Trained Chicken Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Without treading too heavily on published source material which I don't own... can someone write me up a trained parrot write-up? One that is trained to fight crime, but is basically a normal parrot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodstone Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup looking for a soul mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trained Chicken Posted January 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup It occured to me what an ironic request I have made relatively quickly after I'd made it. But it stands! I need a little help. I have no idea how smart, fast, strong, or tough a parrot is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodstone Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup IDHMBIFOM, but assuming you give the bird a SPD of 4 or so, it's probably going to have a top flight speed of 16" or so (depending on breed). I assume the parrot can talk, but do you want it to actully be smart enough to say anything worthwhile? Cause realisticly, your looking at a pretty low INT. STR is alos goign to be quite unspectacular. I wouldn't imagine it having much in the way of defenses or BODY, but you could always pour on some combat luck and extra DCV to help keep it alive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trained Chicken Posted January 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Yeah, I just want it to go peck, or deliver a written message in its beak and stuff. Mainly it's just supposed to be an annoyance in combat- maybe able to keep one or two normals at bay. Well-trained, fearless, but otherwise normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Waters Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Winston Churchill had a parrot that was taught to swear fluently on the subject of Hitler and Nazis, apparently, and is 105 and still going strong. This may or may not be an urban myth: Pieces of Geobbels Can I also say how pleased I am at making it into someone's sig. I'd like to thank the Academy for...hang on, wrong award.... I'm sorry I am not really useful on parrot write-ups, am I, save to suggest you include longevity and KS: Expletives re (subject of choice)? ACTUALLY....if it is meant as an annoyance in combat perhaps it could have a PRE attack bonus, which would be the easiest way to create a way of having it be distracting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup You can find parrots (and other non preditory birds) in the Hero System Bestiary. I'm not sure that any of us can provide a write up without violating DOJ's copyright. For modifications to such stats though, I'd recomend removing the Animal Intelligence Disad and buying the Skills CK: Campaign City and Deduction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trained Chicken Posted January 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Thank you for your assistance, all. I understand that we can't get specific here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoneDaddy Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Thank you for your assistance' date=' all. I understand that we can't get specific here.[/quote'] IANAP, but they're bolt-cutters with wings. They can crack brazil nuts with ease with their beaks. It's a one pip-killing attack, and penetrating at that, at least. As for the rest, they're little but not stealthy. They fly well, but not in any combative sort of way. They pine away and die without constant reinforcement from a pair bonded partner (human, avian, or otherwise), making them genuinely "D" DNPCs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Waters Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup You could make it a virtual parrot: just repeat everything one of the players says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baphomet Jones Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup You could do the combat irritant ability with negative skill levels. If they would be based on it buzzing the target, they could be linked to flight, or if it's based on taunting, with incantations. It's bite damage would probably depend on the species, with macaws having higher levels, down to a 1 pip hka for smaller breeds like conures or Senegal parrots. Intelligence-wise, many are about as smart as a 5-year old child, with a few exceptional examples, like Alex, an african grey parrot, who can differentiate objects by color and shape. He's featured in a PBS program called Look Who's Talking Now, or something similar. The stuff that he can do is pretty amazing, and well suited for a crimefighting companion bird. There are also a bunch of pretty cool documentaries that show the problem solving and tool-making/using abilites of crows, but I'm not sure of the names of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baphomet Jones Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Thinking some more about it...a hearing group flash attack could also be a possible ability for them. My birds are considered to be one of the quiter species of parrot, physically unable to attain the decibel levels of some breeds, and it still causes physical pain and ear-ringing when they do a full-on scream near me. Parrots also have mischief-prone personalities, so Sleight of Hand, limited to pilfering things would be appropriate. Their hearing is pretty sharp, and some researchers think it may extend into sub/ultra-sonic ranges. Their visual spectrum is also higher than humans, though their night vision is pretty poor, as is their sense of smell and taste. Hopefully that helps with some power and Disad. ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Waters Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Intelligence-wise, many are about as smart as a 5-year old child, with a few exceptional examples, like Alex, an african grey parrot, who can differentiate objects by color and shape. He's featured in a PBS program called Look Who's Talking Now, or something similar. The stuff that he can do is pretty amazing, and well suited for a crimefighting companion bird. There are also a bunch of pretty cool documentaries that show the problem solving and tool-making/using abilites of crows, but I'm not sure of the names of them. You're not a parent, are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Waters Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Given that it is a bird, wouldn't it be more suited to a pooperhero campaign? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baphomet Jones Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Heh...no I'm not (thank all that is good). The 5 year old thing is something I hear a lot when people try to quantify a parrot's ability to understand us and our world. They are a lot smarter than they get credit for, and i doubt we'll ever really be able to understand how smart they are. 'Cos theyre not like us. They have no nipples. Not one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lethosos Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup And during breeding season, the females get it up the rear, litteraly. But that's prolly TMI. I'd suggest borrowing HeroPink's example with Glarg and write out what a parrot's likely to do randomly in a stressful situation; they're that bird-brained, honestly. Then hand it to the GM to use. (For the record, there was a family pet that was some sort of green Amazon parrot. He made lots of noises, so I'm not likely to forget that.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baphomet Jones Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Generally in stress situations a real parrot will fly straight to its favorite person and bite them to warn them its time to run away (they're not brave at all). Of course a fictional one could launch itself into the fray, ignoring danger. They also tend to nip their human friends when they see someone they hate (being afraid to go bite them, but really wanting to anyway), rather than launching into insults, as seen in movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup If I was the GM, I'd let you have a Norwegian Blue for no points at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup "This is an ex-parrot!" Okay, so we can't reprint the stats for talking birds from the Bestiary, but we can do this: Parrot: Multipower (with a point reserve or somthin'), Physical Manifistation 1) Take This Note To [someone]: Mind Link, Any One Mind, No LOS, Send Only, Extra Time 2) Bother, Bother Bother!: Negative Skill Levels, -2 OCV or DCV (victim's choice), AE Selective 3) Squak! Squak! Squak!: Hearing Group Darkness n" Radius 4) Crunchbird My A**: RKA 1 pip, Penetrating Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmadanNaBriona Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Just supporting what most everone is saying. I lived with an African Grey named Aragorn for a few months, and he was one of the smartest bloody animals I have ever lived with. He was a wickedly good mimic.... his favorite mimicry tricks included repeatedly getting me out of bed pretneding to be the phone ringing and calling the cat. A case could be made that his racous laughter was simply a learned condition based on observation of his mothers responces to his antics, but having a parrot sitting on a top book shelf laughing at you because he managed to get you out of bed 3 time before you realized it was him and not the phone was humble making. And yeah, they're bolt cutters on wings. He used to snap 1/2" hardwood dowls with his beak just because he felt like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trained Chicken Posted January 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup now, that's what I'm talking about! A parrot would be a great sidekick for a Dark Champs hero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gojira Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Arr! Dark Pirate Hero! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted January 22, 2006 Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup Arr! Dark Pirate Hero! Aye, matey! Gimme a pair of bolt cutters wit' a wooden leg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trained Chicken Posted January 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 Re: I need a trained parrot writeup As my wife was dismissing this as the "dumbest superhero you have ever come up with", she also referenced a pirate theme. It honestly didn't occur to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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