Changeling

A Changeling is an alien creature that is intelligent and able to morph into humans. Changelings are solitary hunters, but also take contacts from syndicate forces in other to steal Nanotrasen tech. The main weapons of the Changeling are its ability to internally synthesize dangerous chemicals, morph into other creatures that it has absorbed, and blend in with humans.

The changeling must have a quiet spot and an immobile victim in order to absorb their body, so stealth is absolutely necessary. The changeling has other weapons at its disposal, such as a toxin dart, but is largely stealth-based.

The changeling can be anyone he's absorbed, it can switch identities instantaneously, only absorbing takes time and peace. Like the traitor, the changeling will most often have an objective to accomplish before the Escape Shuttle arrives, usually absorbing a certain amount of people before escaping.

## The Thing From Spaaaaaaaace

A Changeling has killed a crew member and replaced it before the station crew was shipped to the station. It had time to "familiarize" itself with the ins and outs of its primary victim's identity.

**Even if a Changeling has not attacked any other crew members, it has committed murder to be on the station to complete its objective.**

Changelings can communicate with one another using 'say :g' before their speech.

## I dunno what the hell's in there, but it's weird and pissed off, whatever it is

As a space abomination, there are a few basic concepts you must understand before wreaking havoc on ~~your dinner~~ the crew.

### DNA Absorption

The goal of many changelings is to absorb 6-8 DNA strains, for some unknown and alien reason. To do this, it must take ANY human, living or dead (even thrown away bodies from cloning), and absorb them using either its special proboscis, or the DNA Extraction Sting. You can only have a maximum of 5 DNA strands at a time, and must transform to obtain more.

DNA can be acquired in two ways:

* The **DNA Extraction Sting**, which is instant and does not give any alert to the target.
* **Absorbing** the victim, which results in a gruesome husk. Notice: Absorbing everyone is dickish and shouldn't be what you always use.

Acquiring DNA via absorbing requires a grab, and a little bit of time as it stabs the victim with its appendage till it has all of the DNA drained. You need a good grip to absorb victims properly, and choking them has the added benefit of subduing your target as well. A choke hold can be attained by grabbing someone repeatedly until you're holding them by the neck, then double-clicking the KILL button that appears in your active hand in your HUD so that it is flashing red.

* Absorbing a victim will fill your chemical storage some and give you the target's DNA.
* Absorbing another changeling gives you all its chemical storage and allows you to rechoose your abilities.
* Absorbing victims who have been husked via burns or space will not add to your total genome count.
* Absorbed victims **cannot be cloned** unless genetics uses a monkey creatively. They can still be turned into cyborgs because the brain is fine.
* Species without DNA or a compatible genome cannot be absorbed. This includes: IPCs, Vox, Slime People, and Plasmamen.

### "No, I'm the real one!"

Changelings are limited, however, to how much DNA they can absorb at once! If a changeling has 5 DNAs stored 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.

### Shifting

The changeling can shift its appearance, making them look and sound exactly like a victim of which they have absorbed.
This can be 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 and do monkey things.

Transforming is subtle and does not give a message in chat, though an observant crew member may notice that you're suddenly someone else entirely.

### Regeneration

Also known as Regenerative Stasis, changelings have the ability to 'kill' themselves, and appear dead for two minutes. After this period is over, the changeling can revive at will, fully healed of all injuries and illness. Both entering stasis and leaving it cost 10 chemicals, so make sure you have at least 20 before you are slain and must activate it.

This makes them nigh-unkillable, as they can fully regenerate themselves **even from death** if their bodies are intact and they have enough chemicals. Spaced changelings may also be able to make it back on station given enough time. The best way to permanently deal with a changeling is to gib it or cremate it in the chapel.

### Objective

Changelings may have the following objectives:

**1. Absorb 6-8 DNA strands:** All changelings get this objective and it can be fulfilled via DNA extract stings or Absorbing.
**2. Theft/Debraining:** All changelings are always assigned either a mission to steal a high value object from the station or the brain of a specific crew member.
**3. Destroy AI/Assassination:** If an AI is present in the shift, a changeling may be ordered to destroy it. The changeling might also instead be ordered to assassinate a crew member and escape the station using that crew's identity.
**4. Escaping:** If a changeling is not already tasked with leaving the station disguised as one of their victims, it will receive a fourth objective to either disguise themselves as someone else or simply escape undetected.
### 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 receive other changelings as objectives or backstab each other to remove competition.

Even so, a coordinated group of changelings is truly a terror to behold especially since they can share absorbed genomes via hivemind. DNA shared in this manner does *not count towards your personal absorption count.*

## Changeling Abilities

The changeling possesses other dangerous abilities including precooked stinger abilities, which it can fire out of a crafted dart at a moments notice! Their stored chemicals regenerate quickly at a rough set rate of half a chemical per second, which is doubled with **Engorged Chemical Glands**.

Changelings start with 10 evolution points. The cost of abilities (if applicable) are listed in parentheses after their entry. By husking a lifeform, the changeling gains the ability to reset their learned abilities and choose new ones, adapting to situations as they arise. This will reset their evolution points back to the starting 10.

Note that changelings are immune to each others' stings. If you try to sting someone and they don't react, THEY'RE ONE TOO!

### Starting Set

#### Regenerative Stasis

A free evolution. The changeling can fake it's death and enter a stasis for a small cost, and after some time, can leave it to heal all wounds, also with a small cost. Renders the changeling very hard to kill.

Uses 10 chemicals to enter, and 10 to leave.

#### Hive Channel

A free evolution. The changeling can channel a selected genome into the airwaves for other changelings to absorb and use.

Uses 10 chemicals.

#### Hive Absorb

A free evolution. The changeling can absorb DNA from the air that has been channelled by a fellow changeling. Doesn't help the changeling reach their genome objective.

Uses 20 chemicals.

#### Extract DNA Sting

A free evolution. The changeling can sting a target to extract their genetic information. They can then use the DNA like they just absorbed it. Helps the changeling reach their genome objective.

Uses 25 chemicals.

#### Transform

A free evolution. The changeling can transform into any of the DNAs they have stored, allowing them to become nearly anyone. Doesn't come with clothes or acting ability.

Uses 5 chemicals.

### Abilities Available via Evolution Menu

#### Augmented Eyesight

The changeling evolves additional features in their eyes, giving them a toggleable night-vision and thermal-vision mode. The changeling will become more vulnerable to flash-based devices while this ability is active. This cannot be detected by normal means.

Costs 2 evolution points and uses no chemicals.

#### Digital Camouflage

Prevents the AI from tracking the changeling's location while active, but makes you look strange on examine.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses no chemicals.

#### Adrenaline Sacs

Allows the changeling to make use of additional adrenaline to instantly recover from stuns, and gives a temporary reduction in further stuns, which may cause toxin damage as a side effect. High chemical cost.

Costs 2 evolution points and uses 30 chemicals.

#### Fleshmend

Unlike Regenerative Stasis, the changeling will rapidly heal itself without the need to go into a dormant state.

Costs 2 evolution points and uses 25 chemicals.

#### Engorged Chemical Glands

A passive ability that increases the changeling's maximum storage capacity of chemicals to 75, from 50, and doubles the rate of chemical regeneration.

Costs 2 evolution points.

#### Lesser Form

The changeling transforms into a monkey after a brief period of time. Causes all equipment to be dropped on the floor. It can then return to human form by using **Human Form**. Note that transforming into a monkey also drops your cuffs.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses 5 chemicals and 5 to shift back.

#### Mimic Voice

Allows the changeling to form their voice to that of a name they enter.

Costs 1 evolution point and halts chemical generation while active.

#### Arm Blade

Reforms one of the changeling's arms into a grotesque blade made out of bone and flesh. The arm blade does 25 damage per hit and can be retracted; however, it is visible on your body and a dead giveaway to onlookers and silicons that you are a changeling. It can also be used to pry open depowered doors.

All form-altering mutations cause a form of genetic damage, preventing the changeling from changing shape for a time after their deactivation.

Costs 2 evolution points and uses 25 chemicals.

#### Organic Shield

Reforms one of the changeling's arms into a large, fleshy shield. Blocks or mitigates a number of attacks, the amount increasing by 3 with each genome absorbed.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses 20 chemicals.

#### Organic Space Suit

Inflates the changeling's flesh into a huge, bulky, spaceworthy mass of pressure and temperature-resistant organic tissue to facilitate space travel. A source of oxygen is still required for spacewalking, and because the suit is made up of the changeling's flesh, it provides no damage resistance and can be injected directly into with syringes. Slows chemical generation while active.

Costs 2 evolution points and uses 20 chemicals.

#### Chitinous Armor

Inflates the changeling's body into an all-consuming chitinous mass of armor. Provides extensive protection against physical damage, but less against other types. Its mass slows the changeling's movement, and maintaining its shape slows chemical generation.

Costs 2 evolution points and uses 25 chemicals.

#### Anatomic Panacea

Cures the changeling of diseases, disabilities, radiation, and toxins. Generally covers the things that Fleshmend doesn't; it can be used to purge the poison that the chemist just shot you up with, or to get rid of that debilitating mutation from an absorbed identity.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses 20 chemicals.

#### Resonant Shriek

The changeling emits a tone beyond the range of human hearing, causing deafness and disorientation in an area around itself and bursting lights in the area. Good for escaping groups or preventing people from fleeing from you.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses 30 chemicals.

#### Dissonant Shriek

The changeling emits an EMP, which disables technology in the surrounding area, including radio headsets. Good for escaping borgs.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses 30 chemicals.

#### Spread Infestation

Two spiderlings crawl out of the changeling's mouth, eventually growing into deadly beasts. IMPORTANT: You need at least 5 DNA absorptions to gain enough power to use this late-game ability!

Costs 1 evolution point and uses 45 chemicals.

#### Strained Muscles

The changeling reduces lactic acid buildup in their leg muscles, allowing them to move at extremely fast speeds. While active, the changeling will take steadily incrementing stamina damage and eventually pass out. Attempting to run while exhausted will result in gradual health damage, though never to an outright lethal capacity.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses no chemicals.

#### Swap Forms

The changeling swaps bodies with an individual it currently has an aggressive grab on, transferring it's consciousness and all current abilities to the new body. This process causes both parties to convulse and is very noticeable.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses 40 chemicals.

#### Transformation Sting

The changeling injects a retrovirus that forces their human victim to transform into another. The transformation target must be someone whose DNA the changeling has in storage.

Costs 3 evolution points and uses 40 chemicals.

#### Mute Sting

The changeling silently sting a human, completely silencing them for a short time. Does not provide a warning to a victim that they've been stung, until they try to speak and can't. May be used while under the effects of Lesser Form.

Costs 2 evolution points and uses 20 chemicals.

#### Blind Sting

The changeling silently stings a human, completely blinding them for a short time and rendering them permanently nearsighted. May be used while under the effects of Lesser Form.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses 25 chemicals.

#### Hallucination Sting

The changeling injects large doses of hallucinogenic chemicals into their victim. Effect occurs after 30 to 60 seconds. The victim does not notice they've been stung until they start tripping.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses 5 chemicals.

#### Cryogenic Sting

The changeling injects the target with a blend of chemicals that begins to turn their blood to ice. The victim will walk slower and take some damage over the full duration. Victims wearing armor or insulated material will take more damage. Can be countered with space heaters, coffee, and other warming objects and foods.

Costs 2 evolution points and uses 15 chemicals.

#### Last Resort

The changeling abandons its current body and becomes a headslug in a last ditch effort to evade discovery or capture. As a headslug the changeling can ventcrawl and lay eggs inside any dead body but not monkeys or other lesser versions of any species) by clicking it. After laying eggs the headslug dies, and over the course of 4 minutes the eggs grow into a monkey with the original changeling's consciousness and abilities, gibbing the corpse in the process.

Costs 1 evolution point and uses 20 chemicals.