Vortiguant Guide

          The Vortigaunts (taxonomic designation: Xenotherium subservilia, or "Subservient Alien Beast"), formerly known as Alien Slaves or Xen Slaves, and affectionately known as "Vorts" by their allies, are a sapient alien species found throughout the Half-Life series. Long before the Black Mesa Incident, the Vortigaunts' homeworld was invaded by the Combine, forcing the survivors of the invasion to flee to Xen. When the Black Mesa Incident occurred, their master, a being known as the Nihilanth, viewed the rift that opened as a chance to escape, and directed the Vortigaunts to invade Earth. Following the death of the Nihilanth, the Vortigaunts have chosen to ally themselves with the human-led Resistance in its bid to overthrow the Combine rule of Earth.




In appearance, Vortigaunts are somewhat humanoid, with two legs and two arms and an additional third arm protruding from the chest. This extra limb is a feature also found in other bipedal, sapient species from Xen, including the Alien Grunt and the Nihilanth. This similarity, along with other shared features such as red eyes and back-jointed legs, is strongly suggestive of a common ancestry with other intelligent Xen life forms. Apparently, this third arm is used for feeding, as both Vortigaunts and Alien Grunts are often seen bending over slain victims, feeding on them.

Vortigaunts have mottled green-brown skin, sharp teeth, and clawed hands. Vortigaunts have a slightly hunched posture, and their faces are dominated by a large, single eye with a maroon sclera and a heterochromic red-yellow iris with a yellow pupil, surrounded by three smaller eyes. All four eyes are actually multiple openings to a single eye surface, as noted on a white board in Questionable Ethics. They also have a navel, two rectums, and four nipples, suggesting that Vortigaunts reproduce in a similar fashion to Earthly mammals.

Another interesting feature of the Vortigaunts is that they have no tongue or teeth on their lower jaw, yet they can speak English fluently, albeit with a strange accent and some sort of speech impediment when using S's and R's, but still.


Vortigaunts are very intelligent and social creatures and are capable of developing intelligent strategies. When faced with a superior enemy, Vortigaunts will often run away, and if possible, group together with other Vortigaunts to form a stronger force. Most Vortigaunts will not have an issue with combat when faced with it, yet they may not enjoy bringing death upon any other creature.


Vortigaunts possess their own native form of communication, which is referred to as "flux shifting". According to the Vortigaunts, flux shifting cannot be understood by "those whose Vortal inputs are impaired", which may suggest that inaudible components are involved, perhaps explaining why it is incomprehensible to humans. A possible example of flux shifting occurs during the aftermath of the first Hunter attack in Half-Life 2: Episode Two, when the Vortigaunt that saves Alyx calls out over an immense distance to communicate with its kin, using two short but apparently highly descriptive calls. The subtitles refer to their native language as "Vortigese". In the current time that the server is using, Vortigaunts have not entirely learned the english language, much less any others. Vortigaunts will often refer to a single person, or being, as "This one" in direct address, or "That one" if speaking about someone at a distance, or simply indirect address. Keep in mind, Vortigaunts will also speak to someone by their name if that is known instead.

Vortigaunts believe in a binding life-force which they call the "Vortessence". Due to their use of this force, which remains untapped by humans, the Vortigaunt species can communicate with one another telepathically. They believe Vortessence is the fabric of the universe, made of "vortal cords", of which everything is woven (and therefore everything is connected). The Vortigaunts are able to read and control this force for their electrical powers, nearly hive-mind telepathy and, likely, their ability to take power from objects. They can use their powers coupled with "the extract" of Antlion larvae to heal the critically injured, a task they are unable to complete alone.It has been hinted that death is not permanent for a Vortigaunt, and that they might have the ability to "reincarnate" into a new body after death.




Enslaved vortigaunts are as you'd expect, enslaved. Their shackles and collars around various points of their body act as a form of restraining device, severing the vort from their essence. Said Shackles and collars also act as a monitoring device, allowing the union to track the location of a vort at almost any given moment. If the vort were to escape their sensors, the union would no longer be able to track them, but would be able to find their last-known location before the signal went out.




Upon being freed, or creating a freed vortigaunt character, a vort would have to take plenty of time in order to regain their connection to the vortessence. Now, it's not just wait a day then you're able to use all abilities, no. It's regaining your vortessence little at a time. Time listings and abilities can be found below.