Aberrant RPG - Homunculous Help

[Netherworld]

I have been wondering about the power Homunculous. In the Core book, it states that if a detached part is killed, it is gone forever. Would this apply if someone has Regeneration? I was under the assumption that the part can be regrown with Regen.? What about the Healing power?

I have had several ideas for characters, but the way they would use Homunculous, would mean frequent loss of those limbs.

[Rorx]

I remember there being some good stuff on Homunculous in an old Eon thread, you could try searching for it over there.

Or if I manage to get time to do it I'll copy it, or link here

[Rorx]

Ok found I had copied the best bit of the thread already and saved it as a .doc file, but I can't see a way of attaching a file to a post. Anyone got any suggestions?

ps. I'm on the phone at the moment so I can't just copy and paste like I might normally.

[Warren Verona]

Yes, you can regenerate parts that are destroyed while the Homunculus power was in use. Just follow the standard rules for regenerating that body part.

The storyteller should determine the severity of the injury based on what parts are destroyed. The one exception is that you cannot regenerate a body part that has not been destroyed yet. So if you detach your hand you cannot regrow a new one while the other one is out crawling around.

It should also be noted that certain parts integral for the survival of the nova (head, heart, lungs) that are destroyed will most certainly kill the nova who still relies upon those organs for survival long before regeneration can heal them.

The Healing power appears to be instantaneous, providing you have the QP and the WP available to regenerate the organ or limb, the Regeneration Enhancement takes way to long and the PC would die long before they organ regrew.

It's pretty much that simple.

[Rorx]

Ok I finally got to the computer with the time and memory to look up what had been said on Eon ages ago. I'm afraid I can't say for certain who posted this, but I think it was someone by the tag of Prof. Potts...

Homunculus is basically two (three at 4+ dots) powers in one - each sub-power has different rules.

Power #1: Detach body parts - each body part has the full Attributes & Traits (defined on p.106 as, "... Attributes, Abilities and quantum powers...") of the character, acts independently (no need for multiple actions), & is stunned / KO'd independently as well. Unlike 'small creatures', detached body parts can access the character's powers (the text stating that small creatures can't do so comes later & appears specific to that application of the power). Detach your arm & it can use your Flight & Quantum Bolt, & even remains to fight after you've been KO'd yourself! Not bad, but you also get to use...

Power #2: Small creatures - no quantum powers, half other Traits, & a free Lethal attack. Seems less powerful that #1 above, but has it's advantages. Firstly, if the small creature is wasted, you just loose a Lethal Health Level (as opposed to the body part in question - all characters with Homunculus really should take the Regeneration Enhancement for Mega-Stamina ). The big bonus is how customisable the little blighters are - you can shift all those Trait dots around (& place then in different things for each small creature you produce too). Need a medic? Give the lil' tyke five dots in Intelligence & Medicine & let him leap into your wounds to perform expert surgery with his scalpel-like claws. Need a spy? Boost his Dexterity, Stealth, Perception, & Investigation or Awareness. Who cares if his other Traits suffer - it's a disposable agent, right? With small creatures you basically have access to any agent for any task.

The range limit for #1 & #2 isn't as bad as people appear to think either - it's just the limit for direct control. Past that range they keep going until their tasks are completed - & there's no listed limit on how complicated those tasks can be (e.g. "Follow that guy, observe all he does, & return to report to me - all without being seen if possible. If cornered, attack those who have you trapped until you can get away. If unable to return to me, try to find a 'phone & call me, otherwise keep following & observing until you can 'phone or return to me." - a pretty simple 'task' for a small creature spy).

Power #3: Swarm-form - the ultimate in Homunculus power. This one also doesn't list an inability to use quantum powers or other Traits - so you're a swarm, but can also use all your other abilities at the same time! It's like super-charged Density Decrease - you can go pretty much anywhere, take a maximum of a single HL of damage from most attacks, & can even inflict automatic levels of Lethal damage against enemies (devastating if used against baselines - who lack a Lethal Soak at all).

Not only do you get all this, but Homunculus can be maintained indefinitely for no extra QP cost, & you can mix & match which features of the power you're using (e.g. detach a limb & create a creature - if you've got 2 dots or more).

The Detachable Organs extra from the APG offers even more bonuses - remove all your vital organs (which need very little instruction on their assigned 'tasks' - so range is no problem), place them in an impregnable vault, then laugh at your enemies' attempts to kill you! Sure they could find your stashed heart or lungs, but it's gonna' be one heck of an effort compared to just being able to Q-Bolt all those guys who didn't buy the Homunculus power...

Even without Detachable Organs you can be close to immortal - make sure you can Regenerate, & keep at least one Health Level worth of your body (e.g. part of your swarm-form) stashed somewhere at all times. Every time they think they've got all of you, you just Regenerate from the last bit left, & hunt down the guys who attacked you in the first place!

Homunculus-based power blocks are also a possibility (it'll take your entire action for a turn - but if you're aborting anyway, what the heck, right? ::sly ) - they blow you into little pieces, & you're fine - your bits now moving about independent of each other! You too can be the guy from Terminator 2, or any Vampire / Zombie / Mummy film you may care to name!

Homunculus is definitely worth it's Level 3 status. It's very cool.

The number of body parts you can detach is the same as the number of small creatures you could make - they both count as 'homunculi' in that part of the text:

"At two dots or higher, a character can create more than one homunculus. At two dots he can create two homunculi; at three dots, four homunculi; at four dots six homunculi; at five dots, 10 homunculi." (p.202)

Those totals are for detached body parts + small creatures. So with two dots you could remove both your arms, or create two small creatures, or remove one arm & create one small creature - you couldn't remove both your arms & create two small creatures, since that'd be 4 homunculi total, & your limit at two dots is two.

I hope that helps...