Changeling

Changeling
SUPERIORS:	Your hunger
CLASSIFICATION:	Solo Antagonist
RISK FACTOR:	Hard
CLEARANCE:	Depends on your job
"How mankind looks at cattle, you look at mankind: with hunger...".

A changeling is an alien creature which possesses the ability to morph into humanoids. The natural form of the changeling is a "headslug", a rather pathetic creature by itself. Fortunately for them, they were capable of killing a crew member before the start of the shift and has been imitating them since. The main weapons of the changeling are its ability to internally synthesize dangerous chemicals, morph into other creatures that it has absorbed, and disguise itself amongst the crew.

The changeling can be anyone it has absorbed and can switch identities instantaneously; only absorbing requires time and a place away from prying eyes. Unlike the Traitor, the changeling's only objective is to survive until the shuttle arrives and escape on it while disguised as someone else.

Remember that changelings are not obliged to work with each other, and some may go solo/rogue depending on the circumstances of the shift.

Help! I'm hungry and I don't know what to do!

Chemicals

Chemicals are your source of abilities; without them you won't be able to use your powers. They regenerate slowly over time, and the more people you absorb the higher your max capacity will be.

DNA Absorption

Your main weapon is deception: transform into other humanoid creatures to confuse the crew. To do this, it takes ANY humanoid, living or dead (even thrown away bodies from cloning), and absorb them using the "Absorb" ability or the "DNA Extraction" sting. You can only maintain a maximum of 5 DNA strands at a time, and you must transform in order to obtain more.

Acquiring DNA via absorption requires the victim's incapacitation, critical condition, or death.

• Absorbing someone takes a lot of time, so prepare a safe spot or do it somewhere with the lowest chance of being spotted
• Absorbing a victim will recover all of your biomass, increase your maximum chemical capacity, and give you bonus evolution points to buy new abilities.
• Absorbing another changeling will, on top of the previously mentioned improvements, increase your maximum biomass capacity, allowing you to stay alive for more time and give you even more chemicals and evolution points.
• Absorbed victims cannot be cloned. On the other hand, they can still be turned into cyborgs

I can only store so much!

Changelings are limited to how much DNA they can absorb at once. If a changeling has 5 DNA strands absorbed 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. This switching can cause a 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.

Regeneration

Also known as "Regenerative Stasis", changelings have the ability to 'kill' themselves and appear dead. After an uncertain amount of time, the changeling can revive at will, fully healed of all injuries and illnesses. Entering stasis will start a timer that scales with damage taken, and leaving will cost 30 chemicals. Chemicals will still regenerate while a changeling is 'dead'.

Changelings can also choose to revive by defibrillator, making it even harder to tell if they are one or not.

This trait makes changelings nigh unkillable, as they can fully regenerate themselves even from death if they have enough chemicals. Spaced changelings may also be able to make it back on the station given enough time. The best way to permanently deal with a changeling is to cremate them, put them on mining colonies, or in solitary confinement.

Going Solo or Teaming Up

Like traitors, changelings operate individually and are in no way obligated to assist each other. It is not required for changelings to even reveal their identity to each other, as it's not uncommon for changelings to backstab each other to remove competition. Even so, a coordinated group of changelings is truly a terror to behold.

Identifying a Changeling

Changelings have a different have a different blood type. Even if a changeling is pretending to be a diona, vox, or moth person, they have one blood type. Also, when put in a centrifuge, the changeling's blood reacts violently. You cannot identify changelings in any other possible way, unless they're going loud. Once a changeling has been identified, then the best thing you can do to counter one is to: KILL IT WITH FIRE!

• While on fire, they are unable to use or toggle most of their combat, defensive, and utility-oriented abilities.

• Changelings also suffer a massive reduction to their chemical generation, being reduced to 1/4 of its current amount when on fire!

Starting Abilities

Absorb DNA	Allows you to slowly and noisily absorb a deal, crit, cuffed, or hard-grabbed crewmate. This adds their DNA to your pool, grants you 2 evolution points and refills your biomass. If another changeling is absorbed, you instead get half of their total evolution points and half of their max chemicals. Targets must be in a HARD grab to use this ability. Can be used in lesser form. Cannot be used while on fire.
Extract DNA Sting	Adds the stung player's DNA to your pool. Can be used while cuffed or while in a lesser form.
Cycle DNA	Changes the active DNA used for transform. Can be used while cuffed or in lesser form.
Transform	Transforms you into the person whose DNA you currently have selected, consuming the DNA in the process Can be used while cuffed or in lesser form
Enter Regenerative Stasis	The changeling instantly dies, and the exit stasis ability is unlocked. Can be used while cuffed or in lesser form. Can be used while on fire.
Exit Regenerative Stasis	The changeling instantly revives; all health is fully recovered. Can be used while cuffed or in lesser form. Can be used while on fire. Can only be used after a set duration. This scales with damage taken prior to stasis, up to 180 seconds.

Combat Abilities

Dissonant Shriek

• Changeling emits an EMP blast, disabling borgs, IPCs, suit coordinates, and other electronic equipment.
• Can be used while cuffed or in lesser form.
• Can be used while on fire.

Resonant Shriek

• Screeches, blinding anyone in the nearby area without flash protection, breaking nearby lights as well.
• Can be used while cuffed or in lesser form.
• Can be used while on fire

Organic Shield

• Grows one of its arms into a robust shield, absorbs 50% of incoming damage until destroyed.

Strained Muscles

• Speeds the changeling up greatly but deals heavy stamina damage over time to self. Toggles on and off.
• Can be used while cuffed or in lesser form.
• Can be used while on fire.

Bone Shard

• The changeling forms a weapon capable of firing bone shards that hardstuns in two hits, with the shards dissolving after a while

Dart Gun

• The changeling converts an arm into a dart gun. The dart gun fires any of the changeling's evolved stings, costing 1/3 the sting cost in chems per shot.
• Can shoot and select darts while on fire (if in use/toggled)

Arm Blade

• The changeling forms an arm into a blade. Deals heavy limb damage on light attack when targeting a limb.

Arm Claw

• The changeling forms an arm into a claw. Claws can grab organisms and prevent them from moving. The claw cannot be used to attack while grabbing something.

Arm Hammer

• The changeling forms an arm into a hammer. The hammer deals blunt damage, knocks down and flings targets with light armor.

Chitinous Armor

• The changeling manipulates its flesh into a resilient mass of armor, only usable when outerwear and head slots are empty.
• Chitinous Armor slows the Changeling by 15 percent.
• Chitinous Armor reduces all damage by 50 percent.
• Head armor reduces brute and burn damages by 10 percent.
• Offers decent protection against fires.
• Slows down chem regen rate by 25 percent.

Sting Abilities

Blind Sting Cryogenic Sting Mute Sting Lethargic Sting False Armblade Sting

Utility Abilities

Awakened Instinct Anatomic Panacea Last Resort Lesser Form Absorb Biomatter Biodegrade Chameleon skin Adrenaline Reserves Hivemind Access Void Adaption Fleshmend