Gadodel Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 What sort of Power(s) would enable a Symbiotic Relationship between two lifeforms? This sort of union would allow the lifeforms to share Characteristics, Skills, Powers etc as well as share Disads and so on. Obviously, SR would be 'voluntary'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Netzilla Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Re: Symbiotic Relationship What sort of Power(s) would enable a Symbiotic Relationship between two lifeforms? This sort of union would allow the lifeforms to share Characteristics' date=' Skills, Powers etc as well as share Disads and so on. Obviously, SR would be 'voluntary'.[/quote'] You haven't given us much to go on. We really need to know are what the effects of the symbiosis are in non-mechanics terms and then we can give you ideas on mechanics to simulate those effects. Things like: Are the two entities capable of existing separate from each other? Do their abilities increase when joined? Do they gain new abilities? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadodel Posted December 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Re: Symbiotic Relationship Things like: Are the two entities capable of existing separate from each other? Do their abilities increase when joined? Do they gain new abilities? Yes, yes and not sure. Not sure because if each entity has something like EC, MP or VPP it is going to be up to the Game Master. I would tend to say 'no' to the last question unless some sort of Advantage Cost comes in to play that make is more reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Re: Symbiotic Relationship Without the details, but assuming two independent life forms who have a "whole is greater than the sum of the parts" result, I'd consider a structure where the joined character is the "Main Character", so build him first. Next, design the two separate life forms. Pick one as the "Host"/base character and the other will be the "Symbiote". The Main Character purchases Duplication based on the cost of the Symbiote. You'll need to discuss with your GM whether he will require an advantage for varying the points of the duplicate from the base character, which will depend on whether the Symbiote has different powers/abilities, or different disadvantages. If the Symbiote has no powers the Main Character lacks, they aren't stronger than the main character's, and his disadvantages are more or less the same, I wouldn't make you pay for an advantage. Now go back to the Main Character, compare it to the Host. All powers and abilities which the Main Character has, and the Host does not, should take the limitation "Not available to Host when duplicated" (probably -1/4 since they're still available to the symbiote). Powers neither Host nor Symbiote have should be "Not when duplicated" (I'd give this -1/2 unless the character will almost never separate). If the Main Character has disadvantages the Host does not, their pricing should be modified to take this into account. If the Host has disadvantages the Main Character lacks, these should be on the Main Character, with frequency reduced because they're "only when duplicated". Probably not the simplest approach, but I suspect it will get the job done at a reasonable cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadodel Posted December 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Re: Symbiotic Relationship Thanks. That is one way I'll be thinking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewD2 Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Re: Symbiotic Relationship When looking at symbiotic relationships that have been used in the past. I think of the common one from the comics where you have Venom and Carnage (and anyone else that was made from chunks of Venom). They had what I would call a parasitic symbiotic relationship where one being (the alien goo) couldn't really do anything without the host. It's possible to have a symbiotic relationship that does nothing until the two beings are joined. Now mechanics-wise, I don't know what anything will take because I just got 5ER and it's my first HS book. So, I'll check back as I know a little more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Re: Symbiotic Relationship I don't know how much help this may be for you, but here's an interesting idea I've been trying to pull off (I might for a villian sometime). A character than has a Multipower. Everything outside the MP is what the character can normally do, no symbiote/host. One slot in the MP is Multiform, which represents what the character is when combined. The other slot is Duplication, with the duplicate being the other part (either the symbiote or the host, whichever the main character isn't). The MP would have the Limitation "Always On" to simulate the fact that one of the slots must be used at all times; he's wither a host/symbiote combo, or a host and symbiote walking around seperately. I'm not sure now it would actually work out though, as I've never tried it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinecone Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 Re: Symbiotic Relationship THe one time I tried to do a symbiote I tried to use Duplication with a "bunch o' powers limited to "only when combined" I guess you could throw in Dups differ (+X) and be fairly close..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadodel Posted January 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2005 Re: Symbiotic Relationship I don't know how much help this may be for you, but here's an interesting idea I've been trying to pull off (I might for a villian sometime). A character than has a Multipower. Everything outside the MP is what the character can normally do, no symbiote/host. One slot in the MP is Multiform, which represents what the character is when combined. The other slot is Duplication, with the duplicate being the other part (either the symbiote or the host, whichever the main character isn't). The MP would have the Limitation "Always On" to simulate the fact that one of the slots must be used at all times; he's wither a host/symbiote combo, or a host and symbiote walking around seperately. I'm not sure now it would actually work out though, as I've never tried it. Whoa! That sounds both mischievous and promising! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted January 1, 2005 Report Share Posted January 1, 2005 Re: Symbiotic Relationship Whoa! That sounds both mischievous and promising! Thanks. If you end up using it, let us know how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadodel Posted January 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Re: Symbiotic Relationship I will. What got me to thinking about this, is a Power in the Expanded Psionics Handbook (3.5) from WoTC. There is a Power called 'Fusion'. It does what it sounds like it does. With that power, two entities can combine their Abilities, Feats, Powers, Skills etc. Very powerful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent X Posted January 2, 2005 Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Re: Symbiotic Relationship I've got a buddy who has told us he's come up with a NEW house ruled power to do pretty much what he's talking about and he's got a 4 or 5 page writeup on the thing. I think he'll have us playtest it eventually. I'll see if I can get some information on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadodel Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Re: Symbiotic Relationship Upon reading about it further, I suspect that 'Transfer' might be of use. I suspect that 'Transmutation' might be worth rereading as well. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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