Ultimate Hibernation

[BobGreenwade]

Last night I was watching The Most Extreme on Animal Planet, and was truly amazed at their "most extreme survivor" -- the water bear.

 

Technically known as the tardigrade, the water bear is a microscopic animal living in water and on various fungi. It lives in virtually every environment on Earth. When its environment becomes too harsh for survival, it expels most of the water from its body and goes into a state of suspended animation.

 

In this "super-hibernation" state, the water bear can survive temperatures past -200 degrees or +300 degrees (F), up to about 150,000 rads of radiation, total lack of air or water, or just about anything else you care to throw at it. One specimen actually survived a recorded 120 years in its hibernative state.

 

Not surprisingly, I'd like to write this ability up for a character.

 

The basic ability is pretty obvious: Simulate Death, and Life Support. The latter would include Self-Contained Breathing, Diminished Eating (no need to eat), Diminished Sleep (no need to sleep), Safe Environment (all environments), Longevity (does not age), and Immunity (all diseases, all poisons). Just for good measure I'd throw in about 20 points of resistant PD, ED, Mental Defense, and Power Defense (though I'm flexible on how much; I could adjust that based on feedback here).

 

I think I'd have to re-build the Simulate Death, since the activation method is different. The Invisibility to Detect Life Signs, Paramedics, and Forensic Medicine would, I think also include Invisibility to Mental Sense Group, and the Requires An EGO Roll would be removed.

 

From there, I'm not sure. I'm thinking of Concentration (0 DCV throughout, unaware of nearby events) on everything, and putting a Trigger on Simulate Death and Linked on everything else. I'd probably keep the Extra Time on Simulate Death, but would it go on the other Powers too?

 

Any helpful feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Sociotard]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

Are you putting on 20 pts on each of those defenses? Because that's a lot of points.

 

I might put a very weak costs end on this power. Say, costs 1 end every year, and no recovery. Lets see, that wouldn't actually be limiting (meaning its a -0 limitation), but it would be a good 'flavor' limitation.

 

You might think about a -1/2 limit on the simulate death: can't stop of own volition. Kind of like no concious control. The character would have to be revived.

 

On second thought, I wouldn't do this as life support. Do it as a suicide (I'd just fiat this as a 5 or 10 point power, since I have no idea how to write it up), and attach a resurection. The character will 'resurrect' when living conditions are acceptable. Ressurection is prevented by seriously damaging the body. The mummified body wouldn't be vulnerable to cold, heat, radiation within the bounds you presented.

[Dr. MID-Nite]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

Last night I was watching The Most Extreme on Animal Planet, and was truly amazed at their "most extreme survivor" -- the water bear.

 

Technically known as the tardigrade, the water bear is a microscopic animal living in water and on various fungi. It lives in virtually every environment on Earth. When its environment becomes too harsh for survival, it expels most of the water from its body and goes into a state of suspended animation.

 

In this "super-hibernation" state, the water bear can survive temperatures past -200 degrees or +300 degrees (F), up to about 150,000 rads of radiation, total lack of air or water, or just about anything else you care to throw at it. One specimen actually survived a recorded 120 years in its hibernative state.

 

Not surprisingly, I'd like to write this ability up for a character.

 

The basic ability is pretty obvious: Simulate Death, and Life Support. The latter would include Self-Contained Breathing, Diminished Eating (no need to eat), Diminished Sleep (no need to sleep), Safe Environment (all environments), Longevity (does not age), and Immunity (all diseases, all poisons). Just for good measure I'd throw in about 20 points of resistant PD, ED, Mental Defense, and Power Defense (though I'm flexible on how much; I could adjust that based on feedback here).

 

I think I'd have to re-build the Simulate Death, since the activation method is different. The Invisibility to Detect Life Signs, Paramedics, and Forensic Medicine would, I think also include Invisibility to Mental Sense Group, and the Requires An EGO Roll would be removed.

 

From there, I'm not sure. I'm thinking of Concentration (0 DCV throughout, unaware of nearby events) on everything, and putting a Trigger on Simulate Death and Linked on everything else. I'd probably keep the Extra Time on Simulate Death, but would it go on the other Powers too?

 

Any helpful feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Actually...all the animals they highlighted were pretty amazing. A rat can eat through a pipe...or cement? Scary.

 

Rob

[Dust Raven]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

I wouldn't feel the need to buy Simulate Death for this. Just go with Full Life Support (50 points) with Extra Time (however much time it takes to enter this state, -var), Only To Survive Inhospital Environmental Contitions (-?) and Concentration 0 DCV Throughout (-1).

 

I'm thinking the Only To Survive... isn't worth all that much, because it's kinda stating what the Power does in the first place. I meant it in a way that it doesn't apply to various NND attacks versus LS. Theoretically, the LS wouldn't protect against these attacks while "hibernating" but I suppose that's up to personal taste.

 

Personally, I don't see the need for extra defenses. Would entering hibernation mode make you harder to rip apart, stab or otherwise damage?

 

Assuming it takes only 1 Turn to enter hibernation mode, the Power only costs 17 points.

 

For SFX, I'd say the character loses all life signs and appears dead, though a thourough medical scan (or mental powers) would reveal he's merely dormant. And speaking of Mental Powers, while hibernating, you shouldn't have any surface thoughts, but your memories and subconscious should be accessible (deep-hidden thoughts maybe/maybe not). If you want to simulate a harder to contact mind while hibernating, you can buy Mental Defense Linked (12 points +EGO/5 would cost 8 points, making your total cost=25).

[McCoy]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

I've been thinking of something simular, how to do the dehydrated experiment pods from Stitch and Lilo and Stich the Series.

 

If the character cannot turn off the Hibernation, consider ID travel, travel forward in time to hospitable enviroment. Character cannot act until envirometal conditions are right, character also cannot be affected, he "isn't there," so no extra defenses needed.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

Personally' date=' I don't see the need for extra defenses. Would entering hibernation mode make you harder to rip apart, stab or otherwise damage?[/quote']I'd have to double-check the real-world stats as far as the water bear. My impression was that it could take a whole lot of punishment in hibernation state and come out none the worse for wear. Whether it could survive being squished, I don't know.

 

It do think it would be rather cool to allow the character in question the ability to survive planetary re-entry while in hibernation.

[Bengal]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

McCoy's build seems reasonable, except that certainly this water bear can be destroyed by some method? You may have to hand-wave that part, but the rest of it seems elegant enough to make it worth it.

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

I would go a total different way.

 

Multiform into inert form w/extra-time and charges (one cannot switch back and forth on a whim)

 

The Multiform would have various life supports and Invisiblity to Detect Life

Stats (High BODY and CON, low everything else)

Hardly any Powers except passive defenses

Physical Limitation: Can't Move

Physical Limitation: Extremely limited perception (basically he knows when it is probably safe to change back)

Accidental Change (if his normal form can be forced into hibernation, then he can be forced out of it)

[zornwil]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

I'd have to double-check the real-world stats as far as the water bear. My impression was that it could take a whole lot of punishment in hibernation state and come out none the worse for wear. Whether it could survive being squished, I don't know.

 

It do think it would be rather cool to allow the character in question the ability to survive planetary re-entry while in hibernation.

If you want it to be so hardy, you might just go with Desol and the only things that affect it are those conditions outside its tolerance. Over-simplifying it, yes, but might model it well enough.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

If you want it to be so hardy' date=' you might just go with Desol and the only things that affect it are those conditions outside its tolerance. Over-simplifying it, yes, but might model it well enough.[/quote'] That's certainly worth considering.

[PhilFleischmann]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

One specimen actually survived a recorded 120 years in its hibernative state.

How do they know? Did someone start the experiment 120 years ago?

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

How do they know? Did someone start the experiment 120 years ago?

It was found in a moss specimen that had been kept in a sealed container at a museum for that long. The researchers added water' date=' and [i']voila[/i] -- instant waterbear. (I just didn't want to go into details on this earlier because it has such potential turn this thread into a series of "instant monster" jokes. )

[MadWand]

Re: Ultimate Hibernation

 

What you want is EDM: into the future, with appropriate limitations to reflect the fact that anyone could grab your body and throw it into the sun so you'd wake up and fry. This is how you do Verner Vinges "bobble" technology, as described in his book The Peace War. Bobble technology allows you to create impenetrable bubbles around anything. Time stops inside the bobbles, and all forces are reflected from it's surface, until a pre-set time limit when the bobble "pops". Pretty much the ultimate hibernation power, except you can use it against all or part of your enemies. You could bobble an enemy planet, or just an enemies head.