Aberrant RPG - MC Players and ST

[John Galt]

Ok, got some confusion on the Matter Chameleon, you guys have been super helpful before, so here goes : )

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MC bases itself a lot on Bodymorph, mostly with the ability to chose other forms as well. So we are, as suggested in the book, using BodyM as a guideline. Here is where we get confused though. Let 's say you want to be metal, and you get Density Increase and Armor for that. In BodyM you would split your Power Rating points into those, i.e. 2 in DD and 1 in Armor, etc. (if you have a PR of 3)

However, the example for MC in the book is throwing us way off:

Next, Karen touches a flawless diamond, scoring a single success on the Stamina + Matter Chameleon roll. The Storyteller judges that a being made entirely from diamond would have at least 18 extra soak; however, because Karen has Matter Chameleon rating of only 4, she may gain a maximum of 12 extra soak by duplicating the diamond’s structure. The Storyteller rules that Karen gains two extra dots of Strength (raising Karen’s Strength to Mega-Strength 1) and the equivalent of four dots in the Claws power, as Karen’s fingernails become diamond- hard.

So using this example she has gone beyond her MC of 4 in two ways, she is spending 6 points on claws and Strength (I assume density increase) and has the soak which comes from armor? This example doesn't mesh with the BodyM guide. The other examples have similar flaws.

Our ST thinks that the MC pretty much get their PR level in dots in all the properties of the material, so diamond would get her 4 points in armor, DI, and claws. But is this too powerful (think of all the properties of energy)So he changed it, 2 points to spend per PR and there are limitation on the properties of different materials.

So how are you/or did handle this? Thanks again!

JG

[Fikealox]

From reading the rules, it doesn't look like it is linked to Bodymorph at all, really.

For one success you get ALL of these:

Extra Strength (up to power level)

Extra Soak (up to the lower of: power level x 3, or the material)

*Damage effects (up to the limit of the source energy)

**Other matter specific effects (liquidity, floating, etc)

Exceptional success can, at ST discretion, exceed those limits.

The reference to Bodymorph really only seems to be saying that you should look at the Bodymorph entry to get ideas of the properties of different substances.

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*Damage effects: Judging from the examples, Matter Chameleon doesn't really require the buying of powers for damage in all cases. It's my opinion that buying Claws for damage is only necessary when the substance mimicked is tangible (and hence the character's strength will have a bearing), in which case I'd restrict the maximum to MC power level, as appropriate to the material.

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**It can be seen from the above, too, that buying Matter Increase/Decrease is unnecessary, as well. You already get the soak and strength benefits from MC. If you take a form with decreased density, the storyteller should make your character immune to certain attacks, as appropriate (and more vulnerable to attacks as approprate! Electricity vs water, for example).

Hope that helps.

If there's anything I've been unclear on, don't hesitate to ask Unfortunately, MC is one of those powers that requires a lot of ongoing ST decisions, though.

Yours,

-Liam :-)

[Catalyst]

The last game I played handled in a rather simple way. When a nova touched an object he gained abilities based on the idea of that object. The limit of the abilities were wholly based on the power level of the nova.

A nova touching a rock could be as hard as a nova touching steel, as a nova touching diamonds. The matter they are touching is no more than a prop. The thing was they got in our game "4 nova" points of power for each level of Matter Chameleon. It hate to make sense no flight form a rock or armor form say water. One could do something like that or say 3 points, plus 1 for each hit on the roll..Or any numbers that seems fair.

[John Galt]

Thanks all...hate that its so ST dependent, so does the ST, here is how he is running it, do you think its fair/balanced?

Essentially, MC becomes a variable bodymorph. But one dot to spend per PR in MC would be really weak for a Level 3 Quantum 5 power. And giving all PR rating to all properties was too powerful. So the ST is giving 2 "dots" per PR for abilities, but with maximums.

Example, a MC 4 character gets 8 "dots" to spend. So he touched metal, he can spend these dots in Density Increase and Armor, but depending on the metal, there is a max. So bronze can get to a max 4 in DI, but a max 3 in armor, while titanium might get a max 5 in armor, but only a 3 in DI. Same goes for energy, as fire the character can choose to put points in force field, immolate, vision, density decrease (all from bodymorph) but only up to 8 dots distributed, and of course not exceeding the matter chameleon rules of PR x 3.

It seems to be working so far. I have tested other character builds with similar xp costs and they seem to match up, i.e buying Armor, DI etc separately.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

[Nova OOC]

Originally Posted By: Catalyst

The last game I played handled in a rahter simple way. . . .

A nova touching a rock could be as hard as a nova touchign steel, as a nova touching diamonds. . . . The thing ws they got in our game "4 nova" points of power for each level of Matter Chameleon. It hate to make sence no fligth form a rock or armour form say watter.

SPELLCHECK!

[Autumn Solstice]

Originally Posted By: Nova OOC

SPELLCHECK!

Subtle as a train wreck.

[Fikealox]

John,

I don't like particularly ST-reliant powers, either. Your method seems simple and effective, and if everyone's happy, that's all that matters.

I generally don't use Bodymorph or MC, but off the top of my head, your method strikes me as balanced :-)

Yours,

-Liam

[John Galt]

Thanks Liam, good to hear it. I wasn't sure at first, but I was hoping : )

[Courier]

MC is one of the hardest powers to handle because it can basically do anything and it demands a whole host of ST house rules, some of which will have to be made up on the spot.

My suggestion is for the player and ST to together come up with a dozen or so standard options.

Some of the harder ones to deal with are energy. I.e. an MC4 character comes in contact with "Fire". Can the character focus on getting "Flight" type things one time and "Immolate" or "INV" a different time? The text implies the answer is "no", but that implication leads to having all those things every time he transforms.

Other suggestions and/or comments:

1) Don't allow people to aquire the properties of things that omni-present things unless they cause damage. For example a MC character probably shouldn't be allowed to become Gravity or Radiation or Light unless they are attacked with those powers.

2) Note MC is one of the few powers that gives a defense against Aggravated attacks. It doesn't just provide soak, it can also reduce damage.

3) MC probably doesn't allow for the mimicing of Q-powers, mimicing their used elements is probably enough.

[Dave ST]

MC is a power that requires the player who possesses it to have pre made 'material cards' ready so that he/she takes a form they already have an idea of what they get.

I've made these cards for myself and other players and they have worked like a charm. It took the power placement process down from thumbing through the book for fiftenn minutes to looking at the "Brick/Concrete/Rock" or the "Water/Non-Thick Liquid" or the card and saying: "Okay, I gain this, this, and this, but I don't have enough skill for X, X, or X. Gimme a sec to factor my new soak and damage..."

Seriously, we handle MC in less than thirty seconds. It just takes a little effort to be prepared. Take some initiative and if you have the power make a cheat sheet.

As a side note, considering the power specifically states "MATTER Chameleon" I think it's lame that they permit energy to be duplicated too. That's just me being nit-picky though.

[Mr Fox]

That's pretty much the way I'd run it. I'd make my player come up with the forms and have them recorded so we both know what they can do when they change. As to how you handle it, it is up to you, but I like the suggestion mentioned above of 2 dot per MC dot. That limits the amount of power, while still giving a lot of flexibility. But keep in mind that some STs I've played with make it one dot per dot of MC and that's all you get. The true power of the MC is the ability to body morph into whatever you want at the drop of a hat. I would also limit it such that once you have determined the properties of the element it is set and that's the way you handle it every single time. No giving certain powers one time you assume the form of water, and different properties the next time, that way lies massive headaches as an ST.

As a player I'd keep samples of many different elements with me at all times as well as a pocket lighter for fire, a laser pointer for laser light, a small flashlight for regular light, tiny vials of various liquids and gases, etc.

[Catalyst]

Well, at no point should MC be less powerful than shape-shifting. It should not be overly powerful compared to shape shifting either. They should be about on par with each other, with MC having slight edge in power but less of one in variability.

A shape shifter needs not to follow the idea of any substance, and needs not the substance on hand to shape change. So not only can the shape changer always become what they want to become they can become things that both fast and strong. A shape shifter can say become a dragon, and gain, soak, flight and acid breath. Wile if someone with MC want flight they tend not to gain soak.

That is just my take on things.

The 2 point per dot is a bit low, but it could work for you. I would rather see 2 dot per level plus one per hit. That is just me. The one dot per level ignores that many powers like gravity control are nearly as versatile it, and nearly always is more power than nova points of any power. That again is just my take on it.

[Dave ST]

The way it's printed in the book is fine. The problem seems to stem from people not knowing exactly how much a substance provides.

How much soak does a rock give a nova, or titanium?

Exactly how jagged are diamond claws, or molten punches?

That's the problem we had to solve at our table and it took some time.

Although Catalyst makes an interesting point, with SS a Quantum 4 power, you can in theory become any of the things you can emulate with MC. The main difference being it's reliant more on the number of successes than the powers' cap.

[Catalyst]

And as it is written there is little to no reason to care about how big your MC dice pool is. 5 is almost as always as good as 5,000...Unless the story teller says otherwise.

[Dave ST]

I disagree. There is nothing wrong wit the way the power is worded. It makes perfect sense to me.

I've never really had any problems figuring this power out, it's all right there for you. The one thing they don't provide you with is what substances grant what ratings in powers. That's all.

[Fikealox]

I agree with Dave, in that I can make sense of the power as written, though I admit a distaste for ST-reliant powers. That said, though, if players and ST are happy with a different method, everything's cool

John, just a thought, but maybe you want to give some benefit for successes rolled?

Yours,

-Liam

[Tinker]

I've always assumed the mechanics of the power matter less than the concept of character. (IE Pain wise, it doesn't matter if you're hit by a character made of Rock or Steel...just changes the sound from a Crunch! to a Clang!) Because all powers are (as I read it) subliminally chosen there are no pre-determined characteristics for any materials, but rather how the character *thinks* about them. For example...is "adamantium" magnetic? Had an argument over that one when a magnetic manipulator got into a scuffle with a MC. That's why I like Dave's idea of pre-made cards...just have the character decide where to put the points of effect with a brief description of how his character understand it to operate. Who says diamond hard hands have to have "Claws" effect? Maybe I trim MY nails. But then my diamond would be stronger than your diamond, eh? Or fire resistant. Or whatever. But no changing your powers after the game starts...unless you take that advantage of course.

Re: Shapeshifters. I've actually never thought of them mimicking MC. I mean if they shift to a marble statue then they are not going anywhere, are they? Not many statues I know walking around. But I guess if you allow dragons in your world, you allow for golems.

[Warren Verona]

Originally Posted By: Tinker

Re: Shapeshifters. I've actually never thought of them mimicking MC. I mean if they shift to a marble statue then they are not going anywhere, are they? Not many statues I know walking around. But I guess if you allow dragons in your world, you allow for golems.

I'm glad you mentioned this. In my TT games I allow SSers to become anything they want, just like the pwoer says that can. A chair, and stature, and dragon. Whatever.

However, when they become a statue I make sure they are a statue, they are made of a tougher substance, but they cannot move. Chairs don't walk... etc.

Around here, I'm not sure what the rule is, but I'm pretty sure it's "...I can do whatever I want."

[Changeling]

I always made a distinction between the two. For SS, you can assume the shape of something, and some of it's characteristics, but you can't become that substance. In other words, if you become a marble statue, you are still essentially flesh and blood, you just look like a statue and have some the marble's characteristics (tougher skin, etc.)

With MC, you actually become that substance (rock skin, lack of internal organs, no need to breathe, etc). You actually become a marble statue. It will look like you, but you will be made of marble. This obviously has certain advantages over SS. If you become rock, there is no chance that you will bleed to death. To the contrarty, if you look like a rock, through SS, you are still flesh and blood, and can still bleed.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted By: Changeling

With MC, you actually become that substance (rock skin, lack of internal organs, no need to breathe, etc). You actually become a marble statue. It will look like you, but you will be made of marble. This obviously has certain advantages over SS. If you become rock, there is no chance that you will bleed to death. To the contrarty, if you look like a rock, through SS, you are still flesh and blood, and can still bleed.

I suppose it's a judgment call but it seems to me you give both these powers a significant boost. Your MC characters get free life-support without allocating the dice (what material other than "flesh" needs to eat/breath/bleed?)...and your SS characters get a cosmic power-pool of variable effects. "What...he's a Elemental Ice slinger? I'll shape-shift and allocate 5 dice to quantum Blast: (Fire effect) to simulate the flame-thrower I just morphed my arm into." Personally I would have at least stopped at the T-1000 model and disallowed mechanical parts.

Actually, I usually try to limit the powers based on the concept. Would you say a SS limited to humanoid shape is a 4pt or 5pt disadvantage? (Can boost attributes, use body modification etc for extra arms). If you limit SS to physical looks, density increase/decrease 2 dice max effect...would you say that justifies making it a level 2 power with the permanent advantage? It costs 2Q every time you shift, but you don't have to have the M Appearance 1 of Copycat. Trade off is that you can only make faces/bodies as attractive as your own Appearance level. (With 1 dot you could be fat Elvis, with 3 you could be skinny Elvis...etc.) Maybe even a level 1 power if you made it Maintenance?