Aberrant RPG - Optional rule for Temporary Taint

[Guest]

While I like the idea of the Aberrations, they seem a bit too "all or nothing" to me. Either you've got 4 or more points of Permanent Taint, (or are using the APG option of buying an Aberration as a Flaw) or you don't.

This seems unfair to me. Everybody should have the right to "enjoy" MR Node's mean streak, not just the unlucky and the power-thirty. So I have a proposal: Temporary Aberrations.

My idea is inspired to a degree by the "Paradox Flaws" in Mage. The it works is: Whenever a character accumulate 1 or more points of Temporary Taint, his player (or the ST) may choose to take (inflict) 1 or more of those points as Temporary Aberrations instead. These Aberrations afflict the character for the same time period as points of Taint (approximately 1 month or 1 story of Quantam "withdrawal"), at which point a player may make the WP roll to remove them as usual.

Compensating players for the difficulties presented by choosing to take Aberrations are two things: 1) A player taking Aberrations need not eschew Quantum use because the Aberrations allow the Nova to "process" temporary Taint at a faster rate Also, unlike the normal method, a WP check is not required because the Taint is "bleeding off naturally" in the form of the Aberration. 2) While manifesting as an Aberration, a point of Temporary Taint does not count toward the total being accumulated toward a point of Permanent Taint.

As temporary Taint (and/ortemporary Aberrations) accumulate, the levels of the Abberations needed to "satisfy" the Taint requirements increase. Specifically, a Nova whose Temp Taint is 1-5 may replace those points with Low, Medium, or High Taint levels. Temp Taint from 6-8 may be replaced by Medium or High Aberrations only. Temp Taint 9-10 can be replaced by High level Aberrations only.

In addition to simple replacement a player has other options. He can choose to take a high Aberration than his Taint level requires in return for a reduced time between Taint Removal intervals. For each level of Difference between the Temp Taint Level and the required Aberration level, subtract a week of time.

Suppose a Nova blew "max out" roll and gained a point of Taint, giving him a total of 4 in Temporary Taint. Instead of going half-dormant, he could choose to take a Low Level Aberration like "Aberrant Eyes", endure it for a month and lose the point of Taint. Alternately, he could take a Medium Aberration for three week or a High level one for two weeks and do the same thing in a shorter period of time (though that shorter time might end up SEEMING longer to the player, of course). Note that barring certain powers (Aberrant Transfer comes to mind) a character taking Aberrations is stuck with them for the duration. He can't "double-up" the time by reducing Quantum and making the WP roll sooner. The WP roll affects only those Taint points NOT manifesting as temporary taint and counting toward a permanent Taint point.

ST oversight is vital for this option. For one thing, it involves more bookeeping due to potentially varying "countdowns" on different Taint points. Also, it's generally best to let the Aberration chosen "fit the crime."

[The Ranger]

I like the concept. Might have there only be a set amount of flaws that manifest for each character...eg the electrical manipulator gets either a glowing field, glowing eyes, random static bursts, and "sticky" hands whereas the hypermovement specialist gets "whoosh" sounds effects when he moves so much as an finger, random telekinetic bursts, and "streamlined" features (fin shaped hair etc).

[Guest]

Quote:

Originally posted by The Ranger:
I like the concept. Might have there only be a set amount of flaws that manifest for each character...eg the electrical manipulator gets either a glowing field, glowing eyes, random static bursts, and "sticky" hands whereas the hypermovement specialist gets "whoosh" sounds effects when he moves so much as an finger, random telekinetic bursts, and "streamlined" features (fin shaped hair etc).

To be honest, I'd take into account the character's personality and situation at least as much as their person's actual powers. For example: Suppose a Nova botches a max-out of the MegaPer Enhancement, Hi-End EM Scan while trying to stare through a locked bank vault. The power might suddenly stay "permanently" on at its highest level (meaning that the character is effectively blind out to the range of the Enhancement since he "sees through" everything. On the other hand, the vision might suddenly be granted to everyone ELSE within the power's range as regards the Nova (so that he/she is effectively naked to everyone passing nearby). Or again, maybe the Aberration takes the form of "permanent" Telepathy, in which the Nova is bombared by a constant assualt of mental noise or instead, broadcasts his own thoughts to everyone nearby!

The way I look at them, the Temp. Abberations should reflect a weird partnership between the Nova's MR-Node and his own subconscious mind with the idea of convincing the Nova to never, Ever, EVER do whatever he did to get the taint in the first place.

While I presented it as a player's option, Temp Aberrations can certainly be an ST's tool as well. As the ST, you decide when/if an Aberration will be allowed and have final decision on what form it will take. Be creative, appropriate and very unpleasant if at all possible.

One thing I might not have mentioned: Each TempTaint (TT) can have only one Aberration associated with it, at most. Also, TT is cumulative with Aberrating Taint for purposes of determining what level of Aberration is needed to remove a level of Taint.

Example: Crossroads has had a bit of bad luck. First, he botched a Max-out of his Teleportation and gained 3 points of TempTaint. Then, after a harrowing encounter with a nasty individual, he tries to force himself to recover Quantum and botches that as well, getting another 3 points. Crossroads decides to take a couple of Aberrations to avoid having 6 points of TT. Because he's at 6 points now, his first Aberration must be Medium level.
BTW, the decision of whether or not to "Aberrate" a point of Taint must be made at that time that's it's acquired.