Aberrant: 200X - Chang Zha idea

[iamthedave]

This is the initial build idea for my possible play by post character, Chang Zha. I'm making the topic because I wanted to use a couple of things that may not be canon/allowed on this forum.

I'm intending to play her as someone who is following the inhuman path, but trying not to go insane. So sort of following Teras or maybe outright.

The most notable and significant is the 'Disarticulating jaw' enhancement from the New Flesh. This essentially gives her 'snake jaws' allowing her to swallow thigns up to 80% of her body mass. I'd like - if that's even allowed - to take it slightly further to about 160-200% of body mass. This plays into a mental aberration she has, namely a sexual fetish, and is part of the aforementioned humanity issues.

Further linked to this is another enhancement which would allow people in particular to survive inside her if she wants them to. I'm projecting 2 NP for that, as that's all I'm conceiving it to do.

Then there's using 4 x the tendrils body mod with extra xp sunk in to increase their length, representing extremly long, prehensile hair. I'd like to link that to - of all things - eufiber; kind of emulating Bayonetta, if anyone's familiar with the game and character. Also taking extra limbs, linked into the hair tendrils to reflect being used to using them.

In the initial build there's a huge amount of xp (20) sunk into flexibility enhancements, as that's meant to be one of the cornerstone abilities.

This links into the next 'uncertain' area. I wanted to take a very limited version of the Shapeshift power that would allow Chang to bend and warp her flexible body to take the form of inanimate objects. You know, stools and stuff. I've seen this as an actual power, costed at level 2, but don't know if it's considered valid or not.

There's also the 'True Omnivore' enhancement out of The New Flesh, which basically means she can eat anything and leaves no bodily waste behind.

And that's it. Gah. Had no idea there was so much questionable stuff in here.

Thoughts? Anything to be vetoed and needs changing?

Oh, the character, fitting the theme, would be coming in at taint 6, probably working on chrysalis over time. I presume the rules are used as normal for that? In the background she will have been pursuing this path for a while.

I used the 50 NP, 72 xp build suggested by Long in chat.

[Eingar]

Hmm...

Okay, I'm gonna spitball some ideas on how to make this work:

The Disarticulating Jaw: is it a Body Mod or an Enhancement? (I couldn't find it) Either way, for anyone, or anything (pythons etc) to swallow whole more than 80% of their bodymass is physically unlikely... So we need to use quantum. Have you checked out the Bottomless Stomach power in New Flesh? Alternatively, the character could use Shapeshift to stretch and expand around the ingested person.

The life support for people inside her could be a Body Mod, and 2 NP seems reasonable.

The hair thing seems fine. I've made a character elsewhere that had 'eufiber' that wasn't actually eufiber, but a projection of his own power which to all intents and purposes acted the same way. The one caution is that your 'eufiber' can't be taken by or given to someone else: your character can't be an alternative source of eufiber in the world. Additionally the you-fiber is a result of a power, (Body Mod in this case) so if your power is ever blocked or you're forcibly dormed, bye-bye clothing.

Seeing as the power is Body Mod, and that doesn't usually just vanish when Disrupted, what *would* happen is that your character would lose control over the fiber. Is that acceptable?

The level 2 Shapeshift power you mentioned - post it up here and let me review it.

True Omnivore is fine, and yes, the rules allow for Taint 6.

[iamthedave]

Disarticulating Jaw was actually an enhancement. If you do a find/search for 'disarticula' you should go straight to it in The New Flesh.

I'd rather go for the stretch/expand approach; so would you want me to take the actual shapeshift power?

Speaking of stretching, I was also wanting to make her appearance malleable; to a somewhat greater degree than Appearance Alteration allows for (literally 'stretching' herself into a new configuration). Hmm. We're leaning more towards shapeshift by the moment aren't we?

The thing is that other than inanimate forms I'd rather her 'shape' only change via flexibility. I was hoping to get her flexibility up around the 100 meter mark, but that seems... unlikely, at least at character gen. Though I would only need another 10 xp I guess. Still, 30 xp is quite a sink at character gen just to emulate a rubber band

In the current build she's got Density Decrease 2; while I'm intending for her to be able to 'melt down' as it were, would it be reasonable to also allow her to squeeze herself flat (representing increasing malleability to flexibility)?

AS for Shapeshift: inanimate:

Shapeshift: Inanimate Object

Level: 2

Quantum Minimum: 3

Dice Pool: Stamina + Shapeshift (Inanimate Objects)

Range: Self

Area: N/A

Duration: Maintenance

Effect: Character can assume the form of any non-technological object.

Multiple Actions: Yes

Description: The character can assume the shape of any simple object he wants, such as a chair, oil drum or rug. The character's mass can be no less than that of a toaster and no greater than that of a motorcycle while in object form.

The character can assume forms that have moving parts, such as a recliner or chain, but cannot become a form that involves electronics, combustion engines or the like. (However, the physical appearance of such objects can be assumed.) The character can move within the limitations of his form if he spends a quantum point.

The character's Shapeshift (Inanimate Object) is divided among various powers and Attributes to simulate the various forms' capabilities, which are admittedly are very limited. (Armor and Mega-Stamina would be appropriate). These traits are set once chosen and cannot be changed, though how points are distributed among abilities will vary from form to form.

Oh and quick question about taint purchases; I've got her on 6 taint but I've not factored any of it into her build right now. If I buy a 3 NP power tainted, does it cost 2 NP? I think it must from what it says about the fractions being rounded against the character.

When it comes to social penalties, how strong would you expect that to be in representation? She'll get a basic +3 difficulty from taint 6, and I'm leaning towards 2 physical aberrations and her fetish (Very weird eyes and either hermaphroditism or a third breast; so very noticeable aberrations, also considering unnatural beauty since she has mega appearance). What sort of 'total' social penalty would you be expecting?

Also what level would you say those are? Weird eyes and a third breast I'd probably put at minor but the extra boob could easy be medium, and I'm certain hermaphroditism is medium, as are sexual fetishes, and unnatural beauty is minor.

Thanks for the quick reply.

And yeah the hair/naked if disrupted/dormed thing is fine by me!

[Eingar]

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

Disarticulating Jaw was actually an enhancement. If you do a find/search for 'disarticula' you should go straight to it in The New Flesh.

I'd rather go for the stretch/expand approach; so would you want me to take the actual shapeshift power?


Speaking of stretching, I was also wanting to make her appearance malleable; to a somewhat greater degree than Appearance Alteration allows for (literally 'stretching' herself into a new configuration). Hmm. We're leaning more towards shapeshift by the moment aren't we?

The thing is that other than inanimate forms I'd rather her 'shape' only change via flexibility. I was hoping to get her flexibility up around the 100 meter mark, but that seems... unlikely, at least at character gen. Though I would only need another 10 xp I guess. Still, 30 xp is quite a sink at character gen just to emulate a rubber band

It looks like a Weakened version of Shapeshift is your best bet. Say you can't take animal forms? That limits you to inanimate objects and stretching/growing/silly-putty-body effects. Off the top of my head I'd say that was a 2-pt weakness, maybe 3.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

In the current build she's got Density Decrease 2; while I'm intending for her to be able to 'melt down' as it were, would it be reasonable to also allow her to squeeze herself flat (representing increasing malleability to flexibility)?

Seeing as Bodymorph: Water and other liquids allow for the puddle effect with Density Decrease, again I see no problem here.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

AS for Shapeshift: inanimate:

Shapeshift: Inanimate Object
Level: 2
Quantum Minimum: 3
Dice Pool: Stamina + Shapeshift (Inanimate Objects)
Range: Self
Area: N/A
Duration: Maintenance
Effect: Character can assume the form of any non-technological object.
Multiple Actions: Yes
Description: The character can assume the shape of any simple object he wants, such as a chair, oil drum or rug. The character's mass can be no less than that of a toaster and no greater than that of a motorcycle while in object form.
The character can assume forms that have moving parts, such as a recliner or chain, but cannot become a form that involves electronics, combustion engines or the like. (However, the physical appearance of such objects can be assumed.) The character can move within the limitations of his form if he spends a quantum point.
The character's Shapeshift (Inanimate Object) is divided among various powers and Attributes to simulate the various forms' capabilities, which are admittedly are very limited. (Armor and Mega-Stamina would be appropriate). These traits are set once chosen and cannot be changed, though how points are distributed among abilities will vary from form to form.

Nothing wrong with this power that I can see. As I mentioned above, though, you might just want to take an altered version of Shapeshift. 200X allows for Strengths and Weaknesses, as long as no piss is taken See the 200X Bible for the no-nos.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

Oh and quick question about taint purchases; I've got her on 6 taint but I've not factored any of it into her build right now. If I buy a 3 NP power tainted, does it cost 2 NP? I think it must from what it says about the fractions being rounded against the character.

Yes, the rounding-off is always against the character's favor.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

When it comes to social penalties, how strong would you expect that to be in representation? She'll get a basic +3 difficulty from taint 6, and I'm leaning towards 2 physical aberrations and her fetish (Very weird eyes and either hermaphroditism or a third breast; so very noticeable aberrations, also considering unnatural beauty since she has mega appearance). What sort of 'total' social penalty would you be expecting?

She seems to be in the same Taint bracket as Sunshine (another of my characters). Taint 6 is a +2 social difficulty modifier (+1 at T4, then another +1 at T6). This would alter people's reactions to her, but the modifier also reflects how strange baselines are from her POV too. Even if the aberrations aren't mental, a high-Taint nova just doesn't relate so well to baselines. They seem skittish, or alien, or lower life-forms, or strange, or (in Sunshine's case) to have little in common. It's something that will become more pronounced with his interaction with the other students, not less. The more a Tainted nova is around baselines, the faster the 'gee-whiz' factor is replaced with a 'not like us' viewpoint. Of course, some novas are just out-and-out creepy from the get-go, and that is evident in their aberrations.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

Also what level would you say those are? Weird eyes and a third breast I'd probably put at minor but the extra boob could easy be medium, and I'm certain hermaphroditism is medium, as are sexual fetishes, and unnatural beauty is minor.

Weird eyes, unnatural beauty and the extra boob are minor enough. Hermaphrodite and the weird fetishes are medium. Again, at Taint 6 you'll have 2 minor and 1 moderate aberration. If you want more, take 'em as Flaws.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

Thanks for the quick reply.

And yeah the hair/naked if disrupted/dormed thing is fine by me!

You're welcome.

[iamthedave]

I'm going to confess to not even vaguely understanding the strength/weakness rules. Maybe I'm too dumb. My response when players mentioned them as a ST was to stick my fingers in my ears and go LA LA LA LA LA until they stopped.

Could I impose on you a little assistance with what shapeshifty thing I'm using here?

And this would be taking care of her swallowing stuff ability, her enhanced form-shifting, and her shapeshift: Inanimate, yes? Clarifying because it frees up points, changes the build etc.

I'm very tempted to take the other aberrations as flaws; they seem to... fit. And man that's a sentence I never thought I'd write. How many points of merits would that equate to?

But that takes me to the big thing. I'm wanting to explore the inhuman side of things - it's what has always drawn me to Aberrant - and potentially chrysalis and such, but without really joining the Teragen. Because they're douchebags, in the end.

I have a fully developed idea of what I want to do, but before even attempting to clear it with you I'd like to see if you're willing or have ideas set on teras/chrysalis etc (such as OH DEAR GOD NO BURN IT etc.). I'm not interested in the somewhat broken experience gains and such, just the character development route it offers.

A couple of other things have been suggested in the chat room. One is this body mod from the Compendium:

Prehensile Hair: (3 nova points/ 6 experience points) The nova can alter the length of her hair at will and animate its strands. The nova’s hair is at least as strong as steel wires and can slash, pierce, grapple and garrote her opponents with ease (Strength + 4 bashing or Strength +2 lethal damage, use Dexterity + Brawl or Martial Arts to attack). The nova can also use her hair to pick up and manipulate things, using her hair as an extra arm. If the nova also has Mega-Dexterity, she can “split” her hair into multiple limbs – for each dot of Mega-Dexterity past the first, she gains an effective extra limb. Each “hair-tendril” has a maximum length of 2 meters, although this length can be increased by 2 meters for every additional nova point or three experience points spent. As a side bonus, the nova can automatically style her hair at will.

And I personally like the look of this one for the artistic tie-in:

Advanced Chromatophores: (2 nova points/ 4 experience points, prerequisite: Chromatophores) The nova has developed superior control over the chromatophores in his skin, hair, and visible tissues. The nova can alter his tissue colorations to any hues he desires, and can produce two-dimensional patterns that are equivalent in clarity and precision to modern computer graphics. If the nova also has Bioluminescence, he can effectively become a living video display screen.

And especially this one:

Enhanced Vocal Organs: (2 nova points/ 4 experience points) The nova’s larynx, tongue, and palate have all been subtly augmented, granting her a +3 dice bonus on all rolls involving signing or mimicry. The nova can also make two vocalizations at once, and her vocal range encompasses both the ultrasonic and infrasonic frequency bands. It’s possible to buy a second level of this body modification – in that case, the nova gets a +6 dice bonus on all rolls involving signing or mimicry and can make four vocalizations at once.

Also an enhancement out of the Fan Companion that I think would work very well:

BODY LANGUAGE

Wish you could read someone's mind? Or how about that look on their face? A nova with Body Language can read a person like a book, taking in their eye movements, their breath rate, their pulse, the beads of sweat on their brow, the tremors in their voice etc.

System: The nova spends a quantum point and gains three automatic successes on any roll that could be effectively decided by deciphering the body language of the person being studied. These rolls typically include Awareness, Interrogation, Intimidation, Rapport, and Subterfuge. Not only is Body Language useful for discerning truth and lies, but it can also detect one's emotional state (afraid, potentially dangerous, etc.) as well as their physical well being (injured, sick, hungry etc.). The enhancement stays active for a single study of a particular individual.

Super final thing: can I take The Voice as a Mega Charisma rather than Mega Manipulation enhancement? It's sort of academic since it's the same cost to get one dot of mega-manipulation and take it for free but... not really where I want to go with the character.

Of course if you okay all of this I have no idea how I'll make up the points, but that's part of the fun of character gen

See you next time!

[Eingar]

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

I'm going to confess to not even vaguely understanding the strength/weakness rules. Maybe I'm too dumb. My response when players mentioned them as a ST was to stick my fingers in my ears and go LA LA LA LA LA until they stopped.

Could I impose on you a little assistance with what shapeshifty thing I'm using here?

And this would be taking care of her swallowing stuff ability, her enhanced form-shifting, and her shapeshift: Inanimate, yes? Clarifying because it frees up points, changes the build etc.

The altered Shapeshift power Weakness is pretty much as I suggested. 3 pt Weakness: cannot take alternate creature forms. That means you can do disguises, expand, contort and stretch, and temporarily gain the Disarticulated Jaw enhancement as and when needed. The 3 points gained from the weakness you could chuck into either extra dice or an appropriate Extra. Duration, perhaps?

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

I'm very tempted to take the other aberrations as flaws; they seem to... fit. And man that's a sentence I never thought I'd write. How many points of merits would that equate to?

Minor Aberrations count as 1 or 2 pt Flaws. 1 pt for less-noticeable, 2 pt for noticeable, I'd suggest. Medium aberrations are 3 pts. Remeber that there is an upper limit to how many Flaws pts you can have (10) and the points gained can only be spent on Merits.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

But that takes me to the big thing. I'm wanting to explore the inhuman side of things - it's what has always drawn me to Aberrant - and potentially chrysalis and such, but without really joining the Teragen. Because they're douchebags, in the end.

So be a non-douchebag Terat. It is possible - adopting the precepts of Teras doesn't immediately mean "lets go stomp some zips". Diane Fossey was a 'higher' life form who lived with gorillas and had a deep regard for them. Being a step up the tree can be viewed as a source of responsibility, not acting like a quantum-fuelled frat boy. Coming to realise and live that ideal could be part of your Terat's journey.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

I have a fully developed idea of what I want to do, but before even attempting to clear it with you I'd like to see if you're willing or have ideas set on teras/chrysalis etc (such as OH DEAR GOD NO BURN IT etc.). I'm not interested in the somewhat broken experience gains and such, just the character development route it offers.

In 200X, Chrysalis is a vehicle for telling stories and not much more. Sure, there's no ruling against it, but to be honest the mechanics are broken as fekk, and 200X is an Open World game, which means there isn't an ST around to make hard rulings on every Chrysalis/Taint roll. As a Mod, the only time I'll step in is if a player begins to take advantage of broken mechanics to 'win' the game. Each player in 200X is pretty much their own ST: if you wouldn't let a player have it, don't give it to yourself.

So yeah, go ahead and pick an Archetype, push your powers 'on camera', spend the WP and notch up the Chrysalis. That's not a problem. Just do it with style and good storytelling.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

A couple of other things have been suggested in the chat room. One is this body mod from the Compendium:

Prehensile Hair: (3 nova points/ 6 experience points) The nova can alter the length of her hair at will and animate its strands. The nova’s hair is at least as strong as steel wires and can slash, pierce, grapple and garrote her opponents with ease (Strength + 4 bashing or Strength +2 lethal damage, use Dexterity + Brawl or Martial Arts to attack). The nova can also use her hair to pick up and manipulate things, using her hair as an extra arm. If the nova also has Mega-Dexterity, she can “split” her hair into multiple limbs – for each dot of Mega-Dexterity past the first, she gains an effective extra limb. Each “hair-tendril” has a maximum length of 2 meters, although this length can be increased by 2 meters for every additional nova point or three experience points spent. As a side bonus, the nova can automatically style her hair at will.

I dislike the Compendium on the whole, and this sort of thing is one of the reasons for that. It's two power/enhancements for the price of one. Tendril (which can easily be made from a character's hair) and Multiple limbs (or even multiple Tendrils). In the interests of fairness, I'd call it multiple buyings of Tendril, throw in the free hairstyle as a special effect, and if you want to go the full monty buy the Omnidexterity enhancement so it's truly prehensile.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

And I personally like the look of this one for the artistic tie-in:

Advanced Chromatophores: (2 nova points/ 4 experience points, prerequisite: Chromatophores) The nova has developed superior control over the chromatophores in his skin, hair, and visible tissues. The nova can alter his tissue colorations to any hues he desires, and can produce two-dimensional patterns that are equivalent in clarity and precision to modern computer graphics. If the nova also has Bioluminescence, he can effectively become a living video display screen.

And especially this one:

Enhanced Vocal Organs: (2 nova points/ 4 experience points) The nova’s larynx, tongue, and palate have all been subtly augmented, granting her a +3 dice bonus on all rolls involving signing or mimicry. The nova can also make two vocalizations at once, and her vocal range encompasses both the ultrasonic and infrasonic frequency bands. It’s possible to buy a second level of this body modification – in that case, the nova gets a +6 dice bonus on all rolls involving signing or mimicry and can make four vocalizations at once.

These both seem fine to me.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

Also an enhancement out of the Fan Companion that I think would work very well:

BODY LANGUAGE
Wish you could read someone's mind? Or how about that look on their face? A nova with Body Language can read a person like a book, taking in their eye movements, their breath rate, their pulse, the beads of sweat on their brow, the tremors in their voice etc.

System: The nova spends a quantum point and gains three automatic successes on any roll that could be effectively decided by deciphering the body language of the person being studied. These rolls typically include Awareness, Interrogation, Intimidation, Rapport, and Subterfuge. Not only is Body Language useful for discerning truth and lies, but it can also detect one's emotional state (afraid, potentially dangerous, etc.) as well as their physical well being (injured, sick, hungry etc.). The enhancement stays active for a single study of a particular individual.

Another two-fer-one. Or even three for one. Lie Detector, Natural Empath (only it works on novas too) and some sort of Health Sense. I'd have to say no. Either get the individual enhancements, or build a scaled-down version of Empathic Manipulation that lets you simply read emotional states but not alter them.

Originally Posted By: iamthedave

Super final thing: can I take The Voice as a Mega Charisma rather than Mega Manipulation enhancement? It's sort of academic since it's the same cost to get one dot of mega-manipulation and take it for free but... not really where I want to go with the character.

I don't have a problem with this.