Anyone know where there are any pictures of any Grox? Being so prevelant in the Imperium I could use an image of one.

Second question is for everyone but especially Santiago and N0-1_h3r3 who both made tyranid fan supplements. Can a Genestealer mate with anything other then humans, say...GROX?

This Classic Genstealer looks to have bred with something less than human.. maybe a Grox?

<-- From Rogue Trader.

From Rogue Trader -->

A Grox is pictured in the near legendary "WH40k: Rogue Trader" tome, that was published back in the 80s.

On page 212/213 in the Alien Creatures section.

Not sure if it is allowed to post a picture here ...

Your Grox-Gaunt idea reminds me of an alien comic I once read. Featuring a herd of domesticated rhino-like animals on an Agri-World, infested by Aliens. Nasty ...

I remember a while back someone saying they were going to do a cattle multilation storyline. I decided this sounds cool. Going to have the acolytes sent to a Amish-esque planet (primitive not feral) to investigate why the Grox herds re "exploding". And then I decided I would do the Alien3 thing of the alien in the bull/call/buffalo thing. So then I thought, hey....genestealers.

And then I read the pdf preview of DotDG. And the Beast House sounds perfect.

Peacekeeper_b said:

In theory, yes. They appear to prefer sentient/sapient species, however, possibly because sapient species tend towards greater innate psychic potential (which is beneficial to the underlying purpose of a Genestealer Cult).

Human-Genestealer hybrids are the most prevalent, partially because humans are so prevalent and partially because other common species tend to be a little better equipped to uncover Genestealers in their midst - Orks and Eldar alike are more psychic than humans, which gives them an advantage when it comes to noticing hybrids lurking amongst your population, while Kroot Shapers have demonstrated an ability to percieve the presence of Tyranids (an asset because Tyranid DNA would be dangerous to add into a Kroot population - amongst other things, it could make them susceptible to the control of the Hive Mind). However, we know that such non-human Genestealer Cults have existed - indeed, there are even reports of Genestealer Cults amongst the Tau, which suggests that a Genestealer can impregnate any species.

The most commonly observed species of Genestealer, Corporaptor hominis , does contain human genetic material (possibly because it improves their ability to impregnate their most commonly encountered prey? Would a 'purestrain' intended to infest an Exodite World contain more Eldar DNA?), much as Biovores contain Ork DNA (spore production, general solidity of form) and Zoanthropes are believed to contain Eldar DNA (high baseline psychic potential), and all three creatures have become much more common since the first encounters with the Tyranids.

Genestealers are too extreme.

I want to have the PCs in my campaign being terrorized by Raptors. Oh yeah.

I'm curious what species the famous Ygmarl Genestealers bred with. From the latest Nid codex we learn that the Ygmarl 'stealers are poisonous and have feder tendrils; I wonder if these traits are Nid ones, or are inherited from their 'parents'.

The old Ork army lists for Rogue Trader (specifically Freebooters) had rules for ork/genestealer hybrids so anything's possible.

Humans just make the best hosts because of their (comparatively) short life cycle and widespread presence in the galaxy.

Evilscary said:

Technically, it's difficult to determine any 'Nid traits', simply because most of them are appropriated from species they've consumed - I'd imagine that there are very few traits possessed by any Tyranid that are 'pure Tyranid' in origin (for example, many Tyranids have hooves... that's been defined by Jes Goodwin, who has contributed more to the 40k imagery than almost anyone else, as an aquired mammalian trait).

Regarding the hooves

I remember when we first saw this picture we thought it was absolutly terryfying, much moreso than the Stealer Models we had seen, in fact my first GM for WFRP had drawn a copy of t his picture sans the gun and introduced it as a daemon / zoat type beastie in WFRP we were thouroughly creep it wasn't until much later I realised fliping through RT that it had been a 'Nid.

Back on topic though, so Nathan you're saying that they realy haven't defined so far (well in the fuzzy GW way) whether 'officially' Tyrinids can bred with any species, its just been 'observed' that certain types of nids likley came from species x or y ect. <?>

Also I think it might have been in a WD article for Space Hulk or maybe just one of the scenarios in the main game that was aluded to one of the Stearlers having what appeard to be -- but of course couldn't have been - a Black Carapace. Does anyone else recall this?

Woah! That takes me back to my first box of termagaunts!

One of the stories in my first Codex: Tyranids ended with a Terminator seargant being impregnated by a genestealer (I don't think Space Marines were quite Movie Marines in the fluff just yet).

And Tyrantguard are supposed to bear resembalences to black carapace, fused rib cages, etc. Of course, suggesting that such a filthy xenos could have defeated a mighty space marine and assimilated his DNA is highly heretical. In fact, just talking about it usua [communication terminated]

Santiago, No-1, and anyone else. Im a bit stumped in stating up the carious crosses between Stealer-Grox. Im thinking there will be two in particular styles. The most prominent are more humanoid with grox attributes, lizard like heads, scaley, tails, spiny but still four armed and niderific.

The second, which will be the big foe at the end of the adventure, is more grox like. Quadraped, grox sized, very angry.

As for the actual game terms, Im not sure if they are more gauntish or actually genestealers. Im leaning to the stealers as the fluff would allow them to reproduce with/from grox, whereas gaunts are born in the biomass pools not from live critters.

But gaunts also have that hive mind brood critter problem, so Im thinking a human in the local village is a latent psyker but not known as one and somehow he is being infected by the hive mind or something...no beer and no tv make pk sumthing sumthing.

Personally I'd put Grox/stealer hybrids into two types:

Type 1:
A 70% Tyranid, 30% Grox creature, this would be a slightly-larger than normal genestealer, with green scaly hide and grox-like horns and spikes. Probably slightly slower than your average Stealer Hybrid, but a bit tougher due to the hide. More intelligent than a type 2, but not as strong. Definately can't use ranged weapons, and probably only good with very basic melee weapons such as large clubs.

Type 2:
A 30% tyranid, 70% Grox creature. A huge 6-limbed Grox with a genestealer-esque head, tyranid digitigrade rear-legs and a spiked tail. VERY strong and tough, but very slow as well. Heavy armour due to the tough hide. Relies on Horn/gore attacks and swipes with it's hoof-like forarms for attacks.

I'm going to have to dig through my ccg collection, but I'm almost 100% sure that I got a few, full colour, Grox-riding, Rough-Rider IG cards somewhere. If I can find one, I'll try to post it... that is, of course, unless someone beats me to it (which is almost always the case on boards of this nature).

Since Genestealers are very much your standard Aliencs (from novel and movie) I would say yes, though with a decreased chance of success and with additional mutations because they breed beyond their normal spectrum.

Addionally I would also say they could never complete the cycll or evolve to magi, broodlords or simular, have a decreased intelligence but probably increase strength.

GrtZ,

S.

I remember reading the article on Ymgarl and the genestealers- it noted that the genestealer was quite capable of breeding with a number of species, but that it only bred true (the four armed, hoofed biped with feeder tentacles) in one generation when breeding with one particular species, the Csith (described only as 'leech-like').

With regard to the Grox theory- I believe the hierodules are theorised to contain grox DNA. I believe the mention is in Imperial Armour vol 4, and/or the old IA2.

All that said, I like the idea of a grox-stealer ( corporaptor groxi ?), even though grox by themselves are pretty **** scary (at least, the ones that haven't been lobotomised). Hell, I wouldn't want to mess with a herd of ' domesticated ' grox; not least because there are some grox in each herd who are not only un-lobotomised, but have been given bionics which are essentially ballistic mechadendrites...

Thats the thing however.

The grox herds on the planet Snehta are docile. This is mainly because the flora on Snehta that the grox are fed or "graze" from has a natural calming fungi growing on it. The chemicals produced by the fungi react with teh groxes digestive tract and calm the critter down to a near comatosed state that renders the critter almost hpnotized, near lobotimized naturally, allowing grox herders to control the herd without fear of death and dismemberment.

This causes Snehta to be a very imporatnt supplier of grox meat and herds are regulary sent to the plant Arthals for "processing" in the "meat factories". When the planet of Snehta has several strange and unexplained grox vanishings and some mysterious grox mutilations and abnormalties (mutations) appear in their herds they put a self imposed quarantine on their grox exports, which causes the Administratum to look at them and go "eh, what gives mate?"

While the Inquisition is only slightly concerned (as the inquisitor in that system is more focused on a chaos cult on Arthals) the respond to the Administratum's pleas and requests by sending in a token cell of investigators to report their findings back. And the only reason he actually sends anyone is because 200 years ago Snehta was engulfed in near civil war when a mutant loving xeno worshipping cult emerged from the populace.

Nice idea Santiago!

I'm itching to spring some Nids or Stealers on my party (who have only encountered Necrons, Orks and Daemons so far from thr TT races), I might run something along these lines! Although I'm really keen to put them on a planet undergoing a full-blown Tyranid invasion after reading N0-1_H3r3's excellent Tyranid suppliment.

Grox-Stealer (x3)

WS BS S T Ag Int Per Wp Fel

45 00 59 (5) 63 (6) 36 (3) 20 (2) 48 (4) 42 (4) 05 (0)

Movement: 6/12/18/36 Wounds: 15

Skills: Awareness (Per) +10, Climb (S), Concealment (Ag), Silent Move (Ag).

Talents: Fearless, Resistance (Psychic Powers, Cold)

Traits: Bestial, Brutal Charge, Dark Sight, Fear (1), Impure Mutation, Independent Organism, Multiple Arms, Natural Armour (4), Natural Weapons, Strange Physiology, Unnatural Speed.

Armour: Chitinous Hide (AP 4)

Weapons: Mutated claws/talons/fangs (1D10+5R, Tearing).

Threat Rating: Xenos Majoris.

Brood-Grox (x1)

WS BS S T Ag Int Per Wp Fel

50 00 67 (6) 70 (7) 38 (3) 22 (2) 49 (4) 47 (4) 05 (0)

Movement: 6/12/18/24 Wounds: 20

Skills: Awareness (Per) +20.

Talents: Fearless, Resistance (Psychic Powers, Cold)

Traits: Bestial, Brutal Charge, Dark Sight, Fear (1), Impure Mutation, Independent Organism, Multiple Arms, Natural Armour (4), Natural Weapons, Quadraped, Strange Physiology.

Armour: Chitinous Hide (AP 4)

Weapons: Mutated claws/talons/fangs (1D10+7R, Tearing).

Threat Rating: Xenos Majoris.

Impure Mutation: The grox DNA is rejecting the infection of the gene strealer implantations. This causes the grox-stealers and brood-grox much pain and agony when they over extend on physical actions. Anytime a grox-stealer or brood-grox rolls doubles on a failed action they suffer 1D5 wounds with no reductions for Toughness or Armour. If they roll doubles and the action is a success they only suffer 1 wound.

Other Characters

Lady Agatha

Lady Agatha is the Clerk-Magistrate of the village of Marsfell. She has the stats of a dissolute noble (page 339 of Dark Heresy) but without the Compact Las Pistol, Powersword or Mesh Armour Cloak (or any talents to go with their use).

Arnst the Embalmer

It is Arnst's sacred duty in Marsfell to determine the cause of death of all people in the village. Recently this includes the grox. He has the stats of a Citizen on page 338 of Dark Heresy with the Trade (Embalmer) +20 skill.

Feldrik, Town Marshall

Feldrik (Enforcer, page 339 Dark Heresy) is the town marshall of Marsfell and is angry at the notion that any outsider would try to do his job for him. He and his posse or deputized citizens will eventually ambush the acolytes. His posse has the stats of Recidivists, but without mono-knives, as on page 343 of Dark Heresy.

I seem to remember that the Ymgarl Genestealers had a symbiotic relationship with a kind of slug-like creature, hence the mouthparts.

Ran the adventure and it went very well, aside from some cow mutilation and crop circle jokes. Players freaked when they saw the grox/gene stealer hybrid.

N0-1_H3r3 said:

What I have thought would be an interesting idea ever since I read about Kroot Shapers would be a situation where a genestealer cult landed on a Kroot inhabited world and took over a clan/tribe by either killing or genestealer inpregnating all of its shapers. Once you had at least one or two shapers that were subverted then the rest of the kroot from their clan/tribe would rapidly (more so than human b/c humans need hybrids to be born, even w/ the fast gestation and growth rates of human genestealer hybrids the fact that existing adult kroot can incorporate others genetic material is faster) be assimilated.

Of course the "pure" shapers of the rest of the kroot on the planet wouls see this as abomination. And thuse begins the gene-war. Who can assimilate the best and strongest fauna DNA the fastest? Who can corrupt/assimilate the other side before the enemy out evolves them? It would be a whole genetic arms race....