Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Hexxus Alpha, Self-Replicating Alien Bioweapons

A general type of high-end alien bioweapon rather than a singular villain, these things can fill the general role of "weird space monster" as well.  If you have Thorathians in your game they'd also make a nice new breed of genebound for your heroes to deal with.  And yes, their physical form was loosely inspired by Worsel the Velantian of Lensmen fame, although even these critters fall far short of the capabilities of a Second Stage Lensman.

Hexxus Alpha

Hexxus Alpha (plural and singular) are the adult form of a engineered bioweapon used by a number of galactic powers as self-perpetuating shock assault troops.  They're built to operate in a wide variety of environmental conditions, from toxic high-gravity hell worlds to hard vacuum and microgravity, and can significantly alter their size through tissue expansion and contraction to fit into (and fight within) most structures or vessels.  Strictly close-combat fighters at their best in the thick of a fight, they have the speed, agility and durability to close the distance even through a storm of advanced weapons fire.

The greatest strength of the Hexxus bioweapons line is their self-sustaining nature.  While individuals are have short active service lives, once they reach adulthood (a matter of days) they can parthenogenically reproduce themselves at fearful speeds.  Hexxus are fully capable of spawning a new generation of reinforcements during combat, with their newborns experiencing explosive growth rates that make them capable combatants within a minute of hatching.  The more stress a Hexxus is under the faster its metabolism works, making it vital to kill them as quickly as possible.

Hexxus are true wonder of bioengineering, rivalling even the most deadly naturally evolved species like the fearsome Dreadmorphs.  Rumors of them developing true sapience following exposure to unusual radiations or telepathic stimuli are just that, mere rumors, and as such can be safely ignored by potential users.

Description: A six-legged alien like serpentine lizard with a pair of slender but powerful dragon-like wings and a long whip-like tail.  Its head is mostly a narrow crocodilian snout with jaws that open horizontally rather than vertically, ringed by half a dozen glittering black eyes.  Each limb ends in four oversized crystalline talons, and the tail sports yet another sword-like blade.  Dozens of translucent crystal nodules cover the creature's back like barnacles, each containing a tightly-coiled unborn duplicate of the creature awaiting release.  The things are silent, and even telepathy detects little beyond aggressive instinct at play.  

Gender: Parthenogenic     Age: Under Two Years     Height: Varies, ~10' Base     Eyes: Six

Hair: Scattered Violet Tufts     Skin: Deep Green, Scaled     Build: Winged Serpent/Lizard

Approach: Creator                         Archetype: Guerrilla

Health:  35 + (5 x H)

Powers: Vitality d10, Flight d8, Natural Arsenal d8, Size-Changing d6

Qualities:  Fitness d10, Acrobatics d8, Alertness d8, Close Combat d8, Engineered Bioweapon d8

Status: (# of Enemies Engaged) 4+ - d10 / 2-3 - d8 / 0-1 - d6

Abilities:

Hyper-Metabolism (I) At the start of your turn, gain a bonus equal to the number of opponents that Attacked you since your last turn.

Opportunistic Cannibalism (R) When one of your minions is defeated, roll its die and Recover that much Health.

Spawning Surge (A) Use Fitness to create a number of minions equal to the value of your Max die.  The starting die size of those minions is the same as your Min die.

Whirlwind of Monocrystal Claws (A) Attack using Natural Arsenal.  Use your Max die against one target, your Mid die against a second target, and your Min die against a third target.  If you Attack three targets the damage is irreducible.

Upgrades & Masteries (optional):

Quality Upgrade (I) +20 Health.  Increase all Quality dice sizes except Engineered Bioweapon by one (max d12).

Master of Conquest (I) As long as you are in command of your own forces, automatically succeed at an Overcome to seize an area or capture civilians.

Tactics

A Hexxus Alpha is a bioweapon programmed to eliminate anything that isn't on its "safe" list.  If need be it can be put into torpor or target selection can be modified with suitable electromagnetic or telepathic key-codes, but the creatures are designed to be largely autonomous and self-sustaining.  In combat they rely on using a Whirlwind of Monocrystal Claws against as many foes as possible while accumulating bonuses from Hyper-Metabolism.  Once low on Health they'll try to maximize their status die and then pause to use Spawning Surge with all their bonuses to produce a flood of minions.  Once that's done they'll go back on the offensive while reactively feasting on any fallen minions with Opportunistic Cannibalism.

Few Hexxus Alphas last beyond a battle or two, but those who do gain their upgrade and become Hexxus Omegas, the ultimate evolution of the bioweapon form.  Their mastery reflects a greater ability to coordinate the younger Hexxus forms.

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Hexxus Newborn d6, d8 or d10 minion (see Spawning Surge)

Description: "Infant" versions of the adult Hexxus, about six feet long and lacking functional wings.  

Monocrystal Claws: You may only Attack targets in melee, but you may reroll ones when you do so. 


Hexxus Juvenile d10 lieutenant

Description: Almost full-grown versions of the adult Hexxus, about eight feet long and capable of flight.  They lack the adult form's signature spawning nodules.

Flurry of Monocrystal Claws: You may only Attack targets in melee, but you may reroll your die when you do so.

Winged: You may move as though you had Flight d8.


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