Purifier Unit Affiliation Black Hand Role Heavy Assault Walker Armament Laser, Subliminal Messaging System and Flamethrowers plus legs to crush tanks Tier 3 Properties Hit points 11000 Armour type Heavy (100% Cannon, 100% Rocket, 25% Grenade, 25% Gun, 1% Sniper) Production Cost $3000 Build time 0:30 Produced by Nod War Factory Requires Tech Lab Hotkey F11 Combat Ground attack 900 (Cannon), with a 50% scalar versus infantry, 960 (2727 when upgrade) (Grenade) damage per second for flamethrower Cooldown 2.3 seconds Land speed 50 Attack range 375 Function Abilities Purifying Flame

Vehicle Crusher Notes Leaves husk when destroyed

“ Set it on fire!

- Purifier entering combat ”

The Purifier is the predecessor to the Avatar Warmech, and is used exclusively by the Marcion-led Black Hand. It is fitted with a subliminal message device that boosts the morale of nearby infantry, and comes pre-equipped with a flamethrower in addition to the laser.

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Design

Its development was commenced after brother Marcion, in a pitched Second Tiberium War urban battle against GDI forces, noted how his presence on the battlefield (along with the improvised flamethrower he used to clear GDI trenches) had an inspiring effect on the brothers that fought alongside him. The Purifier was constructed to recreate Marcion's iconic feat, in the form of a giant walking humanoid spouting flames, with a subliminal messaging system inspiring infantry near it.

Black Hand's obsession and expertise with flame weapons allowed Purifiers to be upgraded with more combustible and efficient fuel for their flamethrowers, giving them the Purifying flame upgrade. Unlike the Avatar, the Purifier doesn't need to stop or turn to use its flamethrower, as it will automatically set ablaze any enemy unit that comes within its radius. However, it lacks its successor's ability to upgrade itself with components from allied units, making it less adaptable. It compensates for this with its immensely powerful flamethrower and cost efficiency; the cost for an Avatar and a Flame Tank to upgrade it costs 3200, compared to the Purifier's 3000 cost, subliminal message bonus, and ability to use its flamethrower while moving. However, as a fully modified Avatar possessed all the Purifier's features, plus stealth detection, stealth generators and an additional laser cannon, a Purifier is simply technologically inferior to it.

If a base commander is not careful or does not possess adequate base defenses, a single Purifier is capable of razing an entire base to the ground, especially with the Purifying Flame upgrade. The Purifier is also effective against mass light vehicle and infantry attacks, with its powerful laser and flamethrower quickly dispatching them. However, the Purifier is at a disadvantage when facing other heavy vehicles such as the GDI Mammoth Tank, simply because the laser is not as powerful as the Avatar's and its flamethrower's range is rather short. Having said that, if it can close the distance quickly and has the Purifying Flame upgrade, it stands a reasonable chance against the Mammoth Tank.

On the other hand, its automatic flamethrower does afford it limited protection against enemy commandos, as the commando would have to be extremely quick to detonate one of these behemoths. While a single Purifier can pose a hazard to a base, a group of 6 or more can literally burn down the base as they walk. It is also worth noting that a group of 6 Purifiers or more with the Purifying Flame upgrade can easily defeat an Eradicator Hexapod.

All in all, despite being older and more crude than the Avatar, the Purifier Warmech is anything but obsolete.

Abilities

Vehicle Crusher This unit can crush most Tier 1 and Tier 2 vehicles as well as heavy infantry by simply walking over them, and can do so without suffering any penalties to movement speed.

Upgrades

Purifying Flame The same Tiberium-based fuel used in upgraded Flame Tanks can be loaded into Purifiers, burning blue-hot with devastating results (Ctrl+S). Purchasable at Black Hand Secret Shrine $3000 and takes 1:30 to research.

Assessment

Pros

Immensely dangerous to all units, except aircraft

Flamethrower can be used on the move and has greater range than the Avatar's; laser is not as powerful as the Avatar

Provides firing speed bonus to nearby infantry

Relatively good mobility

Can clear garrisoned buildings

Can crush Tier 1 and 2 units

Can single-handedly destroy even a well-fortified base in groups

Not as vulnerable to Commandos

Heavy armor

Poses a serious threat to epic units in large numbers

Can level an entire base by simply walking through in Aggressive stance, especially when the flamethrower is upgraded.

Can be upgraded with Purifying flame to do more damage

Does Splash damage

Does not require other units for upgrading, possessing full armaments from the start

Cons

Short flamethrower range

Cannot attack and are useless against aircraft

Vulnerable to missile-armed units

Expensive; only available at Tier 3

Not as adaptable as the Avatar

Vulnerable to EMP attack

Cannot fire laser weapon on the move

Like the Avatar, it must face its target to fire its laser

Service

The Purifier's introduction into the Black Hand originally caused dissent within the organization, as many viewed the machine as incompatible with the religious purpose of the Black Hand. To avoid further problems, Brother Marcion mandated that prior to deployment, all Purifiers had to be consecrated by Black Hand abbots.

Purifiers were fairly rare during Marcion's rebellion; several guarded his main base from attack and attempted to escort Marcion away from the battlefield once his command center was destroyed by LEGION's forces. Another group of twelve Purifiers was encountered following the Black Hand's reintegration with Nod, when LEGION assaulted a GDI Liquid Tiberium Lab. Though they had been damaged by Steel Talons forces, they were reactivated and utilized to complete the mission. Despite the introduction of the Avatar, the Black Hand chose to continue to use the Purifier, up to the year 2052, when the 2nd Armoured Regiment of the Black Hand assisted the Marked of Kane in capturing the Tacitus.

Purifiers take the place of the Avatar for the Black Hand subfaction and are thus built at the same tech level and require the same facilities before combat delivery can commence, i.e. a Tech Lab and a War Factory/Redeemer Engineering Facility.

Like the Avatar, the Purifier husk can be reactivated by suitably trained personnel if the Purifier has been destroyed, provided the husk is not destroyed first. The Purifier was replaced by the Fourth Tiberium War era Avatar walkers.

Quotes

Creation

Purifier ready!

The flame shall purify!

And then there was fire!

Select

Ready to burn!

Fired up!

Purifier ready!

Flame tanks primed!

In control!

Systems engaged!

Moving

Onwards!

Lead the way!

Location set...

Target vector!

Forge a path!

Acknowledge!

Advancing!

Attacking

Burn it!

Into ash!

Fire is purity!

Eliminate!

Thy will be done!

Leave no trace!

Char!

White hot!

Set it on fire!

Move to Attack

Combat sensor online!

There will be fire!

Into the fray!

All will be ashes!

In combat

Combat system engaged!

Active purification!

They burn!

It shall rain ash!

Purifying!

All will be cleansed!

Retreating

If it is Kane's will.

I depart!

I shall return!

Trivia

Due to some voice clip bug, the Purifier can sometimes play the replies from Avatar when attacking. Mostly: "Target set!" and "Finally!"

Gallery

Videos