Alien Threats [Space]

[smurf]

Send in the war bots... alien war bots!

Also you could have negotiations that are nigh incomprehensible to the PCs.

All discussions must be done:

• Barefooted
• In Water
• On Television
• In a Theatre full to capacity
• Hiking somewhere remote

[khorboth]

There's another way to go. What if the objective isn't just survive?

The company wants living samples?

Don't interfere with its breeding cycle?

Take vid of it doing X?

Determine sentience?

Build a compound that they can't get into where scientists can study them later?

[AlexanderHowl]

I generally believe that humans only advanced because we lucked out when the majority of the Ice Age megafauna went extinct, so I like the idea of nonsapient threats far more dangerous than the cuddly critters of our world. For example, imagine a creature that creates a toxic attack that turns humans into nonsapient brutes or a predator that grows claws coated with graphene.

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

I generally believe that humans only advanced because we lucked out when the majority of the Ice Age megafauna went extinct, so I like the idea of nonsapient threats far more dangerous than the cuddly critters of our world. For example, imagine a creature that creates a toxic attack that turns humans into nonsapient brutes or a predator that grows claws coated with graphene.

What exactly would be the benefit of graphene claws? It may be a strong material, but unless it's also absurdly sharp and backed by incredibly strong muscles, it's not cutting through a battlesuit. And its other qualities (heat conduction, magnetism, etc) seem totally irrelevant.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

I generally believe that humans only advanced because we lucked out when the majority of the Ice Age megafauna went extinct.

There is reason to think humanity almost went extinct, but 'armed TL 0 humans can be threatened by animals' does not imply 'armed TL 9 humans can be threatened by animals'

[AlexanderHowl]

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

What exactly would be the benefit of graphene claws? It may be a strong material, but unless it's also absurdly sharp and backed by incredibly strong muscles, it's not cutting through a battlesuit. And its other qualities (heat conduction, magnetism, etc) seem totally irrelevant.

Graphene is a two-dimensional monomolecular solid. Due to its strength and thinness, it is the only possible substance known that could have a /10 Armor Divisor. While nothing that capable has evolved on our planet, it is a big galaxy.

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Graphene is a two-dimensional monomolecular solid. Due to its strength and thinness, it is the only possible substance known that could have a /10 Armor Divisor. While nothing that capable has evolved on our planet, it is a big galaxy.

"Could" being the operative word. Even if you accept the possibility of the evolution of graphene as part of the body, I have a hard time imagining what kind of freakishly dangerous environment would make monomolecular blades a reasonable evolutionary path.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Graphene is a two-dimensional monomolecular solid. Due to its strength and thinness, it is the only possible substance known that could have a /10 Armor Divisor.

If you want a sharp cutting edge, graphene isn't what you want, because it's only strong along its plane, sheets can bend just fine. Diamond-like carbon coatings are a better choice, and there's still no reason to think they'd have a /10 armor divisor (of course, realistically it doesn't actually make much sense to have armor divisors on cutting weapons at all, because the whole concept of an armor divisor is a material that has superior penetration without superior wounding, and a super sharp blade would be better at wounding too).

Also, well, there isn't really a plausible biological mechanism for useful graphene production, and variant biology capable of something like that will probably also be capable of a lot of other tricks that would just amount to matching the capabilities of tech.

[AlexanderHowl]

Carbon-boron matrix composites could potentially evolve as a natural armor in worlds with higher boron concentrations. A DR 100 armor would probably work for the largest animals while smaller animals might depend on lesser armor. In that sort of environment, a Cutting Attack 4d with Armor Divisor /10 might make logical sense. Now imagine such a creature with invisibility and night vision, and you get a threat that could take out soldiers in power armor.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Carbon-boron matrix composites could potentially evolve as a natural armor in worlds with higher boron concentrations.

Or you can just use diamond. The problem with either one is that it requires temperatures that are incompatible with biology.