Changeling antagonist

[Blackern5000]

Everyone knows the changeling, the space monster that eats people and then turns into them.
Based mainly on goonstation's changelings with a few elements from tg, just the armblade and stinger chemicals.

The main thing about changeling is that it round-removes it's victims rather than temporarily subduing them. Everyone is a victim, not just a select few people. To make up for this, the changeling has the ability to create ghost roles that assist it in it's goals. Creating ghost roles is optional for the ling, it is not obligated to bring it's victims back into the round.
The distinguishing feature about this version of the changeling is that it's humanoid form is it's unnatural form, it actually looks like a horrific flesh monster (depicted below), and it can choose to reveal it's true form as a combat mode of sorts to grant itself increased survivability and better offensive abilities.

Feedback is greatly appreciated.

[Cojoke-dot]

Aw, no changing hivemind... also kinda fucks your stealth up bad when your leaving husks of the people you eat everywhere and massive bloody puddles.

[Blackern5000]

Aw, no changing hivemind... also kinda fucks your stealth up bad when your leaving husks of the people you eat everywhere and massive bloody puddles.

The crew should be aware that a changeling is hunting them early on, knowing that there's SOMETHING stalking you drives up the fear significantly. If the changeling goes the extra mile to hide husks though, they deserve to remain entirely hidden.

[Cojoke-dot]

What about the goon hivemind, that was the best part about their lings in my option. Getting round removed by a ling did not bring you out of the game, it turned you into what is essentially a pai in a private coms line. Whenever the ling wanted they could split off their body parts and give the role directly to one of their hivemind members or just give their own body to one of them(so they could disguise as the person without acting different).

[Blackern5000]

What about the goon hivemind, that was the best part about their lings in my option. Getting round removed by a ling did not bring you out of the game, it turned you into what is essentially a pai in a private coms line. Whenever the ling wanted they could split off their body parts and give the role directly to one of their hivemind members or just give their own body to one of them(so they could disguise as the person without acting different).

Definitely sounds interesting, I'll consider it when I get the chance. (When I wake up in the morning tomorrow)

[whateverusername0]

so it's like a changeling and a bloodsucker mix?
considering lings being based on round removal the biomass system will fit nicely.
but spawns need to be buffed in one way or another.

[whateverusername0]

look good overall
also how many lings can be there at once? there's a maximum of 8 traitors right now, what about lings?

[Blackern5000]

look good overall also how many lings can be there at once? there's a maximum of 8 traitors right now, what about lings?

Likely 3-5 max, they're powerful and cause a lot of damage, so limiting them to low numbers would be important.

[Djungelskog2]

im wondering, would they be their own gamemode or would they be integrated into traitor and such? considering we dont have the same dynamic gamemode 13 does

[PotatOverlord]

If a headcrab went and took over a dead body, losing all the biomass and abilities, but then ate its old corpse should it regain all it's previous abilities and biomass?

[Blackern5000]

What about the goon hivemind, that was the best part about their lings in my option. Getting round removed by a ling did not bring you out of the game, it turned you into what is essentially a pai in a private coms line. Whenever the ling wanted they could split off their body parts and give the role directly to one of their hivemind members or just give their own body to one of them(so they could disguise as the person without acting different).

I decided to make the hivemind an entire section of abilities, a changeling can expend some biomass to allow a hivemind to exist within itself, or it can rely on its own acting skill to fool the crew.
All the abilities are tied to a single purchase as well, so the ling can't have relinquish and not have retake.

[mirrorcult]

if this is to be based on goon ling, their version of the hivemind/limb creatures is mandatory imo

[mirrorcult]

by far the most interesting part of their design

[Djungelskog2]

im wondering, would they be their own gamemode or would they be integrated into traitor and such? considering we dont have the same dynamic gamemode 13 does

Asking again

[Blackern5000]

im wondering, would they be their own gamemode or would they be integrated into traitor and such? considering we dont have the same dynamic gamemode 13 does

It's own gamemode, but there might be a spaceling midround event like in tg that starts out in true form with no DNA or biomass and needs to acquire some to blend in with the crew.

[Djungelskog2]

when we get more antags im guessing it will swap over to a more dynamic gamemode though? (its kinda unrelated but I want to know if its your intention with it)

[Blackern5000]

when we get more antags im guessing it will swap over to a more dynamic gamemode though? (its kinda unrelated but I want to know if its your intention with it)

There's already an approved doc for a dynamic mode iirc just nobody has coded it, and yeah changelings would be included in that as well.

[whateverusername0]

@Blackern5000 as i can see you already have some sort of sprites ready for his frenzy form
so if you want we can work together to make it real on this PR
i think the biomass and frenzy mechanics are cool and if we combine this design doc with whatever exists now we'll get perfect station 14 ling experience

[Blackern5000]

@Blackern5000 as i can see you already have some sort of sprites ready for his frenzy form so if you want we can work together to make it real on this PR 😃 i think the biomass and frenzy mechanics are cool and if we combine this design doc with whatever exists now we'll get perfect station 14 changelings

I'd like to wait for the doc to be accepted before actually starting work on any development for it.

[EmoGarbage404]

soldier

[whateverusername0]

LET'S GO

[Reese1243]

YOOOO ITS FINALLY HERE

[BombasterDS]

I think the most important thing that needs to be done - action bar that will remember position of abilities that you make. On goob you just don't want to morph to another person because it'll mix all your actions.