Parasite

Parasite
Health	175
Will gib when health is	-50
Attack Damage	Tube: Up to 25 (original game) Up to 19 (2023 remaster)
Found in	Quake II The Reckoning Ground Zero Quake II 64 Quake II PSX Call of the Machine
[Source]

In Quake II, a Parasite is a four-legged cyborg, somewhat resembling a cybernetic dog with a human head. Parasites are equipped with a semi-organic tube which they attach to their victims, gradually draining their health. They are first encountered in either the Comm Center or the Lost Station of Unit 1, depending on the route taken by the player.

In the 2023 remaster, the Parasite's attack behaviour was significantly changed - see below.

Behaviour and attacks[]

Tube (original game): The Parasite's tube is a short-ranged attack which connects to its target and then gradually deals up to a total of 25 damage, although this can be interrupted by moving behind an obstacle once the attack has begun. It cannot be avoided by strafing in older versions. It is ineffective if the target is on a higher or lower level of elevation compared to the Parasite.

Tube (2023 remaster): The Tube attack was significantly changed in the 2023 remaster. It has a much longer range and is capable of targeting a foe at a higher or lower level of elevation. However, it's possible to dodge it by strafing. Furthermore, if the Tube misses and strikes a wall, the Parasite gets stuck for a few moments while it frees itself. Successfully harming a target with the Tube allows the Parasite to heal itself of damage it has taken. Aside from these changes, it does less damage now - a potential total of 19 damage per attack (the initial strike inflicts 5 damage, and then a stream of seven 2-damage hits if the player stays in view once the tube is attached).

Parasites move fairly quickly, but in the original game they have a tendency to stop moving for a moment every few seconds. In the mission pack Ground Zero and the 2023 remaster, however, Parasites behave more aggressively - advancing more consistently towards their target, without stopping every few seconds.

Strategies[]

• When you first encounter the Parasite in Unit 1, the best weapon you'll have at the time is the Machine Gun. Keep your distance and keep retreating while firing, and the Machine Gun will get the job done. Later in the game, more powerful weapons such as the Chain Gun, Rocket Launcher, Hyperblaster or Railgun will become available and can be used instead.
• A large number of Parasites inhabit the Research Lab in Unit 8, usually attacking in groups of three and often appearing at close range. The Chain Gun, Hyperblaster or even the BFG10k are the best options during this level; it may be worth saving a Quad Damage and/or Invulnerability for this level as well, to avoid taking damage from their accurate attacks.
• The 2023 remaster gives the Parasite a tube attack with a much longer range, although it can be dodged now. However, if the player is strafing at the time the Parasite launches the tube, it will tend to launch it towards where the player will strafe to, allowing the Parasite good accuracy against a player who strafes in the same direction consistently. To dodge the tube, it is best to change direction at the moment the tube is launched, but this requires careful timing. Another option is to stand still as the Parasite approaches you and wait for it to launch its tube, strafing at the correct moment will cause it to miss and hopefully get stuck.

Appearance statistics[]

Trivia[]

• Parasite's description from the game's manual directly refers to Cujo, a dangerous rabid St. Bernard from Stephen King's 1981 novel and 1983 film of the same name. It contrasts him with the heroic Rough Collie Lassie, created by author Eric Knight and made famous by a television series produced from 1954 to 1973.
• An idle Parasite will continually tap the ground with a leg, making sounds as if it is running - but once the Parasite is active and running towards its target, it is silent.
• The Parasite has an unused animation for trying take a leech that is stuck to a wall. This is now used in the remastered version and the player can stun the monster by strafing.
• When a Parasite spots the player, they will produce a hissing noise similar to a breathing chameleon.
• When a Parasite is idle, it may sometimes scratch its neck with its left leg, like a real dog.
• In the PSX version, Parasite has been weakened to 120 health points, so can be killed using a single perfect-hit grenade.

Death Message[]

• Player was exsanguinated by a Parasite

Sounds[]

Gallery[]

Quake II Manual photo

Parasite's texture map

Parasite's texture map when injured

Texture map for Parasite's leech

Remastered model