Changeling

EXTRATERRESTRIAL STAFF
Changeling	Access: Any place you or your victims had access to. Additional Access: Not defined Difficulty: Hard Supervisors: Your future victim Duties: Drink people's DNA, fool people. Guides: This is the guide

A changeling is an alien creature, that's intelligent and able to morph into humans. Changelings are solitary hunters, but also take contracts from syndicate forces in order to steal Nanotrasen tech. The main weapons of the changeling are its ability to internally synthesize dangerous chemicals, morph into creatures it has absorbed, and blend in with humans.

The Thing From Spaaaaaaaace

A changeling has boarded the station! It has had time to "familiarize" itself with the ins and outs of its primary victim's identity, ready to take anything it desires -- be it your equipment, your faces, or your lives!

Even if a changeling has not attacked any other crew members, it has committed murder to be on the station to complete its objective.

As of the recent changeling overhaul, this is not necessarily the case. A changeling does not need to kill someone to take their identity.

Changelings can communicate with one another using 'say :g' before their speech

DNA Absorbtion

The goal of many changelings is to absorb 5-7 DNA strains, for some unknown and alien reason. To do this, it must take ANY human, living or dead (even thrown away bodies from cloning), and absorb them using either its special proboscis, or the DNA Extraction Sting. You can only have a maximum of 5 DNA strands at a time, and must transform to obtain more.

Acquiring DNA via husking requires a grab, and a little bit of time as it stabs the victim with its appendage till it has all of the DNA drained. You need a good grip to absorb victims properly, and choking them has the added benefit of subduing your target as well. A choke hold can be attained by grabbing someone repeatedly until you're holding them by the neck, then double-clicking the KILL button that appears in your active hand in your HUD so that it is flashing red.

• Absorbing a victim will fill your chemical storage some and give you the target's DNA.
• Absorbing another changeling gives you all its chemical storage.
• Allows you to rechoose your abilities.
• Absorbing victims who have been husked via burns or space will not add to your total genome count.
• Absorbed victims cannot be cloned unless genetics uses a monkey creatively. They can still be turned into cyborgs because the brain is fine.

Absorbing everyone is dickish and shouldn't be what you always use, as DNA extraction sting is entirely covert and does not kill the target while still counting for objectives.

Acquiring DNA via DNA Extraction Sting, however, is instant and does not give any alert to the target.

• Costs 25 chemicals.
• Counts towards DNA absorption objectives.

"No, I'm the real one!"

Changelings are limited, however, to how much DNA they can absorb at once! If a changeling has 5 DNAs stored and attempts to gain another, they must purge the older DNA by transforming. Eventually, any changeling will have to be a twin of someone else on the station, living or dead.

Shifting

The changeling can shift its appearance, making them look and sound exactly like a victim of which they have absorbed. This can be massive compromise in security, especially if command staff are absorbed and the changeling is able to imitate them.

Changelings can also, via their lesser form ability, transform into monkeys and do monkey things.

Transforming is subtle and does not give a message in chat, though an observant crewmember may notice that you're suddenly someone else entirely.

Regeneration

Also known as Regenerative Stasis, changelings have the ability to 'kill' themselves, and appear dead for two minutes. After this period is over, the changeling can revive at will, fully healed of all injuries and illness. Both entering stasis and leaving it cost 10 chemicals, so make sure you have at least 20 before you are slain and must activate it.

This makes them nigh-unkillable, as they can fully regenerate themselves even from death if their bodies are intact and they have enough chemicals. Spaced changelings may also be able to make it back on station given enough time. The best way to permanently deal with a changeling is to gib it or cremate it in the chapel.

Objective

Changelings usually come to stations because of an assassination or theft contract with a syndicate agency. However, changelings will always test themselves by seeing how many humans they can absorb! Anything less than their absorption goal and they deem themselves as failures. This being said, REMEMBER TO PLAY IT COOL. Don't go and choke someone in a hallway, find a secluded corner in the Maintenance corridors. Don't go after groups, pick people off individually. If the AI yells over the radio that you are a Changeling, make yourself appear Unknown and shift forms.

Like traitors, changelings win individually. It is not uncommon for changelings to backstab each other for genomes, as they are in no way obligated to assist each other. Even so, a coordinated group of changelings is truly a terror to behold especially since they can share absorbed genomes via hivemind. DNA shared in this manner does not count towards your personal absorption count.

Chemical Warfare

The changeling possesses other dangerous abilities including precooked stinger abilities, which it can fire out of a crafted dart at a moments notice! Their stored chemicals regenerate quickly when reserves run low, but slow as they reach their storage limit.

Changelings start with 5 evolution points. Each current ability costs 1 point. By husking a lifeform, they gain the ability to reset their learned abilities and choose new ones, adapting to situations as they arise.

Note that changelings are immune to each others' stings. If you try to sting someone and they don't react, THEY'RE ONE TOO!

Lesser Form

The changeling transforms into a monkey after a brief period of time. Causes all equipment to be dropped on the floor. It can then return to human form by using Transform. Note that transforming into a monkey also drops your cuffs.

Epinephrine Sacs

Allows to the changeling to make use of additional adrenaline to instantly recover from stuns, and gives a temporary reduction in further stuns. High chemical cost.

Engorged Chemical Glands

A passive ability that increases the changeling's maximum storage capacity of chemicals and increases the rate of regeneration of them..

Mimic Voice

Allows the changeling to form their voice of a name they enter. Consumes excess generated chemicals while active.

Digital Camouflage

Prevents AIs from tracking the changeling's location while active.

Fleshmend

Unlike Fake Death, the changeling will rapidly heal itself without the need to go into stasis.

Anatomic Panacea

Cures the changeling of diseases, disabilities, radiation, and toxins. Generally covers the things that Fleshmend doesn't; it can be used to purge the poison that the chemist just shot you up with, or to get rid of that debilitating mutation from an absorbed identity.

Resonant Shriek

The changeling emits a tone beyond the range of human hearing, causing deafness and disorientation in an area around itself and bursting lights in the area. Good for escaping groups or preventing people from fleeing from you.

Blind Sting

The changeling silently sting a human, completely blinding them for a short time and rendering them permanently nearsighted. May be used while under the effects of Lesser Form.

Mute Sting

The changeling silently sting a human, completely silencing them for a short time. Does not provide a warning to a victim that they've been stung, until they try to speak and can't. May be used while under the effects of Lesser Form.

Transformation Sting

The changeling injects a retrovirus that forces their human victim to transform into another.

Hallucination Sting

The changeling injects large doses of hallucinogenic chemicals into their victim. Effect occurs after 30 to 60 seconds. The victim does not notice they've been stung.

Extract DNA Sting

The changeling can sting a target to extract their genetic information. They can then use the DNA like they just absorbed it. Helps the changeling reach their genome objective.

Cryogenic Sting

The changeling injects the target with a blend of chemicals that begins to turn their blood to ice. The victim will walk slower and take some damage over the full duration. Can be countered with space heaters, coffee, and other warming objects and foods.

Hive Channel

A free evolution. The changeling can channel a selected genome into the airwaves for other changelings to absorb and use.

Hive Absorb

A free evolution. The changeling can absorb DNA from the air that has been channelled by a fellow changeling. Doesn't help the changeling reach their genome objective.

Spread Infestation

Two spiderlings crawl out of the changeling's mouth, eventually growing into deadly beasts. IMPORTANT: You need at least 5 DNA absorptions to gain enough power to use this late-game ability!