# New Monster: Leech Pod/Leech Stalk/Leech Bloom/Root Drones --- Area: Power Plant

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [April 28, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982 "2014-04-28T21:12:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GlyphGryph](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/glyphgryph/32/847_2.png) [@GlyphGryph](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/GlyphGryph)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/1 "2014-04-28T21:12:12Z")

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[i]The man stumbles, his vision cloudy. Something compels him to work his way deeper, into the heart of the complex. He stumbles against the reactor, still running despite the disaster outside. He feels his strength fading, as his insides liquify.

He dies, and something inside of him begins to grow.

It feels the hum of the engines, the energy that makes the corpses hairs stand on end.

It feeds, first distending the skin, a tumor on the back of the dead man, until it splits and a thick stalk unfurls into the air, dripping and glistening, more like a creature freshly born rather than a plant unfurling from a seed. At the end, a bud grows, eventually blooming not into a flower but a bundle of tendrils, each one ending in a translucent egg-sac in which a creature grows.

As they grow, the sacs fall off, and from them emerge the root drones - creatures with blank stares, swaying in place until commands are issued from their parent, and then scurrying off to insure the Power Plant or other power source remains operation so that it’s parent can continue to feed, powered by the warped knowledge of a dying engineer.

Runners emerge from the base of the corpse, seeking, following the eyes of the drones, finding new corpses and allowing new pods to form into new stalks, to insure less of the Plant’s power is lost, frittered away into the outside world, until the entire Plant is under their control.

But the spread is interrupted. An intruder is detected. The stalks turn, focusing on this new threat. The drones swarm.

A powerful creature, half-man half-machine, has entered their domain, clad in the armor of advanced science and wielding a weapon that launches powerful blasts of energy.

A threat, to most, but to the Bloom, it is little more than a wonderful meal. In moments, the armor becomes a prison, as it’s joints lock up and its batteries are drained. The bionics that once made this man powerful outside of his armor refuse to work, to respond, to function. Even his weapon, pulling from a now dead UPS, is worthless.

The drones swarm as the stalks feed.[/i]

Leach Pods form in corpses, and have a small radius through which they can quite rapidly drain energy from the player’s batteries and disable the function of powered equipment in the player’s inventory. All members of the leech family also quickly drain electric vehicles, disable robots, and prevent shocker zombies from using their special attack. They can form anywhere, but are only truly common in the new area known as the Power Plant.

Leech Stalks form from Leech Pods, and have a very large area of effect that increases in intensity as you get closer.

Leech Blossoms only appear near regular power sources, where electricity continues to be generated. Power Plants and Automated Centers (Police bot centers, for example), and more rarely private generators. Leech blossoms are accompanied by drones, a population they replenish over time, and will grow additional pods and stalks from all nearby corpses. If the Bloom is killed, but other stalks or pods are allowed to live, they will form a new Bloom, although only one Bloom will ever be active at a time.

Though they are not direct threats, with only the Root Drones capable of outright attacking the player, but they can appear alongside other dangerous creatures and pose a significant problem to those who rely on the powers of modern technology, as they suddenly find themselves with all of the penalties and none of the benefit of powered equipment.

Power Plants are a new area that are inhabited by these creatures, and the main place you are likely to encounter Root Drones.

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**Author:** ![John\_Candlebury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/john_candlebury/32/6437_2.png) [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/2 "2014-04-28T21:15:52Z")

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+1

Would be great to also combine it with that unimplemented Nuclear power plant that has been hanging around since forever.

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**Author:** ![yonsisac](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/yonsisac/32/8437_2.png) [@yonsisac](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/yonsisac)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/3 "2014-04-28T22:35:36Z")

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cool and the fungi thing in real life they like radiation so it will be cool if you add the nuklear power plat filld with this creturs

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**Author:** ![Kazymir](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/kazymir/32/21_2.png) [@Kazymir](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Kazymir)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/4 "2014-04-29T01:18:34Z")

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I am in full favor.

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**Author:** ![Hibou](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/hibou/32/1330_2.png) [@Hibou](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Hibou)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/5 "2014-04-29T02:09:56Z")

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10/10 would read again. And would definitely like to see these sorts of creatures ingame.

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**Author:** ![Mcrone](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/mcrone/32/116_2.png) [@Mcrone](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Mcrone)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/6 "2014-04-29T02:29:27Z")

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Just to be cure, the creatures are a variant of the triffids right? and does this mean the triffids can take peoples memories will we begin to see triffids to use buildings for their own purposes?  
I would enjoy that

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**Author:** ![Blackopsman9999](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8797f3/32.png) [@Blackopsman9999](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Blackopsman9999)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/7 "2014-04-29T02:59:19Z")

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How about making it possible to clear out, and get large amounts of energy from the power plant? Maybe a once a season check on maintenance levels to see if the plant will fail and leak radiation?

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**Author:** ![GlyphGryph](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/glyphgryph/32/847_2.png) [@GlyphGryph](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/GlyphGryph)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 1:03pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/8 "2014-04-29T13:03:25Z")

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[quote=“Mcrone, post:6, topic:5982”]Just to be cure, the creatures are a variant of the triffids right? and does this mean the triffids can take peoples memories will we begin to see triffids to use buildings for their own purposes?  
I would enjoy that[/quote]

I don’t think so, no. It’s not really the Triffid’s style to make use of creatures like this, to be honest.

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**Author:** ![FunsizeNinja123](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/funsizeninja123/32/118_2.png) [@FunsizeNinja123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/FunsizeNinja123)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 1:24pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/9 "2014-04-29T13:24:00Z")

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Sounds more like fungals MO, huh?

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/10 "2014-04-29T19:41:20Z")

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Aslong as we can have copper insulation MOD for power armor and weapons to slow draining.

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**Author:** ![KA101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/278dde/32.png) [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 12:45am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/11 "2014-04-30T00:45:10Z")

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> [@FunsizeNinja123](#):
>
> Sounds more like fungals MO, huh?

Yep.

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**Author:** ![Blackopsman9999](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8797f3/32.png) [@Blackopsman9999](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Blackopsman9999)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/12 "2014-04-30T00:52:13Z")

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> [@gtaguy](#):
>
> Aslong as we can have copper insulation MOD for power armor and weapons to slow draining.

…  
Is copper not an uhh… what’s the word… conductor? Pretty shit insulator if it is pretty good at conducting.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 1:16am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/13 "2014-04-30T01:16:43Z")

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They put it on military components to protect them from EMPs.

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**Author:** ![GlyphGryph](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/glyphgryph/32/847_2.png) [@GlyphGryph](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/GlyphGryph)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/14 "2014-04-30T01:18:51Z")

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Nah.

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**Author:** ![John\_Candlebury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/john_candlebury/32/6437_2.png) [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 6:36am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/15 "2014-04-30T06:36:50Z")

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Yeah I am also against the idea of implementing a insulator to render them useless. It defeats their whole purpose.

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**Author:** ![StopSignal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/stopsignal/32/1923_2.png) [@StopSignal](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/StopSignal)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/16 "2014-05-01T23:52:29Z")

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This makes me remember of Stalker, i don’t know why. So +1. Nuff’ said.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/17 "2014-05-02T00:38:39Z")

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So basically it renders anyone who uses Any efficient equipment at all useless? And that is fair?

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**Author:** ![FunsizeNinja123](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/funsizeninja123/32/118_2.png) [@FunsizeNinja123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/FunsizeNinja123)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 12:57am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/18 "2014-05-02T00:57:21Z")

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> [@gtaguy](#):
>
> So basically it renders anyone who uses Any efficient equipment at all useless? And that is fair?

> Uses none of the powered weapons or armor

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**Author:** ![GlyphGryph](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/glyphgryph/32/847_2.png) [@GlyphGryph](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/GlyphGryph)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/19 "2014-05-02T01:13:50Z")

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> [@gtaguy](#):
>
> So basically it renders anyone who uses Any efficient equipment at all useless? And that is fair?

Yep. And it’s totally fair. It’s not something that hunts you down - it’s something that forces you to adapt and tackle things with a different strategy. It’s everything a monster should be, and it’s perfectly fair!

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**Author:** ![GrizzlyAdamz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/grizzlyadamz/32/8056_2.png) [@GrizzlyAdamz](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/GrizzlyAdamz)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:07am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982/20 "2014-05-02T02:07:56Z")

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Hmm, what else does one use a UPS for?  
There’d need to be a heads-up alert, otherwise players’ll get drained from inside buildings & around corners, and some poor sap that leaves their metabolic interchange on will go to sleep in a cleared house only to wake up at 3 in the morning starving to death, a pod hanging out on the other side of a wall.

Perhaps implement the idea as a subtype of triffid or fungaloid instead of an entirely new bloom?

[Next page](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/new-monster-leech-pod-leech-stalk-leech-bloom-root-drones-area-power-plant/5982.md?page=2)