Killer Idea: The Infected (Revised Version Included)

As a major fan of both DBD and L4D, I always wondered about having the special infected as playable killers. So the other day I worked on this idea. I tried to make it balanced at least in theory but imagination only gets me so far.

Power

Endless Horde

The green flu left few immune to its effects. Among the throngs of the infected left to wander the streets of once bustling cities, the green flu changed some in special ways. Strange mutations that turned the afflicted into murderous monstrosities vaguely resembling the human forms they possessed merely weeks before.

• Start the match as one of the following special infected, each with their own power:
  • The Charger can quickly activate a fast, straight line charge that instantly grabs a survivor. The charge does not end until a wall is hit or after 4 seconds have passed. A large cool down is incurred after use.
  • The Spitter can fire a ball of biting acid onto the ground. Anytime a survivor steps in the acid, they take damage. A cool down is incurred after use. Acid lasts 6 seconds. A small pool of acid is dropped upon death that can break dropped pallets.
  • The Smoker uses his abnormally long tongue to ensnare survivors. The survivor is then dragged back to The Smoker. Upon reaching The Smoker, the survivor is hit with an attack. A large cool down is incurred after successful use. The tongue is broken if the survivor is dragged into an obstacle, The smoker is stunned or blinded, or after The Smoker attacks the survivor. When dying, all survivors within 6 meters are afflicted with Blindness for 15 seconds.
  • The Hunter uses his extreme jumping ability to cover ground quickly and ambush survivors. The Hunter can hold the ability button to charge a jump action. Charging longer increases jump distance. Jump charging cannot be canceled. The jump does not attack the survivor. After attacking a survivor, The Hunter cannot jump for 60 seconds.
• Every time The Infected gets stunned, they die.
• While dead, The Infected moves faster and cannot be seen, heard, or interacted with. However, they cannot interact with survivors, open lockers, break generators or pallets, or see blood, scratch marks, and survivor auras.
• The Infected can spawn as a random special infected from the above list if they are not within line of site of a survivor or within a certain distance of them.

Perks

Boomer Bile

A strange adaption has turned a potential threat into an opportunity to mark prey.

Upon being stunned, all survivors within 32 meters have their auras revealed for 5/10/15 seconds. (Could potentially be replaced with a scream if aura proves too strong)

"Don't let him spew on you." ~ Nick

Don't Anger The Witch

You've had enough of dealing with the survivors. Every little thing they do just adds to your desire to slaughter them where they stand.

After being stunned or blinded for a cumulative total of 12 seconds in a single match, all survivors suffer from the exposed status for 40/50/60 seconds.

"Kill the light man." ~ Louis

Jockey's Grip

You develop an uncanny ability to latch hold of the survivors.

You gain a 15/30/45% chance to interrupt and grab a healthy survivor when they are vaulting pallets and windows.

"What is that zombie doing to him?" ~ Zoey

Add-ons

• Improve ability cool down
• Improve minimum distance from survivors to spawn
• Increase speed while dead
• Ultrarare idea: Can see scratch marks, blood, and auras while dead. Survivors can see your aura within 15 meters.
• Ultrarare idea: Play as The Tank (Description can be found in EDIT: The Tank)
• Ultrarare idea: Play as The Common Infected (Description can be found in EDIT: The Common Infected)

EDIT: The Tank

Playing as The Tank is a vastly different experience than playing The Infected.

• The Tank can not die.
• The Tank moves at 110% movement speed.
• The Tank can pick up and carry a single dropped pallet and it at survivors. Getting hit with the pallet instantly puts survivors in the dying state.

EDIT: THe common infected

Playing as The Common Infected makes key changes to the play style of The Infected.

• None of The Special Infected are available for play
• When dying, The Common Infected immediately spawns 10 meters away from their death. They will always spawn out of site of all survivors. They will also be facing the direction of the survivor that stunned them.
• The Common infected can vault windows and pallets 30% faster.
• The Common infected can break pallets using the active ability button.

Completely open to hear y'all's opinion on this idea.

EDIT: In the making of the common infected add-on I realized it would be much easier from a creation and balance standpoint to make a version of the common infected as base and have add-ons themed after the special infected. Can be found in a reply further down.