Ceph Stalker

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==Summary==
The Ceph Stalker, also known as the Ceph Runner, is a Ceph Stage 2 infantry assault unit. Stalkers act as close range assault troops, overwhelming their enemies with their immense speed and strength and only occasionally lashing out with ranged plasma weaponry. 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.
All of the New York Stalkers that survived the modified spore released by Alcatraz in August 2023 were disconnected from the Ceph Hive mind. They eventually devolved into a feral animal-like form - turning a sickly purple, losing their plasma gauntlets, growing larger bone blades, and gaining even more strength & speed.
==Powers and Stats==
Tier: | 
Key: Original | Devolved
Name: Ceph Stalker, Ceph Runner
Origin: Crysis
Gender: N/A
Age: Varies
Height: Around 2 metres (when upright, about as tall as or taller than Alcatraz, who is said to be six and a half feet with the Nanosuit 2.0)
Weight: 200 Kilograms
Classification: Alien, Ceph (Stage 2), Cyborg infantry assault unit
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 plasma guns in 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 (original only; the devolved Stalkers are severed from this connection), Stealth Mastery (The devolved stalkers have seemingly become masters of stealthily sneaking up on their prey. One was able to get the drop on a group of elite US Special Forces veterans, swiftly grabbing and killing one of them without being seen and quickly disappearing into cover again. The Liberty Dome Stalkers use the ample cover in the urban jungle to their advantage, stalking and slaughtering entire squads of soldiers without being spotted)
Attack Potency: Wall level+ physically (Can generate 90 Kilojoules of kinetic energy when charging at top speed. At Central Station, Alcatraz witnessed Stalkers tearing US Marines limb-from-limb. During the raid on The Prism, Alcatraz witnessed four Ceph Stalkers crashing through walls. Should not be weaker than the Stage 1 Ceph Troopers) and with plasma guns (A few shots can reduce a US Marine Corps soldier in full body armour to small pieces, and sandbag barriers erected for protection against small arms fire are stated to be completely incapable of protecting against them, indicating power per shot on par with human anti-material rifles. Should not be weaker than the MOACs of the Stage 1 Ceph Trooper) | Wall level+ (Physically at least as strong as before. Capable of smashing through a staircase)
Speed: Superhuman (Stated to be capable of hitting 30 m/s [108 km/hr]) | At least Superhuman (Stated to be faster than before)
Lifting Strength: Class 5 (Capable of pinning down Alcatraz when he was still getting used to the Nanosuit 2.0; Alcatraz at this point was strong enough to kick around a 2,000 kg Chevrolet taxi with just 50% power) | Class 5 (At least as strong as before)
Striking Strength: Wall level+ | Wall level+
Durability: Wall level+ (Should be able to withstand the forces of their own strikes. Unfazed from ramming into a small tree at 30 m/s [with kinetic energy of 90 Kilojoules] and actually caused said tree to tip over. One Stalker took twenty 9x19mm hollow point bullets in its weak spots, followed by multiple 10,000G punches and a toss off a three storey building, and it still got back up and slaughtered an entire squad of CELL troopers. Their armour can cause .45 ACP rounds from a Heckler & Koch Mark 23 to just bounce off) | Wall level+ (At least as durable as before)
Stamina: Superhuman. Can fight for extended periods of time without getting tired. One Ceph Stalker went on to slaughter an entire squad of CELL troopers immediately after a fight with a Nanosuit operator where it: took twenty 9x19mm hollow point bullets in its weak spots, multiple punches at 10000G, and a toss off a three storey building. Like Nanosuit operators, they can likely fight for long periods without sustenance and rest.
Range: Standard Melee Range with bone blades, Tens of Metres with plasma guns. | Extended Melee Range with bone blades.
Standard Equipment: Their arms have in-built vambraces equipped with:
* Bone blades: Two large and strong claw-like blades on each wrist which they lash out with in melee combat. In the original stalkers, they are about as long as large daggers. But in the devolved Stalkers, one of the two blades has grown curved and as long as a scimitar. These blades are strong enough to slice through a staircase and solid concrete.
* Plasma guns: Each vambrace has a plasma gun that shoots out blue-white coloured bolts of superheated plasma. A few shots can tear a US Marine in full body armour to pieces, and sandbag barriers meant to protect against small arms fire are useless against them. The devolved Stalkers lost the plasma guns in favour of greater speed and deadlier bone blades.
Intelligence: Below Average. The connection to the Ceph hivemind grants the Stalkers a level of tactical coordination and communication capabilities that human soldiers can only dream of. However, they still only behave like wild ambush predators or pack hunters. Their only tactics in battle are to either stalk their prey silently, or to use their acceleration & speed to rush the enemy and then lash out at close range with their weapons. | Animalistic. After their connection to the Ceph hivemind, they have devolved into a feral animal-like mental state. They behave even more like wild ambush predators and pack hunters than even the originals.
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.
* Their usual combat tactics of rushing their prey leave them vulnerable to being quickly struck down by alert and fast-reacting enemies, especially if those enemies are armed with powerful close-quarters weapons. Some skilled and cunning enough US Marines have actually taken on and killed multiple stalkers with the right combination of tactics and weapons.
==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:Blade Users
Category:Stealth Masters
Category:Brawlers
Category:Adaptation Users
Category:Antagonists