Use of Transform to Change Character's Gender

[CptPatriot]

I have a fellow player looking to make a character that has two different power sets, each set attached to a particular gender.

 

I was thinking that the change in gender can be handled as easily as Instant Change is in the Transform example for clothes.

 

Cosmetic Transform 1d6 (one gender into another and vice-versa; method of healing back is the repeat use of the power), trigger (changing gender is a zero phase action, trigger immediately automatically resets; +¾) (5 active points); limited target (self only; -½). total cost: 3 points.

 

Is this enough to effect the change of gender?

[Altair]

I have a fellow player looking to make a character that has two different power sets, each set attached to a particular gender.

 

I was thinking that the change in gender can be handled as easily as Instant Change is in the Transform example for clothes.

 

Cosmetic Transform 1d6 (one gender into another and vice-versa; method of healing back is the repeat use of the power), trigger (changing gender is a zero phase action, trigger immediately automatically resets; +¾) (5 active points); limited target (self only; -½). total cost: 3 points.

 

Is this enough to effect the change of gender?

 

Emphasis mine.

 

Two forms? Each with their own powers? This sounds like a classic example of Multiform to me. Having said that, I'm new here, so take that with a shaker of salt.

[CptPatriot]

Ok, I get that, but that doesn't answer the main question. The question lies in how to buy the gender change power.

[Altair]

Well, to do it as a Transform, I think you'd need something more significant. After all, a Cosmetic transform would change how someone looks, but it's not going to be altering internal organs, or what have you. So, that's gonna be a major transform. 

 

Also, what's the BOD of the character? 1d6 is not going to cut it, and I figured you'd want standard effect so it always works. Having said that, I tried to build something that I think might do the trick, based on your original:

 

Sex Change: Major Transform 4d6 (standard effect: 12 points) (transforms Male to Female, healed by Use of the Power), Trigger (Activating the Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates; +3/4) (70 Active Points); Limited Target ([Very Limited]; Self Only; -1) Total cost: 35 points.

 

Having said that, I would heartily recommend one of two things.

1. Multiform (see above)
2. If it's really a style thing, and you don't want or expect the biological sex change to have any meaningful gameplay impact, it's just their theme? Then make it a multipower, with the SFX of sexswapping, or use the 3 point version because that's what works for your game.

Hope that's useful!

 

Edit: you could knock the power down to 28 points by adding in the "All or Nothing" limitation, which man, that makes a lot of sense.

[Xavier Onassiss]

I agree with Altair; a Multiform would be the best way to build this, not a Transform.

[L. Marcus]

Thirded -- Transform seems unnecessarily clunky.

[zslane]

Transform is an attack. One does not handle switching between multiple intrinsic forms of a character as an attack upon oneself, even in a design-by-effect game like the Hero System. The switching of gender would simply be a built-in part of Multiform since each form can be anything. If the difference was cosmetic only, and didn't involve a change in power sets, then Shapeshift would generally cover it.

[Steve]

Transform also can't be used on yourself, I believe. Instant Change is targeting clothing.

 

This would be either Shape Shift or Multiform. Multiform is the cleanest way to do it, and you can include some limitations that Shape Shift allow (like Body Only -1/2, if the clothes don't change).

[Scott Baker]

Another vote for Altair. Multiform based on your original post.

[Christopher R Taylor]

The way you describe this power seems clearly multiform to me.

[Greywind]

Accidental Change?

Incantation?

 

Accidental overdose of gamma radiation?

[Xavier Onassiss]

Actually, I handn't thought of Shape Shift. That's a lot simpler. (I like simple.) Give the shape shift two forms only: male and female.

 

And yes, put everything in a multi-power and give all the gender-limited powers a -0 limitation only works when male/female.

 

I'm calling it a -0 limitation for the moment because as far as I know, the character can shape shift at will. If the shape shift is difficult to use for some reason, assign an appropriate value to the limitation.

 

Multiform would also work, but it's f*****g complicated. Not worth the trouble if you can avoid it.

[Altair]

Yeah, Shape Shift can also work if you want to do it that way. Which leads me to a question for the OP.

 

What's the context for this character?

 

Is the gender-swapping thing a big deal, or is it just supposed to be SFX? Is there any mechanical/social/metaphysical weight behind the change, or is it something that the player and GM just kind of want to be there?There's this maxim at the beginning of HERO books: you get what you pay for. That initial post, with the 3 CP power, leads me to believe that the player might not place as much weight on the change as I'm assuming there is. If it's a minor detail, a side thing without any huge metaphysical significance, then maybe work out something smaller.

 

If not, then Shape Shift with the senses + cellular will do the trick, right? If it's not changing your clothes, that's like 23 points, yes?

[Marcus Impudite]

Since it's the character transforming himself/herself into the opposite gender, I say it's a Multiform.

 

Incidentally, if it were a Transform to turn others into the opposite gender, Cosmetic Transform would be insufficient for that purpose; I shouldn't have to tell anyone here that the differences between the sexes go WAY beyond the cosmetic.

[massey]

Since it's the character transforming himself/herself into the opposite gender, I say it's a Multiform.

 

Incidentally, if it were a Transform to turn others into the opposite gender, Cosmetic Transform would be insufficient for that purpose; I shouldn't have to tell anyone here that the differences between the sexes go WAY beyond the cosmetic.

 

But do they in game terms?

 

At most, I'd say a Minor Transform was needed.  A Major Transform can turn a man into a solid gold couch.

[zslane]

Multiform is complicated? I missed the memo somewhere along the way...

[Christopher R Taylor]

Multiform is just building two characters and paying a fraction for the second.  Not exactly complicated at all.  And it does exactly what this power is described as.  Shapeshift can, but its going to be a lot more work.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Multiform is just building two characters and paying a fraction for the second.  Not exactly complicated at all.  And it does exactly what this power is described as.  Shapeshift can, but its going to be a lot more work.

 

I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

Creating one power (Shape shift) sounds like a lot less work than creating an entire extra character. (And tacking a fraction of its cost onto the "prime" character.)

[Doc Democracy]

I am with Xavier on this.  I might even be more radical and suggest that the gender switch be a side-effect of the powers being used.  No power for the switching unless s/he can switch without using powers and then there might be social advantages by being difficult to identify through switching gender.

 

Then I would use shape-shift so that the player paid the points for the utility...

 

 

Doc

[Lucius]

For the specific situation described: one set of Powers has Only in Alternate ID (Male) and the other has Only in Alternate ID (Female.) No special Power needed unless you want the change to be very quick and hassle-free.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Only in Palindromedary ID

[Lucius]

Multiform is complicated?

Yes.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

I missed the memo somewhere along the way...

A palindromedary ate the memo

[massey]

Ok, I get that, but that doesn't answer the main question. The question lies in how to buy the gender change power.

 

There is no "one way" to buy it.  A lot of different power constructs will give you a gender change ability.  Which one you should use depends upon how you want it to function.

 

If you are looking to use it on yourself, Shapeshift is probably the easiest.  You could make an argument that no power is required, just switching multipower slots may result in a change of appearance (after all, Johnny Storm doesn't buy shapeshift to turn into a fire-covered flying guy, his powers make that visual change on their own).  Now, if you don't buy it as a power, you won't fool anyone.  You won't be able to use it as a disguise.  You'll probably look like yourself in pretty good drag.  Regardless, people will be able to tell who you are.

 

If you are changing someone else, Transform is probably the way to do it.  Cosmetic transform will let you make someone look like the opposite gender.  Minor transform will probably be enough to make them... functional.  Major transform can turn someone into a gold statue or a neon space elephant, so I think that's probably too much for the game effect.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Changing gender i might constitute a Minor Transform. Some would condsider it a Major Transform.

 

To have your character change genders and power sets, that is more Multiform than Transform.

[mhd]

Changing gender i might constitute a Minor Transform. Some would condsider it a Major Transform.

Or Severe, if we're talking 'bout identity (alone or in combination with a physical transformation).

[zslane]

Whether or not Multiform is "easier" than a power framework with a bunch of mutually exclusive slots depends on how different the power sets are between the male and female forms. Some things just don't fit into a Multipower. It may seem like more work, but the flexibility that having two completely separate forms, written as two different characters, often trumps the extra work involved. And if you keep the critical bookkeeping stats the same between them (BODY, STUN, END) then you don't have to deal with calculating proportional values when you switch between forms, and you retain the ability to easily give the two forms rather different characteristics (if that is part of the male/female concept).

 

On the other hand, if the two forms are really not that different, and the differences are limited to powers that easily fit into the framework-with-limitations paradigm, then that would probably be the way to go.

 

It's a lot like designing a piece of software. How much work you put into it up front often determines how easy it is to use and how easy it is to expand and enhance down the road. An awful lot of software developers start with a myopic view of their design and only implement the simplest possible spec, and then pay for that later when more flexibility is needed and not really supported by the adopted architecture.