Changeling

ENEMY STAFF
Changeling	Difficulty: Very Hard Supervisor: Nobody Branches: Any Ranks: N/A Duties: Infiltrate the crew. Seed paranoia until they're at each other's throats. Eat people. Related Guides: Guide to Combat

Life always finds a way. However, life can sometimes take a more disturbing route. Humanity's extensive knowledge of xenobiological specimens has made them confident and arrogant. Yet something slipped past their eyes. Something dangerous. Something alive. Most frightening of all, however, is that this something is someone: An unknown alien specimen has incorporated itself into the crew. Its unique biology allows it to manipulate its own or anyone else's DNA. With the ability to copy faces, voices, and animals, but also to change the chemical make up of other people's bodies, its existence is a threat to the lives of everyone on board.

If one or more of these traits describe you, you may be a changeling. Congratulations! Through whatever means, you've found yourself on the SEV Torch, and are just about ready to start snacking on the crew. If not – sorry, bud. Rewatch The Thing (1982) and try not to get eaten.

What To Do

Like most types of Antagonists, a changeling does not have fixed goals or motives – it's up to you to decide on a gimmick. Being a hostile shape-shifting alien organism, this will most likely involve infiltrating, terrorizing, and/or eating the crew. It doesn't have to, however: at the start of the round, it's recommended you take a moment to think up a story, pick your skills and abilities, and organize with any other changelings that might be haunting the station.

As a changeling, you have a number of tools available to you. Most of these can be accessed through the Evolution Menu, including your ability to absorb the DNA of hapless crewmembers and to transform into your victims. Core abilities like these are unlocked to begin with, while additional abilities can be purchased with genome points, as discussed more thoroughly later.

In addition, you also have access to the changeling hivemind: a communal link shared by all changelings, allowing them to communicate over long distances. You can communicate and potentially cooperate with other changelings via the hivemind, using ,g as a prefix. This is not audible or visible to anyone around you – just be careful not to typo and announce your evil plans out loud.

Do note, however, that changelings are not required to work together and can very well stab each other in the back – absorbing another changeling gives you all their abilities and collected DNA, after all!

The Evolution Menu

Changelings can view abilities and purchase new ones via the Evolution Menu. By default, all changelings start with the abilities Absorb DNA, Hive Absorb, Hive Channel, Regenerative Stasis, Self-Respiration and Transform unlocked for free – additional evolved abilities must be purchased with genome points. Changelings begin with 25 genome points to spend initially, and gain 2 genome points each time they absorb another creature (except other changelings, who give 2 + all their remaining genome points if absorbed).

You can use your abilities by selecting them under the “Changeling” tab on your game window, or by using them as verbs in the chatbar. Most abilities have a chemical cost to use, drawing from the changeling's chemical storage – by default, a changeling's chemical storage refills at a rate of 0.5 units/tic, to a maximum of 50 units (though both can be improved with evolved abilities). When you run out of chemicals, you won't be able to use your abilities until they recharge.

Ability	Chem Use Cost	Genome Cost	Description
Absorb DNA	0u	N/A (Default Ability)	Absorbs a victim's DNA, turning them into a lifeless husk. This requires a strong grip (i.e. kill grab) on the victim, and takes roughly 90 uninterrupted seconds to successfully complete. Only lifeforms with DNA (that is – of the Torch's species – humans and human variants, Unathi, Skrell, GAS, and certain non-sapient lifeforms like monkeys, stok, neaera, and farwa). On successfully absorbing a victim, you'll steal their DNA, allowing you to transform into them. Additionally, you'll receive all the victim's known languages, as well as 2 genome points and 10u chemicals. Absorbing a victim can be done lethally, or non-lethally via Toggle Absorb Type. Absorbing another changeling gives you, additionally, all of that changeling's evolved abilities, collected DNA, and any of their remaining genome points and chemical charges.
Extract DNA	40u	N/A (Default Ability)	Silently stings a victim next to you, extracting their DNA and allowing you to transform into them. The victim is not harmed and receives no indication you've stung them. Works on most species with DNA, but some (namely GAS) must be fully absorbed in order to obtain their DNA. Works during lesser form.
Hive Absorb	20u	N/A (Default Ability)	Absorbs a single DNA that has been uploaded to the changeling hivemind, allowing you to use more disguises with help from your fellow changelings.
Hive Channel	10u	N/A (Default Ability)	Channels one of your collected DNAs to the changeling hivemind, allowing your fellow changelings to absorb it and transform into the target as if they acquired the DNA themselves. How altruistic!
Regenerative Stasis	20u	N/A (Default Ability)	Causes you to enter a regenerative coma, after which you will fully heal. Stasis lasts between 1 to 3 minutes, and can be used before or after death – using it while alive causes you to fake your death. Use the “Revive” verb to return to life. Note that regeneration only fails if the brain is destroyed, or with total destruction of the body (gibbing, incineration, etc.) – so don't ghost out when you die! Works during lesser form.
Self Respiration	-	N/A (Default Ability)	Completely eliminates the need to breathe, allowing you to pause respiration - and preventing transfer of gases.
Transform	5u	N/A (Default Ability)	Transforms you into a creature who's DNA you've absorbed (either directly, or through Hive Absorb or Extract DNA). The trademark move of any changeling. Expect to go through disguises like tissue paper.
Boost Range / Ranged Sting	20u	1	Gives you the ability to shoot stingers from a distance. When activated, your next sting ability can be used against targets 2 squares away.
Blind Sting	20u	2	Silently stings a victim next to you, blinding them for a short time and causing lasting eye damage.
Deaf Sting	5u	1	Silently stings a victim next to you, completely deafening them for a short time.
Death Sting	40u	7	Stings a victim next to you and injects them with 40u of Lexorin, a potent toxin. This attack is very obvious to any surrounding witnesses, so use it carefully!   Note that Lexorin, while deadly, can take a while to kill – you might want to have some other method of subduing them at the ready.
Silence Sting	10u	2	Silently stings a victim next to you, completely silencing them for a short time. Does not provide a warning to a victim that they have been stung, until they try to speak and cannot.
Hallucination Sting	15u	3	Silently stings a victim next to you, filling them with a powerful hallucinogen. The target does not notice they have been stung, and will begin to hallucinate shortly after.
Cryogenic Sting	20u	1	Injects 10u of Cryotoxin into the victim. It does not warn the victim of a sting - though they will be feeling it soon enough.
Delayed Toxic Sting	20u	1	A silent sting that injects a potent chemical into a victim. This chemical comes to effect in about 2 minutes from initial sting - causing internal damage.
Resonant Shriek	15u	2	Lets you emit a high-frequency shriek that deafens everyone around you, and blows out any lights. Note that the range of this shriek is four tiles.
Dissonant Shriek	15u	2	Lets you emit a high-frequency shriek that disrupts radios around you. Note that the range of this shriek is four tiles.
Visible Camoflauge	10u	3	You evolve your form to be able to bend light around your frame. Allowing you to be invisible to the naked eye. Costs 10u chemicals per tic while active. Works during lesser form. Note that running disables the invisibility, though its recursive evolution variant allows you to run.
Adrenaline Surge	20u	2	Evolves additional sacs of adrenaline throughout your body. When activated, instantly recover from all stuns - and make you immune to future stuns while active. High chemical cost. Note that there is a build-up of toxicity on long-term use.
Engorged Chemical Glands	–	1	Your chemical glands swell, allowing you to store an extra 30 units of chemicals (increasing your storage capacity from 50u to 80u).
Mimic Voice	-	1	Allows you to shape your vocal glands, letting you alter your voice to sound like anything of your choosing.
Rapid Chemical-Synthesis	–	4	Doubles the rate at which you naturally recharge chemicals, from 0.5u/tic to 1u/tic.
Endoarmor	-	1	Grows a graft of hard, bone-like armour on the inside - granting additional damage resistance against brute sources.
Rapid Regeneration	30u/tic	2	Evolves the ability to rapidly regenerate brute and burn damage - as well as lost limbs and fractures. Requires the user to remain still. Note that this ability is not silent, and anyone in the vicinity will know that you are regenerating.
Fleshmend	10u	1	Evolves the ability to conduct a slow regeneration of the form. Note that this does not affect stuns or chemicals present in the body.
Regrow Limb	25u	1	Allows you to regrow a lost limb of choice. To use, target the specific limb to regrow.
Anatomic Panacea	20u	1	Purges all forms of toxins and radiation from your body. Any genetic damage caused by radiation or toxins is also reset.
Enrage	30u	2	Allows the user to enter a period of berserk, allowing them to be immune to pain and other forms of stun - as well as giving them an extra bout of speed. Note that one the period of about one minute has ended, the user will be overcome with exhaustion for a short while.
Reinforced Tendons	-	2	Strengthens the form's leg muscles, allowing you to leap great distances instantly - as well as letting you be more athletic. With two arm-weapons, leaping into a victim will cause a pounce attack.
Escape Restraints	40	2	Allows the user to instantly escape most restraints. Note that more complex restraints (such as straitjackets) imbue a longer cooldown.
Arm Hammer	15u	2	Evolves your frame to be able to support an organic hammer. This hammer allows you to knock back enemies on disarm intent. The hammer does moderate damage, with moderate armour penetration. It can be recursively evolved to do far greater armour penetration.
Arm Blade	20u	2	Evolves your frame to be able to support an organic blade. This blade allows you to pry open airlocks, breaking them in the process. Having two allows you to pry open blast doors. The blade does high damage, with low armour penetration and a high parry chance. It can be recursively evolved to do more armour penetration, with a higher parry chance.
Arm Claw	15u	1	Evolves your frame to be able to support an organic claw. This claw allows you to instantly aggressively grab your enemies on grab intent. The claw does low damage, with a modest parry chance. It can be recursively evolved to increase its damage and parry chance - as well as give it armour penetration.
Arm Shield	20u	2	Evolves your frame to be able to support a chitinous shield. The shield is equivalent to standard riot shields available on the Torch. It can be recursively evolved to increase its strength.
Organic Space Suit	20u	1	Allows you to grow a mass of flesh around you, that acts as a space-proof suit.
Chitinous Space Armour	20u	3	Allows you to grow a hard, chitinous exterior around you. This acts as a space-proof exo-skeletal armour. Note that this armour has high melee and ballistic protection - while having modest protection against energy weapons.
Augmented Eyesight	3u/tic	2	Extends the capacity of your eyes to track your victims through solid obstacles - granting you faux-thermal vision.
Bioelectrogenesis	15u (+10u/shock)	2	Allows the cells in your hands to generate bio-electricity. You can recharge items on help intent, and can shock people by grabbing them and using the ability - or by using the ability on an empty hand and click on someone. It can be recursively evolved to cost only +5u/shock as well as carrying a more potent charge.
Electric Lockpick	5 (+10/use)	3	Allows you to evolve your hand into an all-access lock-pick. Once used on a door, it will be very visibly held open.
Fabricate Clothing	10u	1	Evolves the user's form to resemble various articles of common clothing. This allows the user to utilise 'chameleon clothing'.
False Identity	10u	1	Allows you to take a form of your choosing. The form of choice does not necessarily have to be that of someone present on the Torch.

Tips for Antagonising

• Try to tailor your gimmick to the round. If there's only a handful of players around, killing and eating everyone on the ship won't make for a very fun game – try a less lethal approach.
• Changelings are very durable in combat, but have limited direct offensive abilities. If you plan on getting into a fight, you might want to compensate by picking a high Close Combat skill, using weapons and armor, or finding some other means of attacking. A high Close Combat skill will also help you hold onto a victim while you're absorbing them!
• Most powers have extra (or enhanced) abilities when recursively evolved.

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