So, i am currently at the moment working on bringing everyone's favorite jet black killing machines into the starfinder universe, a.k.a., the Xenomorphs. Not as a playable species but as a monster group to be fought against. So far, i have managed to do some work on Face Huggers, the beginning of the Xenomorph Life Cycle. As this progresses, we shall see in what direction I take all of this. Below, is a stat block I thought up while watching Alien. Suggestions are welcome.
Face Hugger
CR 1/2
XP 200
CN Tiny aberration (native)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., blindsense 60 ft.; Perception +4
DEFENSE
HP 12
EAC 10; KAC 11
Fort +2; Ref +2; Will +3
Weaknesses Extreme Temperature Change
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee tail wrap +5 (1d4+NaN B; critical grapple)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
TACTICS
The Face-Hugger will often move in close with Stealth before attempting to make an attack, and will often use Athletics or Acrobatics skill checks to maneuver themselves into a favorable position
STATISTICS
Str +2; Dex +3; Con +0; Int +1; Wis +0; Cha +0
Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +4, Sense Motive +4, Stealth +9, Survival +9
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Constructed (Ex) For effects targeting creatures by type, synthetic creatures count as both their actual creature type and constructs (whichever type allows an ability to affect them for abilities that affect only one type, and whichever type is worse for abilities that affect both creature types). They receive a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, and sleep, unless those effects specifically target constructs. In addition, synthetic creatures do not breathe or suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum.
Grab (Ex) If the creature hits with the indicated attack (usually a claw or bite attack), it deals the normal damage. If the creature's attack roll successfully hits the target's KAC + 4, the creature also automatically grapples the foe as a free action. (If it hits the target's KAC + 13, it instead pins the target.) The creature does not need to have a spare limb free to perform this grapple, as long as it can make the listed attack, and it can potentially grapple more than one target if it has more than one attack with the grab ability. The creature can maintain the grab either with another successful grab attack or by performing the grapple combat maneuver normally.
Implant Embryo (Ex) Upon a successful Grapple Combat Maneuver, the Face Hugger can attempt to implant an Embryo into the body of their target. Once implanted, the embryo incubates within the host for 1d8+1 hours, and the host recieves 1d6 points of damage until the the stamina of the host reaches 0, at which the point the embryo becomes a Chest Burster and erupts from the chest of the host, instantly killing the host.
What is critical grapple?
What's the interval on the 1d6 stamina damage from Implant Embryo?
And, lastly, are you going to make up a way to remove said embryo? (Basically, are you playing Starfinder with Aliens in it, or Aliens that uses Starfinder characters?)
question 1- was a typo on my behalf, to be corrected.
question 2-honestly, i did not think of that! this is why i need people like you, who answer questions. Honestly, i would think that maybe 1d6/round or 1d6/2 rounds would be ok, but maybe a bit iffy.
3rd question....embryo removal would require a Medicine Check, probably in the early stages of implantation it would probably require the use of a Med Lab, and in the later stages (we are talking before death...or if you are lucky before then) a full on Med Bay on a ship, with trained staff to assist. it is totally possible to remove an embryo, it's just fairly dangerous, and time is of the essence. I shall fix the critical grapple phrasing...other than that, aside form the obvious thing of this probably being waay to OP or waay too under powered...anything else? i am very appreciative of your inputs.
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1. Ok, cool.
2. So, I think either you have 1d8+1 hours to remove it or die, or maybe 1d6 stamina damage per... I don't know, 3 minutes(either this doesn't heal, or you use a separate tracking system.) If you do the stamina damage per round, players would likely need to already be in their ship or down the road from the hospital to have any chance of not being killed by a 1/2 cr creature.
3. I only asked to find out the basic theme. If I was playing Starfinder, and a 1/2 cr creature killed me because it rolled a 15, I had no way to remove the embryo, and not even a saving throw to avoid death, I'd never play with you again. But, if I was playing... like, an extra colonial marine in an Aliens game that just happened to use Starfinder characters, well, 90 percent of the cast of an Alien move gets killed by some kind of an Alien, so that would be fine.
Basically, I like your idea, but without a reflex save or something to avoid getting implanted, or a fort save to cure or delay the hatching, you've made it so that low level starfinder characters are going to die every time they fight a facehugger.
Pantshandshake wrote: 1. Ok, cool.
2. So, I think either you have 1d8+1 hours to remove it or die, or maybe 1d6 stamina damage per... I don't know, 3 minutes(either this doesn't heal, or you use a separate tracking system.) If you do the stamina damage per round, players would likely need to already be in their ship or down the road from the hospital to have any chance of not being killed by a 1/2 cr creature.
3. I only asked to find out the basic theme. If I was playing Starfinder, and a 1/2 cr creature killed me because it rolled a 15, I had no way to remove the embryo, and not even a saving throw to avoid death, I'd never play with you again. But, if I was playing... like, an extra colonial marine in an Aliens game that just happened to use Starfinder characters, well, 90 percent of the cast of an Alien move gets killed by some kind of an Alien, so that would be fine.
Basically, I like your idea, but without a reflex save or something to avoid getting implanted, or a fort save to cure or delay the hatching, you've made it so that low level starfinder characters are going to die every time they fight a facehugger.
i totally agree. i just posted up an edit (robably got put above your current post, fml.) what would you suggest, as far as say a fortitude save to resist going unconcious and a reflex save to avoid being grabbed?
Face Hugger
CR 1/2
XP 200
CN Tiny aberration (native)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., blindsense 60 ft.; Perception +4
DEFENSE
HP 12
EAC 10; KAC 11
Fort +2; Ref +2; Will +3
Weaknesses Extreme Temperature Change
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee tail wrap +5 (1d4)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
TACTICS
The Face-Hugger will often move in close with Stealth before attempting to make an attack, and will often use Athletics or Acrobatics skill checks to maneuver themselves into a favorable position
STATISTICS
Str +2; Dex +3; Con +0; Int +1; Wis +0; Cha +0
Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +4, Sense Motive +4, Stealth +9, Survival +9
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Grab (Ex) If the creature hits with the indicated attack (usually a claw or bite attack), it deals the normal damage. If the creature's attack roll successfully hits the target's KAC + 4, the creature also automatically grapples the foe as a free action. (If it hits the target's KAC + 13, it instead pins the target.) The creature does not need to have a spare limb free to perform this grapple, as long as it can make the listed attack, and it can potentially grapple more than one target if it has more than one attack with the grab ability. The creature can maintain the grab either with another successful grab attack or by performing the grapple combat maneuver normally.
Implant Embryo (Ex) Upon a successful Grapple Combat Maneuver, (or successful implementation of the Grab Ability) the Face Hugger can attempt to implant an Embryo into the body of their target. If the Grab/Grapple is successful, the target (hereafter referred to as "The Host") is Entangled and/or Stunned (or one or the other, cant decide which is more appropriate). Once implanted, the embryo incubates within the Host for 1d8+1 hours, and the Host receives 1d6/hour Bludgeoning damage until the the stamina of the Host reaches 0, at which the point the embryo becomes a Chest Burster, and begins to prepare to leave the Host, dealing an Extra 1d6/hour until the Host falls Unconscious. Once the Host is rendered unconscious, the Chest Burster Erupts from the Host, (either killing them or putting them into bleed out, whichever is proper, don't have my books at hand atm, so i'm going off of poor memory). The Embryo can be removed before it advances to the Chest Burster stage, Requiring a Medicine Check (DC to be Decided) performed by another character on the Host. With the assistance of a Med Lab or a Med Bay, this check will become increasingly easier to perform, and with additional personnel, the risk of the Host dying or having lasting side effects can be mitigated.
In order for this ability to be used, the The Host must be organic in nature, and be a living being. Therefore, Constructs, Undead, and otherwise inorganic or non living creatures are immune to this ability. (looks like androids are safe...for now)
Creator's Note(s):
An ability id like to implement, that i have left out, is the Acidic Blood that ALL Xenomorph types/species/life stages have. id like to find a way to implement this. Also, seeing as how there are MANY different kinds of Xenomorphs (runners, drones, praetorians, queens, warriors, sentries) id like to (once the face hugger is done) ask for suggestions on the other types as well.
A better Cr suggestion would be amazing. honestly, Xenomorphs in my mind, start showing up in the campaign i'm running (its already off the rails) at about the point when the party members reach about 3rd-4th level.
I'd caution that the rules to remove a chest burster are fine for random NPCs and narrative purpose, but should not be something PC level stuff can't deal with if they don't have the right facilities. And it shouldn't require something like surgery and removal just because thats how the lore does it. It should be something that a spell can do without also killing the host with a now dead larva excreting acid or something inside the host. Especially if you intend to expose PCs to this at lowbie levels.
It should be no more dangerous or insurmountable to the PCs than a same leveled CR disease or poison effect.
I'd also hesitate to give then 'don't need air' abilities. We have only seen short term survival of adult xenos (a few minutes) crawling around outside ships. at best I'd treat them as having space suits with hours based maximum duration.
All great suggestions!! i shall take them into mind, as this development continues.
that's a fairly good point, on the non-breathing subject. currently, i'm working on a good amount of edits....what core spells would you suggest for destroying this little buggers while inside a host. honestly, i would think that maybe using a detect spell of some sort, in hand with a check of some sort, and then applying a spell that could be damage dealing could kill the chest burster. and really, i think as long as one does not inflict damage on the chestburster that would actually spill blood, that the blood would not be much of a problem.
i actually was not thinking of magic at the moment when i started all this. i was trapped in nostalgia. which oft times seems to be a dangerous thing.
Looking at this now, i think a spell that could remove a disease (or parasite) could easily just poof a chest burster away.
a now definitive tactic for killing a chest burster for pcs: cast detect affliction (zero level spell) then use something like Mind Thrust, or if you are feeling brave, something that otherwise could harm both host and parasite. Honestly, thinking about it, a chest burster could be dealt with with nanomachines, or even maybe, a type of pill that could be taken. we are waaaaay ahead in tech here. and im honestly in campaign supporting the idea that the xenos are not an unknown, just...a rarely encountered species, they are classified as highly hostile and dangerous. and really, thinking on it more and seeing just how all this is playing out currently, maybe the facehugger should be of a way higher cr, and that this kind of encounter should be moved at a higher level party. my players love the idea of having a brush with the xenos, but im now starting to see that this venture is much more dangerous for them, and waaay more work for me.
Which isnt to say im backing out, just reconsidering the lay of the land as it were.
I think the instant kill thing for chest bursters should be dropped all together, and maybe instead deals like 6d6 damage or something. It seems a little out of character for the game to have instant kill effects when almost nothing else can. Even getting shot point blank in the head from a cannon while sleeping allows a saving throw to survive, which even then the save depends on the CR of the enemy.
If I were building this, I'd probably just treat the infestation as a particularly virulent disease. The chest burster is the special effect of reaching the "Dead" level of the disease. Maybe something along the lines of Disease ( Physical ), Fort DC 20, 1/hour, Cure: 3 saves. If you want to make it nastier, give it no natural cure state, successful saves cause remission but not removal without medical intervention. Otherwise, it can be treated by any means that can treat diseases.
Yeah, we do have some precedent I believe with AP 4 having that infecting/incubating fungus swarm or somesuch. When death happens the host explodes into more fungus stuff.
these are all great! thank you all so much! i shall swiftly begin working on these asap! finally got a day off from work, so i will be able to actually do some work on this.
Now presenting the Face Hugger, V 1.3!!
Face-Hugger
CR 3
XP - (to be noted)
CN Small aberration (native)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., blindsense 60 ft.; Perception +13
DEFENSE
HP 80
EAC 18; KAC 19
Fort +7; Ref +7; Will +9
OFFENSE
Speed 60 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee tail +15 (1d6+9 B)
TACTICS
The Face-Hugger will often move in close with Stealth before attempting to make an attack, and will often use Athletics or Acrobatics skill checks to maneuver themselves into a favorable position. Upon a successful attack with its Tail Natural Weapon, It will attempt to use the Grab and Attach Special Abilities in order to use its Oviposition Ability.
STATISTICS
Str +3; Dex +5; Con +2; Int +0; Wis +0; Cha +0
Skills Acrobatics +13, Athletics +18, Sleight of Hand +13, Stealth +18, Survival +18
Other abilities amphibious, water breathing
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Attach (Ex) The creature can attempt a special attack against KAC as a standard action. If it succeeds, it deals no damage, but it adheres to its target. Once attached, the creature gains a +4 bonus to its AC (from cover) and a +2 circumstance bonus to melee attacks, but it can attack only the creature to which it is attached. An attached creature can't move (though it moves with its target), take actions that require two hands, or make attacks of opportunity. An attached creature can be removed with a successful Strength check (DC 12) made as a move action, or it can remove itself from its target as a move action.
Grab (Ex) If the creature hits with the indicated attack, it deals the normal damage. If the creature's attack roll successfully hits the target's KAC + 4, the creature also automatically grapples the foe as a free action. (If it hits the target's KAC + 13, it instead pins the target.) The creature does not need to have a spare limb free to perform this grapple, as long as it can make the listed attack, and it can potentially grapple more than one target if it has more than one attack with the grab ability. The creature can maintain the grab either with another successful grab attack or by performing the grapple combat maneuver normally.
Oviposition (Ex) Any creature that is successfully affected by the Attach Special Ability (Hereafter Referred to as The Host Creature) must succeed at a ( Physical ), Fort DC 20, 1/hour, Cure: 3 saves or become implanted with one Face Hugger egg. Each day thereafter, the Host Creature must succeed at another FORT Save or suffer 1d4 temporary CON damage. When the Con of the target reaches 0, the Chest Burster erupts from the torso of The Host Creature, dealing 6d6 damage. This infection is treated as a disease and any magical or spell effect that affects such can alter, slow down or remove the infection. However, the implanted embryo uses the SR of the Host Creature.
Acidic Blood (Ex) The Face Hugger's blood is a highly concentrated acid, sealed within specially pressurized veins. Anyone striking it with a natural or melee weapon suffers 1d4 points of acid damage (REF DC 12). Weapons with reach or ranged weapons allow their wielders to attack the Face Hugger without personal risk.
Why not checking out Pathfinder's Horror Adventures? They have the Hive creatures which are exactly like the Xenomorphs. Maybe you could take inspiration from these, or convert them to your liking ;)
I sugest for the xenomorf in self a template, in the movies they have great adaptability
Chest bursters could be prematurely removed by Teleport, Wish, or Miracle. The creature would be injured and would seek another host to complete it's development.
all great suggestions! i shall work to move those in. at the moment, im still trying to figure out a good cr for the face huggers. once that's figured out, i can really get to work on the others. omg, could you imagine if the xenos could adapt magical or psionic ability...that would add to their deadly stature...
love that some one is doing xenos i am currently working on yautja aka predators
If it helps i have the D20 pdfs a fan made for them (and terminator and a few others) that could be a helpful resource if your still doing this/are interested in them?
As for magic/psionic ability it is canon that they draw traits from a host and are psychic in the hive mind sense if i recall correctly.
I started to write how that cr3 facehugger you wrote is actually pretty close to a cr6, though the save DC is way high, and you should look at the monster creation rules from the alien archive... and then I noticed that this thread is from two years ago.
I suppose the eggs do seem to be able to lie dormant for years, only hatching out when they sense prey near by.
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