| Muton | |
|---|---|
|
Function: |
Military |
|
Reproduction: |
Sexual/Artificial |
|
Average Height: |
6 to 7 feet |
|
Average Weight: |
380 lbs |
|
Average Psi-strength: |
Class 3 Baseline Human 5 |
|
Average Intelligence: |
Class 5 Baseline Human 5 |
|
Average Life Span: |
90 years |
Mutons are the Ethereals' preferred heavy assault soldiers and enforcers. These humanoid creatures are genetically engineered and cybernetically enhanced for a life of warfare: soldiering and piloting for their masters. They are perpetually in the thrall of the Ethereals, and can not survive without constant psionic contact with that terrible race. Their organization is rigid and inflexible, with each Muton filling out the role it is given without hesitation or uncertainty. While they often display an ample individual understanding of tactics, the low value their masters have of their castrated lives (and their natural toughness) means they will often expose themselves to unnecessary danger. Like the Snakemen, Mutons specialize in military style operations, but generally not Terror raids. They are tasked to guard alien bases, pilot heavy alien craft (like essential supply ships or battleships), lead assaults, or occasionally reinforce the ranks of weaker alien races. Their lack of interest in Terror Missions is highlighted by their poor compliment of "shock troops" – Celatids and Silacoids, like Reapers, are poor performers compared to Chryssalids, Sectopods or Cyberdisks. Like Floaters, Mutons have been sterilized by the Ethreals, but are (in a natural state) capable of sexual reproduction. Mutons encountered by XCOM have been exclusively male.
Physiology[]
Mutons are massive creatures, towering over most all humans, and outweighing them substantially. Their bones are incredibly dense, as are their muscles, making them naturally very strong, if not particularly fast in anything but a sprint. Their intelligence is believed to be at human level. The senses (except touch) are all enhanced cybernetically, providing pinpoint hearing and excellent smell. The eyes are tetrachromatic (four dimensional color vision, extended into the UV range) and extremely sensitive, with cybernetically added anti-polarization abilities.
The cardiovascular system is also enhanced to provide dramatically improved endurance. The heart is insulated against electric shock, and the immune system is supplanted by artificial "smart prions" that ignore native proteins but attack foreign ones, like unexpected viruses, bacteria or even chemicals. This and other enhancements allow Mutons to remain effective even under adverse NBC (nuclear/biological/chemical) conditions. These also make Muton blood and flesh lethally toxic. Lastly, and most obviously, an organic armor is grafted onto the bodies of all Mutons. This flexible organic armor, which includes a thin alien alloy mesh, is extremely tough and resistant to all forms of weaponry, especially kinetic or piercing impact. Projectile weaponry is all but useless against Mutons.
Misc[]
Mutons can subsist on typical liquid alien nutrient soups for a time, but are not designed for it, and generally must consume large quantities of raw flesh. Mutons seem to prefer mammalian flesh, and pork in particular. All Mutons have a sort of failsafe system, not fully understood, that causes their nervous systems to shut down without periodic contact with their masters, the Ethereals. This means that captured Mutons generally die before they can be properly interrogated, and attempts to simulate the Ethereal "reset" ability with captured Ethereals or human Psi-ops have all failed. Because of Ethereal manipulation, Mutons (especially the lower ranked ones) are surprisingly compliant and non-resisting against mental attacks and psionic domination. This is their one Achilles' Heel.