Drone

(Version 1.01 - Last Modified: 03/30/2003)

History

Drones fill a very important role in the continuation of the Zerg Swarm. They function as laborers, gather resources, transport food and eggs over land, and provide general maintenance to a Hive Cluster. The Drones can also mutate into one of the structures used by the Zerg, such as a Hive or a Creep Colony. Inside each Drone are the genetic codes to transform it into a living building that feeds off of the Creep that permeates the ground around a Hive Cluster.

The Drones transform into buildings in a similar manner as larvae transform into other Zerg creatures. With a command from an Overlord, a Cerebrate, or the Overmind, a Drone will disturb the delicate balance the separate genetic codes in its bodies live in, thus causing a drastic mutation in the Drone’s body. The Drone will then form an eggshell-like covering around itself while it mutates into whatever building is needed by the Hive Cluster. Once started, the process cannot be changed or stopped by any means except killing the creature.

Racial Statistics

• Racial Type: Zerg, Supernatural Creature - Minor
• Alignment: None, considered to be an evil animal.
• Attributes:
  
  • I.Q.: Low Animal Intelligence, considered an IQ of 3.
  • M.E.: 12 (10+1D4)
  • M.A.: 3 (1D6)
  • P.S.: 19 * (15+2D4)
  • P.P.: 10 (8+1D4)
  • P.E.: 14 * (10+1D6)
  • P.B.: 4 (2D4)
  • Spd: 12 (10+1D4)
  • * PS and PE are considered supernatural
• Size: 1’ (30.5 cm) high, 3’ (0.9 m) wide, and 4’ (1.2 m) in length.
• Weight: 80 lbs (36.3 kg)
• M.D.C.: 48 in magic rich areas (PE attribute x2 +1D4x10)
• M.D.C. Armor Rating: See ability number 3, Armor, under the Natural Abilities section.
• S.D.C.: 20 in non-magic rich areas (1D4x10)
• Hit Points: 38 in non-magic rich areas (PEx2 +10)
• Armor Rating: See ability number 3, Armor, under the Natural Abilities section.
• Average Life Span: 100 years after transforming from a Larva.
• Horror Factor: 10
• P.P.E.: 5D6
• Magic Powers: None
• Natural Abilities:
  
  1. Evolutionary Transformation:
     
     With a single command from an Overlord, a Cerebrate, or the Overmind, a Drone can transform itself into any structure used by the Zerg. The gestation period differs depending on the size of the building. It takes between 4 to 8 weeks for small buildings, 6 to 12 weeks for medium sized buildings, and 10 to 20 weeks for larger buildings. While transforming, the Drone will be incased in a protective egg that will have 100 M.D.C. and an additional +50 M.D.C. for each completed week that the building gestates. For example, an egg that has been gestating for six weeks would have 350 M.D.C., while a building that has only been gestating for two weeks could take only 150 M.D.C. before being destroyed. The egg has an M.D.C. Armor Rating of 10 and regenerates at a rate of 1 M.D.C. per melee.
  2. Acid Spray:
     
     The Drone has a special gland in its mouth that allows it to spray a highly corrosive acid at will. The acid spray inflicts 1D6 M.D. on contact and an additional 1D4 M.D. at the beginning of each melee for the following 1D6 melees, unless it is washed off with water, which will require two melee actions. The spray cannot be used underwater and has a range of 10' (3.1 m) in an atmosphere and 80' (24.4 m) in space.
  3. Burrow:
     
     Many land-based Zerg creatures have the ability to burrow underground. This provides the Zerg some measure of protection from attacks and allows them to ambush unsuspecting opponents. The Zerg creatures can burrow up to 100’ (30.5 m) in soil, sand, and similar material and only 10’ (3.1 m) in solid rock. Opponents have a penalty of -25% to their detect ambush skill when trying to find a burrowed Zergling.
  4. 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 2 points. For example, if a volley of mini-missiles inflicted 66 points of damage, it would be reduced to 64 points of damage. Damage cannot be reduced below zero. The creature has an M.D.C. Armor Rating of 6 in magic-rich environments.
  5. Regeneration:
     
     A feature from the original Zerg creature, the Drone can regenerate at an amazing rate, and can regenerate whole limbs and body parts. The creature regenerates at a rate of 2 M.D.C. per melee. It will take five minutes to regenerate a leg, twenty minutes to regenerate an eye, and ten minutes to regenerate a mandible (needs both mandibles to perform a bite attack).
  6. 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.
  7. 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: 2 attacks per melee, +1 to strike, and +1 to dodge.
• Damage: A Bite inflicts 2D4 M.D. with a W.R. (Weapon Rating) of 8 and a Ram Attack inflicts 1D6 M.D. with a W.R. of 8. Increase W.R. of all attacks by +1 for every four points of supernatural PS above 18 (at values 22, 26, 30, etc.). In non magic-rich environments, attacks inflict S.D.C. damage, but normal PS damage bonuses apply.
• Bonuses: +1 to save vs. all types of magic and +1 to save vs. psionics (counts as a non-psychic).
• Penalties: The drones are not very bright and have difficulty perceiving dangers unless the Overmind, a Cerebrate, or an Overlord is paying close attention to them. They will often wait for an enemy to attack first before responding. There is also a 50% chance that the drone will run away and attempt to hide from an enemy instead of fighting it.
• Natural Skills:
  
  • Land Navigation (60%)
  • Prowl (60%)
• 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.