Changelings able to steal your identity without killing you

[MrModeste]

Hello,

I haven't played this game for long (only two months now), but changeling rounds are by far those that I dislike the most, and I'm under the impression it's not only me. As you're not supposed to know about changelings and their abilities, when you're a bit isolated and someone pays you a visit, I don't see a reason IC to be especially paranoid. So, what happen is that I usually just get ganked, my body hidden in a closet with sensors off, and wait for half an hour to respawn while noone will know about what happened.

Of course, it's frustrating to be killed so summarily just because you were an unlucky target, but I also think that the necessity for changelings to be so murderous and stealthy takes away from what (I think) could be interesting RP, and collaterally reduce the number of unnecessary deaths.

So, what about giving lings the ability to copy your DNA simply by pricking you, taking away the necessity to systematically kill, and also creating potentially interesting situations with the people you just copied? Examples:

Stun someone, cuff them, take their papers and clothes while you give them nothing but a random greysuit, then drop them over to security and explain you saw this monster turn into yourself. You've got the clothes, the papers, they look like a sketchy guy without ID, who's the fake one?

Do an evil deed under the appearance of one person you've pricked, leaving evidence that leads back to them while you take back your previous form and enjoy the injustice as they get taken away by security screaming their innocence. (DatBerry's idea, I figure I could throw it there.)

Take the appearance of someone else, and show yourself next to them, then escape and transform. Soon, the whole station will learn there's something around that can copy appearances, and people will slowly start to distrust their fellow crewmembers. For now, I'm under the impression the only word that goes around is that there are some people disappearing, and possibly something taking them. By making your abilities known, you're festering chaos and paranoia between people that wouldn't suspect each others otherwise. To me, it sounds more fun than just slowly taking out crewmembers.

What do you think about this?

[Kaed]

Can you add a DNA extraction sting, please? I think it would create more interesting roleplay than gankmurders in maintenance.

 

This... already exists.

It's called the DNA Extract sting.

People just hardly use it because generally speaking, it's pointless to try and pretend to be someone else while they are still alive. There are way too many ways to gotcha someone and metagame unsubtly for it to matter. Few people are actually WILLING to feign ignorance of changeling mechanics, either.

Also, the extract sting telegraphs that you stung them now for some reason (that reason being because Alberyk wanted it to) so you can't even do it secretly like you used to be able to.

[Conspiir]

Few people are actually WILLING to feign ignorance of changeling mechanics, either.

 

Feigning ignorance is the easy part.

Waiting to respawn (if you even feel like it) and ghosting around is the hard part.

Changeling rounds often feel like someone gets the short end of the stick. Whether it's that guy shoved in maintenance with no hope of ever being found, or the changeling itself that gets straightjacketed and forgotten, or perhaps the entirety of medical when one of its residents kills the lot of them.

Changeling is one of my least favorites, if only because it feels pretty cheap. Oh no! The guy is dead! ... Wait, he's alive. What? Oh, okay we killed him this time! ... Wait, he's back. What?

[Alberyk]

This already exists, so, this suggestion is pointless.

Binning.