Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

[Vestnik]

Hi all,

 

I'm making a heavily Moon Knight-influenced character who is a minion of the Aztec god Quetzalquotl (I think I spelled that wrong, but I don't speak Nahuatl, so don't sue me). One of his powers is a feathered and scaled cloak that allows him to Multiform into either a Holy Anaconda (I know they don't live in Mexico; this is creative license) or a Holy Eagle. Quetzalquotl being depicted as a feathered serpent and all.

 

His mind is preserved in both instances. Do his skills like Forgery and Gambling and Weapon Familiarity need to be purchased for all forms? How about any contacts I might decide to buy? It seems like he's spending a lot of points in these forms on skills he would never, ever use (WF: Small Arms, for a snake, for instance).

 

For sake of reference here's the Work In Progress version. Disads haven't been done yet, and the point totals don't add up exactly. I took the liberty of changing his Combat Skill Levels for each of the forms, so the skill sets are very slightly different. Feedback would make me very happy and possibly result in a child being named after you.

 

EDIT: Oh yeah, please don't tell me all the forms have to buy the same Martial Arts.

 

Main Form

 

Cost CHA Val

---------------------------------------------

5 STR 15

42 DEX 24

16 CON 18

2 BODY 11

3 INT 13

2 EGO 11

8 PRE 18

1 COM 12

5 PD 8/16/19

4 ED 8/16/19

16 SPD 5

0 REC 7

0 END 36

2 STUN 30

----------------------------------------------

106

 

Cost Powers

----------------------------------------

37 The Talon: 1d6 HKA, NND (Energy Force Field or Resistant

Magical PD; +1), Does Body (+1), 0 END (+1/2) (52 Active

Points), OIF (-1/2) (Notes: Enchanted Talon Glove)

 

10 The Fang I: 1/2d6 RKA, Penetrating (+1/2), Autofire (x3; +1/4),

32 Charges (+1/4) (20 Active Points), OIF (-1/2), Limited Range

(20"; -1/4), Beam (-1/4) (Notes: Fires Poision Darts)

20 The Fang II: 4d6 Energy Blast, No Normal Defense (Defense

Is Immunity to Ophidotoxins; +1), Autofire (x3; +1/4), 32 Charges

(+1/4) (50 Active Points), OIF (-1/2), Limited Range (20";-1.4),

RKA Must Do Body (-1/2), Linked (RKA; -1/4)

 

16 Cloak I: 8 PD 8 ED Armor (24 Active Points), OIF (-1/2)

10 Cloak II: 20" Gliding (20 Active Points), OIF (-1/2), Restrainable (-1/2)

20Cloak III: Multiform to 300-Point Holy Anaconda or Eagle (65 Active

Points), OIF (-1/2), Full Phase Only to Activate (-1/4),

Costs END (-1/2), Personality Reversion (One Hour; -1)

 

12 Warclub: 4d6 HTH Attack, 0 END (+1/2) (30 Active Points),

OAF (-1), HTH Attack (-1/2)

 

2 Blessed: 2 PD 2 ED Damage Resistance

2 +1" Running

3 Life Support: Immunity to Ophidotoxins

-----------------------------------------

132

 

Cost Talents

-------------------------------------------

6 3 PD 3 ED Combat Luck

 

Cost Martial Art

--------------------------------------------

4 Martial Disarm

4 Killing Strike

4 Low Blow (2d6 NND)

4 Martial Strike

3 Martial Throw

5 Offensive Strike

4 +1 Damage Class

2 WE: Claws, Clubs

----------------------------------------------

30

 

Cost Skills

-----------------------------------

2 +1 OCV with Fang

3 +1 with Martial Arts

3 Acrobatics 14-

3 Breakfall 14-

3 Climbing 14-

3 Animal Handler (Raptors and Snakes) 13-

3 Bribery 13-

3 Concealment 12-

2 Conversation 11-

5 Defense Maneuver I-II

2 Gambling 11-

2 Forgery (Documents) 12-

2 KS: The Drug Trade 11-

2 AK: Central America 11-

2 KS: Narcotics 11-

1 CuK: Yet-Unnamed Central American Tribe 8-

2 AK: Latin-American Underworld 11-

3 LNG: English, Fluent with Accent

2 LNG: Nahuatl, Fluent Conversation

2 Lockpicking 11-

3 Persuasion 13-

5 Rapid Attack (Hand-to-Hand)

3 Shadowing 12-

2 Sleight of Hand 11-

3 Streetwise 13-

3 Stealth 14-

2 Survival (Jungle) 12-

2 Tracking 11-

2 WF: Small Arms

---------------------------------------------------

75

 

349

 

 

Holy Anaconda Form

------------------------------------------

Cost CHA Val

---------------------------------------------------

25 STR 35

39 DEX 23

20 CON 20

10 BODY 15

3 INT 3

2 EGO 11

8 PRE 18

2 COM 14

6 PD 13/21/24

8 ED 12/20/23

17 SPD 5

0 REC 11

0 END 40

0 STUN 43

-----------------------------------------------------

140

 

Cost Powers

-------------------------------------------

24 8 PD 8 ED Armor

7 +15 STR (15 Active Points), Only with Grab and

Squeeze (-1)

8 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -4"

2 Not Much Appetite: Life Support (Diminished

Eating; Only Has to Eat Once Every Few Months)

8 Superb Swimmer: +8" Swimming

6 +3 with Smell/Taste Group

1 Aquatic Adaptation: Life Support (Extended

Breathing; 1 END per Turn)

12 Bite: 1d6 HKA (2d6 with STR) (15 Active Points),

No Kockback (-1/4)

3 Life Support (Immunity to Ophidotoxins)

-----------------------------------------------

71

 

Cost Talents

-------------------------------------------

6 3 PD 3 ED Combat Luck

 

Cost Skills

-------------------------------------

6 +3 OCV with Grab

3 Acrobatics 14-

3 Breakfall 14-

3 Climbing 14-

3 Animal Handler (Raptors and Snakes) 13-

3 Bribery 13-

3 Concealment 12-

2 Conversation 11-

5 Defense Maneuver I-II

2 Gambling 11-

2 Forgery (Documents) 12-

2 KS: The Drug Trade 11-

2 AK: Central America 11-

2 KS: Narcotics 11-

1 CuK: Yet-Unnamed Central American Tribe 8-

2 AK: Latin-American Underworld 11-

3 LNG: English, Fluent with Accent

2 LNG: Nahuatl, Fluent Conversation

2 Lockpicking 11-

3 Persuasion 13-

5 Rapid Attack (Hand-to-Hand)

3 Shadowing 12-

2 Sleight of Hand 11-

3 Streetwise 13-

3 Stealth 14-

2 Survival (Jungle) 12-

2 Tracking 11-

2 WF: Small Arms

------------------------------------

72

 

289

 

Holy Eagle Form

-------------------------------------

Cost CHA Val

----------------------------------------------

0 STR 10

42 DEX 24

10 CON 15

0 BODY 10

3 INT 13

2 EGO 11

8 PRE 18

4 COM 18

6 PD 8/16/19

6 ED 8/16/19

24 SPD 6

0 REC 5

0 END 30

2 STUN 26

----------------------------------------------

106

 

Cost Powers

---------------------------------------

12 Talons: 1d6 HKA (15 Active Points), Reduced Penetration (-1/4)

18 Beak: 1d6 HKA, Armor-Piercing (+1/2) (22 Active Points),

No Knockback (-1/4)

33 Wings: Multipower, 50-Point Powers, All Slots Restrainable (-1/2)

u3 1) Flying: 20" Flight, 1/2 END (+1/4) (50 Active Points),

Restrainable (-1/2) (33 Real Cost)

u2 2) Gliding: 25" Gliding (25 Active Points), Restrainable (-1/2)

(17 Real Cost)

-10 Short Legs: -5" Running

-2 No Swimming: -2" Swimming

10 Eagle Eyes: +5 PER with Sight Group

16 Eagle Eyes: +16 vs. Range for Normal Sight

3 Life Support: Immunity to Ophidotoxins

24 Feathers of Gold and Silver: 8 PD 8 ED Armor

--------------------------------------------

109

 

Cost Talents

--------------------------------------------

6 3 PD 3 ED Combat Luck

Cost Skills

--------------------------------------------

6 +2 with Beak, Talons, and Dodge

7 +2 DCV, Only in Flight (-1/2)

3 Acrobatics 14-

3 Breakfall 14-

3 Climbing 14-

3 Animal Handler (Raptors and Snakes) 13-

3 Bribery 13-

3 Concealment 12-

2 Conversation 11-

5 Defense Maneuver I-II

2 Gambling 11-

2 Forgery (Documents) 12-

2 KS: The Drug Trade 11-

2 AK: Central America 11-

2 KS: Narcotics 11-

1 CuK: Yet-Unnamed Central American Tribe 8-

2 AK: Latin-American Underworld 11-

3 LNG: English, Fluent with Accent

2 LNG: Nahuatl, Fluent Conversation

2 Lockpicking 11-

3 Persuasion 13-

5 Rapid Attack (Hand-to-Hand)

3 Shadowing 12-

2 Sleight of Hand 11-

3 Streetwise 13-

3 Stealth 14-

2 Survival (Jungle) 12-

2 Tracking 11-

2 WF: Small Arms

---------------------------------------------------

83

 

298

[OddHat]

Re: Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

 

If he's not going to use a skill, contact, perk, talent, or power in a given form, he doesn't need to purchase it for that form.

 

Which is one of the nice things about Multiform.

 

On the flip side, if you did want him to, for example, have access to his Moon-Mansion or Moon-Mobile in his snake form, both his snake form and human form would need to pay for them.

 

As to explaining why he forgets [skill Name Here] in an alternate form, even with the same mind, I don't think it's a stretch. People forget how to perform complex skills in stressful situations in the real world; in [Form X], his brain itself has physically changed, and part of what he lost was the ability to perform [skill X].

[Doc]

Re: Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

 

As to explaining why he forgets [skill Name Here] in an alternate form' date=' even with the same mind, I don't think it's a stretch. People forget how to perform complex skills in stressful situations in the real world; in [Form X'], his brain itself has physically changed, and part of what he lost was the ability to perform [skill X].

 

 

Maybe it just can't use the skill, too. I wouldn't buy, let's say, PS: Mechanics for a serpent as a player... And wouldn't permit this as a GM either.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

 

Well, with PS: Mechanic you can talk someone through things, have a discussion about it.

 

Multiform is a completely new character - any aspects it shares with another form of the Character must be purchased for all Forms.

[Enforcer84]

Re: Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

 

Would you be down with limiting the skills, like say Forgery to "Knowledge only" -1/2, or would the "No Hands" Disad cover that.

[Vestnik]

Re: Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

 

And that which was obscure was made plain. Thanks guys.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

 

Would you be down with limiting the skills' date=' like say Forgery to "Knowledge only" -1/2, or would the "No Hands" Disad cover that.[/quote']

 

a Limited Manipulation Disadvantage covers the inability to use Skills that have a hands-on component. Likely it would raise the Disadvantage Points up a little bit in my eyes as well, since normally a Disad like that I would lower the Frequency of since simply switching Forms removes it, but if you're putting points into Skills a Form can't use for whatever reason the Frequency would kick up a little more (from All The Time in the case of "no hands" to Frequently instead of Infrequently).

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

 

Likely it would raise the Disadvantage Points up a little bit in my eyes as well' date=' since normally a Disad like that I would lower the Frequency of since simply switching Forms removes it, but if you're putting points into Skills a Form can't use for whatever reason the Frequency would kick up a little more (from All The Time in the case of "no hands" to Frequently instead of Infrequently).[/quote']

 

While I agree that simply switching forms removes the disadvantage, it also removes the powers and abilities of that form. The Form gets no cost break on its abilities, so I question whether there should be a clawback on the value of its disad's. I can see the point for reducing the value of the Disad as well, but it seems inconsistent to only reduce the value of Disad's.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

 

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

 

I tend to reduce the Frequency of a Physical Limitation only, not the severity level. But not always.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

 

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

 

I tend to reduce the Frequency of a Physical Limitation only, not the severity level. But not always.

 

But, again, the form doesn't get a cost break for "Only while in this form", so is it reasonable to reduce the value of disad's that apply "only in this form"?

[ghost-angel]

Re: Multiform, Skills, Contacts -- oh the pain

 

I honestly take it on a case by case/game by game basis.. so I can only really answer - maybe.