States of Matter Reaction Shift

[Utech]

The dimensional portal opened and through it stepped a man who looked much as other men. For a moment, the scientists thought something had gone wrong and that they'd done nothing more than open a portal to some other place on Earth. And then the swarthy fellow dropped right through the floor.

 

The scientists looked at each other in a mixture of surprise, confusion, and elation before racing out the door and down the stairs.

 

The next long level down was the gym. Separated from the laboratories above by a full five meters of Colorado Rockies rock. Most of the scientists spent little time on the gym level -- it was more the domain of the bored security force -- but all had been pleased to note that the ultra-secret facility boasted a swimming pool.

 

Just sitting up atop the water was the man who'd walked through the portal. Around him, two large security guards splashed in what they hoped might be taken for useful action.

 

Their visitor suddenly did some thrashing of his own. Odd, slow-motion thrashing. Then he kicked off, swam through the air over the pool, reached the side and promptly thrust his head right into the tiled floor at pool's edge...

 

<>

 

"So what we've got here," Dr. Ravenslough said with a scratch at his bald scalp, "is a guy who reacts differently to different states of matter."

 

Dr. Ivanov raised her hand.

 

"Yes, Dr.?"

 

"I know this is a quibble, but I think you may have overstated the situation. Our visitor reacts to different states of matter precisely as we do. It's just that the states of matter seem to have shifted for him."

 

"Or he to them."

 

"Just so. To our visitor, a solid acts like a gas, gas like a liquid, and liquids like a solid."

 

"Are we forgetting the fourth state of matter? What would happen if we expose him to plasma?"

 

"I rather doubt we'll have the opportunity to find out."

 

-----

 

So? How would you build this visitor? No wimping out and saying that he's an NPC and there's no need to write him up.

[Ice9]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

This is an interesting one. I'll give it a whack, although certain things, like other people being unable to push him into a liquid, will have to be accepted as an effect of the Physical Complications. Note that all powers below should probably have Inherent, or alternately be Unified so that the "matter shift" is suppressed as a whole.

 

Upsides

Gas as Liquid: Flight 6m, Gestures (two hands; -1/2).

Liquid as Solid: Flight 12m, Only to Stand/Walk on liquids, Reduced END (costs END to move but not to stand; +1/2), Persistent, Always On

Solid as Gas: Desolidification, Zero END, Always On, Only vs Solids (-1/2). Side Effect (always occurs, only affects environment; see below).

Solid as Gas: Expanded Breathing: Solid Matter

 

Side Effect of Solid as Gas: RKA 1 point, 1m Radius, Continuous, Penetrating, No Range, Conditional: Not while Holding Breath, Limited: Only vs Matter being Breathed.

 

Downsides (all Physical Complications)

Gas as Liquid: Takes Underwater Penalties in any Gas. Moderate, All the Time

Gas as Liquid: Cannot breath any gas. Total, All the Time

Liquid as Solid: Cannot Enter Liquid. Total, Frequent.

[Falls through Solids: Total, Very Frequent]

 

 

Does normal air count as a thick enough liquid that he can float, or does he sink unless he's actively swimming? Also, does the molten core of the earth count as a liquid, or would this guy fall entirely through the planet if he got too near the ground?

[dmjalund]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

looks good - i would only reduce the flight to 4m to match normal peoples swimming

[Utech]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

That all looks reasonable to me. Any thoughts on how he should/shouldn't deal with attacks?

[Vajah]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

Plasma is basically a gas with a bonus - since you treat gas as a liquid, it would treat it like a liquid as well. However, energy would still be transferred - I'm assuming that since you're still obeying rules like gravity and resistance and the like, that energy would be 'as normal'. So, while you could 'cup' fire in your hands, you'd still be burnt by the heat.

 

So, my take:

Gravity, electricity, radiation, heat (not fire) and cold (Not ice), and the like work normally.

Fire can be manipulated directly, as if it were water, but damage would still occur.

Ice would be interesting, as ice usually has a little water on the surface as it melts, at least if someone's swinging it through the air. I think an ice based attack, or even a wet solid should have some slight effect, which you might express as a Complication.

Sonic attacks are caused by intense compression on tissue surfaces, so it would probably be magnified since you're treating the medium of air as a liquid.

Physical attacks like bullets would bounce off, since they couldn't penetrate. Unsure if you want to extend that to flesh, since there are water components involved in blood and cell membranes, which he would treat as a solid. It might actually hurt to touch him as a result.

 

I'll assume he doesn't need any special devices to survive. Makes life easier.

[sobran]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

I think the man's senses need to be taken into account here. Does energy interact with matter the same way for him as it does for us? It stands to reason that it does not, given that he can stand on water.

 

If energy interacts differently, then giving him N-Ray Vision should largely do it. Maybe a complication as well--Blind In Gasses/Atmosphere.

 

If energy interacts identically, then you still need to alter his senses to a degree. He should have a penalty to his visual perception (if he isn't outright blind). In exchange, Targeting and Discriminatory on Hearing seems likely. Sound travels well through a solid. You could also go with Spacial Awareness or some other exotic sense, but I assume we are trying to keep him as close to human normal as possible. Would it be possible to sell back the Targeting and Discriminatory on his Sight? Having sight function, but in the limited way our own hearing does seems interesting.

[Utech]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

I think the man's senses need to be taken into account here. Does energy interact with matter the same way for him as it does for us? It stands to reason that it does not' date=' given that he can stand on water.[/quote']

 

I'm afraid I don't understand this. The visitor interacts differently with different states of matter, but that doesn't mean he interacts differently with energy. We could go that way, but there's no need for it.

[Utech]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

I'll assume he doesn't need any special devices to survive. Makes life easier.

 

It's probably simplest if he doesn't . . . or if we arrange for some sort of technological (or magical) fix for him. That might be represented as a Complication. Otherwise, finding the right thing to eat might be really tricky. And he might find it tricky to talk to people.

[Checkmate]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

Wow interesting character. Assuming he is going to stay around for awhile, one of the ways that might make it easier to interact is rubber boots with water in them. Then at least he could walk around normally

[Utech]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

Wow interesting character. Assuming he is going to stay around for awhile' date=' one of the ways that might make it easier to interact is rubber boots with water in them. Then at least he could walk around normally [/quote']

Glad you like him. The boots probably wouldn't be foolproof, but they might work if they were kept plenty full. Another option would be waders with hoses full of water used as straps that go over his shoulders...

[Vajah]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

It's probably simplest if he doesn't . . . or if we arrange for some sort of technological (or magical) fix for him. That might be represented as a Complication. Otherwise' date=' finding the right thing to eat might be really tricky. And he might find it tricky to talk to people.[/quote']

 

It's simpler, if only because creating such a suit that would allow him to interact normally would hinder the interesting properties he already has. All sorts of explanations, but it seems his is science based, so I might stick with 'dimensional field' or something. Thus, he is breathing air and such, but it 'changes' it's matter state when it enters his personal space.

 

Which brings up an idea, since he interacts with solid as air - can he shred physical objects that easily? And if so, how easily? It seems he should, since he can plunge his hand into it, like a smoke cloud, but it wouldn't fill in to the same space. Maybe a high level HKA versus inanimate objects, but a minor bonus to damage to humans and flesh because of a high water content.

 

Afraid this guy can become quite expensive cost wise, though he can gain a lot of complications simply based on his structure.

[Matt Holck]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

yes, but no more complication than everyone else is allowed

technically, I think a character is still allowed to be built as base plus complication

but most games have a set complication maximum and all players buy that many points

 

he could get points by buying his powers with limitations (disadvantages)

and thereby pay less for each power

[sobran]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

I'm afraid I don't understand this. The visitor interacts differently with different states of matter' date=' but that doesn't mean he interacts differently with energy. We [i']could[/i] go that way, but there's no need for it.

I agree that it would be simpler, and honestly, just more fun to not delve too deeply into the laws of physics that would make this possible. But the point still stands. Assuming energy works the same for him, you still have to consider his senses.

 

If his people live in solids the way that we live in gases... how do they see? Either they have some form of N-Ray Vision or they rely on hearing or another sense in the absence of sight. Personally I would just go with Complication: Blind and slap some targeting and discriminatory on his hearing and call it a day. It wouldn't really matter in play unless Flashes were thrown into the mix.

[Matt Holck]

Re: States of Matter Reaction Shift

 

sound travels further and faster in solids

targeting hearing is not to far of a stretch