Editing Genestealer Cult (section)

===Non-human Hybrids===
As a final note, [[Warhammer 40,000]] fiction is very [[human]]-centric, and so most Genestealer infestations depicted have occurred among human populations, but the [[Ciaphas Cain]] novels have suggested that [[Tau]] and [[Orks]] are also susceptible to Genestealer infection. The novel ''Death of Integrity'' also confirms that Genestealers will attack and assimilate other xenos, though this plot point lasts about one paragraph. <s>What, exactly, a Tau Genestealer Hybrid would look like is the subject of much speculation.</s> The short story ''The Greater Evil'' depicts one, and the answer is: Horrifying, and obviously blue. As shown in the later short story ''The Voice of Experience'', the Tau are also well-aware of Genestealers by this point and the threat they pose. There is old canon art of Ork Genestealer hybrids, but given the vast amount of retcons since then its canon status is questionable...

====Orks====
[[Image:Genestealer_orks.jpg|thumb|ORKY NIDS!!!!!!!!!!!]]
It should be noted that Orks reproduce asexually by way of fungal spores they secrete both at a perpetual slow trickle from their skin while alive and ''en masse'' while a decaying corpse (and also that "Ork" is but one of many many different Orkoid phenotypes that a given spore might develop into depending on environmental conditions, so one has to wonder how the genestealer mutations might interact with a spore that grew into, say, a mushroom), so it's pretty hard to envision an Orkified Genestealer Cult actually working, or lasting beyond the first generation or two, since they have no ways of mixing genes to produce purestrains in time. Even if they could, the Orks have an inherent ability to determine if one of their own isn't proppa Orky and will inevitably krump the gits. Some old, old fluff portrayed Purestrain genestealers descended from Ork hybrids as having denser musculature (and most likely greater physical strength). In another of these dusty accounts, an incident on the fringe of the Octarius system had a massive, purple, six-limbed Gargant attacking a Guard regiment. When it was melta'd open, purestrain genestealers emerged to eat the Guardsmen. You are encouraged to take these older bits of fluff with a generous pinch of salt. In any event, ancient and likely non-canonical fluff aside, the unique quirks of Ork biology boil down to the fact any attempt to infest an Ork warband would almost certainly fail and not be worth the effort in the first place. Commissar Cain encountered a genestealer infested space hulk in which genestealers were using infested orks to guard their hibernation chambers.

As of 2021, [[GW|GeeDubs]] has recently reaffirmed their existence in a White Dwarf. According to the article, they generally show up in Ork [[Kommando]]s, as they tend to live away from the main force of Orks, making it easier to slip in. Also in the article, they showed you [[Awesome|how to make your own out of Acolyte Hybrids, Abberants, and the new Kommandos.]] That's right, [[Wat|GW is encouraging you to kitbash.]] Did we slip into an alternate dimension?
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genestealer_cult_orks_by_engineer0_dfqfukk-fullview-898x1024.jpg|Imagine encountering one of these during the Octarius War.
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OrkGenestealerKitbash1.jpg
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OrkGenestealerKitbash4.jpg

</gallery>

====Tau====
Tau, similarly, have certain complications which may prevent Genestealer infestation. Firstly, their Kroot allies can tell if a person is infected or not simply by tasting some of their blood, and secondly, Tau-tech is certainly advanced enough to scan for this threat once they know about it. Furthermore, Tau explicitly practice caste-restricted bureaucratically arranged breeding processes; Tau don't have kids until their higher ups decide they should, and they don't even get to pick their own partners. Two Tau get paired up by the decision of a committee, spend a couple of days off work having sex, then separate and go their separate ways. This means the genestealer taint is seriously difficult to spread amongst the race. The caste-based structure of Tau society also poses problems to any potential Tauified Genestealers, and that's without presuming the caste-system is now so inherent that different castes can't even physically breed with each other anymore. However, fluff states that BREEDING is controlled, and doesn't touch on recreational sex. If such is unrestricted in Tau society, then it would simply be a matter of overcoming the probably enforced contraceptive measures.

Tau Genestealers are confirmed in the novel Deathwatch: Shadowbreaker as they're being deliberately engineered by a rogue Inquisitor to use a planet contested by the Tau and Imperium as a bioweapon delivery system. The narration makes it clear that the Tau are doing it without the permission of the Ethereals and that the Inquisitor is conning the Tau commander into letting it happen. However, all the Taustealers get blown up (It is a novel about the Deathwatch, after all) so they don't get a chance to spread beyond the planet. On top of all of that, according to the new Genestealer Cults Codex, not only can Tau-Genestealer hybrids happen, but one time they were ''deliberately'' created by a team of Earth Caste researchers who wanted to see what would happen. The infection got out of control and actually ended in violence. It's even implied that they may have produced a hybrid Ethereal, which would be a disaster for the Tau given how obedience to the Ethereal caste is basically hard coded into their DNA.

====Eldar====
While it is possible for Genestealers to infect the [[Eldar]], it's extremely hard for them to get anywhere with any of the four varieties due to their highly advanced medical technology (all four, yes even the Exodites), universal empathic abilities, very regimented lifestyles (Craftworld), slow breeding rate and the fact that irregular psychic activity amongst them gets located and dealt with very quickly (all four, heck mind bulletry is pretty much the only thing the [[Dark Eldar]] ban). Even when they are infected, the taint spreads much more slowly due to the Eldar's prolonged gestation period, which makes infecting them more trouble than it is worth in most situations.

So far the only examples among Eldar are those who knowingly and openly embraced their pants-thieving overlords. In the novel "Ghost Warrior", we have Genestealer Eldar on a lost [[Craftworld]] named [[Yvraine#Craftworld_Zaisuthra|Zaisuthra]]. Needless to say, the other [[Ynnari]] who contacted them were ''pissed.'' This was done in their misguided attempt to avoid getting consumed by Slaanesh because this Craftworld had left before the Infinity Circuit was invented and thus didn't have one; their logic was that if they gave themselves over to the Broodmind, their souls would be assimilated before Slaanesh could consume them. There is also something of a Genestealer cult growing among the Dark Eldar in Commorragh. After a raid with lots of captives taken to Commorragh, the Haemonculi found out some of them were Genestealer cultists. The hybrids were singled out and experimented on so their mutations would emerge. When some bored Dark Eldar among the social elite found out about this, they paid the Haemonculi to graft these Genestealer body parts on them for kicks (given how Genestealer reproduction involve a genetic re-write of infected hosts using the Stealer's own DNA, you can see what a stupid idea this is). It looks like the Hive Mind might find a way into Commorragh given how these Dark Eldar, who collectively call themselves the Vorgani, started forming tight-knit groups and share a singular obsession over a Tyranid-infested planet trapped in the Webway.

And of course, the haemonculi know this and think this is just a jolly and amusing thing because of course the sickest fucks in all the galaxy would look at this and think, "what an interesting turn of events!".

====Others====
[[Image:Genestealer_Variants.jpg|thumb|Fanart of Genestealer Hybrids of most WH40K races, along with some other Xenos from Popular Culture]]

If a Genestealer Cult somehow got somewhere near a [[Stryxis]] convoy and for some reason decided they wanted to interbreed with them they would quickly run into two main problems; the first being that Stryxis are extremely untrustworthy little shits so they don't exactly operate in large enough groups to be really worth the effort, the second problem also being that the Stryxis are untrustworthy little shits and would probably scam the Genestealer Cult of all its possessions before enslaving the bastards (assuming they don't "trade" a few hundred bullets in exchange for the Tyranids [[Teef|teeth]] to sell to some Orks or something).

The [[Q'Orl]] probably already know about this shit considering their size but since they do the whole queen thing it would be VERY hard for a genestealer infection to take place. Considering they're bugs too might play a part considering even a Ork is way more physically similar to a human or Eldar then what is essentially a giant cockroach/wasp hybrid. As for Ambulls their rapid regeneration and reliance on parasites might even HEAL the infection for all we Know!

As for the [[Necrons]], they're goddamn undead robots. If you even consider this possibility you're the biggest idiot since [[Magnus the Red]].

In earlier editions, Ymgarl Genestealers were said to be hybrids with a native, leechlike sapient race to Ymgarl, the Csith. The Salamanders wiped out the Csith, but were unable to wipe out the Ymgarl Genestealers.

Finally, and perhaps most troubling, is the mention that Tyranids have been targeting [[Hrud]] warrens. Hrud lack the defenses of the above races and are naturally predisposed towards infesting a planet and migrating en mass to a new one. The Genestealer hybrids, likewise, gain enhanced stealth and reaction speed (such as those 5++ saves the 'stealers now enjoy.)