Alien Concept: Reanimator

[Surrealistik]

Premise: A small insect-like robot, the Reanimator sweeps the battlefield in search of casualties and corpses it can graft to. By means of robust surgical instrumentation and a set of specialized pithing needles, it integrates itself with the central nervous system of its victim, effectively reanimating it via sophisticated electrical currents and impulses. Once successfully done, it will search for, and equip appropriate weaponry, assisting its alien masters with the newly hijacked body. Though it prioritizes grafting over combat, it will defend itself, or create grafting opportunities with a light integrated particle beam weapon/electrolaser. Once its current host is rendered 'inoperable' it will merely detach itself and systemically go about seeking another (assuming it survives). Area of effect/EMP weaponry, and substantial overkill are the most reliable methods of destroying them when they are attached to a host body.

[Destructavator]

Interesting.

That would indeed throw a nice "curve ball" at the player, if someone killed in a mission stood up again and started fighting.

To avoid headaches of corpses potentially standing up over and over again, perhaps there should be a limit to how many times it could happen, though, even if the corpse isn't "overkilled."

"Kill him a lot!" (From some old movie I can't remember the name of...)

I like this idea, it'll be interesting to see if something like it actually makes it into the game...

[Surrealistik]

Generally if a zombified enemy is damaged such that the Reanimator bails, it's no longer a viable host, and cannot be reanimated again. This should keep recurrence down to an acceptable level.

It should be noted that it can even 'reanimate' stunned/unconscious actors, which it basically coup de grace's with its surgical tools if they're hostile.

[TrashMan]

I like this idea.

There is no overkill. There is only "open fire" and "I need to reload"

[PhilRoi]

not a bad idea,  would take a bit to implement.   sounds like a nasty terror weapon.   this inspired by the old chryssalid?

[nerf5000]

The old Chryssalid was the only alien I dreaded when going into those terror missions... I would sweep the map and they would just keep coming at you, resistant to lasers, converting all civilians, eating your soldiers, etc.

I think the reasons for that were:
it was faaaast (so it could pop up from around the corner and hit at least one soldier)
then everyone would fire on the zombie which was reasonably tough
and after they killed the zombie and used up all their TUs you would still have a chryssalid right in front of you
and if you didn't manage to take down the first one you actually had two
rinse, repeat

in most missions I would pair my guys into two, in the missions with Chrissalids they were all together holding hands like little schoolchildren on a field trip through a dark forrest

[geever]

There was a good weapon against Chryssalid: Flying Suit.

-geever

[odie]

There was a good weapon against Chryssalid: Flying Suit.

-geever

Yeah, i rmbr that flying suit was indispensible!

Back to the original idea, i like it too. Some sorta like a 'neuro-poison' ?? Or the XVI-poison-gas (thnk Viral gas).....