A new enemy: doppler

[Wojtek94]

I have an idea connected with monsters. What do you think about the enemy which is able to take form of any living creature? It might return to its natural form and kill us by surprise. Dopples would be divided into three types:

• a small doppler: an enemy that is small and can imitate / mimic animals like a squirrel, rat, cat, bird, duck etc

• a medium doppler: its size is medium and it is able to take form of a wolf, cougar, dog etc

• a huge doppler: takes form of a cow, moose, deer, bear etc

Dopplers should live in the wilderness due to the fact that a moose walking with zombies will kill an element of surprise

[monny]

I like this idea - what nether faction would it be part of?

[Wojtek94]

The blob for sure. It is the only faction that may be able to change its body form just like that

[crazykiddeath]

MFW most of my kills for this would be from me running them over cos I wanted them for food

[jokermatt]

Hmm, are you suggesting we should add The Thing versions for wildlife? Because I love The Thing, and think Cataclysm could always use more biohorror. I like the idea of some more ambushing type monsters too.
Fortunately, monsters transforming is already supported, so no hard coding. The large and medium variants can be roughly based on the existing zombie variants, but with some much more flavorful gaping maws and tentacles, etc. For the smaller variants like squirrels and rats, I’m not quite sure how to keep them threatening, but I think a special ability rather than raw attack makes more sense. Don’t just wanna have a killer rabbit, after all.
Lurking mutant farm animals could be interesting too. One sheep standing off in a corner, all the others fleeing it, a suspicious bloodstain…

[Wojtek94]

Dopplers in the form of small animals would be dangerous owing to the danger of infection. It is not about being killed. It is about being bitten by surprise. A small doppler should be fast as f**k

[crazykiddeath]

I think it could fit with the netherworld inhabitants too considering some of the abilities they sport, seems like it has the potential to be a very Lovecraftian monster done right and with an actual shapeshift ability, one of the netherworlders that could survive long term in our dimention.

[jokermatt]

Ok, so if we are going for bitey infecting, I can loosely base them off of the snapper, since that’s their role as well. Sinewy tentacles shoot out of the rat/squirrel/rabbit as it transforms and grab attacks you, then it gnaws away.
For abilities, I was thinking maybe a raven that starts churning thick black smoke as it dive bombs you. Late game, they could spawn in pairs. Charred birds for a name maybe?
We already have Thing dog as a mine finale, so that’d be the obvious route for medium sizes.
For large sizes, I was thinking cattle/deer, but I’m not sure if an ambusher moose/bear makes as much sense to me. However that did get me thinking about making a skeletal hulk type moose and the ol zombear hulk. Gotta add a cocaine bear map special with that last one.