View source for Heretic

{{Needs revision
|reason = Heretic received a big rework as a part of [https://github.com/tgstation/tgstation/pull/64658 #64658]. If you're looking for specific rituals or help, consult your Antag Info UI in game for guidance or ahelp and ask an admin. The Antag Info UI contains steps on how to accomplish any rituals you have unlocked and tips for playing! 
}}

{{JobPageHeader
|headerbgcolor = black
|headerfontcolor = green
|stafftype = ENEMY
|imagebgcolor = green
|img_generic = 
|img = Heretic.png
|jobtitle = Heretic
|access = Wherever your job has access to
|additional = Wherever you can break into or teleport to.
|difficulty = '''VERY HARD'''
|superior = Forgotten Gods
|duties = Find influences, realize they've all been taken. Sacrifice people and become all powerful (or die trying).
|guides = This is the guide. 
|quote = 'ADMINS HALP HOW DO I SACRIFICE PEOPLE'
}}

"''Forgotten, devoured, gutted. Humanity has forgotten the eldritch forces of decay, but the mansus veil has weakened. We will make them taste fear again...''"

So you're a heretic? Well, get ready for magic and battle. Grab influences, complete sacrifices, accomplish rituals, and ascend to godhood.

==[[File:madness_rune.png]] The Mansus Veil Weakens==
You are a nasty little bookworm in search of truth and power, and you have arrived on a station ripe with opportunities. The ultimate goal of a heretic is to research knowledge of the Mansus. Every knowledge gained grants you new abilities and unlocks new rituals until you become all powerful. 

You can gain knowledge points and become stronger through a few ways:
* Harvest knowledge by draining pierces in reality located around the station of power
* Wait for new knowledge to be revealed to you over time
* Sacrificing crew members your dark patrons may hunger for.

To aid you in acquiring forbidden powers, you start with some important knowledge:

* '''Break of Dawn''', which grants you the [[File:mansus_grasp.gif]] '''Mansus Grasp''', a modular spell that, without upgrades, lets you touch a target to cause four seconds of garbled speech, five second [[Status_Effects#Knockdown|knockdown]], 80 [[Health#Stamina|stamina damage]] and light brute damage, on a 10 second cooldown. As you grow in power, your Grasp will gain additional effects. This counts as magic, so don't try using it on anyone with [[Chaplain|anti-magic]].
* '''The Living Heart''', which grants you a [[file:heart.png]] '''Living Heart'''. This knowledge turns your ''actual'' heart (if your [[Plasmaman|species]] [[Ethereals|has one]]) into a Living Heart, which allows you to track your sacrifice targets. You gain the ability to '''pulse''' your Living Heart, which directs you to one of your sacrifice targets. {{Leftclick}} the action will let you chose which to track, while {{Rightclick}} will skip selection and track your last chosen target. Be careful - pulsing your heart will produce an audible heartbeat that people nearby may hear. If you lose your heart due ''[[Security_Officer|an accident]]'', you will need to complete a ritual to regain it.
* '''Amber Focus''', which allows you to create a Focus. Focuses are necessary in order for you to cast your more advanced spells, so try to keep one handy just in case. 
* '''Heartbeat of the Mansus''', which allows you to sacrifice your targets to the Mansus. Bring one of your targets back to a rune in critical condition or dead and invoke the rune. This will send your sacrifice to the Shadow Realm and reward you with 2 knowledge points (or 3, if they're a head of staff!). 

These basic knowledges are critical to acquiring enough power to ascend, so get familiar. 

===[[file:heart.png]] Sacrificing===
The Mansus desires only a select few crewmembers at any moment.

At the start of the round you will be assigned four sacrifice targets. You can reroll these with an optional knowledge later on, but until then, you're stuck with those. 
* One target will be a Head of Staff. Heads of staff are worth an additional point!
* One target will be a member of security. 
* One target will be a member of your department.
* One target will be a completely random crewmember. 

You will ONLY be able to sacrifice these targets. Your patrons will not accept just ''any'' old assistant. 

Follow your [[file:heart.png]] '''Living Heart''' to your target of choice and incapacitate them through any means necessary. 
If your target's in critical or dead, they're ready to sacrifice. Drag them over a [[File:heretic_rune.png|32px]] '''transmutation rune''' and invoke the rune to sacrifice them.

Whenever a target is sacrificed, they're healed up and sent to a SHADOW REALM, forced to dodge the Hands of the Mansus to fight for their survival. They'll also lose their memory of whoever sacrificed them, so your ass is covered on that front. 

However, if you mess up the target something fierce and they're unable to be revived, they'll make a huge mess over your rune. Keep your sacrifices in good condition, or leave behind a large amount of evidence that you're on the hunt!

===[[file:reality_fracture.gif]] Eldritch Influences===
'''Influences''' are the easy way to gain power points. Whenever there are heretics aboard Space Station 13, influences will randomly spawn across the station. In this state, influences are only visible to heretics. These are untapped and ripe for the picking. 
{{Rightclick}} on an influence with an empty hand to harvest it, but be careful - anyone examining you may notice something's afoot.

After being harvested, the influence vanish temporally. Soon after, it will reappear and change its appearance, becoming a '''pierced reality'''. More importantly, '''<u>it will become visible to the entire crew.</u>''' Influences can only be harvested once, so don't waste time trying to collect those that other heretics have already taken!

[[file:reality_fracture_harvested.gif]] (An already harvested influence. Notice the glow.)

Using a [[file:heretic_forbidden_book.png]] Codex Cicatrix to harvest an influence will reward double the knowledge points. Risk for reward!

===[[file:codex_open.png]] Heretical Research===
Once you have some power points, it's time to '''research'''! Open up your Antag Info UI (Action button, top left) and visit the second tab. The research menu forms a branching tree (see below), and your first selection will be to commit to a '''path''' that defines your initial abilities and Final Ascension. You can earn abilities from other paths to a limited degree, but overall your chosen path will heavily influence your play-style.


===[[File:heretic_rune.png|64px]] Transmutation is the Key===
Eventually, you'll need to start using proper magics. To draw a '''transmutation rune''', you'll need a writing tool, such as a pen or crayon. Activate [[File:mansus_grasp.gif]] '''Mansus Grasp''' in your offhand and click on the floor to begin drawing a rune. These runes are green and take up a 3x3 area, and while they can go under other objects, it's best to keep them clear for transmutation purposes.

You can remove runes by using your [[File:mansus_grasp.gif]] '''Mansus Grasp''' on it, and you can also freely use ''other'' heretics' runes.

To '''transmute''', simply click the rune with an empty hand while the appropriate object(s) are on top of it, making sure that nothing else is in the way. Transmutation Rituals allow you to create powerful artifacts, demonic monsters, and many useful tools that will help you progress towards ultimate power. 

The [[file:heretic_forbidden_book.png]] Codex Cicatrix can also draw and remove runes, and does it as a faster rate than doing it by hand. 

===Focus is Necessary===
To cast more advanced spells, you must be wearing a focus. A focus can be made by transmuting a glass sheet and a pair of eyes. '''This necklace must be worn''' to gain its effects. 

Some more powerful heretic equipment also functions as a focus - Namely, the Ominous Armor from the Armorer's Ritual (when the hood is flipped up). 

===[[file:heretic_blade.png]] The Heretic Blade===
The Sickly Blade will be your first unlocked research. It can be created by transmuting a common knife with a secondary ingredient based on your path, and serves as a powerful melee weapon as well as a one time use escape tool.

All paths have their own kind of blade, which only differ in appearance and name without any additional research. As with the [[File:mansus_grasp.gif]] '''Mansus Grasp''', your blade will be upgraded by your research over time. Said upgrades will differ depending on the path you choose. 

You are limited in the amounts of blades you can create at a time - Ash, Void, and Rust limit you to two blades, and Flesh limits you to three. Try not to lose them!

Additionally, you can '''break''' your blade by activating it in-hand to teleport to a random, (mostly) safe location in a pinch. Better to lose your weapon and live another day than die fighting. 

=== Objectives: ===
All heretics spawn with the same objectives.

* Research heretic knowledge. You start with 4. 
* Sacrifice multiple people.
* Sacrifice a head of staff.

Some heretic paths will also gain additional objectives. 

* Summon a number of monsters. (This only counts heretic monsters, NOT ghouls!)

To purchase your Ascension, you must complete all of your objectives!

==[[file:alert_rune.png]] Paths of Decay==
There are different aspects of the arcane to which you can devote yourself. While most all rituals and spells can be learned by a single heretic, your first and most important choice will decide how your weapon [[file:heretic_blade.png]] and grasp [[file:mansus_grasp.gif]] will evolve, and how your final ascension will transform you.

{| border="2" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" class="wikitable"
! style="background-color:green" width='140px'|Path
! style="background-color:green" width='140px'|Name
! style="background-color:green" width='830px'|Description
|-
!Path of Ash
|Nightwatcher's Secret
|The Path of Ash revolves around fire, mobility, and crowd control. It grants multiple tools that are very forgiving for a new heretic, including a short range jaunt that works while handcuffed and a mask that slowly saps nearby non-heretics of sanity and soul, and is highly recommended for first-timers. While its abilities may not be the strongest until later in the round, they are very easy to get the ball rolling with and difficult to stop. Ascending gives you the power to burn down the station in a living tornado of flame.

|-
!Path of Flesh
|Principle of Hunger
|The Path of Flesh focuses on summoning player-controlled minions and demons to do your bidding. Heretics on this path gain almost no offensive or defensive abilities, and rely heavily on stockpiling corpses and organs to complete rituals. Despite this, it offers many fun and powerful tools to those who can make it to the end, making it a difficult (but satisfying) path overall for inexperienced heretics. Ascending allows you to shed your human form and become something ''much'' greater.

|-
!Path of Void
|Glimmer of Winter
|The Path of Void focuses on stealth, silence and the freezing cold. While the path offers very little utility early on, they quickly gain the ability to silence and freeze their victims, opening the window to silently ambush targets with no other items or chemicals required. It also offers full immunity to freezing temperatures, an invisible armored cloak (with pockets!), and later a targeted blink that damages anything nearby. The path has access to many strong transmuted items, but requires smart use to realize their full potential, making it moderately difficult but a good beginner choice. Ascending silences those around you and makes you the eye of a deadly blizzard.

|-
!Path of the Blade
|The Cutting Edge
|The Path of the Blade empowers you to become master of one-on-one combatant. The path lacks many spells or utility, especially early on, but as you grow in power, your blades gain the ability to counter attack and even dual wield. Blade heretics can summon orbiting knives that will protect them entirely from any attacks, including stun batons. Additionally, blade heretics have a few tools to make getting the jump on your victims easier. Ascending grants you a whirlwind of knives to protect you from all kinds of attacks, as well as greatly enhancing your abilities in combat, especially with your curved blades. 

|-
!Path of Rust
|Blacksmith's Tale
|The Path of Rust is about healing, corruption, and brute forcing through all obstacles, at the cost of stealth. Rust grants you the ability to destroy silicons and mechs in one strike, fry any electronics, and demolish any walls or doors. Most of your abilities will create rust - standing over rust grants you healing and resilience. While you will become immensely resistant standing on rusted tiles, you have very little in the way of tools otherwise, making it a moderately difficult path to take. Ascending grants you unparalleled healing and survivability when standing over rust and spreads a tide of rust over the station from your rune. 

|}

==[[File:Bg ecult.png]] Abilities==
Below is a table with all your abilities. Upon choosing a path, you begin at the top of the tree, moving straight downwards; the first few abilities you unlock are thus based on your path. However, some abilities are located between paths, and can be unlocked by moving sideways once you're adjacent to them. With enough points, you can theoretically unlock all of these 'neutral' abilities, as well as dipping into other paths' abilities, but you can only ever unlock '''one Mark''' and '''one Blade/Steel''' ability, and you can only unlock '''the ascension that matches your starting path'''.

In the below tree, '''dark''' colored abilities can only be obtained by starting on the corresponding path, '''green''' abilities are "neutral" abilities that you can use to cross paths, and '''light''' colored abilities can be earned by any path by first going through the neutral ones.

Keep in mind that the mark ability, blade/steel ability, and your final ascension all cost TWO points each.

===Starting Knowledge===
{| border="2" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" class="wikitable"
! style="background-color:green" width='140px'|Name
! style="background-color:green" width='830px'|Description
|-
!Break of Dawn
|Grants you the Mansus Grasp, a powerful and upgradable disabling spell that can be cast without a focus. 
|-
!The Living Heart
|Grants you the Living Heart, transforming your heart into a Living Heart, which allows you to track your sacrifice targets. If you lose your Living Heart, you can transmute a new one with a poppy and a pool of blood while standing on a rune. If your heart is cybernetic, you will additionally need to supply an organic heart in the ritual. If your [[Plasmaman|species]] [[Ethereals|doesn't]] have a heart, one of your other organs will be used instead - check your research tab in-game to see which.
|-
!Heartbeat of the Mansus
|Allows you to sacrifice targets who are in critical or worse condition to the Mansus. If you have no targets, you can stand on a rune and invoke it to acquire some. 
|-
!Amber Focus
|Allows you to transmute a sheet of glass and a pair of eyes into an Amber Focus. This is a small neck-worn item that allows you to cast more advanced heretic spells while worn.
|-
|}

===<center><u>[[File:Heretic_forbidden_book.png]] '''The Heretic Ability Tree''' [[File:Heretic_forbidden_book.png]]</u></center>===
{| style="text-align: center; border-spacing: 0px;"
|-style='background-color:#2aab2a;'
| rowspan="5" |
! scope="col" style='background-color:#a1a1a1; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 5px 3px 5px' |  <span style="font-size:larger">'''Path of Ash'''</span>
| rowspan="5" |
! scope="col" style='background-color:#e34363; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 5px 3px 5px' |  <span style="font-size:larger">'''Path of Flesh'''</span>
| rowspan="5" |
! scope="col" style='background-color:#3ec1c5; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 5px 3px 5px' |  <span style="font-size:larger">'''Path of Void'''</span>
| rowspan="5" |
! scope="col" style='background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 5px 3px 5px' |  <span style="font-size:larger">'''Path of the Blade'''</span>
| rowspan="5" |
! scope="col" style='background-color:#c5673e; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 5px 3px 5px' |  <span style="font-size:larger">'''Path of Rust'''</span>
| rowspan="5" | 

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->
|-style='background-color:#2aab2a;'
|style='background-color:#a1a1a1; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px' |'''Nightwatcher's Secret'''
|style='background-color:#e34363; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px' |'''Principle of Hunger'''
|style='background-color:#3ec1c5; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px' |'''Glimmer of Winter'''
|style='background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px' |'''The Cutting Edge'''
|style='background-color:#c5673e; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px' |'''Blacksmith's Tale'''

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->

|-style='background-color:#2aab2a;'
|style='background-color:#a1a1a1; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 0px 2px' |[[File:ash_blade.png]] <br>Follow the ashen path.<br>Transmute a knife with a match for an ashen blade. Limit of two at a time.
|style='background-color:#e34363; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 0px 2px' |[[File:flesh_blade.png]] <br>Follow the flesh path<br>Transmute a knife and a pool of blood into a flesh blade. Limit of three at a time.
|style='background-color:#3ec1c5; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 0px 2px' |[[File:void_blade.png]] <br>Follow the void path.<br>Transmute a knife in a sub-zero temperature into a void blade. Limit of two at a time.
|style='background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 0px 2px' |[[File:Heretic_blade.png]] <br>Follow the path of blades.<br>Transmute a knife with two bars of silver into a darkened blade. Limit of five at a time.
|style='background-color:#c5673e; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 0px 2px' |[[File:rust_blade.png]] <br>Follow the rust path.<br>Transmute a knife and a trash item into a rusty blade. Limit of two at a time.

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->

|-style='background-color:#2aab2a;'
|style='background-color:#a1a1a1; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px' |'''Grasp of Ash'''
|style='background-color:#e34363; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px' |'''Grasp of Flesh'''
|style='background-color:#3ec1c5; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px' |'''Grasp of Void'''
|style='background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px' |'''Grasp of the Blade'''
|style='background-color:#c5673e; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px' |'''Grasp of Rust'''
<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->

|-style='background-color:#2aab2a;'
|style='background-color:#a1a1a1; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px' |[[File:mansus_grasp.gif]] <br>Your mansus grasp now temporarily blinds the people you use it on.
|style='background-color:#e34363; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px' |[[File:mansus_grasp.gif]] <br>Your mansus grasp now raises dead players into ghouls, ONCE per player. They look like husks and have 25 HP.
|style='background-color:#3ec1c5; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px' |[[File:mansus_grasp.gif]] <br>Your mansus grasp now temporarily mutes your victim 8 seconds and lowers their body temperature.
|style='background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px' |[[File:mansus_grasp.gif]] <br>Your mansus grasp deals additional damage and stuns your victim if they are lying down or facing away from you.
|style='background-color:#c5673e; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px' |[[File:mansus_grasp.gif]] <br>Your mansus grasp now deal 500 damage to inorganic matter. {{Rightclick}} will rust surfaces or machines. Already rusted walls are destroyed. 
<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->

|-style='background-color:#6EE270;'
|style='border-left:solid 10px #eb7541; border-right:dashed 2px;'|'''Priest's Ritual'''
|style='background-color:#c1c1c1;       border-right:dashed 2px;'|'''Ashen Shift'''
|style='                                border-right:dashed 2px;'|'''Ashen Eyes'''
|style='background-color:#f58da2;       border-right:dashed 2px;'|'''Imperfect Ritual'''
|style='                                border-right:dashed 2px;'|'''Void Cloak'''
|style='background-color:#93f4f7;       border-right:dashed 2px;'|'''Aristocrat's Way'''
|style='                                border-right:dashed 2px;'|'''Shattered Ritual'''
|style='background-color:#a3c6ff;       border-right:dashed 2px;'|'''Dance of the Brand'''
|style='                                border-right:dashed 2px;'|'''Armorer’s ritual'''
|style='background-color:#eb7541;       border-right:dashed 2px;'|'''Leeching Walk'''
|style='border-right:solid 10px #c1c1c1;'|'''Priest's Ritual'''

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->

|-style='background-color:#6EE270;'
|style='border-left:solid 10px #eb7541; border-right:dashed 2px;' |[[file:heretic_flask.png]] <br>Transmute a tank of water into a flask (50u) of Eldritch water. When consumed, the water will heal a bit of everything for heretics, and hurt a bit of everything for non-heretics.
|style='background-color:#c1c1c1;       border-right:dashed 2px;' |[[file:ashen_shift.gif]] <br>A jaunt spell that makes you immaterial and pass through walls. <br>Very short duration, you will only manage 5-6 tiles in a straight line.
|style='                                border-right:dashed 2px;' |[[file:heretic_medallion.png]] <br>Transmute a shard of glass with eyes organ to produce an amulet of heatvision. <br> You can see better in the dark, and can see living beings through walls.
|style='background-color:#f58da2;       border-right:dashed 2px;' |[[file:poppy.png]] <br>Transmute a corpse and a poppy into a voiceless death: mute ghouls with 50hp, but no voice. <br> Limit of 2 at a time.
|style='                                border-right:dashed 2px;' |[[file:void_cloak.gif]] <br>Transmute a glass shard, any item of clothing that you can fit over your uniform and any type of bedsheet. <br> Creates a cloak that can become invisible at will. It has extra storage space, hiding items you store in it as well as being invisible in strip searches. The cloak is somewhat armored. <br> DOES NOT MAKE YOU INVISIBLE, JUST ITSELF. THE CLOAK IS ALSO AN OUTERWEAR SLOT ITEM, NOT CLOAK SLOT.<br>
|style='background-color:#93f4f7;       border-right:dashed 2px;' |[[File:Hud-freeze.gif]] <br>You no longer need to breathe, and become immune to cold temperatures. You can still take damage from lack of pressure.

|style='                                border-right:dashed 2px;' |Transmute a corpse with a soul, a pair of latex or nitrile gloves, and any outer-suit clothing (such as armor) into a ghoul. These ghouls have 125 maximum health, but cannot hold any items. Instead, they have two powerful melee weapons for fists. Limit of one at a time.
|style='background-color:#a3c6ff;       border-right:dashed 2px;' |Being attacked while wielding a Darkened Blade in either hand will deliver a free, instant counterattack to the attacker. This effect can only trigger once every 20 seconds.

|style='                                border-right:dashed 2px;' |[[file:heretic_armor.gif]] <br>Transmute a table (built) and a gasmask to create a suit of eldritch robes. The robes more or less halves damage received. A hood is included as well, which functions as a focus for spells.
|style='background-color:#eb7541;       border-right:dashed 2px;' |[[file:rusty_wall.png]] <br>You slowly heal and gain passive resistance to baton knockdown while standing on rusted tiles.
|style='border-right:solid 10px #c1c1c1'                          |[[file:heretic_flask.png]] <br>Transmute a tank of water into a flask(50u) of eldritch water. When consumed, the water will heal a bit of everything for heretics, and hurt a bit of everything for non-heretics.

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->

|- style="background-color:#2aab2a;" 
| rowspan="4" |
| style="background-color:#c1c1c1; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Mark of Ash'''
| rowspan="4" |
| style="background-color:#f58da2; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Mark of Flesh'''
| rowspan="4" |
| style="background-color:#93f4f7; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Mark of Void'''
| rowspan="4" |
| style="background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Mark of the Blade'''
| rowspan="4" |
| style="background-color:#eb7541; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Mark of Rust'''
| rowspan="4" |

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->
|- style="background-color:#2aab2a;"
| style="background-color:#c1c1c1; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:ash_blade.png]] <br>Your grasp applies ash mark on hit. Attack a marked person with your blade to deal stamina damage and burning. <br> The burning spreads to other people, becoming a bit stronger each time.
| style="background-color:#f58da2; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:flesh_blade.png]] <br>Your grasp applies flesh mark on hit. Attack a marked person with your blade to make them bleed profusely.
| style="background-color:#93f4f7; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:void_blade.png]] <br>Your grasp applies void mark on hit. Attack a marked person with your blade to lower their body temperature significantly.
| style="background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:Heretic_blade.png]] <br>Your grasp applies a blade mark on hit. Blade marked victims will be trapped in the room the mark was applied in, making them unable to leave for the duration of the mark. Attacking a marked person with your blade will remove this, but grant you an orbiting knife for 1 minute that will protect you from all attacks. This knife is consumed on use.  
| style="background-color:#eb7541; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:rust_blade.png]] <br>Your grasp applies rust mark on hit. Attack a marked person with your blade to deal 0-200 damage to items they are carrying.

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->
|- style="background-color:#2aab2a;"
| style="background-color:#c1c1c1; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Ritual of Knowledge (Ash)'''
| style="background-color:#f58da2; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Ritual of Knowledge (Flesh)'''
| style="background-color:#93f4f7; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Ritual of Knowledge (Void)'''
| style="background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Ritual of Knowledge (Blade)'''
| style="background-color:#eb7541; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Ritual of Knowledge (Rust)'''

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->
|- style="background-color:#2aab2a;"
| style="background-color:#c1c1c1; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |You learn a special, one-time-only ritual that requires 4 different items, from various organs to candles to stun batons, in various quantities. Performing this ritual instantly grants you 4 knowledge points.
| style="background-color:#f58da2; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |You learn a special, one-time-only ritual that requires 4 different items, from various organs to candles to stun batons, in various quantities. Performing this ritual instantly grants you 4 knowledge points.
| style="background-color:#93f4f7; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |You learn a special, one-time-only ritual that requires 4 different items, from various organs to candles to stun batons, in various quantities. Performing this ritual instantly grants you 4 knowledge points.
| style="background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |You learn a special, one-time-only ritual that requires 4 different items, from various organs to candles to stun batons, in various quantities. Performing this ritual instantly grants you 4 knowledge points.
| style="background-color:#eb7541; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |You learn a special, one-time-only ritual that requires 4 different items, from various organs to candles to stun batons, in various quantities. Performing this ritual instantly grants you 4 knowledge points.

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->
|- style="background-color:#6EE270;" 
| style="border-left:solid 10px #eb7541; border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Curse of Corrosion'''
| style="background-color:#c1c1c1;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Mask of Madness'''
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Curse of Paralysis'''
| style="background-color:#f58da2;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Raw Ritual'''
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Blood Siphon'''
| style="background-color:#93f4f7;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Void Phase'''
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Carving Knife'''
| style="background-color:#a3c6ff;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Stance of the Scarred Duellist'''
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Mawed Crucible'''
| style="background-color:#eb7541;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Aggressive Spread'''
| style="border-right:solid 10px #c1c1c1;"                         |'''Curse of Corrosion'''

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|- style="background-color:#6EE270;" 
| style="border-left:solid 10px #eb7541; border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:decal_bio.png]] <br>Transmute wirecutters, a pool of vomit, a heart, and an item that the victim touched with bare hands to curse them with 2 minutes of vomiting and slight organ damage.
| style="background-color:#c1c1c1;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:mad_mask.png]] <br>Transmute a mask, four candles, a liver, and a stun baton to create a Mask of Madness. It causes passive stamina damage and hallucinations to everyone around the wearer. Can be forced on a non believer to make him unable to take it off...
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:wheelchair.png]] <br>Transmute a left and right leg, a hatchet and an item that the victim touched with bare hands to curse them with 5 minutes of leg paralysis.
| style="background-color:#f58da2;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:raw_prophet.png]] <br>Transmute eyes, a left arm, right arm and a pool of blood into a Raw Prophet. Raw prophets have x-ray vision, a long jaunt, and the ability to increase their vision range. They also can blind foes and create a telepathic network between you and any of your allies. They are weak and fragile, but every consecutive attack will deal increased damage.
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:blood_siphon.gif]] <br>A ranged spell that steals a bit of life from your target, healing your bruises and restoring blood. Additionally, you have a chance of transferring wounds you are experiencing to the target.  
| style="background-color:#93f4f7;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[File:void_phase.gif]]<br>You gain a long range blink that allows you to instantly teleport to a targeted location. Teleporting causes AoE damage around you and your targeted location.
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:carving_knife.png]] <br>Transmute a knife,a glass shard and a piece of paper to create a Carving Knife. The knife, while also being a strong throwing weapon, allows you to create up to 3 carvings on the floor that have various effects on nonbelievers who walk over them. The runes are detailed later in this page.
| style="background-color:#a3c6ff;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |You gain increased resistance to blood loss from wounds and complete immunity to having limbs dismembered. Additionally, when you fall below 50% of your maximum health, you gained increases resistance to receiving any wounds, and resistance to baton knockdown.
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:crucible.gif]] <br>Transmute a table with a water tank to create a Mawed Crucible. The Crucible allows you to create potions of various effects (detailed later in this page). It starts with enough liquid to create 1 potion, but it can be refilled with organs/body parts.
| style="background-color:#eb7541;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[File:corrode.gif]]<br>Spreads rust to nearby turfs. Already rusted walls are destroyed. 
| style="border-right:solid 10px #c1c1c1"; border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:decal_bio.png]] <br>Transmute wirecutters, a pool of vomit, a heart, and an item that the victim touched with bare hands to curse them with 2 minutes of vomiting and slight organ damage.

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->
|- style="background-color:#2aab2a;" 
| rowspan="2" |
| style="background-color:#c1c1c1; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Fiery Blade'''
| rowspan="2" |
| style="background-color:#f58da2; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Bleeding Steel'''
| rowspan="2" |
| style="background-color:#93f4f7; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Seeking Blade'''
| rowspan="2" |
| style="background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Swift Blades'''
| rowspan="2" |
| style="background-color:#eb7541; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Toxic Blade'''
| rowspan="2" |

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|- style="background-color:#2aab2a;"
| style="background-color:#c1c1c1; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:ash_blade.png]] <br>Your blade adds firestacks to those you attack.
| style="background-color:#f58da2; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:flesh_blade.png]] <br>Your blade causes additional bleeding to those you attack.
| style="background-color:#93f4f7; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:void_blade.png]] <br>You can now use your blade on a distant marked target to move to them and attack them.
| style="background-color:#80b0ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:Heretic_blade.png]] <br>Attacking someone with a darkened blade in both hands will now attack with both at once, delivering two attacks in rapid succession. The second attack will be slightly less damaging. 
| style="background-color:#eb7541; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:rust_blade.png]] <br>Your blade causes toxic damage to those you attack.

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|- style="background-color:#6EE270;"
| style="border-left:solid 10px #eb7541; border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Rusted Ritual'''
| style="background-color:#c1c1c1;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Fiery Rebirth'''
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Ashen Ritual'''
| style="background-color:#f58da2;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Lonely Ritual'''
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Cleave'''
| style="background-color:#93f4f7;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Void Pull'''
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Maid in the Mirror'''
| style="background-color:#a3c6ff;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Furious Steel'''
| style="                                border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Lionhunter's Rifle'''
| style="background-color:#eb7541;       border-right:dashed 2px;" |'''Entropic Plume'''
| style="border-right:solid 10px #eb7541;                          |'''Rusted Ritual'''

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|- style="background-color:#6EE270;"
| style="border-left:solid 10px #eb7541;  border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:rust_walker.png]] <br>Transmute a vomit pool, a head and a book to summon a Rust Walker. Rust walkers can shoot large waves of rust and spread rust around them. They also heal on rust. Rust Walkers are somewhat fragile, but strong in combat.
| style="background-color:#c1c1c1;        border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:onfire.gif]] <br>A spell that drains nearby living people that are engulfed in flames. It heals 10 of each damage type per person. If a person is in critical condition it finishes them off.
| style="                                 border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:ashman.png]] <br>Transmute a pile of ash, a head and a book to summon an Ashman. Ashmen can jaunt, cause bleeding wounds, and can release large waves of fire. They are somewhat fragile, but still strong in combat. 
| style="background-color:#f58da2;        border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:stalker.png]] <br>Transmute a tail, a stomach, a tongue, a pen and a piece of paper to summon a Stalker. Stalkers can shapeshift into different creatures to blend in, inheriting their stats. They also have the ability to EMP and jaunt, and are strong combatants.
| style="                                 border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:cleave.png]] <br>A ranged spell that deals fire damage and grants severe bleeding wounds to the target and those around them.
| style="background-color:#93f4f7;        border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:void_pull.gif]] <br>An AoE spell that damages all enemies adjacent to you. Nearby enemies are also knocked down and stunned, and distant enemies are dragged closer to you. 
| style="                                 border-right:dashed 2px;" |Transmute five sheets of titanium, a flash, a suit of armor, and a pair of lungs to create a Maid in the Mirror. Maid in the Mirrors are decent combatants that are also able to become incorporeal by entering and exiting reflective surfaces, such as mirrors. They are weakened from being examined by non-heretics, making them ideal for scouting and ambushing.
| style="background-color:#a3c6ff;        border-right:dashed 2px;" |A spell that summons three orbiting knives around you. These knives will protect you from all attacks, but are consumed on use. Additionally, you can click to fire the knives, consuming them but dealing damage and causing bleeding.
| style="                                 border-right:dashed 2px;" |Transmute any ballistic weapon, such as an improvised pipegun, with hide from any animal, a piece of wood, and a camera to create a Lionhunter Rifle. This rifle has three shots and can be fired like a normal, albeit weak bolt-action rifle. However, you can click on distant targets to charge the projectile, firing a much more damaging and debilitating bullet that will hone in on the target and travel through walls.
| style="background-color:#eb7541;        border-right:dashed 2px;" |[[file:Entropic plume.png]] <br>A spell that sends out a disorienting plume of pure entropy that blinds, poisons and makes enemies strike each other. It also rusts any tiles it affects.
| style="border-right:solid 10px #eb7541;                           |[[file:rust_walker.png]] <br>Transmute a vomit pool, a head and a book to summon a Rust Walker. Rust walkers can shoot large waves of rust and spread rust around them. They also heal on rust. Rust Walkers are somewhat fragile, but strong in combat.

<!-- ///////////////////////////////////// End of row /////////////////////////////////// -->
|- style="background-color:#2aab2a;"
| rowspan="2" |[[File:heretic_rune.png]]
| style="background-color:#a1a1a1; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Ashlord's Rite'''
| rowspan="2" |[[File:heretic_rune.png]]
| style="background-color:#e34363; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Priest’s Final Hymn'''
| rowspan="2" |[[File:heretic_rune.png]]
| style="background-color:#3ec1c5; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Waltz at the End of Time'''
| rowspan="2" |[[File:heretic_rune.png]]
| style="background-color:#a3c6ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Maelstrom of Silver'''
| rowspan="2" |[[File:heretic_rune.png]]
| style="background-color:#c5673e; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 2px" |'''Rustbringer’s Oath'''
| rowspan="2" |[[File:heretic_rune.png]]

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|- style="background-color:#2aab2a;"
| style="background-color:#a1a1a1; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[file:fire_ring.gif]]<br> Transmute 3 husked or burning corpses to Ascend. You become immune to environmental dangers. You also gain two spells: One of which surrounds yourself with fire constantly for a minute, and the other sends off a massive wave of fire.

| style="background-color:#e34363; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[file:terror_of_the_night_armsy.png]]<br>Transmute 4 corpses to Ascend. Your Grasp ability can create 3 additional ghouls, and the Imperfect Ritual can create 4 additional Voiceless Dead. More importantly, you gain the ability to transform into a Lord of the Night and back at will. You can eat arms to heal in this form.

| style="background-color:#3ec1c5; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[file:void_storm.gif]]<br>Transmute 3 corpses in a frozen area to Ascend. You now automatically silence people around you. Additionally, a deadly snow storm is summoned around you and everywhere you walk. The storm does not harm you or your summoned minions.

| style="background-color:#a3c6ff; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |Transmute 3 headless corpses to Ascend. You have a constantly regenerating ring of knives which will protect you but are consumed on use. Your Darkened Blades will also deal much more damage, and gain slight lifesteal. Additionally, you will also gain full stun and wound immunity, and your Furious Steel spell will have a reduced cooldown. 

| style="background-color:#c5673e; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 2px" |[[File:Rusty reinforced wall.png]]<br>Transmute 3 corpses on the Bridge of the station to Ascend. While on rust tiles, your healing is tripled and you become resistant to a wide variety of effects (stuns, shoves, shocks, pressure, temperature, airloss, piercing, explosions, radiation, etc). Rust also spreads from the ritual's rune, covering the station slowly.
|}

===Optional Knowledge ===

There are also a few optional, dead end knowledges you can research to help improve your ability to progress towards ascension. 

{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="2"
! style="background-color:green" width="140px" |Name
! style="background-color:green" width="140px" | Requirement
! style="background-color:green" width="830px" |Description
|-
!The Relentless Heartbeat
|Mask of Madness, Raw Prophet, Void Phase, or Aggressive Spread
|Allows you to transmute a harebell, a book, and any jumpsuit while standing on a rune to reroll your sacrifice targets. This grants you four new sacrifice targets (not guaranteed to be different from your old ones, though).
|-
!Codex Cicatrix
|Ashen Passage, Imperfect Ritual, Aristocrat's Way, or Leeching Walk,
|Allows you to transmute a bible, a fountain pen, and hide from any animal (humans included) to create a Codex Cicatrix. The Codex Cicatrix augments much of your basic abilities. Draining influences with the Codex rewards double the points, drawing runes with it scribes three times as fast, and it can be used to remove runes with ease, among other useful tools.
|-
!Lionhunter Rifle Ammunition
|Lionhunter's Rifle
|Allows you to transmute hide from any animal with three ballistic ammunition casings, such as shotgun shots (used or unused) to create another clip of ammunition - three rounds - for the Lionhunter Rifle. 
|-
|}


===[[file:carving_knife.png]] Carvings===
'''Carvings''' are special runes that can be etched into the floor using the Carving Knife, an item gained from researching the Tier 2 Flesh-Void side path. These carvings act as traps that trigger when a victim steps onto one. You can have up to a maximum of 3 carvings placed at any time, and having carvings placed grants you an ability to destroy all carvings should you ever need to replace them.

{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="2"
! style="background-color:green" width="64px" |Icon
! style="background-color:green" width="140px" |Name
! style="background-color:green" width="830px" |Description
|-
|[[File:Alert_rune.png|64px]]
!Alert Carving
|Gives you a message every time someone walks over it with their name and area. This carving has a very low alpha value in-game, making it very hard to see. It is not destroyed when someone walks over it.
|-
|[[File:Tentacle rune.png|64px]]
!Grasping Carving
|When walked over, the victim is stunned for five seconds and their legs receive heavy damage.
|-
|[[File:Madness_rune.png|64px]]
!Maddening Carving
|When walked over, applies dizzyness, jiterryness, temporary blindness, confusion , stuttering, slurring and a large amount of stamina damage to the victim.
|-
|}


===[[file:crucible.gif]] Crucible Potions===
'''Crucible Potions''' (or brews) are unique consumable items that are created from a Mawed Crucible, a structure gained from researching the Tier 2 Void-Rust side path. Each kind of potion grants a special buff to you once used. A crucible can make up to 5 individual potions before needing to be refilled with body parts or organs.

{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" border="2"
! style="background-color:green" width="64px" |Icon
! style="background-color:green" width="140px" |Name
! style="background-color:green" width="766px" |Description
! style="background-color:green" width="64px" |Buff Icon
|-
|[[File:Crucible soul brew.png|64px]]
! Brew of Crucible Soul
|Allows you to phase through walls for 15 seconds. After the time runs out, you get teleported to your original location.
|[[File:Crucible soul.gif|64px]]
|-
|[[File:Crucible_clarity.png|64px]]
!Brew of Dusk and Dawn
|Allows you to see clearly through walls and objects for 60 seconds.
|[[File:Dusk_and_dawn.png|64px]]
|-
|[[File:Crucible marshal.png|64px]]
!Brew of Wounded Soldier
| For the next 60 seconds each wound will heal you. Minor wounds heal 1 of it's damage type per second, moderate heal 3 and critical heal 6. You also become immune to damage slowdown.
|[[File:Wounded soldier.png|64px]]
|-
|}


==[[File:Light Bulb.png|32px]] Tips==
* Unlike most other solo antagonists, Heretics start weak but grow stronger over time. It would be best not to attract too much attention to yourself until you unlock more powerful spells and equipment.
*Many unlockable transmutations require body parts or whole corpses. You can get these from your victims, as well as by raiding the [[Morgue]], or with the correct access, turning monkeys into catatonic humans.
*Even if you never fight other heretics, you're inherently at odds with them. Each influence can only be harvested once, so the heretic that goes the fastest and grabs the most influences first has to do less killing and sacrificing to reach their ascensions.
*Your Mansus Grasp will temporarily garble the speech of people who you use it on. This can let you get away with murder while comms are online, but be careful - it's not foolproof!
*Influences can spawn in almost any location on the station, ranging from the main hallways and public restrooms to Command staff offices and restricted security areas in the [[Brig]]. It's best to check every area you can access, public and department.
*If you can't find any influences by peaking in windows, try getting to a Security Camera Console either breaking into a security post or by building your own. Simply cycle through the cameras and make note of any influences you see. Do watch your back while doing this, you don't want to be busted by an officer while you're distracted!
*As a heretic, access is more important than ever! The more areas you can easily access, the more influences you'll be able to snag. Getting all access can be a godsend, and knowing how to either hack or talk your way into other departments can help you beat other heretics to the free points.
*A [[Paramedic]] ID is very valuable, as it gives at least basic access to a wide variety of airlocks across the station. Having one of these (either by being a paramedic yourself or stealing it from a coworker) makes it that much easier to reach influences.
*Drawing new runes requires you to stand still for a very long time. Draw your runes beforehand to avoid having to hold on to a body for much longer, and to leave quicker. You might not have time to draw a rune if Security is hot on your tail.
*The Mawed Crucible can be wrenched/unwrenched by using your Codex or your Mansus Grasp on it, allowing you to relocate if necessary.
*You can create two blades as most heretics, or three as flesh / five as blade. Carry an extra in your bag to break in case you need to escape from a sticky situation. You can also carry blades on your Eldritch Armor and Void Cloak!
*The Carving Knife, while useful for making defensive traps, is also a robust throwing weapon with high embed chance. Make a few of them for a good ranged weapon!
*Having Aristocrat's Way researched allows you to spacewalk with only a firefighting suit and helmet, as they are pressure resistant. Useful if your job doesn't have access to actual spacesuits/hardsuits.
*Entropic Plume causes any living mob caught in the plume to randomly strike other nearby mobs, which includes Beepsky and other [[Securitron|Securitrons]]. Use sec's robot pets against them!
*Even after ascension, you aren't completely invincible. Don't get too hasty and end up eating a barrage of deadly lasers to the face.
*Pierced Realities cause harm to non-heretics depending on how you interact with them. Examining them as a non-heretic deals 10 brain damage. Interacting with them as a non-heretic has a 1/4 chance of your arm being eaten up by it. Interacting with them as a non-heretic using telekinesis will cause your head to literally explode in a very flashy manner.
*When starting out, you may want to rely on certain [[makeshift weapons]]. You can craft flashlight eyes for use in certain rituals, and create shivs by wrapping cloth (cut up bedsheets) around a shard of glass to transmute your blade.
*Live or die, victims you send to the shadow realm will never remember that you did it. This means that for avoiding detection, the most important thing is to make sure nobody ''else'' knows about you.
*Your Ritual of Knowledge is a great way to get a ton of points without drawing too much attention (probably.) Completing it as soon as possible is a good way to get a lot of power fast.
*By default, nothing on you is incriminating. If security suspects you, but can't actually pin anything heretical on you, you might be able to pass off as a Traitor instead.
*Monkeys, and monkey-humans (created by giving a monkey mutadone) make for great, usually non-suspicious sources of organs or corpses for your heretical rituals.
*Security about to check out your ritual hideout? Remember your grasp can instantly destroy a circle, leaving no evidence behind you were up to no good. But be careful - It'll go on cooldown after, and people may hear the cast sound.
*Remember that other players can hear your Living Heart, too. Don't use it in public unless people are distracted.
*Ashen Shift and Void Phase make for incredibly powerful escape tools. If you have either of these, it might be wise to have an Amber Focus somewhere on you at all times for emergencies.
*Fear the syringe gun. [[Guide to chemistry#Mute Toxin|Mute Toxin]] will single-handedly shut down your ability to cast your spells.
*Summoning rituals can be incredibly powerful if you get a good player on your side.
*Most summoned monsters will drop the components used to create them on death. While having them to die is not ideal, you can easily grab the parts and summon another. 
*Shattered Risen ghouls are strong enough to bash open locked lockers and airlocks.
*Furious Steel will allow you to melee attack while it's active. Use it for a leg up in close quarters combat!

{{Jobs}}
{{Game modes}}

[[Category:Jobs]]
[[Category:Game Modes]]
[[Category:Guides]]