Template for Genestealer Hybrids

By Askil, in Dark Heresy House Rules

I'm working on a mini campaign with a small group of hybrids.

I intend to create a temlate of stat changes and traits with randomly generated mutations and alien bits.

Also yes I know that third generation is either a humanlike hybrid or a purestrain but I don't want to put purestrains in as PCs.

Any ideas or critiques are welcome.

To make a hybrid character players must first make a perfectly normal character, selecting a home world and generating statistics. If the gm wishes they may continue but for the sake of this document we will assume that they stop.

In order to find out how alien your hybrid is you must determine how many generations they are from the original Genestealer infection.

First generation: These are first hybrids, born to an infected human parent. First generation hybrids are hairless, hunched and visibly deformed beings, retaining all of the power and resilience of their Genestealer heritage. But horrifically married with a tiny spark of Human intellect. They are the least Human of all hybrids, a rude amalgam of Human and Genestealer traits.

Second generation: These are the children of first generation hybrids, they appear closer to Human although many have a spinal curvature and most are bald, they tend to possess fewer, or more concealable alien features.

Third generation: These are the insidious endgame of Genestealer evolution. A perfectly Humanlike hybrid capable of passing for an untainted citizen in all but the most exhaustive medical testing. Most third generation hybrids possess almost no overt alien features at all, although they commonly have little or no hair and unusual eye colouring. Nevetheless they carry the genetic taint of the Genestealer.

Result

Generation

Stat Effects

1-3

1 st

+15 Strength and Toughness, -15 Intelligence, -5 Agility and Fellowship

4-7

2 nd

+10 Strength and Toughness, -10 Intelligence, -5 Fellowship

8-10

3 rd

+5 Strength and Toughness, -5 Intelligence

I'm working on traits at the moment and then I'll be picking through the mutations and traits for alien features.

Dark sight is a definate.

Natural armour starting at (3) for first generation.

Natural weapons (Teeth and claws) for first generation and as a potential addition to later generation.

Actually, there are five generations of Genestealer Hybrids. I suppose you could call Generation Zero the Contagii ; they are the poor sods who got bitten by the 'stealer in the first place. The 'stealer that bit the Contagii and started the cult is called the Patriarch, and he is big and fat, but still nasty. Source is Lexicanum.

  1. Maelignaci - Clumsy, stupid, little better than animals in terms of intelligence. Most obviously alien of the hybrids, often possessing three or even four limbs. Very expendable. They can't use weapons or tools of the host species, but they are most likely very strong to compensate; essentially "dumb muscle".
  2. Hybrid- Selectively bred for strength, speed, ferocity, or simple resemblance to the host species. Still not smart enough to use technology, but not quite as clumsy as the Maelignaci .
  3. True Hybrid- Could be mistaken for host species in the dark or if they wear concealing clothing, but look obviously inhuman if you get a very good look at them. Some bright sparks in this generation are able to use the host species' technology such as an autopistol or a lasgun. Probably capable of speech, too, but they're still quite dim, operating mostly on instinct.
  4. Primacii - Nearly identical to host species, with only slight deformities or tell-tale signs of taint (such as baldness). Intelligence is identical to host species, and they are able to blend in with society remarkably easily. Some Primacii are born as Psykers and will often become a Genestealer Magus. These Magi are extremely intelligent, cunning, and possess lethal mental powers.
  5. Purii - Purestrain Genestealer, possessing useful traits plagiarized from host species. Capable of infecting new species and beginning the cycle anew.

Your PCs will probably be Primacii or True Hybrids; Hybrids and Maelignaci are profoundly stupid compared to the later generations and would probably not be much fun to play; instead, they are best as NPCs. If you have a Psyker in the party, then s/he can be the Magus. Just remember, the Four-Armed Emperor loves his little children, especially if these children spread His love to others.

I was going on 15 years of fluff experience rather than the latest lexicanium recorded retcon, but fair is fair.

The template I'm writing combines the Maelignaci and hybrid but covers true hybrid and primacii stages.

Mainly because for the last decade of established fluff there were only first, second and third generation hybrids after initial infection before you turned out purestrains again.

For the purpose I'm writing this template purestrains brood brothers and the patriarch are irrelevant as a brood brother would be a normal DH character, purestrain's rules are covered in creatures anathema and no self respecting GM would let a patriarch be a PC.


Having played my original take, I have added some extra wounds to the template.





Do these genes make my claws look big?





Stages of infection





The initial stage of infection are known as the contagii they are normal humans who have suffered the Genestealer's kiss and are tainted with the genetic legacy of the Genestealer. They reproduce spawning the first generation of hybrids. The purestrain Genestealer that infects these unfortunates grows in size and psychic power until it becomes a Patriarch, a bloated and gargantuan monstrosity that commands the brood telepathically.





First generation: Born to an infected human parent. First generation hybrids are hairless, hunched and visibly deformed beings, retaining much of the power and resilience of their Genestealer heritage horrifically married with a tiny spark of Human intellect. They are the least Human of all hybrids, a rude and shambling amalgam of incompatible Human and Genestealer traits.





Second generation: These are the children of first generation hybrids, they appear to be closer to their human heritage although many retain a pronounced spinal curvature and almost all are bald, while still easily detectable as outside of the human norm they tend to possess fewer, or at least more concealable alien features.





Third generation: These are the insidious endgame of Genestealer evolution. A perfectly Human like hybrid capable of passing for an untainted citizen in all but the most exhaustive examination. Most third generation hybrids possess almost no overt alien features at all, although they commonly have little or no hair and unusual eye colouring. Nevertheless they carry the genetic taint of the Genestealer and by breeding can spawn purestrain Genestealers.





Magus: A rare psychic mutant that appears in the second or third generations, appearing almost entirely human albeit tending toward being hairless and looking emaciated, the Magus often functions as a secondary leader for the earlier generation hybrids in the Patriarch's stead and commonly acts as the face of the Brood in human society.





Making Genestealer hybrids





To make a hybrid character players must first make a perfectly normal character, selecting a home world and generating statistics. If the gm wishes they may continue but for the sake of this document we will assume that they stop.





In order to find out how extremely alien your hybrid is you must determine how many generations they are from the original Genestealer infection.





To do this players roll a D10 and consult the chart.






Result




Generation




Stat Effects




1-2




1 st




A moronic pack hunter, making up what it lacks in brains with bloodlust, brawn and a stubborn refusal to die.




4-6




2 nd




The soldiers of the brood, the worst of Human cruelty and Genestealer instinct.




7-9




3 rd




Able to both pass as Human… and kill them without mercy.




10




Magus




A psyker mutant, more intelligent but physically weaker than other hybrids






1 st Generation



Stats: +15 Strength and Toughness, -15 Intelligence, -5 Agility and Willpower



Career Paths: Scum or assassin



Traits: Brood Telepathy, Sound Constitution x4, D5+2 Xenos features



Corruption: 1d10+8





2 nd Generation



Stats: +10 Strength and Toughness, -10 Intelligence -5 Willpower



Career Paths: Scum, assassin and guardsman



Traits: Brood Telepathy, Sound Constitution x3 , D3+1 Xenos features



Corruption: 1d10+4





3 rd Generation



Stats: +5 Strength and Toughness, -5 Intelligence, +5 Fellowship



Career Paths: Scum, adept, assassin and guardsman



Traits: Brood Telepathy, Sound Constitution x2, D3 Xenos features



Corruption: 1d10+2





Magus



Stats: +10 Willpower, +5 Toughness, -5 Strength and Agility.



Career path: Imperial Psyker (Telepath is suggested)



Traits: Brood Telepathy, Sound Constitution, D3 Xenos features



Corruption: 1d10






Xenos features




Roll




Result




Effect




1-10




Predator's eyes




Gains Dark sight Trait. Eyes are an unusual colour with slitted pupils.




11-15




Mesmerism




Opposed willpower test to stun target. Gaze in uncomfortable




16-20




Warped Glottis




Gains Disturbing Voice Talent.




21-30




Diamond hard nails




Natural weapon 1d5 R Pen 2. Nails appear thick and darkened.




31-35




Carnivore




Recovers D3 Wounds from eating fresh raw meat. Cannot eat normal foods.




36-40




Fangs




Natural weapon 1d10 R. Teeth are needle-sharp and serrated.




41-45




Hunter's senses




+10 Perception.




46-60




Chitin plates




Gains natural armour (1) Subsequent results stack to a maximum of (4), but suffers -5 agility due to rigidity after (2.)




61-70




Boneless flexibility




Gains +d10 to Agility, back hunched due to overly cartilaginous spine.




71-80




Ovipostor




Natural weapon 1d10+4 R, Pen 4, no SB. Cannot speak.




81-90




Clawed appendage




Natural weapon 1d10 R Pen 2 choose a hand, hand is useless.




91-100




'Stealer arm




Gains an additional arm, Natural weapon 1d10 R Pen 2. Must be hidden in human company




New Trait



Brood Telepathy: A character with brood telepathy may communicate with any other character with brood telepathy instantaneously as long as they are within a distance equal to double times his Willpower in metres. This is a free action and can be undertaken at any time.