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The Old-Evolution-Mind control fungus!

Counter-Evolution-No mind control fungus!

[breadbocks]

A fungus isn't capable of complicated thought. The only way for it to become civilized is a hivemind.

Only the ones we know of. None of the fungus we know of have brains, chemical or otherwise.

[Aramco]

A fungus isn't capable of complicated thought. The only way for it to become civilized is a hivemind. Assuming the hivemind needs a host constantly we'd be doomed if a new host was supplied even a little bit late as a parasitic race.
We could become stationary godplayers that only sent orders to our spliced creations, but what fun would that be?

No-- There are just no existing fungi capable of thought. A fungus is just as capable of complex-individual thought as it is to have a hive mind.

[Lillipad]

A fungus isn't capable of complicated thought. The only way for it to become civilized is a hivemind.

Only the ones we know of. None of the fungus we know of have brains, chemical or otherwise.

This is true, but we had a brain before becoming a true fungus, so I'm not sure how much that counts.

[FuzzyZergling]

This is Bay 12 forums! We can be civilized fungi if we want to be, dammit!

_{Pardon my language.}

[breadbocks]

This is Bay 12 forums! We can be civilized fungi if we want to be, dammit!

_{Pardon my language.}

Is that the worst language you've got? I've done worse fairly regularly.

[Vactor]

We wouldn't be doomed if we don't have a host, we're a fungus that is perfectly capable of existing via our leaves,  If we ever do get to the point where we have forced a mass extinction in our world we can go into plain fungus mode until life returns to the planet, and once something comes along to eat us BAM with the tentacles and we're back in business.

We can become sentient independently of our hosts, we'll only be reliant on them for mobility/stomping and biteing ability, which isn't a deal breaker for us if we don't have it.  Once we have enough reliable DNA parsing and storage devices we'll at some point be able to do genetic engineering to create and grow organisms out of single cells which can suit our needs, filling whatever niche find  ourselves thrust into.

As to the question of what next:  Develop the ability to replace a host cell's DNA with the DNA that we can collect, (something like the harpoon someone asked for in cell stage) 

I'm guessing this will be pretty ineffective to begin with, but it lays the groundwork for future genetic engineering

[Derekristow]

This is kind of wrapping around to my idea, where we are the true intelligence behind the civilization.  We would be the brains, and one or more species of our choice would be the everything else.  If we do thing right we can infect the chosen host's entire species, and our intelligence will be beneficial enough that none of them gain immunity.

[Evergod41]

Whatever we do, we should do it fast...

[Flagrarus]

Looks like mind-control is crushing the counter-evolution. 21 hours till I move on though, other people might still want to vote.

So, unless a lot of new people come in and vote for Counter-evolution, or a lot of people change their votes...mind-control it is.

[USEC_OFFICER]

Mind-control wins, by 7 extra votes. For all you Counter-Evolution people, this does not mean that I'll ignore you. After all, there is still tribe/civilization stages to go through.

Anyways, with that out of the way:

You can get one specialized cell or organ, and improve 3 different things.

EDIT: Some one changed their vote to counter-evolution. That means that evolution wins by five votes. Still quite a bit.

[Lillipad]

Specialize: mind-control cells into a very basic hivemind.

Improve:
Tentaclesx2: strengthen them, add thorns
brain: increase intelligence

[Flagrarus]

Specialize: mind-control cells into a very basic hivemind.

Improve:
Tentaclesx2: strengthen them, add thorns
brain: increase intelligence

I think we shouldn't do the thorns and try to get a headstart on the DNA thing. Like you said, it'll probably take a few tries to get it right, so... I agree with the rest though.

EDIT: Sounds good to me.

[Lillipad]

Specialize: mind-control cells into a very basic hivemind.

Improve:
Tentaclesx2: strengthen them, add thorns improve trapdoors to further blend with body
brain: increase intelligence

[Vactor]

improve dna stealing cells into something that can remove/add dna without destruction of cell

[Lillipad]

improve dna stealing cells into something that can remove/add dna without destruction of cell

We don't have DNA stealing cells yet.