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How do the Tyranids deal with Blanks like the SoS? I know that most humans feel repulsed by them and Psykers and elder can be harmed or killed by being in there presence but what about Tyranids? Would the lesser creatures lose their link to the hive mind and would synapse creatures be unable to control the lesser bioforms in their presence? Also what would happen if a blank got killed and their DNA absorbed into the greater mass, would the pariah gene disrupt the Hive Minds control or would it be able to form Blank Tyranids? Any canon on this?

Blanks wouldn't be able to communicate with the hive mind. If the Tyranids ever consumed one, the resulting spawn would either be removed and reconstituted for being unusable, or be reduced to instinctive behaviour since they'd always be independent from the hive mind.

As for the impact of blanks on the hive mind... hard to say. The greater mind probably isn't too bothered by a few small instances of blanks, its presence is simply so big that one here or there can't really bother to affect it too much. Strategic usage of blanks could probably block off key synapse, although I've no idea if it's ever been used in the fluff.

I'm sure Jurgen affects their synapse in one of the Cain novels, whether that's to be taken as cannon is up to the reader I suppose.

Blanks aren't a big issue to tyranids in my opinion. When they collect their biomass they have no special effect. the Tyranids could create a blank creature if they wanted to, but they would probably cause problems as they could not communicate psychicly with synaptic creature (but still could using other methods like pheromons or through languages). The only use for such a creature would be to fight daemons which are worthless to tyranids in terms of biomass as psykers already see their powers weakenned or turned against them thanks to the Shadow in the Warp cast by the tyranids.

A blank warrior form isn't very useful because it's only use is an anti psyker assassin that's independant which isn't really the Nid style. In a fight they're not that significant. Smaller forms like Rippers might lose Synapse and infight but smarter things like Warriors or Lictors will just kill them.

Are the Sisters of Silence blanks? If so then highly powerful psykers aren't bothered by them. Malcador was able to use his power while surrounded by Sisters and showed no signs of discomfort. The hive mind would definitely qualify and then some. Might work on individual synapse nids and cut them off, and thus the nearby nids dependant on said synapse, from the hive mind

Yes, that's their whole thing. That's weird seeing as Malcadors power should have been shut down by them. Nulls shut down psychic powers near them by existing that's why the Eldar hate Culexus assassins so much.

pm713 wrote:
Yes, that's their whole thing. That's weird seeing as Malcadors power should have been shut down by them. Nulls shut down psychic powers near them by existing that's why the Eldar hate Culexus assassins so much.

I see two possiblities in the Malcador scenario:

1) The Sister of Silence are capable of controlling their powers either via training or thanks to equpment in such a fashion that they only hinder specific targets.

2) The author of that scene has decided to redefine the abilities of the blanks for the purpose of his story.

We've seen in the Cain novels that when Jurgen got within reach of Genestealers, it stunned them momentarily as they lost contact with the synapse network. In their case, it was a simple re-adjustment because 'Stealers are plenty smart. In other cases, smaller 'nids going within range of a blank means that they revert to their more animalistic state and shy away from confrontation until control is reasserted.

If the 'Pariah Gene' is still a thing, then presumably the Hive Mind could eat one blank, and (assuming it correctly identified however many 'genes actually make it up - The Imperium can't and they've been working on it a long time - Only the Emperor has done any remotely successful work on it), construct a tyranid organism which possessed it.

The problem however, would be that the resulting organism would never have had a connection to the Hive Mind, and would thus not only be required to think for itself, but also be educated/trained in what was required of it for any form of complex situation. The Hive Mind could conceivably program in basic instinctual behaviours (as with the Gaunts), or desires (like the Genestealer's urge to procreate), but if you wanted such an organism to be properly directable on the field of battle? Or to operate as an independent assassin, Lictor style? It needs critical reasoning skills, which can't be gene-coded, they have to be learnt.

And that sort of thing is dangerous, because it risks the organism turning against the Hive Mind. There's no guarantee of control any longer.

For the most part such genes would probably be pulpy dna building blocks for the most parts as it is broken down into building blocks.

Speculation beyond that is difficult, as what we know about tyranids is very sparce, by nature 2nd or 3rd hand information, and it apears to have changed from edition to edition.

Presumably the chances that the nids can use some of the blank DNA would be if a malanthrope gets to nible on the corpse of one. Manalanthropes seems to be the once that collect and screen new DNA parts. Or at least it is the colector for potensial new DNA before it gets processed by the next part in the system.

Asuming the hive mind managed to extract the the blank piece of DNA there are some questons. Does it affect the hive mind synaptic web?

If no, then they can just implement it en mass. (Hive fleet Kronos anyone?)

If yes they would need to implement it into a creature that they would need to comunicate with non-telepathically. This would not nessasseraly verbally, look at bees or ants for instance. Both of those are non telepatic functional hives. The hive fleet could also implement it in crteatures that act well on instict, like genestealers or lictors. Lictors that are invisible in the warp could be handy. Just eat them when you consume the planet.

To continue spinning in this: Note that if you got the paria gene inside a unit that can reproduce it can over time potensually become a new race. The hive mind would not be able to controll them. A genestealer cult with the pariah gene could in theory become a new race. (Perhaps this is why the hive mind does not eat ymghal genestealers?)

On another note, I do not know how tyranids process DNA and biomass. Is it so that biomass can be used for anything, or are they depending on having much longer chains of monecules and DNA and then retrofit it into new organisms? And do genestealers use what scientist today cal CRISPR Genome Editing?

 Ketara wrote:
We've seen in the Cain novels that when Jurgen got within reach of Genestealers, it stunned them momentarily as they lost contact with the synapse network

I thought Genestealers operated independently of the hive mind anyway.

That's why they've never (?) been affected by synapse rules ingame.

 Ashiraya wrote:

 Ketara wrote:
We've seen in the Cain novels that when Jurgen got within reach of Genestealers, it stunned them momentarily as they lost contact with the synapse network

I thought Genestealers operated independently of the hive mind anyway.

That's why they've never (?) been affected by synapse rules ingame.

I think they have a mini Synapse between their own cult members.

epronovost wrote:

pm713 wrote:
Yes, that's their whole thing. That's weird seeing as Malcadors power should have been shut down by them. Nulls shut down psychic powers near them by existing that's why the Eldar hate Culexus assassins so much.

I see two possiblities in the Malcador scenario:

1) The Sister of Silence are capable of controlling their powers either via training or thanks to equpment in such a fashion that they only hinder specific targets.

2) The author of that scene has decided to redefine the abilities of the blanks for the purpose of his story.

To add a third suggestion he might just be that powerful that he can use his powers anyway regardless of blanks or not.

I remember one of the Ciaphas Cain books depict Blanks disrupting the synaptic control amongst individual organisms to a degree (refers to the creatures going for whatever was closest rather than the normal strategic thinking that synaptic influence provides) but made it seem more like the Blank was invisible to the Hive Mind than a full nullification of its will.

It is interesting to note the descriptions of the effects of the Shadow in the Warp and the effects of Blanks are eerily similar. Both shut off access to the warp (Tyranids draw psychic power from the Hive Mind itself) and generate a strong sense of unease amongst others that is magnified for psykers.

 Ashiraya wrote:

I thought Genestealers operated independently of the hive mind anyway.

That's why they've never (?) been affected by synapse rules ingame.

Genestealers have their own "Broodmind" that activates when disconnected from the greater Hive Mind. They are still subject to synaptic control (the Shield of Baal campaign book has an instance where a brood of Genestealers is subjugated by a Zoanthrope to draw attention away from itself), but can coordinate with others of their own immediate brood without it. In-game this is reflected by their not having the Instinctive Behavior rules that most non-synaptic creatures have.

Incidentally, this is one of the more tragic aspects of the Genestealer Cults. The Broodmind that links individual brood brothers together is overridden by the Hive Mind when a Tyranid invasion occurs, so the much beloved Genestealers end up "turning" against their offspring who lack such a synaptic link.

 Ashiraya wrote:

 Ketara wrote:
We've seen in the Cain novels that when Jurgen got within reach of Genestealers, it stunned them momentarily as they lost contact with the synapse network

I thought Genestealers operated independently of the hive mind anyway.

That's why they've never (?) been affected by synapse rules ingame.

Whenever the cult grows big enough they start acting like a beakon for the nids. The bigger the cult the bigger the link. I also think that they are telepathic to some extend, although I do not know. The primus has the tyranid psykicks, the magus is a psyker. (Unsure if that is the same.) It might be when they recah critical mass they start sending the becone, but I asume that they have a latent network that reaches critical mas at some point.

When the nids come close enough they hijack the cult. At least until it is to late to not be eaten. Some cultists 'wake up' after the uprising, ust horefied before getting eaten.