Difference between revisions of "Xenos"

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|duties = Choose "drone" if you are the first larva. Capture or kill everyone on sight.  
 
|duties = Choose "drone" if you are the first larva. Capture or kill everyone on sight.  
 
|guides = This is the guide
 
|guides = This is the guide
|quote = Lusty Xenomorph Maid polishes the Captain's Antique Laser
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|quote = [insert any memorable quote from the movie]
 
}}
 
}}
  
= What is a Xenomorph? =
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==The Xeno Menace==
 
 
Aliens, also known as Xenomorphs to differentiate them from the general term, are extraterrestrial lifeforms that use other living beings as a host during their life cycle. With black carapaces and wicked sharp claws, powerful night vision and the ability to see people through walls, xenomorphs are extremely dangerous. They are intelligent and capable of speaking to one another via a hivemind channel with ''':a'''. In comparison to Earth species, xenomorphs are closest to parasitic wasps that live in colonies with queens and require another lifeform to gestate inside.
 
 
 
= Xenomorph Lifecycle =  
 
  
Xenomorphs start life as an egg laid by a queen. This egg takes five minutes to develop, at which point it will automatically hatch. Xenomorphs are all female, but still reproduce asexually. Queens can lay eggs, but these eggs cannot develop into adults on their own. In order to get the other half of their genetic code they implant embryos within other life forms and use their DNA. From the egg, the next stage will emerge, called a facehugger.  
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Xenomorphs, occasionally known as simply Aliens, are extraterrestrial lifeforms that use other living beings as a host during their life cycle. With black carapaces and wicked sharp claws, powerful night vision, and the ability to see people through walls, xenomorphs are extremely dangerous. They are intelligent and capable of speaking to one another via hivemind, as well as using co-operative tactics, and pose a massive threat to stations if left unchecked.
  
The facehugger is not a true xenomorph, instead it carries half of its mother's genetic code (all dominant genes) and is used to more or less mate with other living creatures, usually humans. The facehuggers can be placed onto the face of a human or if called will jump on their own. All [[pets]] except Ian are too small to support an embryo and so they cannot be implanted. The facehugger will leave the embryo inside the stomach of a host, and then fall off and die.
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Xenomorphs most commonly enter a round via random event, with a larva spawning on-station and a random ghost player being given the role; [[Wizard|wizardly shenanigans]] may also result in crew members becoming xenos, and on very rare occasions an egg might find its way into certain [[Xenobiology]] setups. As a midround antagonist, xenomorphs can appear during most other types of rounds rather than having their own game mode, and have no explicit objectives other than working together to build a nest, grow in numbers, and eventually <s>force the crew to call the shuttle like cowards</s> take over the station.
  
Inside the host, the embryo copies part of its DNA, then begins growing. Eventually it will become too large to live inside its host any longer and burst out of their body, killing them. The larval stage of the xenomorph is aptly named "chestburster."
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==The Xenomorph Life Cycle==
  
The larval xenomorph is weak and must be allowed to grow before it can fight. It must uses its abilities to hide from anything that could do it harm. Growing up takes approximately seven and a half minutes, but this can be accelerated when in the presence of alien resin. The chestburster can then shed its skin and become an adult, either a drone, hunter, or sentinel.
 
 
The xenomorphs who become drones must store up 500 plasma, at which point they can evolve into queens and start laying eggs on their own.
 
 
In addition, there is also the Alien Empress; a huge xenomorph spawned for the sake of shenanigans by admins. It is unknown whether this will be implemented as another evolution stage in the future.
 
 
= Types of Xeno =
 
 
==Facehugger==
 
 
[[File:Facehugger.png|left|You are already dead.]]
 
[[File:Facehugger.png|left|You are already dead.]]
The only type of alien not controlled by a player, it is a parasitic cycle in xenomorph production with the appearance of two [[crew|human]] hands held together and attached to a spiny, powerful tail. It has a proboscis it uses to implant embryos and provide oxygen while strangling a victim. The finger-like appendages are used to attach itself firmly to a host body when they are in a single tile proximity. Once implantation is complete, the facehugger falls off and dies. Very few items are capable of resisting a Facehuggers attack, typically only top-tier military, riot or viral equipment will stop it, otherwise most masks or helmets be easily torn off. Like all of the xenomorph species, not much is understood about its growth, motivations, or senses, but it is known that a facehugger can tell the difference between a living humanoid and a non-living humanoid such as corpses or [[robotics#Cyborg|cyborgs]] and that they are suicidally focused on reproduction. Xenomorphs often use crowds of facehuggers to take down large prey or grouped or well-defended humans.
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The lowliest form of Xenomorph is the humble facehugger, the only type of xenomorph not usually player-controlled. Facehuggers hatch from eggs laid by Queens, and on their own simply meander around. If they come close to appropriate prey, typically humans or monkeys, they will launch themselves at their targets, ripping off most (but not all) forms of face protection and aggressively violating their victim's esophagus. The facehugger dies afterwards, but their target will have an alien larva planted inside them, which will fatally burst out of their chest after some time. Note that facehuggers act as pseudo-items, and can be picked up by mature xenomorphs to throw at prey.
  
==Larva==
 
 
[[File:Larva.png|left|See? What did I tell you?]]
 
[[File:Larva.png|left|See? What did I tell you?]]
Also known as chestbursters because of their method of exodus from the host body, larval xenomorphs are the third known stage in reproduction for the species. While developing in the body, xenomorph embryos attach to blood vessels to absorb nutrients and complete their unstable genetic structure using the host's DNA. This always results in a functioning offspring. As the creature emerges from its host, it tends to burst from the chest, which is highly lethal, instantly killing the host; however, the larva can be removed via [[Surgery]] before it emerges. The form is small compared to the adult, and it is limbless and serpentine. They have a strong instinct to hide after hatching. If left alone, xenomorph larva will undergo an unknown transformation process to adulthood. It is believed at this stage that the xenomorph is at its most vulnerable due to its small size and apparent lack of many senses, though this should not be misunderstood -- a larva can still be deadly. Its powerful thrashing and sharp teeth got it out of a human sternum, after all.
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Also known as chestbursters, Larva are violently born from the bodies of those who fall prey to facehuggers. When a larva is born, a random ghost player takes control of it, joining the xenomorphs and adding to their growing army. Larva are relatively helpless, having no real offensive capability; instead, they must stay alive long enough to grow into an adult xenomorph. They can crawl through vents to escape danger, and hide under tables to avoid detection. Once they've grown enough, they can become one of three types of xeno: hunters, sentinels, and drones.
  
==Hunter/Drone/Sentinel==
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[[File:Alien.png|Now everyone is dead.]]
[[File:Alien.png|Now everyone is dead.]][[File:Aliensentinel.png|Now everyone is dead.]][[File:Aliendrone.png|Now everyone is dead.]]
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The offensive backbone of the xenos, Hunters move at blistering speed and can tackle down their unlucky opponents for quick stuns. Hunters are typically tasked with securing new prey by ventcrawling through the station, facehuggers in hand, looking for lone crew members to throw them at. They're also the best class for starting new outposts and spreading plasma weeds, due to their speed.
You should normally choose "drone" if you are the first larva, since that's how you become the queen.<br>
 
  
These three forms are usually the last in any given xenomorph's life cycle. There are many variants of the adult xenomorph, but the Hunter is the most commonly seen on stations for obvious reasons. The Hunter sports a phallic-shaped skull with hidden, mostly useless eyes protected by a one-way transparent dome. The Drone has a broad skull, no dorsal-tubes, and a lanky physique. The Sentinel is a hulking beast with sacs of acid under its head and a shit-ton of muscle. All three have a host of esoteric senses, most prominently a theorized echolocation (explaining their near-constant hissing) and electroreception, though their primary sense appears to be smell. The scent of pheromones is experimentally shown to be the primary communication device of xenomorphs, most effectively transmitted by the ropey purple weeds the adults spread around the station. It is unknown where this tissue comes from, as xenomorphs refuse to make it in captivity. The primary byproduct of this weed is the strange substance [[backstory#Nanotrasen|plasma]] and as such most corporations are extremely interested in the connection between the xenomorphs and that chemical for production reasons. Like the facehugger, the xenomorph's blood is highly acidic, and there are rumors that it is capable of eating even through space station hulls, though it must be said that this is only a rumor.  
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[[File:Aliensentinel.png|Now everyone is dead.]]
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Defensive guards of the nest, Sentinels are slower and beefier than Hunters, and can become partially invisible by staying still. Their abilities recharge quicker than Hunters', and they usually stay near nests, keeping any captured humans from escaping and protecting the Drones.
  
The adult xenomorph is a living weapon, with an exoskeleton thick enough to absorb or redirect most trauma and temperature extremes, scythe-like claws, and a multi-tiered jaw system capable of projecting an acidic compound presumingly from their stomachs. Xenomorphs at this stage show semi-sapience and problem-solving abilities, and are capable of using pack-oriented tactics, creative stealth, and psychological manipulation. It is reported that xenomorphs may be able to communicate in a basic way with sentient species, but there is little evidence to lend credence to such an absurd notion.
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[[File:Aliendrone.png|Now everyone is dead.]]
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The most important type of xenomorph, second only to the Queen, Drones are the builders of the xenomorphs. They can construct resin walls to block pathways, resin nests to keep prey secured, and other such structures. Drones are also the only adult xenomorph capable of further evolution, into a Praetorian.
  
==Praetorian==
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[[File:Queen.png|left|Nuke the station out of orbit. It's the only way to be sure.]]
The Praetorian is the next step of evolution for Drones. These xenomorphs are known to be substantially larger than the other castes, and are thought to be bodyguards for the Queen.
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Praetorians share many of the same abilities as Queens, without the ability to lay eggs. If none exist on the station, Praetorians can evolve into Queens themselves. Each xenomorph colony only has one Queen, and each is a massive engine of destruction, though their real power is in the ability to lay eggs. A nest with no Queen is crippled, and a colony with no Queens, Praetorians or Drones is effectively neutered. Both Praetorians and Queens are also incredibly slow, and the only aliens who can't ventcrawl.
  
==Queen==
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Contrary to popular believe, the Lusty Xenomorph Maid is not actually a valid form of Xenomorph. Stop asking them to lay eggs for you.
[[File:Queen.png|left|Nuke the station out of orbit. It's the only way to be sure.]]
 
When the Praetorian has aged enough it will eventually evolve into a Queen Xenomorph. They are the only xenomorphs capable of laying the eggs that hatch facehuggers. While much larger and tougher than other adult xenomorphs, they are quite a bit slower. Even accounting for the size difference, a xenomorph queen can take drastically more punishment. A queen is most likely found where there are high levels of [[Backstory#Nanotrasen|plasma]], surrounded by hunters and swarms of freshly hatched facehuggers. They are significantly more intelligent and highly protective of their offspring. While slow, they have quite a few weapons at their disposal, a larger, thicker crest to protect their brain casing, and higher internal stores of plasma which they can utilize for the shaping of resin, the laying of eggs, and destructive survival defenses. Like all xenomorphs, there is little information about them.
 
  
=How to Play=
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==Playing As The Xenomorphs==
 
[[File:Alienshuttle2.png|right|470px]]
 
[[File:Alienshuttle2.png|right|470px]]
A lot of people like aliens, either playing as, fighting against, or being stroked by them.
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So, you finally got your chance to spawn as a xenomorph? Take a look at the picture: this could be you and your xeno bros, as long as you know what you're doing.
Fortunately for those of us who do, random alien events and/or answered prayers tend to happen very frequently. Unfortunately, however, it seems a lot of people have no fucking clue what they're doing when they spawn as one. This is a guide describing some basics and tips about playing as a xeno so you're not stuck in ooc going "how does I play alium?"
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Nine times out of ten, you'll enter the round as a Larva. Larvae are weak as shit, and have the singular goal of surviving long enough to become a productive member of xeno society. All xenomorphs can communicate on the hivemind channel with ''':a''', so try to communicate with anybody else present. If you're lucky, you'll have spawned in a nest, with at least one or two other adult xenomorphs present to protect you and plenty of plasma weeds to roll around in.
  
This guide is fairly comprehensive and long. There is no tl;dr for this shit, so tough it out, soldier.
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If you aren't, you'll be alone, with nobody around to help. Get the fuck to safety! You can hide under tables and crawl through vents (by alt+clicking). As with all xenomorphs, you're also spaceproof, so chilling on the solars is a good plan. Once you've survived long enough, you can evolve into your chosen caste.
  
===Prologue===
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No matter which xeno type you become, plasma is your first priority. All adult xenomorphs build up plasma over time, and can spend it to plant weeds. Weeds spread resin around them, and standing on resin boosts your plasma production. Start planting weeds ASAP, and make sure that xeno territory is nice and purple to speed up your recharging time.
Aliens arrive on the station in one of three ways.
 
  
The first way is for the random event where CentCom broadcasts that an Unidentified Lifesign has been detected aboard the station. This means that in a very few random places around the station, larvas have been spawned. They can pop up almost anywhere, even right next to you (if this happens then GG for aliens, they lost the element of surprise). The alert won't be called out for almost ten minutes, plenty of time for a queen to appear and a nest to take hold.
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Many adult xenomorphs also have access to Corrosive Acid and/or Neurotoxin Spit. Spewing Corrosive Acid onto a structure or object will cause it to slowly melt away, depending on how tough it is. Use it to destroy even the toughest walls, break into secure areas, and generally remodel the station to be more xeno-friendly. Neurotoxin Spit is a ranged stun; to use it, click the ability to ready your gland, then click your target to fire. Both of these abilities use plasma, so make sure you have weeds handy to recharge.
  
The second way is for admins to spawn them. This can either be as a forced random event that is exactly like the CentCom alert, OR they could just hide some facehuggers and/or eggs somewhere on the station while they cackle evilly to themselves waiting for some poor unsuspecting assistant to get a very slimy face full of alien wing wang.
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Additionally, all adult xenomorphs have night vision, can see humans through walls, and can loudly rip open airlocks to access prey.
  
The third way is for [[Shaft Miner|mining]] to discover a facehugger on lavaland and transport it to the station, usually to [[xenobiology]], for """study."""
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===Episode 1: The Xenos Awaken===
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If you're the only xenomorph alive, '''for the love of god become a Drone'''. Being the first xeno means it's your responsibility to bring more xenomorphs to life, and that means you need to evolve into a Queen as soon as possible; spend a bit of plasma to lay down weeds and resin, then sit your ass down and meditate until you unlock your chakra and also get enough plasma to evolve. If you're the only Larva and you evolve into a Hunter, deadchat will dunk on you mercilessly. Also remember that becoming a Praetorian or Queen removes your ability to ventcrawl, so find somewhere safe ''before'' growing up.
  
'''"Shit, my face has been raped by xenos."'''
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Being the Queen can be intimidating at first, but the most important thing to do is stay calm and start building a nest. Stay out of sight of the humans, and start plotting where you want to grow your army; ideally, you want somewhere out of the way, defensible, and most importantly with plenty of room to lay eggs. Make sure to hack apart any cameras if you're in a place the AI can see, and consider breaking a window or two to let all the atmosphere out so humans need to bring spacesuits if they want to come knocking.
If you've been infected, there will usually be telltale signs. You'll feel sick. Your throat will be sore. You'll cough a lot. These symptoms mean you are forming a babby. Luckily, medbay is capable of [[Surgery|surgically removing alien embryos]]. Making a backup in genetics then cloning you once you burst (or after your infected body is burned) also works, provided you can get the geneticists to [[Beyond the impossible|stop dicking around]] for thirty seconds.
 
  
===Phase One===
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Once your weeds are down and the floor is creep-y, start devoting all of your plasma energy to shitting out eggs, and hope that nobody comes to toolbox you to death before the facehuggers have hatched. Click fully grown eggs to open them up, click them again to clear them away when the facehugger is out, and plant more. Never stop egging.  
'''''Oh shit I'm a larva what do I do?'''''
 
*You've just spawned[[File:Aliensnake1.png]]and are weak as shit.
 
*You have all sorts of useful powers at the top left of your screen, and will get more when you evolve into an adult.
 
*As a larva you can barely attack (it does pathetic damage, but accelerates your evolution progress with every bite) and your main powers are to hide under objects and crawl through vents by alt+clicking them.
 
*Use :a to communicate with any other aliens over hivemind chat.
 
*If there's anyone around when you burst, you may be fucked. Turn on Yakety Sax and run for your life. Finding a vent is your best, and probably only chance of survival.
 
*If you're not in a good spot, find the nearest vent and for the love of god crawl through it.
 
*A good spot is anywhere where you A) are not likely to be found and B) have an easy-access vent. If it's dark, that's even better, since someone who comes inside may not see you unless they get close.
 
*Crawling through vents takes time both to enter and to get around the station. If you are being chased, get some distance before trying to enter or you may be killed before you ventcrawl away!
 
*If for any reason your hiding place is found out, don't be afraid to crawl through dem vents and find a new place.
 
*If you're stuck in a room with no vents, and doors you can't open, turn "hide" on in the alien tab and (yeah) hide under the table. Hopefully nobody knows you're there.
 
*Once you're in your spot, sit and wait to evolve.
 
*If a xeno hive already exists somewhere, make your way there as you grow twice as fast on resin floors.
 
  
'''''Somewhat useful thing'''''
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When you have a nice pile of eggs and facehuggers, it's time to hunt. If you managed to avoid detection, your best bet is to grab a facehugger in each hand and start moving towards a location with monkeys; [[Virology]] and [[Genetics]] are two possibilities, depending on what map you're playing on. Monkeys won't fight back, so you can spacewalk to them, break in through a window, throw your huggers, then drag the apes back to the nest.
  
As you develop (after bursting, of course) you will change colour. freshly hatched larva look like [[File:Aliensnake2.png]], evolving larva look like [[File:Aliensnake1.png]] and ready to evolve larva look like [[File:Aliensnake3.png]].
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Of course, you can also go for humans; if you manage to hit one with a thrown hugger, there's a good chance they'll instantly be downed and penetrated. Competent medical staff can surgically remove larva from people if they're fast enough, so drag them to the nest if you can, but prioritize staying alive above all else, because if you die with no successors, it's game over, man.  
  
===Phase Two===
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Remember that Queens are quite robust, and use your tail swing ability to knock away attackers in an emergency; it's extremely powerful, but has a notable cooldown. Most humans without proper gear will lose a melee fight to a Queen, but the real threat comes from ranged attackers; you're fat and slow as hell, and throwing facehuggers is really your only option at range. If a cyborg is on your giant alien ass, or a human gets in melee range, attack them with your Disarm intent to stun, then rip them apart.
'''''Fuck yes, I'm a xeno, time to go kill some motherfuckers.'''''
 
*'''STOP RIGHT THERE, CRIMINAL SCUM, don't run off to kill people just yet. Or ever.'''
 
*As a general rule, don't go into the hallways when you are the first xenos starting out. The most stupid thing you can do is run out slashing everything you see at this point. Going into the halls later on when you have more sisters should still be done by your own discretion and the discretion of your fellow xenos.
 
  
There are currently 5 classes past larva stage: '''Hunters''', '''Sentinels''', '''Drones''', the '''Praetorian''' and the '''Queen'''. Drones are the only aliens that can evolve into a '''Queen''' by themselves. Hunters hunt, Sentinels guard, Drones build a nest, and Praetorians guard the Queen and act as the successor. All classes can eat people and digest them, and regenerate health and plasma by standing on resin floors.
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If you manage to get a single new larva on your side, they're at least a little competent, and you aren't under immediate siege by the humans, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Just having one Hunter to do the reproducing while you chill at home and egg it up is a load off your shoulders, and you can pretty much retire to a life of pumping out babies and hoping you don't get shot to death by the Warden.
  
'''''Hunters: Tunnel Snakes rule.'''''
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===The Hunter And The Hunted===
*So you chose to be a Hunter[[File:Alien.png]]. You are the warrior of the group. You are stealthy, fast, and vicious. You are not tasked with killing everyone you see, though. You are mostly a courier, pulling freshly-tackled humans to the hive and let the facehuggers make babies.
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If you aren't the first xenomorph, you actually get to pick which caste you want to be. A Hunter is a good choice for the second xenomorph of any given nest, as they're the best at, well, hunting. For starters, you're fast as hell as a Hunter, and ventcrawling lets you get to all sorts of places. Remember to bring a facehugger in each hand whenever you leave the nest to try and throw at humans!
*Although you are fast as fuck compared to your xeno sisters, you have low plasma storage. You also regenerate plasma very slowly. Use your powers wisely.
 
*Your exclusive power is Pouncing. You can click the "pounce" button to travel up to seven tiles (literally throwing yourself) and knocking down whoever you come in contact with. If you hit a wall, you'll be stunned for a while. Beware of humans holding shields! These will knock you down like you struck a wall, which can easily punish you with a laser barrage in your stunned state.
 
*<s>You can devour people, storing them in your stomach, by grabbing them with an aggressive grab and clicking yourself. You can then drop them by using the regurgitate button. This is useful for delivery of unconscious people, but no one ever uses it. Make sure to completely strip someone before even considering eating them, nothing is more shameful than a reverse-chestburst.</s> Vore is illegal on /tg/
 
*As a Hunter, you are not just tasked with stealing humans away and taking him to the nest, but also with spreading resin floors. Since you are the fastest, you can reach various areas quicker than the others. You can set up a small home with the limited plasma you have that others can flock to and make into a full-blown nest, or at the very least serve as a safe space to heal up at far away from the hive.
 
*You can also pose a great threat to machines and cyborgs with your quick slashes. However, you should always attempt to attack a cyborg while in a group to maximize your chances. You are a "hunter" after all, and the only thing more dangerous than a hunter is a group of hunters.
 
  
'''''Sentinels: The Guard of the Hive'''''
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The signature move of the Hunter is the ability to pounce. With your pounce readied, click on a target, and you'll fly at them from a distance, heavily stunning them if you make contact. Beware of humans with shields, or you'll be the one stunned when you ram into them. Once they're stunned, slap a facehugger on your target and drag them away from safety, attacking them on Disarm intent to keep them down. Don't be afraid to drop them if you need to retreat, and remember that you can rip open airlocks and quickly destroy many machines and structures to sabotage the crew and make a getaway. Don't forget to plant weeds as well, as you can quickly make xeno-friendly pit stops for your fellow aliens across the station.
*A Sentinel [[File:Aliensentinel.png]] is a warrior, but not meant to stray far from the Hive. You are tasked with defending the hive, the Drones, the Queen, if you have one, and the eggs. If a human stumbles upon your home sweet home, you must make sure they don't harm anything.
 
*You come, in your arsenal of alien powers, with Invisibility, Neurotoxic Spit and Corrosive Acid.
 
*Neurotoxic Spit is a projectile that stuns a human temporarily, causing toxic damage and knocking them to the ground. Basically a long range tackle, this actually does a fair amount of damage to them, so don't overdo it. To use this, click on the Neurotoxic Spit button to activate it; you can then click anywhere to spit in that direction. To turn it off, simply click the button again.
 
*Invisibility is free, and makes you transparent; you can toggle it with its action button. You'll still be visible on station tiles, but alien resin, having your same color, hide you almost completely. Attacking and using abilities won't disrupt your stealth.
 
*Corrosive Acid eats through basically anything, including doors, APC's, and items. If you don't want to crawl through a vent to get somewhere, want to open up a door for other aliens to drag humans into, destroy a dangerous weapon, or make an opening for a Queen to get through, this is the power to do it. You cannot corrode humans, monkeys, or any creature with acid. Really, though, you should never want to do something that damaging to a possible host.
 
*You must make sure the Drones don't get hurt while they plant layers and layers of resin, set up shop, and keep things running. You are the protector of the hive, not a Hunter with spit and acid. Don't hunt humans down unless you have no hunters or an overabundance of sentinels.
 
  
'''''Drones: Plant Weeds Erryday'''''
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Hunters can also spit neurotoxin from a distance, giving them a semi-reliable way to stun humans when pouncing is too risky. Compared to other xenomorphs, their plasma reserves are smaller, so make your shots count! Finally, remember to strip your prey of their items, especially their radios.
*You are a Drone[[File:Aliendrone.png]], a worker. You are tasked with spreading a fuckton of resin until you eventually can become a big, fat Queen. You are far from any bit of a fighter. As such, never go out alone into uncharted areas that may be dangerous without a Sentinel or Hunter willing to help.
 
*You, like the Sentinels, also have corrosive acid, but no neurotoxic spit. You can evolve into a at will Praetorian once you reach 500 Plasma if there isn't another living royal (praetorian or queen). Your main power and focus is to shape resin. Lots, and lots of resin.
 
*Resin '''walls''' are tough mounds of purple slime, shaped into a protective wall. Resin '''membrane''' is the xeno's functional equivalent of a window, although it prevents lasers from passing through it. Both kinds can be destroyed by attacking them, although they are pretty resistant. They are mostly used to make mazes where the crew is forced into melee, or are tricked into wasting laser shots on a membrane thinking it will behave like a normal window. Another functionally important resin structure you can build is the '''nest''', it's a mound of slimy substance that can entrap your victims until they bursts and acts like a cuffbuckle shitcurity combo. Just drag the infected over it and buckle them in. Be sure to support hunters and sentinels by building a nest when you see them dragging a human.
 
*You, if not your own candidate for Queenhood, maintain the hive, making walls of slime and resin. You're faster than the Queen but slower than the hunter.
 
*You are also a sub-par defensive line for the Queen (although still able to absolutely wreck a poor assistant's day). If the Sentinels aren't defending the Queen, and she is being attacked, you should attempt to defend her, but not at the cost of your life. If she does die, you and/or your fellow Drones should determine the next Queen in line and continue the cycle.
 
  
'''''Praetorians: Royal Blood'''''
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===The Xeno Shitcurity===
*You are a Praetorian, the last step in evolution before the alien queen. Drones may only evolve into a Praetorian if there are no other royals present. Queens can promote a Praetorian, if one does not exist.
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Sentinels are often the rarest type of xeno; Hunters are the best for aggressive hunting and killing, and Drones are the ones who get to build. If you choose to become a Sentinel, your primary goal is to protect the nest and keep an eye on any still-living prisoners the Hunters drag in. If any of them start to wriggle free of their bindings, shove them back down until their Larva finish exploding out of their chest cavities.
*Praetorians have a similar set of skills to alien queens, minus the egg laying: Neurotoxic Spit, Tail Sweep, Corrosive Acid, Shaping Resin. Praetorians cannot ventcrawl, but are also immune to stuns and very hard to kill.
 
*Like the queen, you are immune to syringes, hulks, mechs, space wind, and are very durable, though not as durable as her.
 
*You also gain tail whip, and are slightly faster than your queen, so it is safe to use this ability on the offensive which is actually fucking terrifying to behold.
 
*If the queen should die, you are next in line as successor, you must evolve as soon as you are able so the egg supply can resume!
 
  
===Phase Three===
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Although you don't have the speed of a Hunter, you can hold much more plasma, and recharge much faster than they do. This makes it much more practical to abuse your Neurotoxin Spit on intruders. You can also use Corrosive Acid more often, so help your Drone friends get rid of any inconvenient walls.
'''''I'm a queen, but how is babby formed?'''''
 
*Let's get this out of the way, first: You can caress anyone with your scythe-like arm by clicking on them with an empty hand, with the Help intent active, while they're next to you. This is no help to you or anyone else. Moving on.
 
*You're a queen[[File:Queennew.png]]. Awesome. You get some nifty bonuses and defects compared to regular aliens. Let's go over them.
 
*'''Cons:''' You are slow. And by that I mean fucking slow. Snail's pace. You also can't vent crawl. You basically have zero mobility compared to everything else in the game. You also stand out. You basically suck balls.
 
*'''Pros:''' You can lay eggs[[File:Egg.png]], you build plasma four times faster than regular aliens (20 units per tick as opposed to the normal 5), and are insanely durable (400 HP). You are immune to mech punches, hulk punches and space wind punches. Also some [[Librarian|people]] will think you're sexy. You basically kick ass.
 
*Your first task is to lay eggs. You start with 250 plasma even though you needed 500 to evolve, and you'll build more very quickly.
 
*If at any point in time you have plasma built up and don't know what to do with it, lay another egg. Laying more eggs means more facehuggers and are your best weapon against unprotected humans.
 
*You can open any door that isn't ID locked, but locked and/or bolted doors require that you spit corrosive acid on them. Corrosive acid is your all-access pass to the station. If you're stuck for any reason, or want to get in somewhere (example, rooms with monkeys or plasma tanks), use dat acid. It takes a while to eat through doors usually, so spit early and lay eggs while you wait.
 
*You're extremely vulnerable to swarms of shitty assistants trying to weld you open a new asshole, so take care to keep them at an arm's length with copious amounts of facehuggers and your tail whip ability.
 
*Remember, darkness is your friend. Smash dem lights. Smash any cameras, while you're at it.
 
*If you for any reason need to defend yourself, neurotoxic spit is extremely effective at stopping someone in their tracks. Crewmembers expect you to be harmless with your slow movespeed, punish them with your ranged stun!
 
*When you incapacitate someone for any reason (probably by stunning them with spit), stroll on over and strip off all their possessions (keep tackling them while you do this to keep them down). Start with dangerous things like radios, weapons, air tanks, and [[backpack]]s. ALWAYS take off the radio first. If they call in your position and you don't have enough facehuggers, you are fuuuuuucked.
 
*Drag anyone you incapacitate back towards the heart of your hive. Make sure that when they never get back up thanks to your hordes of facehuggers. The alien wing wang is your best and final weapon. Once they're impregnated, feel free to drag them to some dark corner and caress them until they explode into a new alien baby.
 
*Remember what I said earlier about monkeys? Monkeys and the humans they've probably been turned into are viable facehugger targets, and are a fantastic way to rapidly expand the size of your brood without needing to hunt down those pesky toolbox-wielding humans. From a meta standpoint, they also let more players into the game without killing anyone, so it gets more ghosts back to playing, which is always good. Same goes for braindead people. Virology is a great place to do this at!
 
*Once you've amassed an army of facehuggers, and hopefully ambushed a couple unsuspecting crew who were unfortunate enough to stumble on your nest, you should communicate closely with the other aliens and prepare to start really branching out across the station. You've already started this, probably, especially since the other alien players are probably being more aggressive than you.
 
*Your life is invaluable, should you die, the alien hivemind will collapse and all xenomorphs will go into a debilitating collective depression; rendering them extremely vulnerable for several minutes and unable to gain a new queen until the effect has passed!
 
*For 500 plasma you can promote any alien drone, sentinel or hunter to a Praetorian. Pick someone who has shown their competence and is willing to stay by your side!
 
  
 +
Sentinels have the unique ability to become partially invisible; simply toggle the ability on and fade from view. For best results, stand on resin floors, so you blend in almost perfectly. Stand guard near the entrance, out of sight, and chomp down on anybody who dares enter.
  
===General Advice===
+
===Erectin' A Membrane===
*You do not need air to breathe as a xenomorph! Feel free to walk around the outside of the station and make a good safe area to plant weeds and store plasma on (i.e., the solars, or [[toxins test area]] if no one is bombing or has bombed it). You can also smash down windows and grilles for an easy entry or exit point. If you get spaced you're usually out of luck, though!
+
If there's already a Queen, being a Drone means you get to actually do Drone things. Drones have the ability to shape several useful structures to build and flesh out a hive.
*You can open any door that is not bolted by simply clicking it; it'll take a while to force it open if it's still powered, though. For a more permanent solution, corrode the door with acid.
 
*You can corrode with acid even walls and floors, as long as they're not reinforced. This means you can get into basically anywhere.
 
*Welded vents can be torn back open from the outside, but not while you're ventcrawling. Break them back open to give yourself an entry and escape point!
 
*Disarming is a guaranteed stun that can keep anyone down as much as you need, though it will only disarm if they have something in their active hand. Just don't stop until you get to a nest.
 
*The atmospherics vent leads to a safe 3x3 room with a single canister inside it. Go here if you really have nowhere else to go, as it's 99% safe. Only bombs can get you there and even the AI can't see that room.
 
*Virology is a marvelous base to build a nest in, as it is heavily fortified and isolated, and more difficult and bottlenecked for the crew to get in than you. It also comes with five monkeys for you to infect right away!
 
*'''Smash all of the lights you find!''' You can see perfectly in the dark. Humans, without flashlights, are completely blind. Break all those lights and humans will become afraid of entering the dark areas, with good reason. This goes double for a queen, since the queen can't really fight worth anything and relies on the facehuggers and other xenos to protect her. Note that weed nodes produce a bit of light, so don't spread them out.
 
*Smashing cameras can hide you from the eyes of an AI, but take care NOT to smash APCs at first as that will set off a power alarm.
 
*You cannot facehug the dead but a dead guy will chestburst if he was infected while alive, although larvae grow faster in alive people. It is important to weigh the micromanaging aspect of keeping someone knock down but alive for faster larva bursting, versus killing them to remove all chance of them pulling a bomb out of their ass in the middle of your nest because you weren't paying attention to them.
 
*You regenerate health and plasma by staying on weeds. If you're in danger, spawn a weed to heal up. Note that your plasma regeneration is halved while injured.
 
*Drones, Praetorians, and Queens can create alien nests made out of resin. You can use these to buckle victims (drag and drop) to keep them immobile. They can get free on their own but it will take them two minutes, enough time to attach a facehugger to their face. Just be sure to periodically knock them down again while in their nests so they don't get up and cause trouble so near all your larvas!
 
*Take out APCs and other machinery only once your numbers have grown enough to assault the station at large. The mass power failures will easily reveal what areas you've overrun, but will also provide protection in the darkness and prevent the crew from producing the tools they need.
 
  
 +
Resin Walls act as normal walls, letting you build mazes or barricade entryways into the nest. Resin Membranes are tough alien windows; being able to see outside can be useful, but remember that the humans can see in as well. Resin Nests act like beds, and any live humans the Hunters bring to the nest should be 'buckled' to them while their Larva gestate. You should also smash lights, break cameras, depressurize rooms, and generally make the nest as hostile to humans as you can.
  
'''Common Mistakes as an Alien Queen:'''
+
Just because you're a Drone doesn't mean you can't fight, although you should ideally be letting the Hunters and Sentinels do it. If the nest is under assault and nobody else is around, it's up to you to protect dat fukken Queen.
  
*Not putting down eggs ALWAYS! If you have free time, you should be planting weeds, making nests, and planting eggs.
+
If the Queen dies, a Drone is going to have to put on their big girl pants and start evolving, though there's a hefty period after a Queen's death before any more can be created. If you're the only Drone, or even the only survivor, it's going to be you; thankfully, being a Queen is much less stressful if you already have a safe nest. If not, run to safety, drop some weeds, evolve up, and start laying eggs, bucko.
*Not throwing facehuggers. If your target doesn't have a RIG suit helmet on, you can throw a facehugger and instantly get them facehugged at a distance!
 
*Not going to an isolated area. Picking somewhere with access to space is a good idea. Being in an area where you have no way out into space is a bad idea. Virology, the turbine, and some large rooms in maintenance make for good nests.
 
*Spacing yourself. If you find you are a retard/lagged a lot and spaced yourself, you can use neurotoxic spit or throw a facehugger to send yourself back in the direction of the station. If all else fails, you should eventually loop back to the station, or hit a space ruin that you can send yourself back with.
 
*Attempting to fight the station all by yourself. Don't try to be a hero, you are slow and vulnerable to swarming. Try to stick to the relative safety of space.
 
*Not disarming cyborgs/other hostiles. If you disarm a cyborg or a person, you'll stun them for a good amount of time. You can easily take a cyborg 1 on 1 this way.
 
*NOT USING YOUR TAIL WHIP ABILITY. It is even more powerful than facehuggers, being literally implemented as a ''"get the fuck OFF OF ME"'' button to shake off the half-dozen assistants assaulting you with toolboxes. It has a 15 second cooldown, but doesn't cost any plasma!
 
  
 +
==Fighting The Purple Tide==
 +
You're a human/moth/lizard/catgirl/etc, minding your own business on Space Station 13, when suddenly you see a penis-headed fuckmonster float by your window, followed by the AI screaming about xeno scum and the Captain shitting himself and calling the shuttle. What do?
  
=How to Defeat=
+
The first thing you should do: weld the goddamn vents! Take a welding tool, ideally slap on some eye protection, and get welding to every scrubber and vent in your workplace. Xenos can't pop out of welded vents, meaning doing so cuts off their ability to show up behind you and slap you with a face full of alien wing-wong. Not having any fresh air is usually a worthy price to pay, since established xeno nests are almost always a near-round ending threat.
[[File:Fukkenxenoooos.png|right|PAY YOUR DUE]]
 
'''''Oh shit it told us to weld the vents what now?!'''''
 
*Calm the fuck down. Are you a human being or a groxian hyper-coward? ''The latter is the proper response.''
 
*Have you welded the vents yet? Weld the vents. Have we mentioned you should weld the vents? Weld the FUCKING vents.
 
*Wear protective helmets unless you want to die horribly.
 
*'''Make sure a hive is never set up.''' Use [[flamethrower]]s, [[energy gun]]s, and plasma fires to destroy facehuggers and alien weeds so that an infestation never finds a foothold. Note: THROWING THINGS AT FACEHUGGERS JUST MAKES THEM ANGRY.
 
*'''Help your friends for fun and profit!''' If someone is impregnated, they have little chance of survival. Immediate surgical intervention to remove the larva is the only way to save the victims life. Alternatively having the victim get a back up clone ready will allow them to survive the ordeal. Killing someone who is implanted will not stop the larva from hatching, and ejecting the body from the station will only delay the larva's return to the station, blowing up or incinerating the body is the only other alternative to killing the larva before it hatches.
 
*'''Amy Lessen, stop that!''' Certain crew members may seek to make peaceful contact with the aliens, or may actively seek to become infected. Take precautions to ensure the crew know the dangers of consorting with the xeno menace.
 
  
'''''But we're all hopelessly stupid and incompetent. The aliens are everywhere! What now?'''''
+
If you can, find some sort of protective headgear, or hand it to people running off to fight the xenos. Facehuggers can rip off most masks, but bio hoods, riot helmets, hardsuit helmets, space helmets, flipped-down welding masks and more can protect your delicate, tender orifices. If somebody stupid enough to come unprepared gets a facehugger to the face next to you, you might be able to stop the infection by removing it from them fast enough.
*Shoot everything that isn't person shaped.
 
*Shoot everything that's person shaped but helping the xenomorphs.
 
*Keep a transparent barrier between you and the xenos at all times. Use lasers and other devices to keep them at bay. Remember that their spit is acidic and paralytic! They will use it to ruin you.
 
*Stick together!
 
*If you see a larva, kill it immediately.
 
*Seriously consider calling the shuttle.
 
  
'''''Taking the Offensive'''''
+
Xenos have a notable weakness to fire, meaning if you can manage to avoid burning yourself and your crewmates to death, flamethrowers can be effective. Otherwise, use energy weapons, followed by traditional guns; in a class A emergency, plasmaflooding and incinerating xeno nests ''might'' be worth the collateral, but at least warn your allies before doing so. Welding tools are technically effective weapons, but unless you're robust as shit, getting into a melee tangle with a xeno is probably a bad idea. Remember that Larva are weaklings, and beat up any you manage to catch alone.
*If you see someone be facehugged immediately move up to the victim and remove the facehugger from their face. This will usually save them from being implanted, just move away from the now detached facehugger.
 
*Xeno's are vulnerable to burn type weapons, this means Lasers, Welders and Flamethrowers can prove very useful. A Xeno on fire or in a very hot room will die quickly.
 
*Wear bloody protective head equipment so that you don't get facehugged, RIG Helmets, Bio Helmets and Flipped down Welding Masks all work.
 
*Attack from space! Xenos have shit mobility in space, and can barely even shoot you there. Use a Jetpack if you can, being able to fly around out of range will make you invulnerable, and if you do get hit by nurotoxin you will just float around a bit before out of reach.
 
*USE morphine, at small doses. Being able to run around at sanic speeds while wearing a bulky Sec RIG will help keep you out of the Aliens reach. If the Virologist is able to research the Stimulant symptom ask him to infect you with it.
 
  
'''''Everyone is dead but me! What do?'''''
+
If you or a friend ends up infected, you have a small window of opportunity to try and preserve them. Alien embryos can be surgically removed if you have Medbay access and you're fast enough to do the procedure; if you're going for it, weld the surgery room's vents and be ready to beat the shit out of the Larva if it pops out prematurely. You can also get your buddy scanned in the cloner and clone them once they die, or throw them in the cremator if you don't actually like them that much. Remember that even if the host dies, the Larva will still burst out, and hurling an infested body into space is only delaying the xeno's inevitable return.
*If you have weapons, use all of them. Even if you don't think something is there, shoot the empty hall anyway! Hunters can turn invisible! They're behind you ''right now'' I guarantee it!
 
*If the shuttle is here, get on it, weld the doors shut, make sure nothing is in there with you, and hide as best you can. Central Command has a plan for this sort of thing. They'll save you and your little cat too.
 
*If you are eaten alive by xenos THIS IS A GOOD THING. Take out your oxygen bottle or any other weapon in your hand, and TRY MOVE AROUND LIKE A FURIOUS BABY WITH FAMILICIDE IN MIND. You'll slam the thing you're holding into the alien's stomach lining, and if you do it enough you'll EXPLODE out of the aliens chest cavity like some kind of reverse-larvae. CAN YOU TAKE WHAT YOU DEAL OUT, XENOS?!
 
*If the shuttle isn't coming, write a book of warning and contempt and throw yourself into space. If you're too much of a coward to do it the glorious way, bash yourself unconscious and wait to be eaten.
 
  
 +
Xenomorphs love to abuse the fact that they're spaceproof and you aren't, but if you can get your hands on a spacesuit and a jetpack, flying around and attacking from space with guns can be effective. Make them regret busting open those windows!
  
==Tips==
+
Because they don't have human rights, Engineering cyborgs dragging welder fuel tanks into xeno nests and blowing them up with their welding tools is a classic anti-xeno tactic, and if things are going to hell anyway, Toxins can toss in a few bombs. Geneticists who can give their most robust allies spaceproofing and hulk genes can be game changers, and Cargo really should be ordering guns in situations like these. If you somehow have the time or foresight to have them ready, Roboticists can build combat mechs.
* Xenos can grab and throw Cyborgs. They can even throw dead cyborgs into doors to open them.
 
* Aliens can get fat. This slows them down like every other crew member.
 
* Alien queen projectiles are some OP thing which can’t get blocked by biosuits.
 
* Guide to Winning:
 
*# Go drone
 
*# Go onto solars
 
*# Plant 420 weeds
 
*# Go queen
 
*# Plant eggs everywhere
 
*# Facehug monkies in xenobio/viro
 
*# Protect those fuckers with your life
 
*# Aquire hunters
 
*# *deathgasp endlessly
 
  
===Tips for Fighting Against Xenos===
+
If all else fails, have a scrappy young crew member walk up to the xeno nest in a RIPLEY; the Queen is obligated under Space Law to engage in a 1v1 duel for the fate of the station.
* '''Guide to Making Xenomorphs Lose:'''
 
** Xenos are immune to most conventional poisons, but there's three chemicals right now of value that work well them, Beepsky Smash, Neurotoxin, and Chloral. Beepsky smash and Chloral require the chem dispenser, but Neurotoxin does not. Neurotoxin is also an INSTANT stun. All it takes is sleep toxin and a pan galactic gargle blaster, which can both be gotten from vending machines. Of the many types of cyborg, only one borg has access to vending machines. This borg also has access to a reagent container (shaker) and an eye dropper. The Service borg is the ONLY CYBORG CAPABLE OF STUNNING ALIUMS AND BEATING THEM TO DEATH, aside from Engiborgs cheating with welderbombs.
 
** '''Disclaimer:''' Xenos are way better in melee than you ever will be. Unless you're in a combat mech with the right equipment, in which case it's your destiny to waltz into the middle of their nest and take on the queen in a one-on-one showdown.
 
** '''Facehugger protection'''
 
*** THE MOST IMPORTANT FUCKING THING TO HAVE WHILE FIGHTING ALIUMS IS FACEHUGGER PROTECTION. DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU HAVE HULK IF YOU DON'T HAVE FACEHUGGER PROTECTION.
 
** '''Helmets that grant protection from facehuggers'''
 
*** Welding Helmet (mass produced by autolathes, but only protect while down and obscure vision) - They're everywhere around the station
 
*** Any space helmet (Engineer Rig helmet, Standard EVA helmet, Security Hardsuit helmet, etc) - Nobody will give a shit if you steal these during a xeno breakout
 
*** Bio Suit Helmets (don't block vision, but are limited in number.) - Take em from medical and science.
 
*** EQUIP THIS SHIT
 
** '''Stunning xenomorphs'''
 
*** There's two ways to stun xenos. Chems and Knockouts.
 
** '''Chemicals that stun xenomorphs'''
 
*** Beepsky Smash
 
*** Neurotoxin
 
*** Chloral (shit tier, do not use unless you can't get bar access)
 
** '''Delivery methods:'''
 
*** Syringe Gun
 
*** Hypospray
 
*** Smoke Grenades (neurotoxin smoke thrown into a hive can be quite effective.)
 
** '''Explosives:'''
 
*** Welderbombs (best if done by an Engiborg)
 
*** Shit-tier Potas+Water grenades (dont even bother, use Neuro smoke instead)
 
*** Cuban Pete tier transfer valves (honk)
 
** '''Killing xenomorphs'''
 
*** Xenos take double burn damage. This means lasers, welders, and flamethrowers are stupid effective on them. On the other hand, many of them travel at SANIC speeds and will seriously slap your shit, so don't pull out the welder unless you absolutely have to. If you don't kill a xeno, and she gets away, she won the fight, because she's just going to heal up back to full, while you have to dick around getting your laser recharged, or getting more chems. DON'T STOP KILLING 'EM TILL YOU HEAR THAT SCREAM.
 
** '''Your weapons:'''
 
** '''Disclaimer:''' Bolded numbers are doubled because of xeno fire vulnerability.
 
*** Welders ('''30''')
 
*** Lasers ('''40''')
 
*** Revolvers (60) (Steal them from traitors or the detective, or hope they band together with you against the xenos)
 
*** Combat Shotguns (60-75) (Slugs are a much safer option to use, but require three shots to down a drone or hunter, while close range buckshot can two-shot them.)
 
*** Flamethrowers ('''MAYHEM''') (These things are stupidly effective against a hive. One spray and you'll flush them out in a cacophony of chaos. Super effective at killing hidden facehuggers, eggs, and larvas.)
 
*** Abuse your range. Don't stand still. And for fucks sake don't go in alone, unless you're damn sure you know the amount of xenos and know you can win.
 
** '''HALK'''
 
*** If you're one of those dickwads in genetics that loves to ruin rounds, now's your time to actually be the hero the station deserves without ruining everything for everbody!
 
*** Grab a welder, grab a facehugger proof helmet, and COVER YOUR SKIN SO THEY DON'T KNOW YOU'RE A HULK. Otherwise those hunters are going to swap to harm intent and MURDER YOUR ASS. Your punches cannot stun xenos, but your punches do cause them to move incredibly slowly. Your call if it's worth it or not.
 
*** If you're a true "master" of genetics, you can simply abuse the DNA modifiers to mass produce hulks to get rid of the xeno-menace instead of relying on SE injectors.
 
** '''Riot Shields'''
 
*** Guaranteed to block hunters from pouncing on you, and even knocks them down for trying. Even a simple buckler made from some planks of wood you scrounge in the library will serve you well.
 
** '''Silicons'''
 
*** There's two borgs of any value in an xeno outbreak. If you're not one of these and you're not an Emagged Secborg, prepare to get shit on, and HARD.
 
*** Engineering Borg - Can welderbomb enemies, finish the probably stunned xeno off with the same welder they used for the detonation, and a team of two can repair eacother ad infinitum.
 
***Service Borg - With his eyedropper and shaker, he can mix Neurotoxin and beat xenos to death with his tray, slowly, after stunning them.
 
** '''Plasma fires'''
 
*** Plasma fires are for clearing out hives, not killing xenos. You will never kill a xeno with plasma fire unless they are mindbogglingly retarded. They will ALWAYS have an exit out into space somewhere. This is great for cutting off some of their facehugger supply, however. These can also kill larvas before they can escape because they're so pathetically frail.
 
** '''Mechs'''
 
*** GET OUT. COMMIT SUDOKU, YOU BRING GREAT SHAME UPON YOURSELF BY BUILDING A COMBAT MECH EVER
 
*** But actually a "fuck you I win" situation if you get one of these. Xenos can hardly damage your mech, and a solaris cannon is unbeatable.
 
----
 
===Footnotes===
 
* Sleep toxin works in a pinch, but make sure to back off and give it time to work.
 
* Aliens gain additional plasma generation when standing in plasma gas, more of it making it faster. They're rarely stupid enough to actually allow plasma gas in their hives, though.
 
* Xenomorphs have no set interval limit on how many times they can use emotes, so they can *deathgasp and *roar spam all day long. ADDED: Okay, official new admin policy. Any xeno that emotes more than five times in the space of a minute or two can be gibbed at will. ADDED: If the admins present can reach the ban button through either laughing, or bleeding to death through their ears.
 
* You can catch (have throw active with empty hand and be thrown at) alien facehuggers thrown at you by aliems, but it will die and you MUST be wearing protective gear to not be facehugged.
 
* If you are infected with a Xeno babby, and are welded into a locker, when the babby bursts it will magically appear outside the locker and free to roam.
 
* You can cuff larvas if you can find a way to stun them, this way you can bring one to xenobio for study.
 
  
  
 
{{Jobs}} [[Category:Game Modes]] [[Category:Jobs]] [[Category:Guides]]
 
{{Jobs}} [[Category:Game Modes]] [[Category:Jobs]] [[Category:Guides]]

Revision as of 11:47, 24 November 2019

EXTRATERRESTRIAL STAFF
Alien.png
Alien
Access: None
Additional Access: Any unwelded vent, or door you can melt down or pry open.
Difficulty: Hard
Supervisors: The Queen
Duties: Choose "drone" if you are the first larva. Capture or kill everyone on sight.
Guides: This is the guide
Quote: [insert any memorable quote from the movie]


The Xeno Menace

Xenomorphs, occasionally known as simply Aliens, are extraterrestrial lifeforms that use other living beings as a host during their life cycle. With black carapaces and wicked sharp claws, powerful night vision, and the ability to see people through walls, xenomorphs are extremely dangerous. They are intelligent and capable of speaking to one another via hivemind, as well as using co-operative tactics, and pose a massive threat to stations if left unchecked.

Xenomorphs most commonly enter a round via random event, with a larva spawning on-station and a random ghost player being given the role; wizardly shenanigans may also result in crew members becoming xenos, and on very rare occasions an egg might find its way into certain Xenobiology setups. As a midround antagonist, xenomorphs can appear during most other types of rounds rather than having their own game mode, and have no explicit objectives other than working together to build a nest, grow in numbers, and eventually force the crew to call the shuttle like cowards take over the station.

The Xenomorph Life Cycle

You are already dead.

The lowliest form of Xenomorph is the humble facehugger, the only type of xenomorph not usually player-controlled. Facehuggers hatch from eggs laid by Queens, and on their own simply meander around. If they come close to appropriate prey, typically humans or monkeys, they will launch themselves at their targets, ripping off most (but not all) forms of face protection and aggressively violating their victim's esophagus. The facehugger dies afterwards, but their target will have an alien larva planted inside them, which will fatally burst out of their chest after some time. Note that facehuggers act as pseudo-items, and can be picked up by mature xenomorphs to throw at prey.

See? What did I tell you?

Also known as chestbursters, Larva are violently born from the bodies of those who fall prey to facehuggers. When a larva is born, a random ghost player takes control of it, joining the xenomorphs and adding to their growing army. Larva are relatively helpless, having no real offensive capability; instead, they must stay alive long enough to grow into an adult xenomorph. They can crawl through vents to escape danger, and hide under tables to avoid detection. Once they've grown enough, they can become one of three types of xeno: hunters, sentinels, and drones.

Now everyone is dead. The offensive backbone of the xenos, Hunters move at blistering speed and can tackle down their unlucky opponents for quick stuns. Hunters are typically tasked with securing new prey by ventcrawling through the station, facehuggers in hand, looking for lone crew members to throw them at. They're also the best class for starting new outposts and spreading plasma weeds, due to their speed.

Now everyone is dead. Defensive guards of the nest, Sentinels are slower and beefier than Hunters, and can become partially invisible by staying still. Their abilities recharge quicker than Hunters', and they usually stay near nests, keeping any captured humans from escaping and protecting the Drones.

Now everyone is dead. The most important type of xenomorph, second only to the Queen, Drones are the builders of the xenomorphs. They can construct resin walls to block pathways, resin nests to keep prey secured, and other such structures. Drones are also the only adult xenomorph capable of further evolution, into a Praetorian.

Nuke the station out of orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Praetorians share many of the same abilities as Queens, without the ability to lay eggs. If none exist on the station, Praetorians can evolve into Queens themselves. Each xenomorph colony only has one Queen, and each is a massive engine of destruction, though their real power is in the ability to lay eggs. A nest with no Queen is crippled, and a colony with no Queens, Praetorians or Drones is effectively neutered. Both Praetorians and Queens are also incredibly slow, and the only aliens who can't ventcrawl.

Contrary to popular believe, the Lusty Xenomorph Maid is not actually a valid form of Xenomorph. Stop asking them to lay eggs for you.

Playing As The Xenomorphs

Alienshuttle2.png

So, you finally got your chance to spawn as a xenomorph? Take a look at the picture: this could be you and your xeno bros, as long as you know what you're doing.

Nine times out of ten, you'll enter the round as a Larva. Larvae are weak as shit, and have the singular goal of surviving long enough to become a productive member of xeno society. All xenomorphs can communicate on the hivemind channel with :a, so try to communicate with anybody else present. If you're lucky, you'll have spawned in a nest, with at least one or two other adult xenomorphs present to protect you and plenty of plasma weeds to roll around in.

If you aren't, you'll be alone, with nobody around to help. Get the fuck to safety! You can hide under tables and crawl through vents (by alt+clicking). As with all xenomorphs, you're also spaceproof, so chilling on the solars is a good plan. Once you've survived long enough, you can evolve into your chosen caste.

No matter which xeno type you become, plasma is your first priority. All adult xenomorphs build up plasma over time, and can spend it to plant weeds. Weeds spread resin around them, and standing on resin boosts your plasma production. Start planting weeds ASAP, and make sure that xeno territory is nice and purple to speed up your recharging time.

Many adult xenomorphs also have access to Corrosive Acid and/or Neurotoxin Spit. Spewing Corrosive Acid onto a structure or object will cause it to slowly melt away, depending on how tough it is. Use it to destroy even the toughest walls, break into secure areas, and generally remodel the station to be more xeno-friendly. Neurotoxin Spit is a ranged stun; to use it, click the ability to ready your gland, then click your target to fire. Both of these abilities use plasma, so make sure you have weeds handy to recharge.

Additionally, all adult xenomorphs have night vision, can see humans through walls, and can loudly rip open airlocks to access prey.

Episode 1: The Xenos Awaken

If you're the only xenomorph alive, for the love of god become a Drone. Being the first xeno means it's your responsibility to bring more xenomorphs to life, and that means you need to evolve into a Queen as soon as possible; spend a bit of plasma to lay down weeds and resin, then sit your ass down and meditate until you unlock your chakra and also get enough plasma to evolve. If you're the only Larva and you evolve into a Hunter, deadchat will dunk on you mercilessly. Also remember that becoming a Praetorian or Queen removes your ability to ventcrawl, so find somewhere safe before growing up.

Being the Queen can be intimidating at first, but the most important thing to do is stay calm and start building a nest. Stay out of sight of the humans, and start plotting where you want to grow your army; ideally, you want somewhere out of the way, defensible, and most importantly with plenty of room to lay eggs. Make sure to hack apart any cameras if you're in a place the AI can see, and consider breaking a window or two to let all the atmosphere out so humans need to bring spacesuits if they want to come knocking.

Once your weeds are down and the floor is creep-y, start devoting all of your plasma energy to shitting out eggs, and hope that nobody comes to toolbox you to death before the facehuggers have hatched. Click fully grown eggs to open them up, click them again to clear them away when the facehugger is out, and plant more. Never stop egging.

When you have a nice pile of eggs and facehuggers, it's time to hunt. If you managed to avoid detection, your best bet is to grab a facehugger in each hand and start moving towards a location with monkeys; Virology and Genetics are two possibilities, depending on what map you're playing on. Monkeys won't fight back, so you can spacewalk to them, break in through a window, throw your huggers, then drag the apes back to the nest.

Of course, you can also go for humans; if you manage to hit one with a thrown hugger, there's a good chance they'll instantly be downed and penetrated. Competent medical staff can surgically remove larva from people if they're fast enough, so drag them to the nest if you can, but prioritize staying alive above all else, because if you die with no successors, it's game over, man.

Remember that Queens are quite robust, and use your tail swing ability to knock away attackers in an emergency; it's extremely powerful, but has a notable cooldown. Most humans without proper gear will lose a melee fight to a Queen, but the real threat comes from ranged attackers; you're fat and slow as hell, and throwing facehuggers is really your only option at range. If a cyborg is on your giant alien ass, or a human gets in melee range, attack them with your Disarm intent to stun, then rip them apart.

If you manage to get a single new larva on your side, they're at least a little competent, and you aren't under immediate siege by the humans, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Just having one Hunter to do the reproducing while you chill at home and egg it up is a load off your shoulders, and you can pretty much retire to a life of pumping out babies and hoping you don't get shot to death by the Warden.

The Hunter And The Hunted

If you aren't the first xenomorph, you actually get to pick which caste you want to be. A Hunter is a good choice for the second xenomorph of any given nest, as they're the best at, well, hunting. For starters, you're fast as hell as a Hunter, and ventcrawling lets you get to all sorts of places. Remember to bring a facehugger in each hand whenever you leave the nest to try and throw at humans!

The signature move of the Hunter is the ability to pounce. With your pounce readied, click on a target, and you'll fly at them from a distance, heavily stunning them if you make contact. Beware of humans with shields, or you'll be the one stunned when you ram into them. Once they're stunned, slap a facehugger on your target and drag them away from safety, attacking them on Disarm intent to keep them down. Don't be afraid to drop them if you need to retreat, and remember that you can rip open airlocks and quickly destroy many machines and structures to sabotage the crew and make a getaway. Don't forget to plant weeds as well, as you can quickly make xeno-friendly pit stops for your fellow aliens across the station.

Hunters can also spit neurotoxin from a distance, giving them a semi-reliable way to stun humans when pouncing is too risky. Compared to other xenomorphs, their plasma reserves are smaller, so make your shots count! Finally, remember to strip your prey of their items, especially their radios.

The Xeno Shitcurity

Sentinels are often the rarest type of xeno; Hunters are the best for aggressive hunting and killing, and Drones are the ones who get to build. If you choose to become a Sentinel, your primary goal is to protect the nest and keep an eye on any still-living prisoners the Hunters drag in. If any of them start to wriggle free of their bindings, shove them back down until their Larva finish exploding out of their chest cavities.

Although you don't have the speed of a Hunter, you can hold much more plasma, and recharge much faster than they do. This makes it much more practical to abuse your Neurotoxin Spit on intruders. You can also use Corrosive Acid more often, so help your Drone friends get rid of any inconvenient walls.

Sentinels have the unique ability to become partially invisible; simply toggle the ability on and fade from view. For best results, stand on resin floors, so you blend in almost perfectly. Stand guard near the entrance, out of sight, and chomp down on anybody who dares enter.

Erectin' A Membrane

If there's already a Queen, being a Drone means you get to actually do Drone things. Drones have the ability to shape several useful structures to build and flesh out a hive.

Resin Walls act as normal walls, letting you build mazes or barricade entryways into the nest. Resin Membranes are tough alien windows; being able to see outside can be useful, but remember that the humans can see in as well. Resin Nests act like beds, and any live humans the Hunters bring to the nest should be 'buckled' to them while their Larva gestate. You should also smash lights, break cameras, depressurize rooms, and generally make the nest as hostile to humans as you can.

Just because you're a Drone doesn't mean you can't fight, although you should ideally be letting the Hunters and Sentinels do it. If the nest is under assault and nobody else is around, it's up to you to protect dat fukken Queen.

If the Queen dies, a Drone is going to have to put on their big girl pants and start evolving, though there's a hefty period after a Queen's death before any more can be created. If you're the only Drone, or even the only survivor, it's going to be you; thankfully, being a Queen is much less stressful if you already have a safe nest. If not, run to safety, drop some weeds, evolve up, and start laying eggs, bucko.

Fighting The Purple Tide

You're a human/moth/lizard/catgirl/etc, minding your own business on Space Station 13, when suddenly you see a penis-headed fuckmonster float by your window, followed by the AI screaming about xeno scum and the Captain shitting himself and calling the shuttle. What do?

The first thing you should do: weld the goddamn vents! Take a welding tool, ideally slap on some eye protection, and get welding to every scrubber and vent in your workplace. Xenos can't pop out of welded vents, meaning doing so cuts off their ability to show up behind you and slap you with a face full of alien wing-wong. Not having any fresh air is usually a worthy price to pay, since established xeno nests are almost always a near-round ending threat.

If you can, find some sort of protective headgear, or hand it to people running off to fight the xenos. Facehuggers can rip off most masks, but bio hoods, riot helmets, hardsuit helmets, space helmets, flipped-down welding masks and more can protect your delicate, tender orifices. If somebody stupid enough to come unprepared gets a facehugger to the face next to you, you might be able to stop the infection by removing it from them fast enough.

Xenos have a notable weakness to fire, meaning if you can manage to avoid burning yourself and your crewmates to death, flamethrowers can be effective. Otherwise, use energy weapons, followed by traditional guns; in a class A emergency, plasmaflooding and incinerating xeno nests might be worth the collateral, but at least warn your allies before doing so. Welding tools are technically effective weapons, but unless you're robust as shit, getting into a melee tangle with a xeno is probably a bad idea. Remember that Larva are weaklings, and beat up any you manage to catch alone.

If you or a friend ends up infected, you have a small window of opportunity to try and preserve them. Alien embryos can be surgically removed if you have Medbay access and you're fast enough to do the procedure; if you're going for it, weld the surgery room's vents and be ready to beat the shit out of the Larva if it pops out prematurely. You can also get your buddy scanned in the cloner and clone them once they die, or throw them in the cremator if you don't actually like them that much. Remember that even if the host dies, the Larva will still burst out, and hurling an infested body into space is only delaying the xeno's inevitable return.

Xenomorphs love to abuse the fact that they're spaceproof and you aren't, but if you can get your hands on a spacesuit and a jetpack, flying around and attacking from space with guns can be effective. Make them regret busting open those windows!

Because they don't have human rights, Engineering cyborgs dragging welder fuel tanks into xeno nests and blowing them up with their welding tools is a classic anti-xeno tactic, and if things are going to hell anyway, Toxins can toss in a few bombs. Geneticists who can give their most robust allies spaceproofing and hulk genes can be game changers, and Cargo really should be ordering guns in situations like these. If you somehow have the time or foresight to have them ready, Roboticists can build combat mechs.

If all else fails, have a scrappy young crew member walk up to the xeno nest in a RIPLEY; the Queen is obligated under Space Law to engage in a 1v1 duel for the fate of the station.


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