Aberrant RPG - Failed Eruptions

[Captether]

Hello all,

Do eruptions always take place without complications? Taint alone doesnt cover all possibilities. In Trinity (cant remember where) experiments attempting to trigger an eruption destroyed several city blocks in Egypt. So why not in an Aberrant game?

In a homebrew setting of mine, fully functioning Novas are in a definate minority amongst the erupted (only about 150 confirmed worldwide) with most eruptions failing, or only partially succeeding. Some erupting novas literally tear themselves (and a great deal of real estate and/or people) apart when their Node kicks in. This is generally a catestrophic explosion or horrific mutation that kills the nova.

The vast majority of eruptions result in "mutants" whose nodes never fully kick on, but do alter the characters physialogy and in some cases mental makeup. Such characters have no Quantum, or Taint, and recieve 10 Nova Points whick may be spent on raising Attributes, or buying Body Modefications. Attunement, Node, and Dormancy are unavailable, and though levels in Eufiber are possible, they have no quantum to give it so its greater uses are unavailable. Additional Body modefications can be purchased with experience points.

Mutants are the lowly supers that have a definate advantage over baselines, but are no match for a nova in a straight up fight. Still, there are a lot more of them, and they can hide more easily amongst baselines. Many mutants are pretty inhuman looking, with morlock-like clans of mutants and their followiers living in abandoned subways and the like.

Just some thoughts,

[Blue Thunder]

There is at least one bad eruption in Aberrant: Sloppy Joe. He's a sample character in the Teragen book (he acts as Sophia Roussou's information contact within the Teragen) and he also appears in the fiction for The Directive. His body is now completely fluid and loose from itself, and is only being held together by a permanent Force Field.

[phoenix]

Hey Captether,

I really like the idea of your mutants. I'd be tempted to allow them Mega-Physicals capped at one, just to make them slightly more formidable. I can picture nova cops being called in to stop a destructive street war between a gang of mitoids and a pack of mutants..

[Captether]

Blue Thunder,

I dont mean tainted novas, but ones who didnt completely "get there" so-to-speak. Sloppy Joe can still throw some serious whupass out there compared to baselines, or the mutants detailed above. These kinds of characters can make cool "second string" heroes that might even be better people (and braver heroes) than more powerful supers.

Phoenix,

I dont see why a mutant cant also BE a mitoid. Though just sticking with lots of maxed out attributes and a few body mods would put a mutant at a good advantage over even a maxed-out mitoid. I like your gang war setup, and the possibility of really gross mutants (maybe kept as collared freaks by really nasty street gangs) engaging in gang warfare/asassinations such as using his acidic (spines) lashing tendril tongue to decapitate enemies, slithering through a ventilation shaft (slippery skin), and up a sheer wall (adhesive fingers/toes) to get away...

That said, below are some new body mods and a feat for review:

Body Mods

Balancing Appendage: (1 nova/2 experience points) The character has a balancing Appendage (tail, antennae, wings, etc) that aid it greatly when moving at precarious heights. This grants a +2 bonus to all rolls for the character to keep his balance.

Giant: (3 Nova points, 6 experience points) The character gains half and again his mass and height, becoming a giant. The character gains a +1 to Strength and one additional Bruised Health level. If this enhancement raises the characters strength above 5 dots, treat as Mega Strength 1 with no enhancements. Every two levels of this power grants a +1 to all opponents attempts to spot and locate the character. This modification can be bought twice.

Quadruped Movement: (2 nova/4 experience points) The character can go down on all fours for faster movement. Characters have the following movement when on all fours: (walk Dex + 8ft, run Dex + 50ft, sprint [Dex X 5] + 60ft).

Widened Visual Range: (1 nova/3 experience points) The character has extra visual sensors of some sort, these can be antennae, "eye spots", or even extra eyes or the like. Whatever their nature, these sensory organs allow the character to make Awareness rolls to detect approaching allies or enemies regardless of whether or not the character is facing in the direction of approach.

Merit

Mitoid (5 point Merit)

The character is a mitoid, that is a human that has been taking the super steroid called Mite, for an extended period of time, granting him boosted physical power and a powerful addiction. The character may raise his Strength rating beyond 5 (granting Mega Strength 1 with no enhancements) with freebies or experience. To do this the characters Might must be at 5 dots as well. A Mitoid suffers from the effects of the Bulging Muscles and Hormonal Imbalance (Rage) Aberrations. At the end of any instance when the character has entered this berserk state he must make a Stamina + Endurance roll (diff +1) or take 5 Lethal health levels of damage immediately. The character is addicted to mite, and will suffer a cumulative +1 difficulty per day to all dice rolls if he cannot get the drug. If the drug is not taken for three months any Mega Strength is lost. This merit can only be taken by baseline characters.

Hee hee heee.

[Alex Green]

they can hide more easily amongst baselines. Many mutants are pretty inhuman looking...

Don't those conflict?

[Captether]

they can hide more easily amongst baselines. Many mutants are pretty inhuman looking...

Don't those conflict?

Sorry, I could have written that out better.

A mutant with maxed out Attributes and three levels of extra health levels wont be nearly as conspicuous as the one with antennae, wings, and extra limbs (the man-fly, aieeee!).

Also, a tentacled monkey-man mutant is going to be alot easier to hide than alot of novas. In most cases, those powers, and the huge food requirements of fully erupted novas draw attention. Even the subtle powers of novas draw attention in one way or another, such as all of those mega social powers making people adore them as gods whether they want them to or not.

[Nullifier]

I would suggest, along the lines of what phoenix did, that allowing your mutants to purchase mega-attribs up to level 1 only, as they have a 0 quantum score, of course, and maybe certain enhancements, would make your mutants more varied and interesting as characters while still keeping well below novas in power. It'd allow them to be more than just low-level annoyances and turn them into truly formidable opponents, especially in groups. Also, consider that with even a single mega-mental and enhancement a mutant scientist could concievable build quantum-powered nova-type weapons. I just think it allows for a lot more interesting possibilities, but that's just me... ::rolleyes ::biggrin

[Captether]

I would suggest, along the lines of what phoenix did, that allowing your mutants to purchase mega-attribs up to level 1 only, as they have a 0 quantum score, of course, and maybe certain enhancements, would make your mutants more varied and interesting as characters while still keeping well below novas in power. It'd allow them to be more than just low-level annoyances and turn them into truly formidable opponents, especially in groups. Also, consider that with even a single mega-mental and enhancement a mutant scientist could concievable build quantum-powered nova-type weapons. I just think it allows for a lot more interesting possibilities, but that's just me... ::rolleyes ::biggrin

Hmm,

If I were to allow a single dot in mega attributes it would be without enhancements, just to keep things simple. The Giant enhancement (see above) a single dot in Mega strength is possible, with an obvious power boost.

A cleverly made mutant, with well chosen body mods can be plenty effective and just as varied (if not more so) as one with mega attributes. Having 5 dots in all mental attributes for an inventor mutant is nothing to sneeze at, and hell just have to make due with human technology, which, when applied appropriately can make even novas sweat.

[Captether]

Ok here goes,

Mutants

Not all eruptions are equal. Sometimes when a latent nova erupts, the process doesnt result in a fully functioning node allowing the nova the ability to channel and store quantum energy in his or her body. On occasion (most times in my campaign), what results from an eruption is a mutant, a latent nova whos eruption merely transforms his or her body, but does not grant the quantum using and storing abilities of a nova.

Mutants do not gain the celebrity or favor that most novas enjoy, rather they are often seen as bad case scenarios and a definate concern. Though many of the abilities of mutants are indeed very usefull, more often then not they are an inconvenience to the mutant in all but specialized situations. Many mutants that do not find a place in specialized employment often become feral hermits or involved in criminal activities.

Character Creation

As per listed in the Aberrant book page 120 with the following changes:

Backgrounds: No Attunement, Dormancy, or Node. Eufiber can be purchased, but being as a mutant has no quantum to feed it, will not offer additional soak. All other backgrounds are the same.

Quantum: Mutants do not have quantum scores, either permanent or temporary.

Taint: Mutants do not gain taint, and cannot purchase tainted powers. In a game in which Noetic powers are used, a mutant would register as having a Psi of 0, but not tainted.

Nova Points: 10 Nova Points.

Powers: Mutants can spend their Nova points raising Attributes, Abilities, Backgrounds (see above), Willpower, Armor*, Body Modifications, Claws, and Sensory Sheild. No Mega Attributes or Quantum powers not listed above are available.

A mutant can be a very interesting alternative character, especially for a abused anti-hero type. Second string supers sporting body armor and equipment geared towards their mutations and abilities can make for some interesting opportunities. Mutants whose powers are all very high Attributes and lots of abilities make for excellent "Sheild"-type agents, or even Daredevil-like (Subdermal Vision/Widened Visual Range) characters possible.

* Im still not too sure about armor being allowed for mutant characters as it is rather powerful. But the thought of a Giant (see new body mods above) Armored mutant throwing his weight around at a dockside bar or rushing a police barricade is just too neat to pass up.

[Jonsi]

Hi guys. I guess you know the comics called "alias" by Brian Michael Bendis ?

I am about to propose a new Aberrant game to my team of players : they'll be nova losers with poor useless powers or low mega attributes that have badly failed to Utopia recruitment tests. So they found a Nova investigation agency. The idea is to lead them in the Aberrant timeline but from a very backstage point of view, may be investigating undirectly on events their real big Nova characters have been part of.

The problem is to to determine what power/mega attribute/enhancement I will allow...

What do you think ?

[BlueNinja]

The problem is to to determine what power/mega attribute/enhancement I will allow...

What do you think ?

Limit them to a Quantum of 2, and no bonus points may be spent for Quantum. That will ensure that the highest Mega possible is 3 dots, and you know they won't be busting out with higher-level powers.

[Alex Green]

It is extremely difficult to build a useless 30 point nova, and limiting quantum doesn't have much to do with it.

Example: Anti-Matter Lad.

Q4. 5 dots of Elemental Anima: Anti-Matter. Erupted when the elite known as Anti-Matter Man tried to kill him. Anima doesn't let you create your element, only manipulate what already exists.

Example 2: Joe Normal

Q1. Willpower 10 (bonus points). One Mega in each stat.

So which character is the more "useless"? I think you need to either sharply decrease the number of nova points available, say to 10, or you need to build the characters yourself (which is a really hard sell).

After giving out 10 nova points, I wouldn't bother with any other limits (except I'd also say "no taint" and "No Flaws"). If someone wants to have a Q5 character with nothing else, let him.

[Jonsi]

Thanks guys.

[Psilord]

Powers: Mutants can spend their Nova points raising Attributes, Abilities, Backgrounds (see above), Willpower, Armor*, Body Modifications, Claws, and Sensory Sheild. No Mega Attributes or Quantum powers not listed above are available.

I would suggest allowing a dot of mega-stamina as an option, representing enhanced mutant physiology.

Also, a couple of the mega-stamina enhancements that don't require quantum expenditure. Many would be well suited without being too powerful for the character type. Resiliency, Health and Tireless are three very good examples. The natural increased healing rate for having mega-stamina would also serve as a good option for mutants (a mini version of Regeneration).

Continuing, mega-stamina with its extra soak, health levels, pain resistance and quicker healing could very well offer you a more modest protection option than Armor, especially if combined with several extra health levels from Body Mods.

At the very least allow the "normal nova metabolism" benefits as an option.