Shapeshifter character name needed

[MikeyMitchell]

I have a character who is a shapeshifter, but not in the traditional sense (i.e. mimicking other people). He's similar to Odo or the T-1000; he can 'go liquid' (Desolidification), Stretch, and grow Extra Limbs.Here's my problem: I don't like any of the more traditional shapeshifter names. "Chameleon" doesn't work because he doesn't actually change colors; "Morph" sounds like a dog with a cleft palate. I've currently selected the least offensive name I could come up with, Shyft, but I really don't like that either.And, there's another catch: He's not a well-educated individual, so he wouldn't be likely to select a name from some obscure source (like, say, Norse or Greek mythology).In short, I'm at a loss. Suggestions?

[Kirby]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

My favorite (though, for clones):

Simulacrum

 

Others:

Copycat

Doppleganger (sort of traditional, but maybe while the guy isn't too intelligent, he did play D&D? )

Enigma (always good for a mysterious character)

Image

Imatater or Imatator

Phase

Silhouette

Twin

[Lightray]

When in doubt, just go with the short descriptive words; they usually work out fine. "Fluid" or "Flow" or "Flux" would work just fine.

 

If he's of another nationality, translating into a foreign language often gives you some added cachet:

 

Flow - Flujo, Fließen, Coulée

 

Fluid - Flúido, Flüssig, Fluide

 

... samples in Spanish, German, and French.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

Flow

 

Pseudo

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

My favorite (though, for clones):

Simulacrum

 

Well they could call him Sim for short.

 

 

 

Sorry my wife just bought the Sims 2 couldn't resist.

[Hawksmoor]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

First off is his form at all interesting when not shifted. The T-1000 is metallic. What does he look like?

 

Names I would choose for him would not center around his specific power but instead on his status as a superhuman. Mr. Amazing or the ilk would be prime examples.

 

Hawksmoor

[MikeyMitchell]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

First off is his form at all interesting when not shifted. The T-1000 is metallic. What does he look like?

Well' date=' he's a tall, stocky black man wearing trunks and a mask. Except they aren't really trunks and a mask; they're his body material shaped into those forms (that way, he can go desolid and not worry about his clothes). :)But he only has extra limbs when he wants to, and only goes into a liquid form when he wants to. The rest of the time, he looks like any other large stocky fellow.

Names I would choose for him would not center around his specific power but instead on his status as a superhuman. Mr. Amazing or the ilk would be prime examples.Hawksmoor

Superooze? Just kidding. He does a lot of local charity-type work; he's heavily into the local community. So, he'd want a name the local folks would easily recognize that wouldn't be hard to pronounce.I've never had a character who was so hard to name. This is weird.

[Hawksmoor]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

OK so he is more like ODO than T-1000. So his inbetween (desolid) form has no real identifing quality.

 

Mister Miracle

Mister Amazing

 

 

Ebon

 

I could think of more but it is late and I have another head cold.

 

Hawksmoor

BTW have you though of simply going with his real name? Public IDs are all the rage these days.

[MikeyMitchell]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

BTW have you though of simply going with his real name? Public IDs are all the rage these days.

Nah, won't work. He has a family (wife and two kids), and doesn't want to put them at risk."Doctor! My brain hurts!""What do you want me to do about it?""Fix it!"

[Kirby]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

Well' date=' he's a tall, stocky black man wearing trunks and a mask. Except they aren't really trunks and a mask; they're his body material shaped into those forms (that way, he can go desolid and not worry about his clothes). :)I've never had a character who was so hard to name. This is weird.

[/quote']In this case, I'll second my vote for Enigma. In a previous gaming group, there was a black player who had a black character named Enigma, in a Dark Champions game. He was a shapeshifter, could grow & density increase, fly and ooze under doors as well. The only difference was his appearance. His "super" body was white (as in the color, not as in an Anglo) with a black question mark on his torso and one on his face). While he would sometimes take strange forms flying (a pterradactyl sp?, a star destroyer -go behind a building and switch to a TIE fighter, etc.) his 'standard' flying form was him standing up with his arms crossed. Very freaky, but fun. He was a very cool mysterious character. When the player could no longer game with us, he decided to give his character to the GM to use as he wished. The GM turned the Enigma into the Answer, his question mark changing into an exclamation mark and he produced wings for his flight. Oh, he was called "The Answer" by his new master, the evil bad guy we were having trouble defeating.

[Kirby]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

Hawksmoor

BTW have you though of simply going with his real name? Public IDs are all the rage these days.

That's because Rage has a Public ID.

 

 

Um, nevermind.

[MikeyMitchell]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

In this case' date=' I'll second my vote for Enigma. In a previous gaming group, there was a black player who had a black character named Enigma, in a Dark Champions game. He was a shapeshifter, could grow & density increase, fly and ooze under doors as well. The only difference was his appearance. His "super" body was white (as in the color, not as in an Anglo) with a black question mark on his torso and one on his face). While he would sometimes take strange forms flying (a pterradactyl sp?, a star destroyer -go behind a building and switch to a TIE fighter, etc.) his 'standard' flying form was him standing up with his arms crossed. Very freaky, but fun. He was a very cool [i']mysterious[/i] character. When the player could no longer game with us, he decided to give his character to the GM to use as he wished. The GM turned the Enigma into the Answer, his question mark changing into an exclamation mark and he produced wings for his flight. Oh, he was called "The Answer" by his new master, the evil bad guy we were having trouble defeating.

Sounds great, but the "mystery" angle isn't what I'm going for. I need someone who has a family-friendly public image. He spends time talking to kids in inner-city schools, trying to get them to stay in school, off drugs, out of gangs, so forth. So I really need something more four-color.

[Kirby]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

Sounds great' date=' but the "mystery" angle isn't what I'm going for. I need someone who has a family-friendly public image. He spends time talking to kids in inner-city schools, trying to get them to stay in school, off drugs, out of gangs, so forth. So I really need something more four-color.

[/quote']Oh sure, now you tell us.Hmm... how about "Pat?" Because he'll pat you on the back and you can pat him on the back. Besides, what evil person has ever been called "Pat," hmm?Or Bob. Or Pal.The Amazing Amorpho Man.Work with me here!

[Kirby]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

And if Golden Age or Silver Age (or Age-ish):

 

Spare Change!

 

Because he can "change" and he can spare time for you.

 

Yeah, yeah, I know:

[hooligan x]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

You have to go with Lightray's idea. Flux is the only name to use. Say it with me. Flux. Sounds cool don't it? Some cat with a handle like Flux tells me to keep off the crank, that crank is done! Flux. Yeah, that'll do.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

You have to go with Lightray's idea. Flux is the only name to use. Say it with me. Flux. Sounds cool don't it? Some cat with a handle like Flux tells me to keep off the crank' date=' that crank is done! Flux. Yeah, that'll do.[/quote']

 

I agree that that's good in principle; but if he's spending time with inner-city kids, "Flux" sounds a little too much like another less-complimentary word that they're likely to be familiar with.

 

Okay, let me recap some of this info: he can assume an amorphous malleable form; he's not big on fancy-word names; he wants to convey a family-friendly image; he interacts a lot with inner-city kids, so he'll want a name that they can remember and relate to.

 

Hmm... how about "Goo" or "Goop?" I'm sort of tempted to suggest "Mudman," but being a black man that's just asking for ethnic slurs.

 

For a more Silver-Age style, maybe "Clayman" or "Captain Clay?"

 

I'll give this some more thought and get back to you.

[Kirby]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

Maybe just "Clay" perhaps? It has both a super and normal ring to it.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

How about Lego-Man TM ? He can turn himself into Anything!

 

He could even have a supersecret corporate sponsorship that he uses to fund his charity events.

 

HM

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

"Cassius Clay". He morphs boxing gloves on his hands when he hits villains.

[MikeyMitchell]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

Maybe just "Clay" perhaps? It has both a super and normal ring to it.

Hmn...that's pretty good. There was a "Clayface" villain in Batman at one point. Going with the name of a malleable material is something I hadn't considered. Let's see, what other possibilities are there?Dough (well, he's not rich, so...)Plastique (malleable, and hits hard)Keep 'em coming, guys. Appreciate the help.

[MikeyMitchell]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

For a more Silver-Age style' date=' maybe "Clayman" or "Captain Clay?"[/quote']After thinking some more about it, I think I'll go with "Clayman". It's simple, easy to remember, easy to pronounce, and fits the concept. Unless someone comes up with something better (and I'm not likely to), I'll go with this.Thanks for the help, folks. Applying extra brains often helps with a problem.

[Arkham]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

 

Splash.

Mr. Puddy.

(Mr./Captain/Agent) What. ( Only if he can turn into things )

The Goofy Goober. ( Does he have a sense of humor? )

Mr. Fluid

Petrol. ( If he can splash off duplicates, he could be the Petrol Patrol )

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

After thinking some more about it' date=' I think I'll go with "Clayman". It's simple, easy to remember, easy to pronounce, and fits the concept. Unless someone comes up with something better (and I'm not likely to), I'll go with this.Thanks for the help, folks. Applying extra brains often helps with a problem.

[/quote']If you do go with this, I'd suggest that he'd probably be referred to as "Clay" by folks he knows "around the neighborhood."

[MikeyMitchell]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

If you do go with this' date=' I'd suggest that he'd probably be referred to as "Clay" by folks he knows "around the neighborhood."[/quote']Yeah, I can see him being called "Mr. Clayman" by the little kids or "My man Clay!" by the older teenage types. He's pretty easygoing, so I he'd be okay with it in either case. I think this will work.Thanks again.

[Kirby]

Re: Shapeshifter character name needed

Thanks again.

Okay, out of curiosity, why do you do the "< B R > < B R>" at the end, when it doesn't show up? Is that a inside joke, does it stand for something, did you not notice it wasn't showing up, something else?I've just been curious because I see it on my notifications and it's still there when I quote you, but it doesn't show up on the threads.