Guardian

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

History

The Guardian is a powerful flying unit that the Zerg use for heavy assaults and defense of a Hive Cluster. Born from a Mutalisk and actually the second stage in the original Mutalisk creature's life cycle, the Guardian is equipped with much thicker armor, a more deadly attack, and a smaller brain. The evolutionary purpose of the Guardians appears to be to provide defense for the Spires, where the species' eggs and food were stored, hence where the Guardian gets its name.

The Zerg use the Guardians for two very important tasks: defense and assault. For defense, the creatures will usually patrol the outskirts of a Hive Cluster and use their long range attacks against approaching enemies. For assault, a large cluster of these creatures will approach their targets, usually under heavy escort by Mutalisks, and use their long range attacks to decimate an enemy’s defenses before the rest of the Swarm attacks.

The Guardians attack by shooting a highly corrosive acid-like plasma compound. The compound will cause considerable damage when it hits the target and will continue to cause damage for the next several melee rounds. The Overmind built a magical ability into the Guardian that allows it to enhance its plasma compound by expending some PPE. When the Guardian enhances the compound, its range is increased and so is the damage it inflicts.

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 5.
  • M.E.: 15 (12+1D6)
  • M.A.: 3 (1D6)
  • P.S.: 22 * (20+1D4)
  • P.P.: 12 (10+1D4)
  • P.E.: 17 * (15+1D4)
  • P.B.: 3 (1D6)
  • Spd: 150 mph (241.4 km/h)
  • * PS and PE are considered supernatural
• Size: 3’ (0.9 m) high, 30’ (9.1 m) wide, and 20’ (6.1 m) long.
• Weight: 2 tons (1.8 metric tons)
• M.D.C.: 325 in magic rich areas (PE attribute x15 +2D6x10)
• M.D.C. Armor Rating: See ability number 3, Armor, under the Natural Abilities section.
• S.D.C.: 210 in non-magic rich areas (6D6x10)
• Hit Points: 210 in non-magic rich areas (PE attribute x10 +2D4x10)
• Armor Rating: See ability number 3, Armor, under the Natural Abilities section.
• Average Life Span: 80 years after transforming from a Mutalisk.
• Horror Factor: 14
• P.P.E.: 90 (2D6x10+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 original speed.
• Natural Abilities:
  
  1. Acid-Plasma Compound:
     
     The Guardian produces several chemicals inside of its body that, when mixed, will create a highly corrosive and incredibly hot substance. This makes the substance a special compound that has properties of both an acid, which damages by breaking down chemical bonds, and plasma, which damages through extreme heat. The attack has a range of 50 miles (80.5 km) both in an atmosphere and in space and will cause 3D4x10 M.D. when it first hits its target and an additional 5D6 M.D. at the beginning of each melee for the next 1D4+2 melees. The Guardian can rapidly produce the chemicals required for the compound, giving it an infinite supply of ammunition, but if it fires more than 10 shots per minute, its mouth will begin to overeat and inflict 2D6 M.D. to the Guardian with each additional shot. To prevent further damage to itself, the Guardian must allow its mouth to cool by not firing for an entire melee. By expending 5 PPE before a shot is fired, the range of the attack is increased by ten times and the damage it inflicts is doubled. The PPE is expended whether the shot hits or not. Due to the design of the Guardian’s mouth and body, it is extremely difficult for it to hit targets that are above it, resulting in a -8 penalty to strike such a target. The Guardian has a bonus of +3 to strike with its Acid-Plasma Compound.
  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 12 points. For example, if a volley of mini-missiles inflicted 66 points of damage, it would be reduced to 54 points of damage. Damage cannot be reduced below zero. The creature has an M.D.C. Armor Rating of 9 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 8 M.D.C. per melee. It will take five minutes to regenerate each leg (total of six) and ten minutes to regenerate an eye.
  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: 4 attacks per melee, +2 to strike, +4 to parry, and +2 to dodge.
• Damage: A Bite inflicts 3D6 M.D. with a W.R. of 10, a Leg Strike inflicts 2D6 M.D. with a W.R. of 9, and a Ram Attack inflicts 2D4 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: +3 to save vs. all types of magic, and +3 to save vs. psionics (counts as a non-psychic).
• Penalties: Guardians, because of their penalty to strike airborne targets, will usually not perceive airborne targets as threats.
• Natural Skills:
  
  • Prowl (30%)
• 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.