Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

[etherio]

Looking for some input on this character. Let me know how you have handled, or would handle, this.

 

'Fauna' is a long-running character in my campaign. She was originally a PC, played by my ex-wife, but (for obvious reasons) for a few years has just been one of those 'scientific consultant' type of NPCs. Because of that, I never updated her for 5ed along with the rest of the characters.

 

Her power is your standard 'Changeling of the Teen Titans' shtick...she can transform into any animal whose DNA she's injected into her bloodstream (pretty much all normal ones). It was originally (ten years or so ago) built as a complicated multipower, but the build was weak. I realize I could use something like a multiform with variable special effect and give the current form the physical stats of whatever creature she's transformed into, but the problem is that animals tend to suck big-time in combat. Changeling could turn into an elephant and whallop a baddie, but even an elephant is outclassed at a reasonable standard supers level. Changeling's horse could gallop by and save his buddy's bacon by giving him a ride, but horses are clumsy oafs compared to supers.

 

I'd like some kind of conventional rule to work into the power build that would easily adjust normal animals in appropriately useful ways without my having to build a 'Fauna' version of each one.

 

I'm sure many of you have done this or something similar...care to share or offer suggestions?

[Blue]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

Sounds like your'e staying too true to the animal form. You need to embellish and exaggerate. I'm pretty sure nobody's going to mind; It's a superhero thing!

 

Do the pool thing, but don't mimick every feature they have; Just pick the most prominent features and exaggerate them.

 

Elephant form: Size Increase, Huge Strength, "Stomp" HA, maybe move through skills.

 

Woodpecker Form: Shrinking, Flight, and a single HKA with AP ("Peck"), possibly with autofire.

 

Bobcat Form: Running, HKA, Unearthly DEX and SPD.

 

Grizzly Form: STR boost, 1 Level of Size Increase, HKA, Levels with Claw and grab ("Hug").

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

As Blue says, you could design a separate animal form differing from Beastiary stats. Another option would be to establish that, because Fauna is an above-average human (I assume) any animal Faina transforms into is an above-average animal. Perhaps they all have +5 CON, +10 STR, +6 DEX and +2 SPD. You can always base the dofferemnce on the spread between Faina's characteristics and those of a base human (with 10, or even 8, stats).

[etherio]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

Sounds like your'e staying too true to the animal form. You need to embellish and exaggerate. I'm pretty sure nobody's going to mind; It's a superhero thing!

 

Do the pool thing, but don't mimick every feature they have; Just pick the most prominent features and exaggerate them.

 

Elephant form: Size Increase, Huge Strength, "Stomp" HA, maybe move through skills.

 

Woodpecker Form: Shrinking, Flight, and a single HKA with AP ("Peck"), possibly with autofire.

 

Bobcat Form: Running, HKA, Unearthly DEX and SPD.

 

Grizzly Form: STR boost, 1 Level of Size Increase, HKA, Levels with Claw and grab ("Hug").

 

All true, I agree. But the real problem is in the fact that she doesn't just have a few forms. Like Changeling, she can turn into all animals. I'm looking for a shortcut or convention wherein I can do exactly the sort of dramatically appropriate embellishment you're talking about, without having to build each one, and without having to debate how to adjust each one that comes up in-game.

[Mike W]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

I made a similar character a few years ago. I built it as a Variable Power Pool with a -1/4 limit(limited class of powers) and -1/4 or -1/2 if you're generous) - must change at least 1/2 the pool. Then you can build what you need at the time and just exercise some common sense. Keep a few common forms worked out in advance and wing the rest.

 

Another helpful thing I found is to "work out" the costs of more common powers in advance and keep a list. It only takes an hour or so and saves you immense time in the game. Heck, you can even use chits to just "mark" what you've got in your pool. Just make sure to work out each power at different levels. Say build HKA at 1D6, 1 1/2D6 and 2D6. Build STR at +5, +10, +20 etc. About a page or page and a half chart can hold almost every common power you would want at several different levels.

[etherio]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

Another helpful thing I found is to "work out" the costs of more common powers in advance and keep a list...Just make sure to work out each power at different levels. Say build HKA at 1D6' date=' 1 1/2D6 and 2D6. Build STR at +5, +10, +20 etc. About a page or page and a half chart can hold almost every common power you would want at several different levels.[/quote']

 

Good advice

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

I definately agree with the VPP thought, and the pregen powers list as well. Maybe include a -1/4 Limitation to represent the likely variance in Size different forms present. (Since HERO does this as a Disadvantage but it's not a constant thing, it might be allowable as a Limitation on the VPP.)

 

Since it requires animal DNA in the SFX, as a GM I'd suggest presenting the possibility of the player getting DNA from some mythical or fantastic animals. Nothing too fancy, but a pegasus or unicorn might make an interesting twist along the way.

[pinecone]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

I've hitting the same barriers with a multiform concept...I've been toying with VPP:Multiforms:Were-beasts and just having a basic set of up grades so I can just graft it onto any regular critter and get the point total to see if it fits so some thing like Combat luck,+5 str,dx and con...+1 speed and maybe "Red in tooth and claw-Fu" and you've got a known cost for any upgrages......maybe use the ferocius template as well....

[Hawksmoor]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

One way slightly around the VPP option is to instead do it as MP. Each slot can even have Flexible Slots even: Whodathunkit? Anyway have each slot represent a Stereotypical animal ability like Claws, or Growth, or Extra STR only to Strangle. Then you just build the Animal powers you want her to have on that Phase. If she goes hummingbird she chooses 6 levels of Shrinking and the 15" Flight Position Adjuster Sideways Movement; No Turn Mode. When she goes cheetah she gets the Running.

 

Does that make sense for the VPP wary?

 

Oh and of course she has the Shapeshift to appear as the animals she chooses.

 

Hawksmoor

[devlin1]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

IMO, this kind of shapeshifting is one of the few legitimate reasons to have a VPP. Going any other way is going to be too inflexible to accurately reflect the versatility of the power.

[OddHat]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

I agree with the general sentiment. A breakdown of how I've done similar characters:

 

1) VPP, only for Multiform to Memorized Animals (-1)

 

2) Now break out the bestiary. Get the write ups for eight or so animals she'll be using regularly. Tiger, Bear, Hawk, Bat, Elephant, House Cat, Dolphin, Sea Turtle, Cheetah, and Horse is a good combo. Gasp at how expensive these frickin' things are comapared to their actual combat utility.

 

3) Apply the same basic combat upgrade to each template. +10 STR, +5 Dex, +5 CON, +5 BOD, +2 SPD, 6PD/6ED Combat Luck, Red in Tooth and Claw martial arts with 2 extra DC, 2 levels in All Combat, Regeneration with Resurection, 50% PD and ED damage reduction. The upgrade template costs about 200 points. Look with absolute shock at how expensve the Tiger and Elephant forms have become with this template.

 

4) Watch your Elephant and Tiger forms go up against light bricks and Martial Artists and win. Lean to spend at east one action in every turn aborting to Dodge with combat levels in DCV. Spend some time every third adventure "dead", and realize how useful resurection can be. Notice how rarely you will ever need any other forms.

 

You can do the same thing with a lower point budget by re-writing the bestiary versions of the creatures to cut redundant powers (no need for 2 HKAs, just use one for Claw and Bite; no need for some of those extra Accute Senses levels, as you now have Human INT).

[etherio]

Re: Lemme know how you'd handle this power build...

 

...Gasp at how expensive these frickin' things are comapared to their actual combat utility.

 

That one made me laugh out loud...exactly the reaction we had years ago when we made the character initially.

 

3) Apply the same basic combat upgrade to each template. +10 STR' date=' +5 Dex, +5 CON, +5 BOD, +2 SPD, 6PD/6ED Combat Luck, Red in Tooth and Claw martial arts with 2 extra DC, 2 levels in All Combat, Regeneration with Resurection, 50% PD and ED damage reduction. The upgrade template costs about 200 points. Look with absolute shock at how expensve the Tiger and Elephant forms have become with this template.[/quote']

 

Some good suggestions, although I'm not sure about the regeneration with resurrection part...doesn't really fit the character concept...but nice work in general.

 

Watch your Elephant and Tiger forms go up against light bricks and Martial Artists and win...Notice how rarely you will ever need any other forms.

 

This is actually something I'd like to avoid. I think I'll instead put in the labor and make several forms that are representative of lots of different animals (big cat, bird of prey, canine, elephant, equine, 'gator, shark, small marine mammal, etc.) and make reasonably "souped-up" forms that can be useful on the battlefield. Shapechange can allow for the special effect of transforming into lots of different specific species, but using generic combat forms like these can avoid the inevitable munchkin-like behavior of using only 2 or 3 different very specific animals in battle. After all, Changeling of the Titans would zap into all kinds of forms...he didn't have to worry that a lion might just be tougher all-around than a tiger (only an illustrative example...please don't look it up and blast me if this is wrong). If and when she wants animals with unusual or unusually-good abilities of one type or another (like a bloodhound or an electric eel), we'll deal with it on a case-by-case basis. Hopefully that'll occur most often out of combat, and then it won't be a problem

 

You can do the same thing with a lower point budget by re-writing the bestiary versions of the creatures to cut redundant powers (no need for 2 HKAs' date=' just use one for Claw and Bite; no need for some of those extra Accute Senses levels, as you now have Human INT).[/quote']

 

Good points...that'll help in the build.