Ceph Grunt

==Summary==
The Ceph Grunt is the standard Ceph Stage 2 infantry unit and shock trooper. They were first encountered by Prophet and the remnants of Raptor Team on Lingshan in August 2020, when the Alpha Ceph was born and the Ceph there went from Stage 1 to Stage 2. They were encountered in greater numbers in New York in August 2023 and again in 2047.
They are not as fast as the Ceph Stalkers, but make up for it with larger & sturdier frames, superior ranged weaponry, and better combat tactics. They are usually dropped onto battlefields by Ceph Dropships in specialized drop pods, often accompanied by Ceph Reavers, Commanders, and Devastators. Their usual tactic is to form the second line of any Ceph assault: the more durable Reavers go in first to deal with entrenched enemies using their Pinch Rifles’ spread-shot mode, while the Grunts themselves provide medium range supporting fire with their Pinch Rifles’ full-auto mode.
==Powers and Stats==
Tier: 
Name: Ceph Grunt
Origin: Crysis
Gender: N/A
Age: Varies
Height: Around 2.4 metres
Weight: Over 200 kilograms
Classification: Alien, Ceph (Stage 2), Cyborg infantry unit and shock trooper
Powers and Abilities: Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Nanotechnology (Most or all Ceph technology is nanotech-based), Cyborgization (Normal), Adaptation (Like all Stage 2 Ceph they adapted to Earth’s climate and gravity, which is drastically different from their homeworld’s), Information Analysis (Should still retain the Stage 1 ability to scan and analyse human technology), Energy Projection (via the Pinch Rifle plasma weapon, which is actually built to be a part of their arms), Electricity Manipulation (Can unleash a short-ranged EMP “bubble” that can disable electronics and even Nanosuit cloaking systems for a few seconds), Self-Sustenance (Type 1: Respiratory sulf-sustenance under water), Enhanced Senses (The Stalkers and Grunts that went after Alcatraz under the Onyx building could track him in near-total darkness, indicating enhanced vision compared to humans; likely has Nanovision like the Nanosuit 2.0), Telepathic connection to the Ceph hive mind
Attack Potency: Wall level+ physically (Should be at least as strong as the smaller Ceph Stalker and should also not be weaker than the Stage 1 Ceph Trooper) and with weapons (Their rifles should not be weaker than the stage 1 Ceph Trooper’s MOACs. Sandbag barriers erected for defence against small arms fire are useless against them. A quick burst in full-auto mode can take down other Ceph Grunts or even Reavers)
Speed: Athletic Human (As fast as or faster than the Ceph Devastator, which can keep up with the baseline speed of a Nanosuit 2.0 wearer, which is around 30 km/hr)
Lifting Strength: Likely Class 5 (Should be at least as strong as the smaller Ceph Stalker)
Striking Strength: Wall level+
Durability: Wall level+ (Implied to be more durable than the Ceph Stalker. Alcatraz was quite surprised by their durability even after fighting hordes of Ceph Stalkers. He noted that they could take four to five tungsten armour-piercing Grendel rounds [that can stop a rhino and blow good-sized divots out of reinforced concrete walls] in their weak spots before going down)
Stamina: Superhuman. Their overall endurance is likely at least comparable to that of the Ceph Stalker. Can continue fighting despite having their tentacles blown off and despite taking multiple rounds strong enough to stop a rhino. Like Nanosuit operators, they can likely fight for long periods without sustenance and rest.
Range: Likely Hundreds of Metres with Pinch Rifle (Analogous to human assault rifles. They learned from human infantry combat tactics and weapons and adapted to copy and match us. The Grunts use the Pinch Rifle in its full-auto assault-rifle-like mode).
Standard Equipment: Pinch Rifle: A large (by human standards) rifle-like weapon which can toggle between a full-auto assault-rifle-like mode and a spread-shot shotgun-like mode. Grunts use the former in combat. It fires blue-white plasma bolts at a rapid rate, which can shred human Marines in full body armour to pieces and also defeat sandbags meant to act as protection against human small arms fire.
Intelligence: Average. The connection to the Ceph hivemind grants them a level of tactical coordination and communication capabilities that human soldiers can only dream of. However, they haven’t displayed much individualistic cunning and tactical flexibility (as individuals or groups) in combat. They display only the standard procedures and tactics that they have copied from human armed forces, and only have the edge due to their superhuman durability and technological advancement.
Weaknesses: Exposed “jelly” on the back and in the gap between the helmet and chest armour. Although these areas are tough enough to take an entire magazine of 9x19mm or .45 ACP rounds, one to three shots here from powerful enough weapons can prove fatal.
==Notable Matchups==
Victories:
Losses:
Inconclusive:
Category:Crysis
Category:Characters
Category:Genderless Characters
Category:Game Characters
Category:Science Fiction Characters
Category:Book Characters
Category:Aliens
Category:Cyborgs
Category:Technology Users
Category:Nanotechnology Users
Category:Energy Projection Users
Category:Energy Weapon Users
Category:Gun Users
Category:Adaptation Users
Category:Antagonists