Parasite

"The Parasite makes Cujo look like Lassie on Prozac."

- Quake 2 Manual

In Quake 2, a Parasite is a four-legged cyborg with a human head. To attack, it launches an organic tube at you and drains your health. The Parasite can be knocked over from an attack, but the tube won't detach from you until it's done draining your health points or it's dead.

Strategies

 * Alone, a Parasite can be annoying to fight. Its drain attack can take off up to 25 health points before it's done, so it'll hurt. The only way to stop making it drain your health is make it so that it can't see you. Hiding behind something works, but the Parasite will follow you. When you hide, be ready for it to pop up and open fire when it does.
 * Another way to avoid the Parasite's attack is to jump on top of it. Getting onto a higher vertical plane than the Parasite also works. It is uncertain whether this strategy is intended or is a glitch.
 * With other Enemies, the Parasite is a real pain to deal with. The constant damage makes it difficult for you to see what else is attacking you. Getting out of its view can be difficult as well, due to the enemies around you. Try to target it with explosives. Two explosives will kill it, and the splash damage will harm the other enemies.
 * The Parasite can be difficult to deal with early on, especially without the Super Shotgun. Until then, a combination of Hand Grenades and the Shotgun will have to do.

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.
 * When idle, Parasites continuously tap the ground with their hind leg's toes (akin to raptors from Jurassic Park franchise, who are often portrayed tapping the ground with their sickle claws), producing distinctive sound that warns of their presence in vicinity.
 * The Parasite has an unused animation for trying take a leech that is stuck to a wall.
 * 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.

Death Message

 * Player exsanguinated by a Parasite