So I had a dream (lame I know) about a potential raid boss idea. This boss was a massive shank, probably the size of one of the giant servitors in PoE (Kaliks-reborn/Pilot Servitor). In a way similar to how the Fallen Walkers will release shanks, this giant shank, H4NK(for the sake of the article let's call him Hank) would release Fallen Walkers, which, in turn, would release smaller shanks. The actual boss battle mechanics are written below, along with my idea for a raid plot. I don't care if you like it, I just think it would be a fun battle. Feel free to add to it or print the page off and take it to the bathroom I really don't care. It's kind of a long read but whatever enjoy.
The actual raid would be placed somewhere on Earth and would feature the Fallen and the Vex. The Fallen have taken over a Vex Citadel and the Vex are trying to take it back. Guardians are there to insure neither race are in control of whatever dark project the Vex were working on and are to destroy the citadel in definite. There would be areas that would feature both Vex and Fallen technology and perhaps some areas where the two races would battle it out. Imagine scaling the citadel and looking below to view a large high school fight break out between the two aliens.
For Hank's final room, I feel it would be necessary for a massive arena style battlefield with no structures or obstructions on the battle floor. Large, circular shaped, with Vex portals in four central locations and a large gate lord gate on a cliff overlooking the arena. The four portals are operated by a computer near by. The floor itself is made of glass and you can see tunnels underneath that run from one portal area to the next. Realizing that the feat they have in front of them is great indeed, the guardians decide to turn on the portals so that the Vex may enter the battlefield. The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy but they're too busy killing each other to worry about me.
Being a shank, Hank is fast, even for his gigantic size. Hank has a rainbow shield of sorts, much like the Cabal boss in PoE. However, this shield is massive. It will take 5 players to work off the first layer of shield. The other guardian will be "hacking" into the computer to turn the portal on, allowing the Vex to push through and fight the Fallen. Once this first shield comes down and the Vex arrive, Hank will release multiple walkers and will call nearby fallen infantry to battle. Once this battle starts, the guardians will go into the tunnels where they wait out the battle and can watch it happen via the glass floor of the arena. However, in these tunnels will be dozens, maybe 100 shanks, so sitting down and watching may not be the priority. While the fallen and vex duke it out, a gate lord will come out of his portal and fight Hank himself. This is the only way Hank will take actual damage to his health bar.
Once Hank calls the servitors out, they will attempt to overload the portal, closing it off. If successful, the portal would suck back all the remaining Vex, including the gate lord and the Fallen would all retreat, leaving just you and Hank once again. The longer you prolong the servitors, the longer Hank and the gate lord will fight. But these servitors are very meaty, and there are plenty of them. Once the portal closes, Hank will immediately turn his attention to the guardian that turned the portal on, marking and prioritizing that player above any other. Hank calls out a walker that will target the guardian. If the player hides in the tunnels, the walker will go into the tunnel after him, along with some shanks, leaving Hank on the floor with the remaining five guardians. Out of those five guardians, one will still have to turn the portal on while the other four work on Hanks shield, which will be a different element this time around, and the next time it will be the final element. Once all elements have cycled through, Hank will enrage. Marked guardians can not turn the portal on twice and for the rest of the battle they will be targeted before any other enemy. Including when the aliens face off (the fallen will go out of there way to attack the marked guardians if they are on the floor). Since not one guardian can turn the portal on twice, you will effectively lose that guardian from the fire team. The remaining unmarked guardians will have to do the work on Hank and work the portal.
Basically this mechanic the entire duration. The gate lord will actually be the one to kill Hank. The guardians just take down his shields and pull the Vex in. The "hacker" won't have it easy. Because they'll be busy with there own activities, they'll be vulnerable to attack. So not only will the remaining fire team be busy with Hank, they'll also need to protect the hacker( bubble bro anyone?). He'll/she'll have a mini game of sorts, which I envision this new mechanic to be placed through out the raid to prepare the guardians for the fight. Timing is imperative. If the fire brigade takes down Hanks shield before the hacker is ready, he will berserk, calling the servitors out to overload the portal. Since the guardians can not actually cause damage to Hanks health, they will need to run and hide, but they can stagger him. If the hacker still doesn't turn the portal on, then Hank will generate a new shield and the guardians will need to make it to the next portal. Keep in mind this arena is huge and Hank is fast…much faster than a guardians legs. It may be a good idea to get the sparrows out, but Hank can still keep up. But back to timing. If the hacker takes turns on the portal before Hanks shields are down, it will initiate the battle sequence, sending fourth Vex from the portal and air dropping fallen for reinforcements. The gate lord will also be out and won't be shy about firing upon the fire team.
Once the battle is over and the gate lord rightfully declares victory over Hank, I envision Hank setting off a massive explosion. This will tear apart the citadel, giving the players an Indiana Jones type escape sequence. Players will need to jump and run from falling debris and collapsing floors. Sparrows will be used to escape the citadel, sliding fast down the side of the falling Vex fortress. But do you really think that Hank will let you race to the bottom that easily? Being so fast, an enraged, berserking Hank is chasing you down the collapsing structure, still firing upon you and perhaps trying to push you off the edge or fall to your death. If a guardian manages to die, Hank will enrage more. For each guardian down during the chase scene, Hank becomes angrier and more dangerous. For the last guardian alive during the race, well I hope it isn't me. Being sparrow gameplay, the mechanics are still in action. Meaning you can still flip your ride and crash into the other guardians. You will know the race is over once Hanks final precautionary self destruct explosion goes off, easily leveling the rest of the structure, burying Hank forever in the time lost Vex Fortress.
Since Hank is a shank overlord, I think it'd be important to have attacks of all the current shanks in the game. Hanks attacks would include the basic shank repeater blaster, but obviously on a much larger scale. Hank will also be able to snipe from long range via tracer shank. Being so fast he can charge at the guardians, easily one rag-dolling them out of play. Along with his repeated blaster, I imagine a concentrated beam of energy on the marked guardians or the guardian at the computer. During the chase scene, Hank will fire a continued explosive burst, resembling a servitors giant purple ball of death.
When the battle between the beasts start, guardians can kill the Vex/Fallen to gain super energy or just because they're bloodthirsty. But remember, being enemy races they can still turn there attention to you at any moment, especially the marked guardians.
That's basically it. Let me know what y'all think. I really don't care if you hate it, I won't lose any sleep tonight. I just think this would be a fun and exciting, new mechanic that we've not seen yet. Maybe some day Bungie will use this idea. I look forward to reading your input. If you'd like to add anything or take it out just say it. The reason I chose for multiple element shields is to divi up the weapon selection and challenge potential. I just feel like everyone walking in with a gally or black hammer or whatever would be to easy. This way each member of the fire team will have a specific weapon priority of each member could have one of each element. Just remember that once you activate the portal, you are marked, preventing you from turning it on again and giving you priority for death by fallen. I chose a shank because we haven't seen a large one yet and I think it would be an interesting aesthetic to look at. Give it up for H4NK, the overlord.