Nemesis: Carnomorphs

Description

--- This survival horror expansion depicts a parasitic XNA outbreak from a cat's mishap, evolving into Carnomorph threats that players must aggressively manage. Key mechanics include: - *Larvae (Metagorgers)*: Initial alien bag contents; roll for 2-4 per spawn; inflict light wounds and flee with DNA if not killed by round's end, adding Shambler tokens. - *Shamblers*: Stronger evolved foes that seek and consume whole bodies to advance; players can burn corpses to prevent. - *Fleshbeasts*: Apex threats from Shamblers eating corpses; surpass Intruder Queen in power, creatable in multiples, designed to pressure players intensely. - *Butcher*: Singular elite enemy formed when one Shambler consumes another; highly dangerous. - *Combat overhaul*: Shifts from evasion to proactive extermination and verification kills to halt evolution; remains survival-focused, not combat-centric. - *Mutation cards*: Replace infections with severe, cinematic debuffs; some offer minor buffs alongside major drawbacks, either instant or permanent. - *Corpses*: Multiple discovered via exploration; require resource-intensive burning (risking ship damage) or risk enemy evolution if ignored. The text narrates a catastrophic incident where a stowaway cat, killed during high-G acceleration, contaminates samples with voracious XNA parasite that rewrites genetics, consuming kitchen biomass and stasis-podded crew to spawn horrors. Survivors battle escalating threats, culminating in a flamethrower duel against a cat-headed flesh hulk blocking the control room for ship destruction. The expansion's rules transform gameplay via an alien bag starting solely with Metagorgers, emphasizing prevention of evolution through aggressive combat, body incineration, and mutation risks. Players face constant tension balancing objectives against Carnomorph proliferation, corpse management, and cinematic mutations, fostering a high-stakes survival dynamic distinct from the core game's mechanics. ---