Changeling

EXTRATERRESTRIAL STAFF
Changeling	Access: Any place you or your victims had access to. Qualifications: Not defined Employers: Not defined Supervisors: Your future victim. Duties: Be a monstrosity unloved by God. Creep people out. Absorb genomes. Mess up your language key and out yourself. Guides: This is the page

A Changeling is an intelligent alien creature that is able to shapeshift into any biological species that is found on the ship. The main weapons of the Changeling are its ability to internally synthesize dangerous chemicals and blend in with the general populace. You will notice that many of these abilities revolve around stealth. Stealth and subterfuge are vital skills to culture as a Changeling, or at least a Changeling that plans to thrive. Luring members of the crew into secluded, quiet spaces in order to incapacitate and absorb them will be the bread and butter of your tactics. Finding ways to keep the body from being found will also go a long way in ensuring your survival. Investing in Morphs later in the round may be beneficial as well.

The Changeling can assume the appearance and voice of anyone it has already absorbed, and is capable of switching between these identities on the fly. It is worth mentioning, however, that shifting into a different species takes time to accomplish, therefore it is easier to swap faces across the same species.

OOC Note: Like all antagonists outside of admin-run events, Changelings are not canon; they do not exist outside of the round that they are featured in, thus there is no information about them.

Starting Out

You spawn in your department as normal, with some funny red text in your chatbox to indicate you're an antagonist. All Changelings spawn with an antag-exclusive Global Hivemind, accessible by prefacing your speech with ,g in order to privately speak with other Changelings. Your assumed identity is not revealed while speaking over Hivemind, but you will be known by a specific callsign (such as Mr. Zeta or Ms. Gamma) throughout the round to at least identify who is who. Hivemind can also be used to transmit and receive DNA data (not genomes!) to and from other Changelings to allow you to assume more identities. This process is not automatic, so no one is obligated to provide an appearance for you.

Ultimately a Changeling's goal is to absorb genomes and maintain secrecy as to their true nature. Besides this, they are free to spice up the round any way they see fit. Certain gamemodes featuring Changelings may include multiple Changelings. Changelings are not obligated in any way to assist each other, in fact they can work against each other if they really want. After all, the goal of the Changeling is to absorb genomes, and other Changelings happen to have plenty of those. It's worth noting that other Changelings are immune to being stung.

Changeling Roleplay

Like any antag, you're required to provide at least some roleplay and build-up before stinging someone and absorbing their DNA. Given that Changeling is one big horror movie reference, consider playing up the fear factor. Ask yourself; would The Thing be half as scary if the weird dog immediately grew an armblade and started attacking the research team? Here are some questions you should think about when you start out:

1. What am I? Are you a new alien species, a Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals bioweapon, or a mutated person? Not deciding on any of these in particular is fine, too; horror builds off the unknown.
2. What makes me weird? Do you stiffly imitate the emotes of your coworkers? Is your speech slow and stilted? Are you a twisted parody of your character's normal mannerisms? Anything that adds to the experience makes the inevitable chase when you turn into a horror form that much more exciting.
3. Would my roleplay be enhanced by captivity? Depending on the antagonist, your round can basically be over when you're thrown into the brig. However, if you've proven yourself sufficiently beyond the pale, you may get a special trip to the xenobiology or xenoarchaeology cells to be poked and stared at by scientists. Interact with them! Emote all the gross ways your skin distorts, scream in the voices of their loved ones, beg your character's friends to help them over the common channel.

Also note that absorbing players who are disconnected or otherwise AFK is not allowed. Stinging someone and absorbing them with little to no roleplay may also get you a stern talking-to from staff. The purpose of all antagonists is to spice up the round for everyone, and interacting with individual players is what you should concern yourself with the most as a Changeling.

Abilities

DNA Absorption

In order to obtain genomes a Changeling will look to direct DNA absorption, which usually involves sticking a gross proboscis into an incapacitated member of the crew and doing whatever wacky space magic is needed to empty their insides and eat their genes. Doing so requires at least a neck grab (click on someone with yellow/grab intent, click on your hand to "upgrade" it to blue, then click on your hand again to move to a red grab), then using the Absorb DNA verb (which can either be typed or clicked on in a special tab). The amount of genomes you acquire depends on the following:

• Absorbing a victim (dead or alive) will fill your chemical storage, and gives you two evolution points.
• Absorbing another changeling steals all of their genomes.
• Absorbing victims who have been husked via burns will not add to your total genome count.

Shifting

Absorbing someone allows you to assume their appearance and voice, and perhaps their identity all together if you choose to wear their clothes and ID. Shifting your appearance and voice is done seamlessly provided the target you are assuming is the same species as the one you are currently assuming, otherwise you will have to wait a bit. For obvious reasons, you won't be very convincing if you change identities right in front of someone else, and wearing an ID that doesn't match the face will be sure to raise many eyebrows.

Note that while the voice does change, the accent does not! Make sure you use the ability dedicated to changing your accent!

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 will revive, fully healed of all ailments. This makes them nigh-unkillable as they can fully regenerate themselves - even from death - if their bodies are intact. Spaced Changelings will also eventually make it back on station given enough time. The only way to permanently kill one is to completely destroy the body (or just headgib them).

It's worth noting that certain mechanics (automatic pain emotes, for example) can out you when you've "died". If someone manually checks your pulse, you will also register as having one. Most players will sandbag this and pass it off as something strange ICly, but there are times when your "death" is just a little too obvious to ignore (like dropping dead after one hit from a stun baton). If you feel like players are a little too keen on treating you like you're going to jump back up any second, send a message to staff about it.

Internal Hivemind

Somewhat similar to the Global Hivemind is the Internal Hivemind, your own personal cache of absorbed personalities to commune with. No one else but you can speak to them. Speaking to those you have absorbed is done by using the Hivemind Commune verb, and the victims can respond by talking normally. Ideally the victims of this Hivemind will guide you in how to behave as them so that you will appear convincing, but they can also be used to create Morphs, gross blobs that can act independently to further your goals. Lastly, if someone is being rowdy or annoying, you can always eject them forcefully, which will ghost them.

Other Abilities

The Changeling possesses other dangerous abilities. Their stored chemicals regenerate quickly when reserves run low, but slow as they reach their storage limit. Changelings start with 5 evolution points. All abilities listed below are in order of their cost.

• Mimic Voice: Costs 1 evolution point. Allows you to sound like whatever name you type in (which can be anything, interestingly enough). Make sure to change your accent as well! Constantly expends chemicals while in use.
• Deaf Sting: Costs 1 evolution point. Anyone stung by this will become deaf, unable to hear anyone or anything for a short period of time. They can, of course, still speak. Note that this provides a very obvious message.
• Digital Camouflage: Costs 1 evolution point. Prevents the AI from tracking you automatically via cameras. Note that you will appear strange to anyone examining you. Constantly expends chemicals while in use.
• Lesser Form: Costs 2 evolution points. 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 the Transform verb.
• Hivemind Release Morph: Costs 2 evolution points. Sacrifice an arm or a leg to eject a member of your Internal Hivemind into the wild to do your bidding. Note that they are unable to communicate with you over Hivemind any longer once they are released as a Morph.
• Boost Range: Costs 2 evolution points. Allows the Changeling to sting victims at range via darts. Whether or not someone sees these darts being launched depends on the ability it's used with. It also requires time to actually launch.
• Blind Sting: Costs 2 evolution points. Anyone stung by this will become blind for a short period of time. Note that this provides a very obvious message.
• Silence Sting: Costs 3 evolution points. Anyone stung by this will be unable to speak more than a whisper for a short period of time, rendering them unable to call for help outside of keeping a hot radio on them.
• Transformation Sting: Costs 3 evolution points. Anyone stung by this will be transformed into an absorbed identity of your choosing, allowing you to fool others into thinking that your victim is a Changeling, in case your nature is found out.
• Hallucination Sting: Costs 3 evolution points. Anyone stung by this will begin to violently hallucinate after some time, allowing you to sow chaos and perhaps distract others' attention from yourself.
• Adrenaline Sacs: Costs 3 evolution points. Using this ability will wake you up from stuns, paralysis, and weakness while also dosing you on Hyperzine, Oxycomorphine, and Synaptizine.
• Mutate Shield: Costs 3 evolution points. Morphs and effectively occupies one of your hands to become a shield, which will allow you to block many attacks and projectiles.
• Mutate Armblades: Costs 4 evolution points. Morphs and effectively occupies one of your hands to become a sword, which allows you to possess a weapon at all times outside of being delimbed.
• Rapid Chemical Synthesis: Costs 4 evolution points. More than doubles the rate at which you can synthesize chemicals. This is a passive ability.
• Engorged Chemical Glands: Costs 4 evolution points. Increases your capacity to store chemicals by 50 units. This is a passive ability.
• Rapid Regeneration: Costs 7 evolution points. Allows you to heal damage while on the move, reducing the need to crutch on regenerative stasis.
• Paralysis Sting: Costs 8 evolution points. Anyone stung by this will soon be paralyzed, unable to do anything. Note that this provides a very obvious message.
• Death Sting: Costs 10 evolution points. Anyone stung by this will get injected with 5u of Cyanide, which will rapidly deplete the victim's oxygen and damage their heart. Their survival is unlikely without quick intervention. Note that this provides a very obvious message.
• Horror Form: Costs 15 evolution points. Using this ability will turn you into a shambling abomination for ten minutes, making your attacks incredibly strong and defending you against most conventional attacks. Don't be surprised if all of security shows up to combat you in this state.

Morphs

Morphs are gross red organisms born from a Changeling's limbs that can be controlled by members of the Internal Hivemind (your victims) to do your bidding. They are capable of crawling through vents and are able to eat objects in order to assume their appearance. These abilities can be used to spy on members of the crew around the station (note that they are unable to communicate over Hivenet). They can also fight if push really comes to shove. Their true purpose, however, is to create gore nests for the Changeling that spawned them, grotesque areas made of creeping, bloody floors and nests for victims that a Changeling can use to their advantage. Morphs are able to heal while on gore turfs. Gore turfs also slow down anything that is not a Changeling or a Morph.

Antagonist roles
Antagonists	Traitor - Mercenary - Ninja - Changeling - Vampire - Revolutionary - Raider - Cultist - Cortical Borer - Loner - Technomancer