Changeling should start with "a disguise"

[Kotlol]

Since we are talking complex new stings for the changeling in another topic. I was thinking...
If the changeling in RP stings someone, gets ratted out easily, doesn't get the kill. The jig is automatically up.
The changeling has no one to change into. Atleast when NPCs from the space diner were fair game.. you had those and lead into silly RP moments.

But now... changelings have to kill to "start offically using idenities"
And there in lies the kicker. They always take other people's forms so you have an easy list of changeling suspects for a while.

But what if the changeling.. has a form from the start as well? Something randomly generated?
Something that ain't in the systems?

The example here is simple:
Changeling: McCoy LeJoy. Occupation: Doctor
This guy is around and being a doctor means killing someone stealthily is next to impossible since someone is always getting injured and doctors in maintance or far away from medbay is odd.

So what if Dr LeJoy here... could take off his clothes, put on a staffy outfit and turn into Rando McWhoisthis? Pretending to be a stowaway with no security records (beepskies will chase them) and no ID in the system.

Now the changeling could be a stowaway... kill someone... their body's get found... they saw McWhoisithis in the maintance, but in the meanwhile LeJoy is back at medbay planning their next kill.

I basically want the changeling to just have a random form they can use to either "get rid of the trial" if they reveal themselves by failing to kill their victim. OR... an idenity that has high attention thus easily disposable and slip back in to their main form.

[DannyEatsCheese]

Maybe a randomize dna function that cost dna but the first time is free? make it so it isn't remembered by morph and it should work out pretty well imo. Cost should be maybe 6-8 dna points

[jan.antilles]

The changeling already killed someone and stole their identity in order to get on the station. It was YOU!

[Kotlol]

The changeling already killed someone and stole their identity in order to get on the station. It was YOU!

Exactly! And thus I want their 1st form to be a rando :P

[Mouse]

The changeling already killed someone and stole their identity in order to get on the station. It was YOU!

Exactly! And thus I want their 1st form to be a rando :P

Then use a character with appearance and name set to random.

[Solenoid]

The changeling already killed someone and stole their identity in order to get on the station. It was YOU!

Exactly! And thus I want their 1st form to be a rando :P

Then use a character with appearance and name set to random.

To be fair, you can't make yourself roll changeling only as a random character. I think it'd be cool if you'd get a random appearance as a changeling, or at least have the option to assume one.

[Cal]

Not a bad idea tbh

[Kotlol]

Another reason I came up with this for just the changeling is how I compare it to other antags and how they power ramp/gain new stuff.

Spiefs are the closest on stealth, but they never have to kill anyone. They can gain power from just doing something simple as grabbing a multitool and selling it for a gun. So by the time they would "eventually be caught" They would have a way to fight back.

Traitors ramped up from the start.

Vampires (the closest cousin) don't even have to finish killing someone. Heck.. they can start building up power by finding blood anywhere and drinking it to start gaining alternate ways of ramping up and avoiding detection without killing someone and if they try to kill/drain someone, it's instant and they can get some blood fast.

Arcfiends (the other closest cousin) has 0 reason to kill... any wire or APC unit and draining them allows them to ramp up to fight or run.

Changeling on the other hand.. has no way of gaining DNA until they have absorbed 1 person.
If they could gain DNA in other ways slowly this suggestion can be 100% regarded, but as it stands.. the changeling has to kill and absorb someone.

The wraith also has to kill someone to ramp up, but has atleast the benefit of being a ghost that is much harder to handle then 1 person.

Anything else isn't a solo player of an antag and works in a group to win so that's their strength.

[noidedman]

Wouldnt this already be accounted for with 'lesser form'?

[Kotlol]

Wouldnt this already be accounted for with 'lesser form'?

Lesser form (monkey) still has your name tied to it. You aren't randomized but it would work.. but at the same time a random monkey with a random name is more suspect then a random person with a random name.

If the monkey was randomized, essentially the meta would shift from: "Spotted as a changeling? Become monkey!"
Security: "Every monkey on sight will be executed"

In classic it would just mean: "Oh this monkey is unknown or has a different name. That's a changeling KILL!"

But by becoming "Rando mcrandom" crewmate. Who will be seen as a stowaway. The changeling has to avoid beepskies. But won't be killed since "You can't confirm this stowaway is a changeling"  Especially on classic. It's a fall back or a standard disguise right away.
But a random monkey? "Most likely a changeling." 

The reason lesser form existed in the 1st place was because monkey's could crawl into vents and jump over tables and mail themselves. The vent system doesn't exist here so mail and jumping tables exists.
You only take lesser form to squeeze through things, not to shake a large crowd of people.

[noidedman]

Wouldnt this already be accounted for with 'lesser form'?

Lesser form (monkey) still has your name tied to it. You aren't randomized but it would work.. but at the same time a random monkey with a random name is more suspect then a random person with a random name.

If the monkey was randomized, essentially the meta would shift from: "Spotted as a changeling? Become monkey!"
Security: "Every monkey on sight will be executed"

In classic it would just mean: "Oh this monkey is unknown or has a different name. That's a changeling KILL!"

But by becoming "Rando mcrandom" crewmate. Who will be seen as a stowaway. The changeling has to avoid beepskies. But won't be killed since "You can't confirm this stowaway is a changeling"  Especially on classic. It's a fall back or a standard disguise right away.
But a random monkey? "Most likely a changeling." 

The reason lesser form existed in the 1st place was because monkey's could crawl into vents and jump over tables and mail themselves. The vent system doesn't exist here so mail and jumping tables exists.
You only take lesser form to squeeze through things, not to shake a large crowd of people.

It just seems a bit redundant, if you've been caught and people know you're a ling you're probably already being chased so morphing into a random dude mccool wont really accomplish much.

Lesser form was always used as a last resort 'ive been caught' card you could use to quickly zoop away. I think the RNG appearancer would be a bit OP without some tuning (i.e making you immobile for 30 seconds while your form distorts/contorts into its new shape)

Oh and if it left behind some gibs/the old skin that would be cooler to, some way of indicating a ling *has* changed appearance.

[Kotlol]

Changelings can very easily make escapes through air locks cause they don't need to breathe and most people do not have O2 on hand or a jetpack.

The random form is not DECIDED when activated. It's decided as your standard changeling form change of people you absorbed.
Aka this: 
Allows the changeling to select the appearance of any of its victims and change to it immediately. And no, you do not get wizard/vampire/whatever abilities from absorbing and transforming into the wizard/vampire/whatever. - Wiki
]It's essentially a second form with no relation to the station, that's randomized. (maybe a random salvager as a joke)
If that cover is blown too.. the changeling is Shit outta luck.
They don't get to randomize constantly. They just get 1 random disguise from the get go to use as they like. If it's busted? Too bad, so sad.