Gene Leech Symbiont

This mod adds a separate xenogenetic progression that doesn't interfere with the vanilla one.

You can find a symbiont on dead pawns inside Ancient Cryptosleep Caskets. The chance of encountering one is higher on your starting map. Additionally, you can add a quest to your scenario that spawns a drop pod with a near-dead refugee carrying a symbiont.

With this symbiont, your pawn will be able to change their genes at will and "leech" genes from other pawns, though only a portion can be leeched, as with vanilla gene extraction. The process is slow, and the pawn's genes change step by step. For balance purposes, a pawn carrying a symbiont experiences constant gene regrowth, and any attempt to extract genes from such a pawn will result in the death of both the pawn and the symbiont. Archite genes are harder to get, each attempt has a 50% chance of failing.

Keep in mind that adoption resets the pawn's xenotype to Baseliner.

Click RMB on the ability's gizmo to open a dialog.

Genes that give the Reimplant Xenogerm ability (Gene Implanter) can't be leeched for balance reasons.

Compatibility notes

Genes from VRE Android are ignored. Androids can't adopt a symbiont.

All "geneline genes" ("Geneline Evolution" remains available) from VRE Insector are ignored.

Morph genes from VRE Lycanthrope are ignored.

All dark archite genes from ReSplice Core are ignored.

"Gene Infector" from VRE Fungoid can't be leeched.

Q/A

Can it be added/removed mid-game?

Yes. Removing it will give you some null reference error messages, but they should be harmless. Reset the xenotypes of every symbiont host; otherwise, you'll be stuck with their combinations.