Flowermen
Dendro-like mutant, formerly human. Flowermen are usually found in groups. A group is distinguished from afar by its brightly colored thickets, the so-called 'nest'. Flowermen usually stand perfectly still and resemble bushes, but if disturbed, they attack instantly. The same thing will happen if you touch the tall plants in the 'nest'. Flowermen attack in close combat and are constantly moving. Flowermen protect their 'nests' and rarely stray far from them. Active Matter may be found in or near the 'nest'. If a human is killed near a 'nest', their body can become a new Flowerman.
Notes
Description
Flowermen are anomalous, humanoid creatures that have integrated seamlessly with the nature around them. They are highly territorial and reside in specific "nests" that can be identified by clusters of distinct red flowers. A Flowerman is alerted to your presence either by loud noises or if you physically disturb the flora near its nest. When these plants are touched, they release a cloud of green smoke and spores that instantly signals your location and triggers an attack.
In combat, Flowermen employ a frenetic hit-and-run tactic, moving in a tight figure-eight pattern with you trapped at the center. They will rapidly rush in to strike your torso and arms before retreating about 10 meters away to reset for another pass. You are most likely to encounter Flowermen in Overgrowth map variations, where they commonly spawn alongside Swarms and Dendroids.
Appearance
Visually, Flowermen resemble skeletal humanoids that have been completely overtaken and consumed by flora and active matter, with branches and blossoms erupting from their bodies. They typically reside in groups within localized nests, which are densely packed with foliage, distinctive red flowers, and sensitive spore plants. These plants act as a natural alarm system, alerting nearby Flowermen the moment they are disturbed. Furthermore, any active matter left on the ground within the nest will automatically sprout its own spore plants. If you attempt to harvest or collect this active matter, it will instantly trigger the spores and alert any remaining Flowermen to your exact location.
Tips & Tricks
The best strategy for dealing with Flowermen is to use fire-based weapons, like the flamethrower or molitovs. Otherwise, aim for the head, specifically timing your attacks for when they charge straight at you. Shotguns seem especially effective.
While it can be difficult to locate a Flowerman's head while it is resting in its nest, you will eventually learn to spot it with experience. If you are having trouble finding the head, you can draw their attention from a distance, bait them into a chase, and unload your weapon as they approach. Their heads become highly visible during a charge because their running animation looks similar to a T-pose. It is crucial to eliminate them quickly, as the damage they inflict on your arms will ruin your aiming stability if the fight drags on.
Melee combat is generally not recommended, though it can work with precise timing if you are only facing one or two; however, attempting melee against a larger group will easily result in death.
Drops
Upon defeat, Flowermen drop an artifact that can be collected in either a regular or a rare variant. The regular artifact can be refined to grant either the speed or melee chronogenes at ranks I and II, whereas the rare version exclusively yields the speed chronogene at ranks II and III. In addition to the artifact, Flowermen typically drop two to four pieces of active matter. However, you must remain cautious when retrieving this loot inside a nest, as new spore plants will rapidly sprout directly on top of the dropped active matter.s.
