Dog Moon said:The jokes. No one would take it seriously. That's why people wouldn't use this idea. That's what this thread mainly turned into and I think the same would happen with virtually any group at home.
The basic idea and all the varients that have been posted could make for a memorable horror game or sci-fi setting. I am not saying that it should be used in every setting, unless the DM uses the same theme for all his/her games. Heck there are already settings that use it:
Dark Sun has icky, slimy stuff that was the main form of technology long before the standard campaigns start and still can be found in certain places on Athas.
In Star*Drive, the main enemy aliens are mostly biotech users and their's is also of the icky, slimy kind.
Dragonstar has biotech that is not of the disgusting kind. Depending on the views of the beholder, of course.
How many people say they won't play because of that?