Devourer

(Version 1.00 - Last Modified: 07/15/2002)

History

The Scourge creatures were to be Zerg's only defense against powerful airborne attackers, such as fighters and spaceships, but while they proved quite effective, they were not perfect. In a battle, many Scourge creatures would be sent off against a single enemy spaceship, but as few as 10% were likely to make it through the enemy's defenses in order to damage the ship. While the Overmind cared nothing about casualties, it did realize that this was not the most efficient means of dealing with airborne attackers.

Well into the invasion of Aiur, the Overmind ordered Sarah Kerrigan to begin research into developing a new strain derived from the Mutalisk. From Kerrigen's imagination and her knowledge of genetics gained from the Overmind, she developed a new strain without needing to assimilate any new genetic material into the Swarm. Her creation, named the Devourer, is the largest Zerg creature, even larger than an Ultralisk, and very tough. The Devourer would be able to deal with enemy fighter without additional support and when used in assaults against spaceships, they would provide much needed support for the Scourge creatures.

In addition to its thick armor, the Devourer can fire a powerful acid compound at its target, similar to the Guardian's attack. While not as powerful as the Guardian's Plasma Acid compound, the Binding Acid attack of the Devourer had additional properties that helped Zerg creatures and hindered their enemies. The acid had magical properties added by Kerrigan that enhanced the damage it inflicted and restricted an enemy's maneuverability.

Racial Statistics

• Racial Type: Zerg, Supernatural Creature - Major
• Alignment: None, considered to be an evil animal.
• Attributes:
  
  • I.Q.: Low Animal Intelligence, considered an IQ of 6.
  • M.E.: 14 (12+1D4)
  • M.A.: 3 (1D6)
  • P.S.: 24 * (20+1D6)
  • P.P.: 14 (12+1D4)
  • P.E.: 18 * (15+1D6)
  • P.B.: 3 (1D6)
  • Spd: 500 mph (805 km/h)
  • * PS and PE are considered supernatural
• Size: 60’ (18.3 m) long and 10’ (3.1 m) wide, with a wingspan of 25’ (7.6 m).
• Weight: 20 tons (18.1 metric tons)
• M.D.C.: 930 in magic rich areas (PE attribute x50 +1D6x10)
• M.D.C. Armor Rating: See ability number 3, Armor, under the Natural Abilities section.
• S.D.C.: 400 in non-magic rich areas (1D4x100+200)
• Hit Points: 420 in non-magic rich areas (PE attribute x20 +3D4x10)
• Armor Rating: See ability number 3, Armor, under the Natural Abilities section.
• Average Life Span: 150 years after transforming from a Mutalisk.
• Horror Factor: 15
• P.P.E.: 130 (3D6x10+20)
• Magic Powers: The creature has magical abilities that have been built into its genetic code by the Overmind. For an initial cost of 10 PPE and 1 PPE for every ten minutes thereafter, the creature can magically fly in space, and for an initial cost of 15 PPE and 2 PPE for every ten minutes thereafter, the creature can fly at ten times its normal speed.
• Natural Abilities:
  
  1. Binding Acid Spores:
     
     Devourers fire an acid compound that not only corrodes its target, but also becomes an adhesive that will slow maneuverability. The attack has a range of 30 miles (48.3 km) both in an atmosphere and in space, and when it hits its target, it will damage other targets within 20’ (6.1 m) of where it hit. The acid will do 2D4x10 M.D. when it hits and an additional 3D6 M.D. at the beginning of each melee for the next 2D4+2 melees. The Acid Spores have a Weapon Rating of 12. The adhesive aspect of the acid will affect systems depending on where it hits. If the acid hits the main body it will have no effect. If it hits the engines, then the affected engine will lose 10% of its maximum speed for each acid spore that hits it. If it hits a weapon mounted in a mobile turret, then the turret will lose 10% of its maneuverability, 5% of its total damage, and has a penalty of -1 to strike for each spore that hits that weapon. If the spores hit a fixed weapon mount then the weapon will lose 5% of its total damage and has a penalty of -1 to strike for each spore that hits that weapon. If the spores hit a missile launcher, then there is a 2% chance per spore that each missile fired from the launcher will explode as soon as it launches, if the missiles have a delayed arming then they will become stuck and no further missiles can be fired from that section of the launcher. The acid spores have been magically amplified and will act as a beacon to Zerg creatures, improving their aim and giving them a bonus of +1 to strike that section for each acid spore located there. Acid spores will last for 1D4 minutes and no more than nine spores can affect a given area at any one time, although more can be fired to inflict further damage. A Devourer holds 60 Acid Spores at any given time and regenerates three spores every melee, so it would take 5 minutes to completely regenerate all of its spores. The creature has a bonus of +4 to strike with its Binding Acid Spores.
  2. Armor:
     
     All Zerg creatures have incredibly tough exoskeletons that reduce the damage that they receive from any incoming attacks. Reduce all damage, either from normal or magical attacks, by 10 points. For example, if a volley of mini-missiles inflicted 66 points of damage, it would be reduced to 56 points of damage. Damage cannot be reduced below zero. The creature has an M.D.C. Armor Rating of 8 in magic-rich environments.
  3. Regeneration:
     
     A feature from the original Zerg creature, the Guardian can regenerate at an amazing rate, and can regenerate whole limbs and body parts. The creature regenerates at a rate of 10 M.D.C. per melee. It will take two minutes to regenerate each foot length of its body (60' / 18.3 m long in total), ten minutes to regenerate an eye, and ten minutes to regenerate a wing.
  4. Hive Mind Immunities:
     
     From the fact that at a basic level all Zerg share the same mind as the Overmind, individual Zerg creatures are very resilient to mental attacks. Any mind altering or mind affecting spells or psionic powers such as sleep, possession, or hypnotic suggestion will not work on a Zerg creature. This also functions as a permanent Mind Block on all Zerg creatures.
  5. Survival Instincts and Immunities:
     
     From the ingrained survival instincts that were developed by evolution and the Xel’Naga, and incorporated by the Overmind, all Zerg creatures are immune to diseases, toxins, poisons, and gases, both normal and supernatural. The Zerg are also unaffected by Horror Factor and Awe Factor and any attempts to intimidate them. With the assimilation of several space borne creatures, all Zerg can function completely normally in space, in an atmosphere, or underwater, with no maximum depth, with no penalties. Zerg creatures can survive temperatures between -200 to 500 degrees Celsius. Land based Zerg creatures have no way of propelling themselves in space besides pushing off from solid structures.


• Combat Skills: 5 attacks per melee, +3 to strike, +4 to parry, and +6 to dodge.
• Damage: A Bite inflicts 6D6 M.D. with a W.R. of 10 and a Ram Attack inflicts 1D4x10 M.D. with a W.R. of 9. Increase W.R. of all attacks by +1 for every four points of supernatural PS above 22 (at values 26, 30, 34, etc.). In non magic-rich environments, attacks inflict S.D.C. damage, but normal PS damage bonuses apply.
• Bonuses: +4 to save vs. all types of magic and +4 to save vs. psionics (counts as a non-psychic).
• Penalties: Due to its emphasis on aerial combat, the Devourers will often ignore ground units and perceive them as threats until after they attack.
• Natural Skills:
  
  • Prowl (40%)
• Allies: The Zerg have no real allies, but since the death of the Overmind, several independent Cerebrates have banded together and given each other aid.
• Enemies: The Zerg have made many enemies over the millennia that they have been traveling throughout the galaxy.