The Great Xenobiology and Xenobotany issue

[sonicgotnuked]

Now, let's just get this out of the way. I hate making things that I have absolutely no solutions for since these are two totally outdated subdepartments within science. While xenoarchaeology may have some of the same issues, It's entirely luck based and spending an hour marching around outside to find something to dig up. Xenoarchaeology is the only subdepartment that requires actual effort and risk for high reward. Xenobiology and Xenoarchaeology have little risk and effort for high reward. You can easily not be affected by the plants by just carrying a hatchet, closing the tray lid, and wearing the gasmask. Black K'ois had really the only actual risk because it was utterly terrifying to grow when it blacked out all light while it spread.

 

Xenobotany and Xenobiology are not luck based. There is no added effort needed to grow that next strange seed or try mutating that grey slime again to reach some of the most powerful toxins in the game. Slime Jelly. Cyanide. Slime Mutagen Toxin. Unstable Slime Mutagen. These are all extremely powerful chemicals that require only a little bit of your time to truly create. It is much scarier when someone competent enough understands the base mechanics of these two sub departments. It does not take a lot of time, challenge, or effort to create a cyanide death kudzu that has stinging spines. I've seen, and been affected by, either subdepartment using mutagen to instantly destroy an antag. The unstable plants for example bypass armor and likely spells death to anyone involved. There is very little counter and it's a line I very much want to not poke because I find these mechanics arguably more damaging than Toxins. You can recover people from an explosion. You can't recover someone who met a fate from unstable mutagen which makes them irreversibly a slime after you squirted them with it. It's outdated. It works instantly. It adds nothing to the round when all your problems could be fixed with a spray bottle or a few fruits you've dunked in unstable mutagen that you can just toss.

 

The only fun that comes is for the person who uses these mechanics. There is never enjoyment from the receiving end and it creates a lot of unnecessary salt. 

 

TLDR;

Issues: Works Instantly. Extremely Deadly. Easy to Obtain. Zero Armor Checks (Unstable Plants). Cheesy mechanics that add nothing to the round when actually used. Low Risk and Low Effort for High Reward

[Carver]

While I cannot speak on Xenobotany, I will defend Xenobiology's right to exist given it's one of the few and friendliest science roles with a defined set of mechanics that can let even the newest player enjoy themself. Some of the chemicals may be unbalanced, but I would not want to see the role itself gutted because a few of it's shinies need replacing/rebalancing.

If chemicals and plants need rebalancing, so be it. But your 'suggestion' here is very vague on what you're actually seeking.

[sonicgotnuked]

By no means am I suggesting removal. I just want certain things rebalanced.

[stev]

I think if unstable mutagen is specifically such an issue as a weapon, we could easily address this by altering how it works. If its primary issue is just being an instant effect on-contact, we could simply make it work on inhalation or injection; making it take some time to take effect with some means of stopping the process partway through could also help. 

[Colfer]

As far as I know, advanced slime mutation toxin turns the victim into a slime the moment any amount of reagent is processed, making it effectively the most potent poison in the game in terms of taking out a player (Their body is dead in less than a second), while the slime that spawns is another story, its not like they can do much against a person armed with a cup of water.