An Embryo is a unique ability only available to Masters in the world of Infinite Dendrogram. It is described as a half-material and half-information symbiote.
Information[]
The Embryo system is one of the cornerstones of the playstyle of Infinite Dendrogram. There are an infinite number of ways for the form and ability of an Embryo to develop, depending on the Masters' behavioral patterns, in-game experience, biorhythm and personality, which is the origin of the name of the game.
However, not all parts of its evolution are influenced by its Master. It is also greatly influenced by information about their surrounding environment, with the most notable example of this being the current generation of Embryos giving status correction compared to the previous generation of Embryos due to the influence of a world where Masters can gain jobs.
Whenever an Embryo's Master experiences their ultimate death, their resources are crystallized and leave behind a Form 0 Embryo as long as no accident happens. Even an Embryo at Form I when its Master permanently dies will leave behind at least two Form 0 Embryos. When an accident does indeed hapen, it becomes an aborted egg and is then kept and used by Jabberwock to create UBMs. However, Infinite Embryos are exempt from this rule and can remain indefinitely as long as their cores aren't shattered similar to the Control A.I.s though unlike when their Masters are still alive, reconstruction is impossible for them.
Forms[]
Each Master is granted an Embryo seed upon being registered in the game, referred to as the zeroth form, where the Embryo observes the characteristics of the Master. Once the analysis is complete, the Embryo takes form and hatches, and the seed is replaced by a crest unique to the Master. Once an Embryo is hatched, it is impossible for it to be replaced. Past the zeroth form, there are seven forms that an Embryo can take. The first to third forms are called low-rank Embryo, the fourth to sixth forms are called a high-rank Embryo, while the seventh form is called Superior Embryo. With each evolution, the amount of resources available to the Embryo increases, leading to a dramatic increase in the Embryo's output. An Embryo's evolution is entirely dependent on the characteristics and effort of the user. While up to the sixth form can be attained by any Master with enough time, evolution to the seventh form has no relation to those factors, being noticeably more difficult to achieve, resulting in cases where Masters who have been playing since the beginning of the game are still on their sixth form and Masters who have been playing for mere months achieving the seventh form.
Status Correction[]
An Embryo will generally grant a certain correction to a Masters' status, though there are cases where no such correction is given or was even given negative status correction instead. The amount of correction granted is proportional to the strength of the Embryo's special ability. The simpler the Embryo's skill and the less varied it is, the more likely for it to give higher status correction. It is possible for the amount of correction granted to increase.
- Note: These values are guidelines, and there are individual differences in terms of the values for each Embryo.
Types[]
An Embryo can take on different types based on the nature of its form or ability. It is commonly thought that the nature of the Master is what determines the type of Embryo they receive.
Basic Types[]
There are 5 basic types of Embryo that are commonplace.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Type: Arms | A category for an Embryo that is wielded by Masters. This includes weapons such as swords, guns, staves, and even extends up to prosthetic body parts as well. Masters with this type of Embryo tend to be courageous, unafraid to be hurt, reckless, foolish, emotional and hot blooded. It is the most common type of Embryo. Masters who possess Arms which substitutes for body parts tends to see the world of Infinite Dendrogram as reality similar to a Type: Maiden and possess dissatisfaction towards their life in the real world. |
| Type: Guardner | A category for an Embryo that takes the form of a living, non-human being. Masters with this type of Embryo are cowardly, afraid to be hurt and desires someone to protect them. A Type: Guardner Embryo is not considered part of the Master's party but as a Tamed monster with a subordinate capacity of 0. |
| Type: Chariot | A category for an Embryo that takes the form of a vehicle. Masters with this type of Embryo are indecisive, liars and has the tendency to follow the crowd. |
| Type: Castle | A category for an Embryo that takes the form of a building. In its basic category, this type of Embryo cannot move, but in return boasts high defensive power. Masters with this type of Embryo are introverted, gentle, careful, cooperative and have an artisan's temperament. |
| Type: Territory | A category for an Embryo that invokes a special ability within a certain area. Since this Embryo does not have a physical form, it is extremely difficult for it to be interfered with by others. Depending on the shape and size of the area of effect, the strength of the effect can change. Masters with this type of Embryo have a lust for control, tend to hoard their stress, create rules for themselves, and are self righteous lone wolves. |
Rare Types[]
There are 3 types of Embryo that are much rarer, due to their Masters needing to possess unusual mindsets.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Type: Maiden with | A category for an Embryo that takes the form of a human female. This type of Embryo is always a hybrid with one of the five basic types from the beginning. It tends to emerge due to a sense of crisis. The ability of this type of Embryo are usually focused on the concept of 'giant killing': concentrating power on a single point and defeating the 'strong' under limited conditions. Said 'strong' can be defined as a certain kind of opponent, or even a concept. Masters with this type of Embryo believe, somewhere in the back of their mind, that Infinite Dendrogram is not a game and that lives there have the same weight as lives in the real world. |
| Type: Apostle with | A category for an Embryo that takes the form of a human male. This type of Embryo is always a hybrid with one of the five basic types right from the beginning. It tends to emerge due to a sense of duty. They will dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to their Masters' missions, regardless of its morality. Less than 0.1% of all Embryos have this type. The ability of this type of Embryo are usually focused on the concept of 'Dominator'(世界掌握): Taking control of a part of the world and transforming it into a world that benefits them. This differs from Type: Territory in that rather than invoking the ability inside an area, it dominates the phenomenon inside the designated area. It is extremely easy for this Embryo to grow and acquire powerful abilities, so in return, it does not grant a status correction to its Master. Masters with this type of Embryo despise Infinite Dendrogram. |
| Type: Body | A category for an Embryo that replaces the user's body. Unlike the prosthetic organs found in Type: Arm Embryo categories, Type: Body replaces the entire avatar with something else. This category is even rarer than Type: Apostle. Due to its great rarity, no specific tendencies has been observed in its Masters, but it is believed that they must be able to imagine themselves being replaced by something else. |
High-End Embryo[]
Depending on the form and ability an Embryo obtains during the course of its evolution, it will sometimes become a High-End Embryo. Each of the five basic categories has two high end categories.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Type: Weapon | A category for a Type: Arms Embryo whose functionality is focused on its use as a weapon. |
| Type: Calculator | A category for a Type: Arms Embryo whose functionality focuses on calculation ability. |
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Type: Legion | A category for a Type: Guardner Embryo with multiple units. They come in two types: those with a large number of units with weaker abilities and status and those with a small number of units with stronger abilities. |
| Type: Guardian | A category for a Type: Guardner Embryo that is capable of independent action. Due to concentrating resources into one unit, its abilities and status surpasses that of a Legion. |
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Type: Gear | A category for a Type: Chariot Embryo specialized in being ridden by its Master. Normally, the Embryo's ability would only work when the Master is present, but in the case of hybrids with the Maiden, Apostle or Guardian category, independent operation is possible. |
| Type: Advance | A category for a Type: Chariot Embryo specialized in strengthening the ability of the Master's vehicle. |
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Type: Fortress | A category for a Type: Castle Embryo that takes the form of a huge facility such as a factory for producing items or monsters, or a large scale fortification. |
| Type: Labyrinth | A category for a Type: Castle Embryo whose abilities focuses on affecting things on the inside of its range. |
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Type: World | A category for a Type: Territory Embryo whose ability can affect everything inside the designated space. Depending on the nature of the ability, the effect can be increased by compressing the area of effect. |
| Type: Rule | A category for a Type: Territory Embryo whose ability only affects the user. |
High Rank Derivative Embryo[]
On occasion, upon evolving into their high rank forms, some Embryo will gain a derivative type depending on their abilities.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Type: Elder | A category prefixed to Type:Arms or Type: Castle Embryo that are said to be of higher version that increases the basic abilities of the Embryo. |
| Type: Angel | A category prefixed to any of the 5 basic Embryo categories that have abilities focused on analyzing the space around them. |
| Type: Fusion | A category prefixed to Type: Arms or Guardian Embryo that fuses with either only a part of the user's body or the entire body instead of replacing the body. This category tends to appear in children who live out their dreams in the world. |
Hybrid Embryo[]
Normally, upon evolving into their high rank forms, a new type is added to the original type, but it is also possible for an embryo to start with dual or more basic type hybrid.
Trivia[]
- Type: Maiden Embryos are noted to typically possess unique eating habits.
- The requirements to store an Embryo back onto a Master's crest differs from each Master. Some can store them without touching them while some (typically Type:Arms Embryo) require their Master to be touching them before they can be stored.
- Furthermore, depending on the Embryo's size, storing it back and releasing it can take more time than normal.
- Equipments used by Type: Guardners, Maidens, and Apostles are considered a part of their body.
- Items that such categories wear aside from their normal attires turns into particles of light and gets stored somewhere whenever they went inside their crest.
- Type: Apostle Embryos can also manifest on Masters without hating the world of Infinite Dendrogram and instead loving it. However, the probability of it happening is extremely low.
- Type: Territory Embryos grants a higher amount of status correction compared to another Embryo of a different type even if they both focus on status correction. This is because Type: Territory Embryos do not spend some of their resources in giving the Embryos a tangible form.
- Type: Fusion Guardian also adds their stats to their Master whenever they're fused together. In exchange, they usually possess a lower amount of stats compared to most Type: Guardian Embryos.
- Type: Guardner, Type: Maiden, and Type: Apostle Embryos can also increase their stats without possessing a level or evolving.
- Embryos that was born with the same type as the preceeding Embryo are noted to have great similarities in terms of their appearance just like in the case of both Persephone and Nemesis.
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