Changeling wants to be three different styles of play, so why not change ling to be split into three different 'hives', each with different styles of play and powers.
All hives have the normal :g talk, but can only normally communicate with members of their own hive.
Hives are not obligated to help each other, and members of a hive are not obligated to help other members, though they are obligated to not murder the shit out of them.
Le TL;DR
Three ling hives, one uses ranged stings without chemicals and has to regenerate into other people's corpses, one is mostly stealthy but ungodly hard to kill, basically like current ling, and the last one is loud, mutating and regenerating to kill the shit out of people to get more powers.
And yes, all of these would be expected to possibly show up in a round of changeling.
Hive Noxious Delta Five Seven Three(Stinglings)
Spoiler:
Stingling hive names follow 'Hive [Noxious, Putrid, Virulent, Toxic, Foul, Poisonous, Fetid, Corrupting] [Greek Letter] [Zero to Nine] [Zero to Nine] [Zero to Nine]'
Stinglings use ranged 'stings' and are limited only by cooldowns.
Stinglings do not outright transform, but instead mutate sting launchers to assault and fight off enemies.
Wasting time incinerating the corpse of one is pointless, as they do not regenerate like normal lings, instead reviving inside the corpses of their victims.
In general, there will be around one stingling to every 20 crew.
Stings are in-hand items that act like low-use guns(as in cannot be used while stunned) that delete themselves when empty.
The cooldown on a sting starts when the sting is emptied, or in the case of multi-use stings, when the sting verb is used again with less than full ammo.
Reusing the sting verb deletes the sting object, and if the sting has less than full ammo, the missing percentage of ammo is added to its cooldown.
Hitting a changeling of another hive with a sting will grant the ability to send a message to that hive, but will still apply that sting's effects.
Hitting a changeling of the same hive will only apply effects if the sting is helpful.
You can also use a sting on yourself, but it will only apply effects if the sting is helpful.
Stinglings get two assassinate objectives, on non-antags, and one protect objective, on either an antag(including other non-stingling changelings) or a high-ranking crewmember.
These objectives will not conflict with the objectives of other stinglings, though they may overlap(ie, three stinglings having to protect the RD)
Stinglings start with 20 points.
Stinglings can only respec on revival.
Stings and other Powers:
Spoiler:
Implant Revival Egg;
A one-use sting that implants a dead target with a revival egg; if you die, you can revive in an implanted target of your choice, provided they are dead. Without a revival egg, your death is permanent unless cloned. With a revival egg, however, you can regenerate from even the singularity.
If you die in a target you revived in and move to another target, the target you were in can be cloned if their body still exists.
If the target is assigned for an assassinate or protect objective, they will count as dead if you are using their body.
Reviving in a target gives you the option to respec.
60 second cooldown.
Free!
Hallucisting;
A two-use sting that causes targets to briefly, but vividly hallucinate. Has no effect on changelings. Lasts for around 10 seconds.
20 second cooldown.
1 point.
Adrenaline Dart;
A one-use sting that causes the target to instantly get back up from stuns and remove stamina damage for a short duration. Cannot be used on self. Lasts for around 10 seconds.
40 second cooldown.
1 point.
Blindsting;
A one-use sting that blinds a target. The blind eventually wears off. Lasts for around 30 seconds.
60 second cooldown.
2 points.
Needle Spray;
A 5-use "sting" that fires ripping spines. High brute damage, but needs to hit all shots to crit a target. 20 brute per spine.
30 second cooldown.
2 points.
Regenerative Sting;
A two-use sting that causes targets(or you) hit to regenerate rapidly. Also grants temporary immunity to space and atmospheric threats, short of extreme heat. Regenerates a total of 100 brute, 100 burn, and 300 oxygen over 20 seconds. Also grants immunity to cold and atmospheric threats(you do not breathe) for 20 seconds.
40 second cooldown.
2 points.
Purgesting;
A one-use sting that rapidly purges chemicals and radiation from the target and removes harmful mutations. Interferes with other stings. Removes a total of 150 toxin damage over 10 seconds.
Lasts for 10 seconds.
40 second cooldown.
2 points.
Adrenaline Surge;
Instantly causes you to get up from stuns and rapidly remove stamina damage. Effect increases with Sting Evolution.
Lasts for around 10 seconds, though the effect is slowly removed by Purgesting; Each second Purgesting is active removes about half a second of the Adrenaline duration.
Cannot be reused while active.
Causes 20 toxin damage.
2 points.
Parasting;
A one-use sting that paralyzes a target. The effects slowly ramp up from just minor muscle control loss to unconsciousness. Ramps up from just Jitter to Stun+Jitter, Stun+Mute+Jitter, Weaken+Mute+Jitter, and eventually outright Unconsciousness. Lasts for around 25 seconds.
60 second cooldown.
2 points.
Toxinsting;
A three-use sting that causes targets to take minor toxin damage over time. 30 toxin over 20 seconds per spine; more hits increase duration and total damage.
60 second cooldown.
3 points.
Acidic Spray;
A four-use "sting" that sprays acid. Does respectable brute and burn damage, but also melts doors, walls, and windows over time. 15 brute and 15 burn per spray. Melts doors in 30 seconds, walls in 60 seconds, and windows in 10 seconds. Has no effect on reinforced walls.
80 second cooldown.
4 points.
Natural Regeneration;
Passively, but slowly, regenerate brute and burn damage. 2 brute/burn every 5 seconds, can be bought up to five times for up to 2 brute/burn every second.
3 points for first buy, 1 for additional buys(total 7)
You need at least one sting before you can buy these two:
Excessive Spine Generation;
Passively reduces the cooldowns of all stings by a percentage; 8% at first buy, 25% at second, and 50% at third.
1 point for first buy, 3 for second buy, and 4 points for third buy(total 8)
Sting Evolution;
Passively increases the effect of all stings by a percentage; 15% at first buy, 40% at second, and 100% at third. Increases either the effect power or the duration, depending on the sting, ie; Toxin sting would do more damage, but blind sting would last longer.
1 point for first buy, 2 for second buy, and 5 points for third buy(total 8)
Cloaked Hive Theta Six Hundred and Seventy Three(Stealthlings)
Spoiler:
Stealthling hive names follow '[Cloaked, Veiled, Obscure, Clandestine, Esoteric, Secret, Stealthy, Covert] Hive [Greek Letter] [Zero to Nine Hundered and Ninety Nine]'
Stealthlings use mostly self-affecting powers and are limited by chemicals.
Stealthlings are mostly subtle but are very hard to kill or imprison if revealed, though they have no in-combat method of regenerating toxin damage.
Incinerate the corpse of a stealthling, as it can otherwise get out of almost any situation.
In general, there will be around one stealthling to every 15 crew.
Stealthlings start with 100 chemicals and chemical storage, and regenerate 1.5 chemicals per second, even while dead.
Stealthlings get one protect objective and one steal objective OR three steal objectives(for relatively unimportant objects; they won't have to steal the AI or the captain's laser), as well as an objective to obtain 10 DNA samples.
These objectives will not conflict with other stealthlings, though steal objectives that can be obtained by multiple people may be assigned to multiple lings.
Stealthlings start with 10 points and gain more by obtaining DNA samples, at a rate of 5 DNA samples to 1 point.
Stealthlings cannot respec; if you choose an ability, you are stuck with it.
Powers;
Spoiler:
Sample DNA;
Samples the DNA of a nearby target; they may feel a burning sensation if they are wearing thick clothing. For every 5 DNA samples you obtain, you gain an additional point.
You can transform into any person you have sampled.
Uses 20 chemicals.
Free!
Transform;
Transforms your appearance into any sample of DNA you have acquired. Has a preview of that person's appearance, including any mutations they can manifest.
Uses 10 chemicals.
Free!
Regenerative Stasis;
You fake your death in order to regenerate all damage after a medium delay. After 30 seconds, you get a verb to regenerate.
Regenerates all damage, removes harmful mutations, and removes all reagents.
Uses 40 chemicals.
Free!
Hive DNA Storage;
Passively allows you to transform into appearances that other stealthlings have acquired. Does not grant DNA samples, however.
1 point.
Hive Identification;
Passively allows you to see other stealthlings.
1 point.
Invigorated Muscle;
Causes you to be immune to space wind, extremely resistant to being pushed over, and rapidly get up from an exhausted state. Close-range examination will reveal your unnatural state, and observant crewmembers will likely notice your immunities.
Has no effect while unconscious.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses 10 chemicals.
1 points.
DNA Transfer;
Transfers a DNA sample to a target;
If used on another stealthling, they gain an additional DNA sample and the ability to transform into it, unless they already have a copy of it.
If used on a different type of changeling, allows you to sent a message to that changeling's hive.
If used on a normal human, they will feel a burning sensation and may have parts of their DNA overwritten. Does not remove the DNA sample from storage.
Uses 50 chemicals.
2 points.
Unnatural Contortion;
Grants the ability to ventcrawl and slip restraints rapidly via resist, including straitjackets. Be wary, as the atmosphere inside pipes may be lethal without other powers.
Close-range examination will notice your unnatural contortions, so it is wise to deactivate this when it is unneeded.
Reduces chemical storage by 20; if you have more than 80 chemicals you will be reduced to 80 chemicals, and then to 50 from the cost.
Deactivate by using the verb.
Uses 30 chemicals.
2 points.
Organic Clothing;
Produces a set of fleshy clothes that can imitate any clothes used on them(provided they are of the same type; no shoes on your head!). Vulnerable to heat. Produces the clothes in the appropriate slots; for full coverage, remove items already in those slots.
To acquire a piece of clothing's appearance, you use the clothing on the appropriate fleshy mass. If set on fire, will revert to the original organic appearance.
Switch appearances with alt-click. Reuse the verb to store active clothing pieces.
Does not replicate the effects of the imitated clothing, however; an imitated spacesuit will have no helmet, and will not protect against space.
Uses 10 chemicals.
2 points.
Environmental Resistance;
Causes you to be highly resistant to atmospheric threats excluding fire, and immune to electricity, including tasers and stunbatons. Close-range examination will reveal your unnatural state, and observant crewmembers will likely notice your immunities.
Can be used in critical, but not while dead.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses 20 chemicals.
2 points.
Embryonic Shell;
Produces a translucent, fleshy mass around you that causes you to regenerate rapidly and be immune to space, at the cost of the orb breaking at any attack. You can still move, slowly, within the orb, but most crewmembers are likely to attempt to break it as soon as they see you.
Can be used in critical, but not while dead.
Exit the orb by reusing the verb.
Uses 50 chemicals.
2 points.
Unnatural Vigor;
Grants unnatural martial arts which rely on mutations, increased speed, and increased sight range at the cost of chemical storage. You move at maximum speed, can break cuffs, rip open unbolted glass airlocks and windoors with a delay, and see farther.
You also have special effects on disarm and harm, and unique effects when attacking with active Chameleonic Skin;
[list][*]Disarm has a much higher chance to knock the target down and has a chance to grab whatever they're holding.
[*]Grab starts off at aggressive.
[*]Harm does bonus damage and stamina damage; 10 brute with a bonus 4 stamina damage. With Chameleonic Skin active;
[*]Help stuns the target and instantly starts a pull, allowing you to drag someone to safety or possibly murder.
[*]Disarm knocks the target down and takes whatever they had in their active hand, or whatever they had in their inactive hand.
[*]Grab starts off at neck, nonlethal, and briefly mutes the target.
[*]Harm does much more stamina damage, total of 10 brute with 20 stamina.[/list]
Reduces chemical storage by 30; if you have more than 70 chemicals, you will be reduced to 70 chemicals, and then to 40 from the cost.
Also gives you a mutation overlay that makes your unnatural status quite obvious; this can be concealed with clothing.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses 30 chemicals.
3 points.
Chameleonic Skin;
Renders you partially invisible; you become very hard to spot and become immune to AI tracking at the cost of chemicals and a chemical drain. If you hit 0 chemicals or take action(using items, powers, attacking, etc) other than moving, immediately deactivates.
This is not full invisibility; you are still visible, just extremely hard to spot.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses 20 chemicals and drains 2 chemicals per second(does not remove regeneration)
3 points.
Engorged Chemical Glands;
Increases your chemical regeneration, but causes you to take toxin damage on using an ability. Increases chemical regeneration by 1.5 per second, but you take 5 toxin damage on using an ability other than this.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses 10 chemicals.
3 points.
Supernatural Regeneration;
You regenerate extremely rapidly while this power is active, at the cost of a constant chemical drain. You regenerate 10 brute, burn, cloneloss, and brainloss every second while this is active.
You also regenerate 2 toxin every second.
If you hit 0 chemicals, immediately deactivates.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses 10 chemicals and drains 3 chemicals per second(does not remove regeneration)
4 points.
Horrorlings mutate heavily, but are limited by chemicals, and some abilities have drawbacks.
Horrorlings also have a plethora of natural abilities and drawbacks that make them easily spotted by the observant.
Horrorlings do not rapidly adapt; they have very low chemical regeneration, meaning using an ability forces them to commit to it or be forced to retreat to get more chemicals.
Horrorlings regenerate very fast compared to stealthlings, making it a good idea to incinerate them as quickly as possible.
There will be, generally, one Horrorling for every 35 crew, and they will not show up in lowpop.
Horrorlings start with 200 chemicals and chemical storage, and regenerate 1 chemical per second plus 0.1 per level, up to 2 per second.
Horrorlings get a steal objective(for high-visibility objects, such as the captain's laser or ablative armor) and two to four kill objectives.
These objectives will not conflict with other horrorlings.
Horrorlings do not gain points, instead gaining levels after ripping a corpse's heart out and consuming it, up to a maximum of 10 levels.
Each level grants more abilities and increases the effect of abilities it already has.
Heart Consumption;
Horrorlings can eat the hearts of downed foes, gaining chemicals and healing, as well as increasing in power. Does not prevent other types of changeling from regenerating; eating their heart again will not grant an additional level.
Consuming the heart of a changeling gives you its name and allows you to send a message to its hive.
At level 10, the chemical gain and healing increase.
No levels!
Upgrades at level 10.
Toxic Blood;
The blood of Horrorlings is toxic, and will inflict damage on normal humans and even other changeling hives. Ingesting or injecting Horrorling blood into a target will do toxin damage.
No levels!
Radiation Immunity;
Horrorlings are immune to radiation and cannot be mutated or sequenced by genetics equipment or injectors. They can just walk around the singularity and not give a shit, basically.
No levels!
Space Native;
Horrorlings can traverse space with no penalties, and are completely immune to low temperature and pressure, as well as lack of oxygen. You can spacewalk with no problem, though plasma, N2O, and CO2 will still apply effects.
No levels!
Fire Weakness;
Horrorlings take more damage from fire and regenerate burns slowly. Horrorlings take 2x more damage from outright fires and regenerate burn damage slower than other damage.
At level 10, horrorlings take only 1.5x damage from fires.
No levels!
Slightly weakens at level 10.
Regenerative Stasis;
Horrorlings automatically regenerate from death to 20 health after a short delay. Used automatically on death, regenerates you to 20 health after a 20 second delay.
Unlike a steathling's regenerative stasis, you cannot control when you regenerate and it is automatic on death.
No levels!
Mutant Speed;
Grants the ability to move at maximum speed and ignore slowdown. You take minor stamina damage from movement. You move extremely fast and cannot be slowed, but take 2 stamina damage on every move.
Stamina damage decreases by 0.4 per level, to a minimum of 0 per move.
Deactivate by reusing the verb - always active at level 5
Uses 20 chemicals.
No levels!
Reaches maximum power at level 5.
Mutant Strength;
Grants extreme damage with punches. You take minor stamina damage from punching. You do 12 damage on punches, with 2 extra damage per level(maximum 20), but take 4 stamina damage on every punch.
You can also break cuffs and other restraints, including straitjackets, extremely quickly.
Stamina damage decreases by 0.5 per level, to a minimum of 2 per punch.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses 20 chemicals.
No levels!
Reaches maximum power at level 4.
Mutant Vision;
Grants thermal vision. You take stamina damage while in bright areas or when flashed. You have thermal vision, but take 4 stamina damage a second if in a bright area or 30 when flashed.
Stamina damage decreases by 0.5/4 per level, to a minimum of 0 in bright areas and 0 when flashed.
Deactivate by reusing the verb - always active at level 8
Uses 10 chemicals.
No levels!
Reaches maximum power at level 8.
Regeneration;
Horrorlings passively regenerate all damage slowly, except when dead. Regenerates 3 brute, 6 oxygen, 3 toxin, 1 burn, 1 cloneloss, and 5 braindamage every 2 seconds per tier in Regeneration.
At tier 3, regenerates 9 brute, 18 oxygen, 9 toxin, 3 burn, 3 cloneloss, and 15 braindamage every 2 seconds.
Level 1
Upgrades at level 4 and level 8.
Hammer Shield;
You mutate one of your arms into a smashing shield. 15 damage per hit, but can block melee attacks up to 10 times before being destroyed.
Number of blockable attacks increases by 10 per level, to a maximum of 100.
Does triple damage to windows and grilles and smashes tables and racks.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses 50 chemicals.
Level 1
Reaches maximum power at level 10.
Arm Blade;
You mutate one of your arms into a blade. 20 damage per hit.
At level 5, does 30 damage and can rip open doors, at level 10, does 40 damage.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses 30 chemicals.
Level 1
Upgrades at level 5 and level 10.
Unnatural Contortion;
Causes AI tracking attempts to fail, though you may appear slightly odd on examination. At level 5, causes AI tracking attempts on targets near you to be redirected randomly.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses no chemicals.
Level 2
Upgrades at level 5.
Adrenaline Rush;
Instantly removes stuns and stamina damage at the cost of additional stamina damage. Causes 40 stamina damage after removing all previous stuns and stamina damage.
At level 4, causes 32 stamina, at level 6, causes 26, at level 8, causes 18, and at level 10, causes 10.
Uses 10 chemicals.
Level 2
Upgrades at level 4, level 6, level 8, and level 10.
Chitin Armor;
You mutate your skin into armor. Powerful armor that reduces damage slightly and slightly slows. Does not reduce laser damage.
At level 5, damage reduction increases, at level 7, no longer slows, and at level 9, reduces laser damage as well.
Deactivate by reusing the verb.
Uses 50 chemicals.
Level 3
Upgrades at level 5, level 7, and level 9.
Unnatural Malleability;
Allows you to ventcrawl, though you will clang very loudly at junctions and mutations of all sorts are disabled while active. At level 8, Mutant Strength, Speed, and Vision are no longer disabled.
At level 10, Arm Blade, Hammer Shield, and Chitin Armor are no longer disabled.
Deactivate by reusing the verb - always active at level 10
Uses 30 chemicals.
Level 6
Upgrades at level 8 and level 10.
Inhuman Leap;
After a brief delay, you leap at the nearest upright human, stunning them and causing you to instantly start ripping their chest open.
If you are not interrupted after a delay, you rip out their heart and eat it, acting as Heart Consumption. If they have melee armor or an anti-stun implant, they will be able to get up and stop you before you rip them to bits.
Otherwise, you'll just rip assistants to bits.
Uses 50 chemicals.
Level 8
I'm only actually posting this here because I don't have the ability to code it to code standards and if I post it here someone might code it for me.
Last edited by ChangelingRain on Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:19 pm, edited 18 times in total.
Plays Joan Lung and various AIs and cyborgs with mythology and magical creature-themed names. Joan on IRC. earth-clawing illuminatitrans girl
It's definitely a large improvement from current ling, I'd find. The trick is balance. I do like that there are progression elements and ling factions, and that, say, the murderboner lings can't change identities, but are tough-as-nails to kill. Something about antagonists becoming more and more powerful as they go uncontested gives an element of haste that the ling drastically needs at this point.
That said, most of the lings need some sort of anti-stun, unless I missed it. Damage tends to not be as important as stuns, flat out.
Amelius wrote:It's definitely a large improvement from current ling, I'd find. The trick is balance. I do like that there are progression elements and ling factions, and that, say, the murderboner lings can't change identities, but are tough-as-nails to kill. Something about antagonists becoming more and more powerful as they go uncontested gives an element of haste that the ling drastically needs at this point.
That said, most of the lings need some sort of anti-stun, unless I missed it. Damage tends to not be as important as stuns, flat out.
Yeah they probably do need anti-stuns of some sort, especially horrorlings, which would not be likely to survive without one, even with the vast array of powers they've got.
Edit; Stinglings and horrorlings now have an unstun method, Stealthlings can get electricity immunity:
Stinglings can sting another target to make them unstun for a few seconds, or mimic the effect of the sting on themselves at a toxin damage cost.
Horrorlings can instantly unstun at a small chemical cost, but it causes stamina damage after removing previous stamina damage and stuns.
Stealthlings can get electricity immunity, extending to stunbatons and tasers.
MisterPerson wrote:I'd rather start by doing one of these rather than try to do all 3 at once.
Well yeah. Probably the best choice would be stealthling or maybe stingling. Definitely not horrorling, for a bunch of reasons.
Plays Joan Lung and various AIs and cyborgs with mythology and magical creature-themed names. Joan on IRC. earth-clawing illuminatitrans girl
