Kzinbane Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 I have a basic character called Zodiak that has an amulet. Using the amulet he can change (randomly) into any one of 12 very different supers. I have no problems with the base character - buy the multiform with OAF or OIF on the amulet. The problem comes when I get to the 12 multiforms. Let's use Taurus as an example. I have him as a fairly basic brick type. If he gets the amulet taken away though he reverts to the base Zodiak form. How do I buy Taurus' powers? All powers are subject to the focus? The focus itself is a bit tricky too. If stolen or lost it returns at midnight. If Zodiak is in a multiform he reverts to basic form at midnight and would have to re-change (odds are into something other than he was - 1 in 12 chance of repeating it). Ideas, suggestions on how to work the above are appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 Only the base character has the limitation on the focus, since only the base character pays for the multiform. With that in mind I'd say if Taurus had the amulet taken away from him he'd immediately revert to Zodiak, or possibly not be able to change shapes at all and be stuck as Taurus until the amulet was recovered. If I were the GM I'd go with both options and choose whichever would be more dramatic at the time. Of course, our games are "Loose and Fast" favoring story over rules - you wouldn't believe the number of rules we break in a session to make the story interesting. So I might be off on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterdeath Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 The simplest way would be to be in each multiform to buy Accidental Change as a limitation. Define the Change as back to Zodiak form, at midnight or if amulet removed from character. Buy the Multiform on Zodiak with the Focus limitation, and you're probably done. You could buy all the powers of the Multiform above the base Zodiak level with a Focus limitation, then when it gets taken away you'd be at the normal level. Since you're already getting a point break for the multiform, I don't know that the extra break for the Focus on the powers of the multiform is that advisable. It might be seen as cheesy. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengal Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 giving each form Accidental Change: When Amulet is taken away (Always) is the way to go here. How do you randomly determine the form he changes in to? With a d12? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 Our group bounced around a Zodiac character idea that was similar, but the changes worked differently. Had no control over which "sign" powers they had; was based on what month/period it was in the game - ie is Taurus for most of May, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzinbane Posted February 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 random I would roll a 12 sided dice when the main form chose to change and see what he gets. Obviously getting Aquarius if one is in the Sahara could be annoying, but I kind of like challenges like that. I thought of having the change linked to the month but GM's don't always keep track fo what game month, day, etc it is (I do, but I'd be playing this character not GMing). The GM did point out what a pain in the buttox it will be to have 13 different characters to potentially keep track of on combat sheets. As a GM myself I must admit he's right - I'll probably re-do them so all 12 have perhaps 2-3 common speeds and dex. The powers were rather fun to come up with. Some are pretty straight forward like Taurus. Virgo though or Capricorn (the amazing goat man?!) were more challenging! I think it should be fun though. Main characer (Zodiak) is mainly skill based and lower powered (spends the multiform points). THe other 12 are built on 350 base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEmerged Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 RE: Accidental Change. Yep, you want to give every form this limitation defined as "When amulet removed". One of my players has a similar system for her PC -- Hexadecimal, who turns into her "17th" form (one that is completely non-combatant) when struck by a certain attack SFX. Another NPC in the campaign (Elementia) has this *identical* system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vex Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Why use Multiform Maybe a VPP with a limitation that can only be used for effects consistant with the sign transformed into. This also makes it easier if you want to add cusp forms (the cusp is anyone who is born near the first or last few days of a sign. For instance I am a Virgo on the cusp of a Leo and I should show some traits from both). If you do go with the multiform, it is a perfect chance for you to change the characters limitation (water signs have vulnerabilities to fire sfx, taurus has a enraged disad, etc) and to change the character's personality with a ready made list of quirks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzinbane Posted February 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 I think I'll go with Multiform. The cusp idea isn't bad, but things will be complicated enough with just 13 basic characters to run! I think I'm going to save Zodiak for a full time game. I am GMing right now and one of the players has a short game to GM in "my" universe. I was going to hand him the GM reigns and play Zodiak but as he says, I won't get to have much time with the character(s) before I go back to GM. Ideally I want the 12 characters to have personality traits and quirks just like their namesake sun signs suggest, etc - more work than I want to put into a part time player! Good advice all - thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vex Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Also You would have to design 13 costumes.... Or you could do the chinese zodiac so you only have to change once a year..... And you get to be a monkey for the next 11 months or so!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEmerged Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Re: Also Originally posted by Vex You would have to design 13 costumes.... Or you could do the chinese zodiac so you only have to change once a year..... And you get to be a monkey for the next 11 months or so!!!! Or he could make minor or predictable changes in the costume. AlphaBeth (submitted for the Name The Hero contest), with 27 forms total (base plus 26) used a costume that varied only in color scheme and the letter on the front of the outfit. Hexadecimal (a PC in my campaign with 16 superheroine forms, alluded to earlier) varies quite a bit but keeps the "binary numbering system" theme throughout (for example, her 8th mode has "1000" on the torso while her third has "0011"). RE: VPP. While there are times you'd be better off to use a multipower or VPP to "fake" a multiform, if you're changing more than a power or three chances are you're better off with the multiform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vex Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 What the Hex? 27 forms???? Ok, I want to see that character!!! Why on earth would you or could you need that many? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEmerged Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Re: What the Hex? Originally posted by Vex 27 forms???? Ok, I want to see that character!!! Why on earth would you or could you need that many? Can't -- under the rules of the Name The Hero contest she now belongs to HERO Games. She was submitted for the flying woman with the "M" on her torso from Champions Universe. As for the number of forms... the character had one for each letter of the alphabet (get it?). M is for Mass, A is for Acid, etc etc. For the most part (there were exceptions) the extra forms differed only in how they spent the 100 points the base form spent on the Multiform power. And technically she paid for 32 extra forms -- the writeup said the GM could add other letters as they saw appropriate (PSI, for example). My original intent, and I'm not joking, was 27 completely seperate forms. However I knew there was no chance of it winning (it would clearly have been disqualified simply because printing it in Digital HERO was not realistic), so I submitted it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzinbane Posted February 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Re: Also Originally posted by Vex You would have to design 13 costumes.... Or you could do the chinese zodiac so you only have to change once a year..... And you get to be a monkey for the next 11 months or so!!!! From a pure super powers stand point "monkey powers" aren't too horribly bad. I had quite a time with Capricorn - I mean what the heck powers does a #%*@! goat have? Hmm, eats everything in sight (universal digestion)? Sure footed? Produces low fat easily digestible milk??? I ended up making the character more along the lines of an antilope than a goat... so I cheated I guess. Goat man though... sheesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vex Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 ... What about Hexadecimal? As for the goat, I assume you have never really been around one. They are nasty mean creatures that are extrememly aggresive and territorial (yeah I know, it just sounds wrong). I would go with a Taurus type build (bipedal animal creature) and maybe focus in on its elemental sign (water or whatever it is). What powers are you planning for each zodiac creature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzinbane Posted February 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 zodiac powers I've been around goats a bit - they were pretty tame. Mountain goats on the other hand have good qualities - very sure footed, great senses, ability to handle extreme cold conditions not to mention VERY sharp horns... I have by no means finished the characters - I need more information on the signs themselves and the personality traits they are supposed to enail. In any case the basic ones - Taurus, Leo, Cancer, Scorpio, Aries, Pisces - I just gave them abilities matching their critter namesakes. Cancer for example, loads of armor - moderate strength. Leo - lion powers (stealth, senses, strength), Aries I made a move through/move by specialist. PIsces I decied on an Aquaman sort more shark based (hey, sharks are fish). Scorpio is one I took a turn on and made into a sorceror/mystic. Let's see... Gemini can become a twin of one nearby character (limited by point values) - either good guy or bad, though retains his own motivations. Libra ended up sort of a Batman esque character that knows guilt and innocence virtually always and dishes out justice as needed. Sagittarius the archer - think Hawkeye or Green arrow. Virgo - gave this one lots of aid, healing and some pre-cog powers useable on others (can grant pre-cognitive dodge to a team-mate). Aquarius - water elemental. Hmm, I know I am leaving out someone.. oh - Capricorn - as previously mentioned somewhat based on an Antilope or wild goat - fast running, sure footed, sharp horns and enhanced senses. I think that's it - I repeat though they are all subject to changes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakboy6117 Posted February 20, 2004 Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 capricorn is often depicted as a satyr so you get goat legs (possibly 4 centaur style) emotion control pan pipes and a bow. chinese zodiac is fun I was writing up a conversion of jackie chan advetures with the fun talisman powers all based on the chinese zodiac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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