Just gonna throw in my proposal for the current state of toxin organelle upgrades. Not much has changed from my designs from when they were previously posted, but I find it important to reiterate them here now that I am more confident on their designs. I apologize for it’s rough state.
If you’re thinking that pili will remain superior despite these changes, you are probably right. Pili as they are, are powerful, and we will get to that in due time.
Emissive Toxisome
This will be the default state of the parts. Available to both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, it causes the cell to passively emit agent clouds in a small radius around themselves. This can be used as an effective tool to prevent crowding around the cell, deter predators, or even to kill slower prey.
Activation is toggled on/off via ability button
0.2 agent consumed per tick on activation
5 dps
Default version of the oxytoxysome
In later stages, this might make flesh toxic to the touch; An adaptation seen in poison dart frogs and various flora.
Accumulative Toxisome
Available to both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, this strictly defensive modification disables the toxisome’s ability to emit agents in normal circumstances. Instead, agents will be built up within the cell and released when a predator attempts to engulf it, damaging the predator and forcing it to expel the cell. Doing so however, will leave the cell vulnerable for a time as they must build up toxin to do it again.
No ability toggle
More energy efficient
Consumes all or most agent on activation
Only activates when enough agent is stored
*Deals 2/5th of total stored agents in damage. (Ex: 50 agents = 20 damage)
Potentially bypassed by sufficient toxic resistance
Modification option for the base oxytoxysome
In later stages, this might make flesh poisonous to eat; An adaptation found in… a very substantial amount of life.
Nematocyst
A re-imagining of the classic projectile toxins, this eukaryotic organelle grants cells a fierce ranged option for their agent delivery. Works much like how toxins currently do, but with a slower cooldown after firing and slight change in handling for multiple organelles (Cooldown is tied to each individual nematocyst retracting, instead of an accumulative decrease in delay). This re-imagining brings the projectile toxin functionality much closer to reality, and perhaps more visually appealing.
Eukaryote only
Activation is on-demand via ability key
Basically borrows all stats from current oxytoxy parts
Damage remains tied to agent availability, and is diminished with insufficient amounts
Replaces the toxin vacuole
In later stages, this will be used to give flesh a stinging quality, such as that found in jellyfish and many other species.
The main idea behind this concept for toxins is to expand the strategies available to species and the player, and thus create an increased amount of adversity in the world of Thrive. Players will be faced with the reality that not all food is safe to eat, not all defenses are to be faced head on, and that there are always multiple solutions to a problem.