PRM Faction: Triffid

PRM Faction: Triffid

 Triffids are a collection of mobile genetically modified plants under the strict hierarchical rule of a Triffid Heart.  Though of unknown cognizance individually, they function as distinct parts of a single organism together, and are strong against the fungus while weak against the zombies.

In the core game, each triffid had a singular role. Triffid queens spread forests and destroyed fortifications. Fungal fighters eliminate or at least contain fungal threats with their ranged attacks. The vinebeasts' high defense and mobility allowed it to tank threats, while the titular triffids would provide the backbone of the triffid army. Defensive creatures such as biollante and creepers provide cover to triffid grooves, the heart of a triffid colony. Triffids are the most independent of the invaders, where its undisputed that the individuals are distinct with their own goals and ability to reason to varying degrees. However, to what extent they maintain their own identity is ultimately unknown, since most of the plants are blind and there is no readily discernibly non-chemical means of communication between members. Each colony of triffids is independent of one another, although they don't seem hostile to one another, and although there does seem to be heavy selective breeding, the methods of doing so are unknown to us at the moment. In PRM, Triffids are expanded to include more species, and are granted a limited evolution potential, much like the zombie have. Creepers are the parent of vines, which in turn coalesce and evolve into strong poisonous, digging monsters and ultimately vinebeasts. Biollantes gain much needed ranges attacks, and the addition of giant treents and carnivorous dionaea allow more meat into the triffid ranks. There are even plants that can explode to damaged armored targets usually immune to other triffid attacks.

Triffids are characterized by their landscaping abilities, their micromanagement and small range, and their easy to farm flesh and fluids. Their poisons in the core game are nonlethal to humans, and though they attack without heed, they are ultimately 3rd place in a three-faction race to claim Earth. In the mod, triffids the vines-line gains poison and acidic attacks, with the three end-stage forms each having their own versions. These provide abundant weak attackers, and strong poisons. The triffids can evolve into massive treents who can smash trespassers. Dionaea provide strong biting attackers, and broods can damage even power armor.

Triffid's strengths are their ability to slowly cover their area with numbers and fortified monsters, taking over the land in a slow crawl. They have grown to tolerate spiders, who hunt out animals and will support the triffids theme of slowing down their enemies with webs and more poisons. With their tough natural armor and high hit points, they lack the damage output of zombies but can damage more natural life with heavy toxins.

Rooster

The triffids utilize many high-armor, low speed, moderate attack monsters. moderate in relation to the rest of the mod, high compared to vanilla monsters.

Evolution

Triffids feature a limited degree of evolution, and unlike zombies (who become 'new' creatures when they evolve [acidic --> spitter]) triffids mostly gain minor special attacks, poisons, or more speed or hit points. Exceptions of course exist. Many Triffid 'trees' have branching paths, which is somewhat unique to them as well. Several of the monsters may 'self evolve' or evolve into themselves, thus failing to change and wasting the abstract pool of 'points' they possess.

 -"Creeping Grass" --> "Creeping Grass" [Autophagic] OR "Creeping Vine" OR "Creeping Vine" [Terminal] OR "Slithering Root" OR "Vinebeast"

 -"Creeping Vine" --> "Creeping Grass" [Autophagic]  OR  "Creeping Vine" [Terminal]  OR "Slithering Root"  OR "Crowned Creeper" OR "Vinebeast"

 -"Vinebeast" -->  "Vinebeast" [Terminal]  OR "Tangala"

 -"Triffid" -->  "Triffid" [Terminal]  OR "Treent" OR "Blue Aurora"

 -"Dionaea Sprout" -->  "Dionaea"

 -"Fungal Fighter" -->  "Triffid Queen" OR "Biollante" OR "Hissing Brood" OR "Charged Hissing Brood"

In the above context, 'Autophagic' refers to a self-destructing monster that will kill itself, while 'Terminal' refers to a monster that will no longer evolve. This allows PRM to manage the flood of creeping monsters and allows it to have a variety of monsters instead of all single, top-tier monsters. And this allows the mod to simulate a colony of purpose-bred but individual monsters instead of a mindless zombie horde or a consuming creeping singularity.

Monster Summary

Crowned Creeper

Variant	Speed	Damage	Health	Dodge	Aggression	Morale	Physical Armor	Special Armor	Special Attacks	Angered By	Fear Of
Crowned Creeper	100	3d6 bash, 5 cut	140	Zero	Total	Average	Moderate bash, Low cut	Moderate acid	Vine Grow, Smash, Tentacle, Acid Spit, Acid Blood, Immobile

Crowned creepers are the progenitors of most of the Mod's new 'vine family tree'. They are rooted plants that constantly break off and regrow their tendril's to create new creeping grass. When it dies, it does not destroy the independent grass.

Crowned creepers are essentially creeper hubs of the core game with upgraded defenses. They can sense a short distance away, and shoot acid at an enemy who is otherwise tangled up in melee with the creeping grass. It will smash away anything that closes into melee range, and possesses the Triffid's characteristic 'plastic' tag, which further mitigates bashing damage beyond what its armor does. It is a very dangerous creature, and a very defensive structure, placed to protect entrances to the grove or the under-roots of the grove. A few pipe bombs will clear out a lot of the creeping grass and allow you to close on it.

 The crowned creeper will produce creeping grass of different Z-levels if it can access stairs, ladders, or slopes, and if Z-levels are enabled.

Creeping Offspring

Variant	Speed	Damage	Health	Dodge	Aggression	Morale	Physical Armor	Special Armor	Special Attacks	Angered By	Fear Of
Creeping Grass	75		10	Zero	Total	Average	Low bash		Vine, Disappear [300], Immobile
Creeping Grass [Autophagic]	100		5	Zero	Total	Average	Moderate bash		Vine, Disappear [20], Immobile
Creeping Vine	40	1d8 bash, 4 cut	20	Poor	Low	Average	Moderate bash, Moderate stab		Vine
Creeping Vine [Terminal]	45	1d12 bash, 4 cut, 2 Acid	25	Poor	Low	Average	High bash, Low cut, High stab		Vine, Grow Vine
Slithering Root	60	3d3 bash, 6 cut, 8 Acid	70	Poor	None	Below Average	Moderate bash, Moderate cut, High stab	Low acid	Vine, Grow Vine	Sound, Fire, Stalk, Hurt, Faction Attacked, Target Hurt

The 'vine family' of the Triffids is a new addition to the Triffids from the mod. It a pyramid structure, with a huge amount of bottom-tier monsters and progressively smaller amount of higher-tiered monsters. This family is by far the largest evolution path in the game, with up to 3 separate evolutions, and as many possible forms. All of the vines, excepting the slithering root, are just that; small, rope-sized monsters with a high degree of bashing protection. They have weak attacks, and low speeds, but dig underneath the Earth and can catch slow, sleeping, or unaware prey by surprise. The higher tiers of the vine family possess acidic attacks, simulating their poisonous nature with partial armor piercing damage. The slithering root is a larger cluster of vines, with 3 poisonous barbs at the end of it primary limbs. It is quite dangerous to the unprepared due to its high health, high armor, and high cutting and acid damage, but is slow enough to walk away from.

 In order to manage the vast amounts (thousands, in extreme cases) of vines produced by the Crowned creeper, over 90% of the spawns from the Crowned creeper will die or evolve into a monster that will die on their own, and will leave no corpses or items behind.

Vinebeasts have also been incorporated into the vine family, but are discussed as extensions of it instead of with it.

Vinebeasts

Variant	Speed	Damage	Health	Dodge	Aggression	Morale	Physical Armor	Special Armor	Special Attacks	Angered By	Fear Of
Vinebeast	90	2d10 bash	100	Competent	Moderate	Suspect	Insane bash
Vinebeast [Terminal]	100	3d6 bash, 6 cut	150	skilled	Moderate	Suspect	Insane bash, Moderate cut, Insane stab	Low fire, Low acid
Tangala	105	3d6 bash, 6 cut, 6 acid	130	Competent	Low	Average	Insane bash, Moderate cut, Insane stab	Moderate acid, Low fire	Grow Vine, Vine, Spit Sap, Venom	Fire, Faction Died, Hurt, Close

The rest of the vine family tree, these higher-end monsters provide a heavily armored bulk and, in the case of the tangala, a high speed monster, to the Triffid faction. Without special attacks, the only notable thing about the Vinebeasts are their lack of vision. The tangala is a strong fighter, but lacks the raw power of a melee combatant. It is a support role monster, and should be fought in melee where it can be quickly cut up or attacked with fire. Its fast enough to close on a player already poisoned and paralyzed, one in combat, or one in pain.

Biollante

Variant	Speed	Damage	Health	Dodge	Aggression	Morale	Physical Armor	Special Armor	Special Attacks	Angered By	Fear Of
Biollante	100		120	Zero	Total	Average		Moderate acid	Sap Spit [Melee]
Glowing Biollante	100		120	Zero	Total	Average		Moderate acid	Sap Spit, Impale, Grow Vine

Biollante are defensive compliments to the crowned creeper. They provide raw damage outputs and were quite likely to have originally been meant as a single entity within the grove roots. Or the biollante was meant as an extension of the roots themselves or the heart. Whatever the truth, biollante possess the damaging sap spit attack. To an unarmored critter, this is massive damage, usually aimed at the head. While the standard biollante may only use this at melee ranges, the glowing biollante can fire it at distant enemies.

Glowing biollante are capable of a small amount stalling and attack in melee through their special attacks. They can spawn creeping grass around themselves as a barrier, and will attempt to stab any trespassers. They also glow in the dark, as their name suggests.

Triffids

Variant	Speed	Damage	Health	Dodge	Aggression	Morale	Physical Armor	Special Armor	Special Attacks	Angered By	Fear Of
Triffid	50	4d2 bash	80	Zero	Low	Average	High bash, Low cut		Paralyzing Venom
Triffid [Terminal]	55	8d2 bash, 4 cut, 2 Bio	170	Competent	Modest	Average	High bash, Moderate cut, Low stab	Moderate fire, Moderate acid	Paralyzing Venom, Parasting

The core game triffid has been included for comparison. The evolved form is vastly superior, and deals internal biological damage, much like coughing would do. They have the fungal fighter's ranged needle attack, and some of the better fire armor for the triffid equivalent of 'men of the line'.

Triffids can also evolve into larger 'Treent' creatures, but due to their entirely different nature this is covered as an extension rather than within this summary.

Tree Monsters

Variant	Speed	Damage	Health	Dodge	Aggression	Morale	Physical Armor	Special Armor	Special Attacks	Angered By	Fear Of
Treent	45	5d5 bash, 5 cut	350	Poor	None	Incredible	High bash, High cut, Insane stab	Moderate acid, Moderate fire	Grow Plants, Smash, Parasting, Paralyzing Venom	Fire, Hurt, Close, Faction Attacked, Faction Died
Blue Aurora	40	6d6 bash, 3 cut, 2 acid	500	Poor	Low	Incredible	Insane bash, Insane cut	Moderate fire, High acid	Grow Triffid, Parasting, Smash, Pull, Paralyzing Venom, Venom	Fire, Hurt, Close, Faction Died

Tree monsters represent the heaviest, tankiest critters the triffids can currently bring to bear. They possess vast quantities of venom, and are built around the same premise, but function somewhat differently in the lore.

Treents are barky monsters that mimic the trees of the forest very well. They possess few unnatural features, such as barbs on their branches, and function as protectors and ambushers. They can spawn trees around them much like a triffid queen can, albiet only on occasion. They are relatively stereotypical tree-monsters pulled readily from any fantasy universe.

Blue aurora are large, pale blue, glowing, alien plants with flattened tentacles. They form a 'pine tree' shape, with smaller tendrils towards the top of the monster and larger more capable ones at the base. Spruced within the tendrils are 'seeds' that can form new triffids, making them a source of new combatants. Not to be taken lightly, this monster can rival the power of hulks, and though it is very slow it is never alone for long as it can simply create more baseline triffids.

 The blue aurora is an alien and original triffid design, and will spawn before the treent.  It is also considered more important and powerful than the treent, although the treent is a pinnacle of triffid evolution.

Dionaea

Variant	Speed	Damage	Health	Dodge	Aggression	Morale	Physical Armor	Special Armor	Special Attacks	Angered By	Fear Of
Dionaea Sprout	70	3d4 bash, 3 cut	80	Poor	Low	Average	Moderate bash, Moderate cut	Low acid, Low fire	Vine, Bite, Venom	Hurt, Faction Died, Target Hurt, Close
Dionaea	60	4d4 +6 bash, 5 cut	200	Poor	Low	Above Average	High bash, Insane cut	Low fire, Moderate acid	Bite, Vine, Pull, Venom	Hurt, Faction Died, Target Hurt, Close

Dionaea, or a large woody head on a mass of vines, is a heavy troop for the triffids. Its utterly massive head is so heavy it prevent dexterous movements, but is fetid and quite powerful, easily puncturing basic armor. Unlike the rest of the triffids, it is resistant to cutting damage, weaker to bashing attacks against its head. This is because it does not use its vines as its primary weapon, instead offering its armored head out so it can better strike. Unlike most of the individual triffids, the dionaea seem about as intelligent as humans, and can avoid environmental dangers.

Broods

Variant	Speed	Damage	Health	Dodge	Aggression	Morale	Physical Armor	Special Armor	Special Attacks	Angered By	Fear Of
Hissing Brood	70	1d10 bash, 5 cut	40	competent	Low	Average	Moderate bash, Low cut	Low fire	Vine, Kamikaze, Rattle	Sound, Target Weak
Charged Hissing Brood	70	1d10, 5 cut	45	competent	Low	Average	Moderate bash, Low cut	Low fire	Vine, Kamikaze, Rattle	Sound, Target Weak

Hissing broods are dessicated, explosive monsters that provide some much needed heavy armor piercing to the triffids. In exchange for their life, these triffids can explode like a charge of C4, blinding the target. The charged version is much more powerful, and can ever drain bionic power. They tend to attack a few times before they explode, giving their target a chance to flee or kill them. Though highly unconventional, these creatures fit well within the slow, heavily armored, and defensive fighting style of the triffids. They are genetically bred to deliver high payloads of damage to a target, and the high armor of the triffids allows them to withstand the explosion while the target cannot hope to. They are an effective way to chink the armor of anything that might be heavier than triifids are, and more evidence of adaptation within the triffid forces.

 These are literally grenade and C4 level explosions.  Don't let them explode on you.

PRM Wiki Page Table

Type	---	---	---	---	---	---
Factions	Ants	Doom	Fungus	Insects	Triffids	Wildlife and Mutants	Zombies
Statdump	PRM Radiation	PRM the Conglomerate	Spawn Lists	Evolution/Upgrade Trees	Faction Balance
Locations	Trapdoor Pits	Bumblebee Hives	Doom Structures
Items	PRM Marine Armor	Medicine	PRM: Miscellaneous Items	Recipes