hoping the community has a solution, my n9 is stuck in a bootloop

So tried downloading the 6.0 ota. after it installed it, it got stuck in a bootloop. tried doing factor reset and deleting cache and data.
nothing has worked so far.
heres the rub, i never unlocked my bootloader and i cant get into the OS to set the developer options. it seems my only solution is to RMA it. but im hoping maybe there is a hack of some sort.
heres to hoping.

Which Rom & Kernel Are You Hoping To Flash On You Nexus 5X ?

For those of you who will unlock the bootloader & root your brand new 5X. Which rom & kernel combination are you hoping to flash (either based on previous experience or from what you have heard) ?