Re-Add Death + Paralysis Sting to Changelings

[Microscopics]

Yesterday, I played a lawyer ling, and I got killed in the first 30 minutes. Being a lawyer, I had no access to any
items that assisted my objectives, like security weapons, chemicals, or research items.

The reason why I'd like these two stings to be re-added is because nowadays, it's virtually impossible to absorb someone if they aren't already stunned, and it's virtually impossible to stun someone if you spawn as a job like lawyer and have to go out of your way to get a stunning object, like a taser.

Death sting was just fun as hell, especially since it cost 10 evo points,
meaning it really had to be earned.

Thoughts?

[danno]

>being a lawyer, I had no access to items that assisted my objectives, like security weapons
>lawyer
>direct access to brig
>direct contact with security officers

[Lumbermancer]

Don't you know how to make a stun prod?

[DemonFiren]

Lumber should not be permitted to ninja me.

[Steelpoint]

For some reason the Lawyer has a lot more access to the brig than he used to have, I would say he can access well over half of the brig.

As has been said 1000x times, Changeling needs a overhaul. Anything else is just trying to desperately reattach a detached nose to a rotting corpse.

[Drynwyn]

Death sting doesn't really work in the current structure of lings.

That said, I am strongly in favor of giving lings SOME kind of stun. Probably not parasting, but instead an alternate Arm Blade with reduced force + stun, so that you do have SOME ability to fight back (because they have to sprout the arm, then hit you, rather than just *suddenly, fucked!*).

Yes, stunprods are a thing, and lings can and should use them, but lings shouldn't be dependent on ghetto weaponry. You want to use a stunprod? Great, as a reward, you have more evo points to spend on things that aren't a biological stunprod.

[Saegrimr]

git gud

No really, all you're saying is "add easy mode back, i'm too unrobust even with brig access."

[Microscopics]

Even if I do have brig access, I still have to go about killing a sec officer or breaking into the secure armory. Quite hard to kill an officer with a weapon that can drop you in a second when all you have is a pen and a briefcase.

[Cheimon]

Even if I do have brig access, I still have to go about killing a sec officer or breaking into the secure armory. Quite hard to kill an officer with a weapon that can drop you in a second when all you have is a pen and a briefcase.

So be patient, look for opportunities. Sec officers get injured from time to time, maybe you can pounce then. Evidence like traitor items can go 'missing' if you need a little edge. Soap and water still work if you can borrow them from someone. And you've got access to the security channel, so if someone is in trouble they might well say so and you can help finish them off.

None of these options are downright easy to use, but they're certainly more than a pen and a briefcase. Plus you've got all those changeling abilities too.

[Scones]

Ling isn't easy. Antag is not intended to be easy.

Ling is pretty straightforward, honestly, and strong as-is. They don't need more tools.

[DemonFiren]

Of course, no matter how well you plan you must always count on being dunked.
Like that one time I mute+cryo'd someone who coincidentally had a revolver in their backpack.

What you do then is you deal.

[Not-Dorsidarf]

There's not a lot more satisfying in this game than unloading 3 barrels of .357 into wizards/assistants with stunprods/mute-armblade lings/comdoms/bad chemists/lizards/brycepax

[DemonFiren]

Your mention of bad chemists triggers me.
As chemist I always make a point of doping myself up on mixtures that keep me alive forever.

[lumipharon]

Stop deleting my post, it's completely relevent.

Parasting is a zero effort instant ggnore, that means letting anyone ever go near you EVER could end your round permanently with zero possible counter play, or any visible tell that it's happening.

New ling has assloads of tools for taking people out.

EMP cuts comms, drains energy weapons, stuns + wrecks borgs/augmened people, and is a ghetto way to get through doors.
Armblade is essentially an e-sword with NODROP, with a fuckhuge KO chance.
Mute sting has no tell, so is very useful for surprise takedowns.
Cryosting assfucks people's ability to run/fight, and is not immediately apparent to the victim.
Blindsting similarly and immediately cripples the victims ability to do anything.
adrenaline means you can get stunned, then safely stunbreak and insta wreck whoever is fighting you with a quick stun/armblade back.
Fleshmend makes you retardly hard to put down.
Ling vision makes it impossible for people to sneak up on you.

Your job does not in anyway make it impossible for newling to take people down.
If anything, the lawyer cantake advantage of their brig access for easy weapons/quick takedown on a sec officer for all their shit.

If you're having difficulties killing people just because you don't have click2win parasting, take another look at the tools newling gets.

[Tokiko2]

How about a parasting that is simply an instant neckgrab and costs 50 chemicals?

It's reliable for simple assasinations if the target is somewhere alone but trying to use this with multiple people will get you nowhere.

[Incomptinence]

Ling only ever managed to be on par with traitor for murdering in the oldlings era. Only on par.

No real tools be stealing or any shit like that.

There are a lot of unfair combat scenarios the reason take such exception to a stealth take down rather two revolver shots to the face is they simply want to be found and saved after being killed because having themself in the round is their only priority, cloner entitlement has plagued lings all the way people would rather be spaced by glorious traitor than have their snowflake meat doll absorbed.

I guarantee you if any of these mock traitor tools was similarly competent to average traitor shit or lord have mercy better the complaints would come rolling in. At this point I have zero confidence in anyone proping up newling as a competent antagonist. They would not be promoting these options if they didn't fail you 80% of the time.

Less lings per capita than traitors per capita? Fuck em keep them barely as potent as a traitor. Lings one dimensional kill or runners? Perfect as long as they are worse in their one field of expertise than traitors! Lings literally have more objectives than traitors? PFFT why should green text matter you powergamer let me go enjoy 90% or so ling failures now so much red a sea of reeeeeeed.

Literally if you make the best of the present newling powerset that portion of the power set will be removed/ tucked away behind excessive costs. Just see ling chat being removed buy in (you never fucking see it) despite ling team up taking over the station is such a rare thing your would have better chance just running around as an esword as a traitor solo.

Just to reiterate your suggestion is pointless because oldling had the exact same problems despite having these "EZZY MODO NOT MAKIN STUN PROD ERRY RUND SKURB" stings they still sucked. Ling is one dimensional the suggested play style to remedy this is basically vigilante 101 and also one dimensional. The changes to newling that supposedly make it fine are just traitor tools made worse, this is basically an admission the ling is a sub traitor waste of time but no it's fiiine mate fiiiiiiiine. Newling is the sort of thing that makes me play less and less even though I have the option to be one off, it isn't even fun to fight or observe anymore it is just pathetic.

Edit: Extended is actually beter than ling the threat withdrawal crew jumping at shadows convincing yourself a petty thief is a criminal mastermind when actually yeah just a thief, all better experiences than this swill where the worst antagonist on the roster bungles the entirety of the production for everyone.

[callanrockslol]

Cryo+Mute+Armblade, get juicy

[lumipharon]

I never said ling was fun, or a 'good antag' - it's not.
Simply that it's not hard to murder the everloving shit out of people as newling.