.

number two is that if this were implemented the main counter would be lerks. but once it is researched and the lerks turn into fades or die? then what. the upgrade becomes totally useless other than skulk parasites which still fufill their main purpose of marking the marines anyway. i just don't like the idea of an upgrade that only counters specific things.

ok sorry...i overread that. stupid me...

*read it again*

Well it would make the Armor+5 boost more viable(because one medpack would make you 3 hits again)

...but since it is a protolab upgrade

dunno...
The lerk thing is good though..

Well, I like the idea that the armour doesn't go down but your health does....
I'm wondering if it should be a droppable though like HA, because I could see it being overpowered if marines simply got it....

And I'd say drop it from the arms lab rather than the proto, because if you have the proto, then it's already past the point this would be useful. (Just get HA's)

I think this is quite a good idea, obviously needing some polishing, but generally I think its quite a well balanced idea.

dropable by the armslab sounds...good. Finally somethign we can use the Al for other than the Upgrades.