---
tags: Antagonist, Feature
---
# Newtype (Erpsatz Hivemind)

(Otherwise to be named psychic antag)
For the purpose of this document I'll name it a newtype. If a better name comes up, replace all instances of "newtype" with the new name

## Design goals

The point of the newtype is to avoid the pitfalls of hivemind, while also not creating a combat/murderbone focused antag; some hints from heretics would also be taken.
Hivemind pitfalls: Hivemind was far too stealthy an antag - as noted on the discord, it would too often go unnoticed until half the station gets purple outlines. The only real notice you would get is if you had a mindshield - then your mind would get probed, you would get an absolutely tiny notification, and that would be it. Additionally, there were very few ways to deal with it - either deathmatch all the members of the hivemind, or mass implant. Basically revs but worse in every way
Combat/murderboning: Ideally, robusting a newtype shouldn't be the most effective way to go about it, and neither should one be pushed into deathmatching their way to victory.
Heretic concepts: Being an antag that ramps up, rather than starting powerful, would make it so that some hints from heretic would be welcome, in incentivizing players to play a certain way and making it so that it isn't impossible to ramp up without being caught early.

As another note, the newtype system should replace genetics telepathy/telekinesis/mind reading. Really, all of genetics needs a massive rework, but that's outside the scope of this proposal.

## Primary gameplay loop

Upon becoming a newtype, the player would get a list of potential converts and a method. These potential converts would be varied, with a skew towards multiple departments so that running around in your access isn't the main way to gain power.

Unlike hivemind, conversion wouldn't be a "stand nearby, click a button, win" affair. The aforementioned method would dictate how one has to approach conversion; the method could be separate for each convert. Conversion methods would vary - some may require getting someone inebriated, high, OD'd, put in pain or similar before converting them. The purpose is to make conversion a bit of a risk, if a manageable one.

Once someone is converted, they become a soft-sort of antag. They would have a limited set of directives and still be subject to escalation rules and the like; this poses the question of how to incentivize these players to participate. See #abilities section.

In the initial stage, the newtype would convert up to 3 to 5 people to their 'cause'. Similar to the hivemind, they would become inextricably linked; unlike it though, there would be disadvantages like receiving brain damage if a convertee is hurt or dies. Once this is achieved, the next goal (for the equivalent of heretic ascension) would be one of the following:
* Fight other newtypes to win, like how hivemind did it for victory
* Kill the heads, rev style
* Alternatively, it could at this point unlock easier further conversion while making one a delta-tier station threat that is announced, giving everyone a GPS signal to you (and your "lieutenants")
* Any combination of the above

In any case, this stage should be delayed and give ample time for the station to prepare, find out and foil the attempt.

## Abilities

For now, I have no idea how exactly the progression would look like (branched, all at once etc) but there will be a "tier" reflecting the amount of lieutenants you need to achieve that ability

### Non-Combat

#### Tier 0 - Whispers
The newtype hears words and phrases from across the station. This ability would show up in a sort of radar display and allow one to focus in on an area or person; perhaps it could also allow one to know when their name, job or other word is called out (perhaps to let them know if they've been discovered). At this level you don't know who is saying what.

#### Tier 1 - Forget Me
Basically a slow-recharging RP escape, this ability would allow a newtype to pick a target to temporarily mute as well as give them a massive red text, RP obligation message (similar to when you are deconverted as rev) of the following sort: "***You suddenly become disoriented and forget whatever evil or unusual thing you have seen. You become assured whatever you saw wasn't anything out of the ordinary.*** OOC: If you saw any antagonist behavior, you forget it and will pretend to not notice it for the next minute. This does not apply to being attacked or endangered yourself."

#### Tier 1 - Psychic Awareness
You become more finely atuned to people's psychic presence and can now use your mind to focus on an area and find out who is there. If you focus on an area with Whispers, you now know their identity as well.

#### Tier 1 - Stability Amongst Others
Spending time with your lieutenants passively cures brain damage. Good moods among people around you (like BASED traitors who are always happy) does so too.

#### Tier 2 - Talk to your lieutenants
Basically hivemind chat

#### Tier 2 (or 3?) - Overpowering intrusion
Allows you to temporarily give a directive to a single person, similar to being temporarily brainwashed or hypnoflashed. Doesn't require being present, just on the same Z Level. They remain aware of it after it fades away and they get a ghostly glimpse of you, as well as perhaps some whispers that could indicate who you are. Use sparingly, of course.

#### Tier 3 - Note it down
Allows you, under conversion-style conditions, to drive into someone else's mind and view their notes. Not sure if this should be in but it keeps coming up as something mind reading should have.

#### Tier 3 - Telekinesis?

#### Tier 3 - Electronic control
Gain the ability to use electronic devices as though having full access. Overpower borgs?

#### Tier 3 - Bloodlust
Not along main path? Turns people into doomguy/berserker. Watch them murder everyone. You need to touch them to do it have fun

### Combat

#### Tier 2 - Preempt
Find out someone is pointing a gun at you early?

#### Tier 3 - Bullet dodge
Like sleeping carp lol, but perhaps you can do it with mechs too because why not. (75% chance?)

### Ghost

You keep relevant abilities from being alive, limited by number of lieutenants. Your lieutenants end up having some distinctive marker (maybe ***freakish white eyes*** instead of red eyes like cult) so they're caught faster.

#### Tier 1 - Beyond the Grave
Upon being killed, even if gibbed or dusted, the newtype becomes a psychic ghost powered by the remaining lieutenants as anchors to the material world.

#### Tier 2 - Poltergeist
Enjoy moving shit around and maybe fucking with consoles.

#### Tier 3 (works with 2 lieutenants) - Posession Ritual
Still got two lieutenants? With their help, forcefully possess a new body to host you. Kicks their soul out. Can be fixed with holy water or being put into crit, giving a deconversion message. Requires at least one lieutenant to capture somebody to put your soul into.

#### Tier 3 -

### Lieutenants

#### Telekinesis?

#### Telepathy amongst each other

#### Bullet dodge when you get it too, if you're close enough

#### Ability to circumvent access, view wires as though with station blueprints?

## Counters

### Genetics gained CYBER-newtypeness

Gives you access to telepathy, telekinesis again, but also a subset of newtype abilities. Unlike natural newtypes it causes ticking brain damage, hope you have a competent chemist.

### They LITERALLY glow in the dark
Once they get 3 lieutenants they literally start glowing in the dark in a green hue, and not just lighting up other tiles, I mean color them green when it's dark around them. << Maybe even add an achievement for driving over an erpsatz with a Mulebot / Wheelchair in this state?

### Hurt their lieutenants, they hate it

## More ideas for conversion methods
As a note, I think it would be an interesting loop to ramp up the difficulty of the conversion as more lieutenants are gained. Assign tiers as thought up. Not a definitive or strict list

You can RP them as various things, like torture or "saved their life". Either way, would need balancing, and I think some are probably garbage but I put them in anyways.

### Tier 0
* Pinprick with pen
* Punch in the face
* Call them a nigger
* Shove and cuff
* Get them drunk
* Swirlie
* Got your nose

### Tier 1
* Get them high
* Aggressive grab, hit head on table
* Wound
* Set on fire, then extinguish
* Get into crit, save
* Put them on the meat hook :codreanu:

### Tier 2
* Make them hallucinate
* Shoot them (practice laser included)
* Overpowering intrusion while you're near them
* Quick ghetto surgery, replace an organ with a special psychic organ?