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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kaisoku" data-source="post: 5910871" data-attributes="member: 58447">Heh, I saw Akata, I thought Akata, I repeated Akata in my head... and my fingers still typed Azata.I had intended to write more thoughts on the subject and comment on the work so far, but ran out of time and didn't proofread my post...Anyways..Thoughts on the creature itself.The xenomorph creature has changed over the movies/interviews, novelizations/comics and games, giving a number of different options available to you.I'd personally go with what feels the most like "the alien" people are used to, and what makes it the most playable, rather than try and shoehorn too much into one creature, or do the most recent version that might have unique abilities. Have to keep in mind the genetic transfer and adaptation that these things have, so what might show in a movie or comic might be only representative of that unique creature.Here's how I'd look at doing the standard Xenomorph:SENSES It's best to play up the creepiness factor by keeping them eyeless. This gives them protection from a number of visual based things as well.Echo-location and electro-reception are two of the "proposed" methods of sight given, although there's no real definitive on this. Regardless, Blindsight seems the best approach here, with perhaps Tremorsense further out to give them a sort of range on locating enemies.Lastly, the idea of communication and target distinction through pheromones is played up a lot (knowing an implanted target, recognizing a specific individual, etc), so Scent would be a good one to have too (perhaps an improved version, twice the distance?).Something like Blindsight 40', Tremorsense 80', and Scent, but with a lack of visual perception altogether.MOVEMENTThey move fast (so as a template, increased speed), and I would absolutely include a Climb and Swim speed.Spiderclimb isn't really necessary, however I'd let their tail be prehensile (at least on a gross motor skill set), allowing gripping and lifting so they can grab with claws and still move away with a Climb speed.DEFENSESDefinitely high natural AC, possibly even DR. The chitinous armor seems to repel normal gunfire, which indicates pretty strong stuff in general.I wouldn't go so far as to say that they have any real kind of healing ability. The creatures themselves seem highly resilient, but also built as expandable. They seem to be okay with dealing with pain and loss of limbs, etc, but don't seem to grow back anything. I'd avoid using Fast Healing or Regeneration.. they keep coming back because of their method of propagation (Aliens) or lack of sufficient weaponry or skill to damage it (Alien, Alien 3).Immunities presented so far are good: Immune to vacuum, cold and acid.Vulnerabilities are few, if any. Fire seems to affect them in some manner, perhaps only "normally", which if they had DR 5/- or 10/-, fire would make one of the few things they simply aren't "resilient" against and thus would be the most feared. I think I would leave the creature without a specific vulnerability (although I'd play their reaction to it similar to the movies).However, due to the nature of their inherent caste system, and non-verbal communication, I'd include immunities to such things as mind-affecting effects, disease and poison, and sleep effects (they hibernate, or lay in wait, they don't seem to need to sleep).I'd also go so far as to say that they don't need to eat, sleep or breathe really (they don't eat so much as kill and capture in pretty much every media of the creatures, at least, not after they become chestbursters).Lastly, I'd say they have the Diehard feat automatically. They seem to fight until dead, no real "falling unconscious" from damage really (only stunned, or potentially gassed or forced hibernation).OFFENSESThey are strong enough to tear through metal, their inner jaw can punch through defensive armor, and their tail can lift creatures heavier than itself.I'd say the standard xenomorph has 2 claws, 1 bite, and 1 tail attack, with the tail attack being a reach weapon (10' sounds good).While on the high end of Medium size, they don't quite fit the Large size factor (not as big as the average horse). This allows for giving beefier Praetorian versions the Giant template.Since they seem to be able to cut through metal, (and to make them really scary), I'd give their attacks Adamantine qualities on bypassing hardness (count as adamantine and bypass object hardness).Acidic Blood is a given. I'd have it trigger with slashing or piercing damage, dealing damage to the weapon used to attack and to the attacker if within 5'.Bleed effects cause an area burst of 5' around them with the same damage, each round they bleed.When killed, or if hit with a critical hit from a slashing or piercing weapon, they do a area burst effect, dealing the same damage to everything within 10'.This effect should have a Reflex save (although fairly high, since it seems to be pressurized spray).*Edit* Ooh, one thing I might add, is an ability to do a flurry of claw attacks instead of doing their natural attack routine. They seem to be incredibly quick with claw attacks if they want to stand still (like when they rip into a door, or on a downed armored target). Something like 4x claw attacks (two from each hand), by giving up the tail attack.I might also consider the bite attack to only occur in grapples or against helpless targets (people who are unaware, or who are panicked and can't run).SPECIAL QUALITIESGiven the nature of communication the xenomorphs have, I'd say it'd be a good idea to give them a Hive mind ability. Communication between the creatures can be done via telepathy at short range, longer with the Queen.This is important, because it can allow for tactics between drones/warrior, despite not being able to see very far on their own. It can also allow for non-Queen drones to trigger their metamorphosis when they lose contact with their Queen, to become one themselves and continue propagation (see the latest Aliens vs Predator game).Skills-wise, having a Climb and Swim speed gives a number of bonuses and benefits right off the bat.Perception doesn't need more boost over the sensory methods, Scent giving a +8 to scent-based perception checks.Considering their hibernation ability, their lack of exhibiting body heat (they stay at ambient temperature), and their ability to keep completely still (hidden on echo-locating devices until they move), it's very plausible that they have a bonus to Stealth in general (+4?), with their dark colors giving a greater bonus in darkness/shadows (+8?).Lastly, cocooning seems like a side-ability, used to explain their ability to create their home structures, trapping captured implanted creatures, and hibernating/metamorphosing themselves when in more dire situations (long periods in vacuum or extremes of temperature, or loss of Queen)...I think this covers the most implied statistics of the basic Xenomorph.As far as what kind of Creature Type this has... I'd go with either the Aberration type, or simply creating your own Xenomorph type.Maybe even making Xenomorph a subtype; so Aberration (xenomorph).That way the most basic unique factors (senses, acid blood, don't eat, breathe or sleep, and immunities) can be built into the subtype, making repeating stat blocks a little simpler to write (ex; Immunities: xenomorph traits).</blockquote>

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