Merrick Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I'm running a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen during the American Civil War game and I'm adding in a new player who wants to play "Tom, the Misunderstood Bigfoot". The Distinctive Features complication is fairly self evident, but through our discussion we had an interesting idea for a power come about. Another complication we discussed was that he is constantly chased by an investigative reporter who seeks to prove his existence with his old timey camera. Then the idea hit us that it would be pretty funny if everyone who saw Tom (the reporter and Big Bads excluded) all saw him as just a really big hairy guy and not "Bigfoot." As this really cuts down on the negative reactions of everyday folk that they pass by all the time, it only seemed fitting to me to buy it as a power, but I'm not quite sure how. I was thinking Invisibility with some custom limitations and a little handwaving might do it, but I was hoping someone might have a more... concrete idea. I want to try to keep the cost fairly low as it's not making Tom unrecognizable, just making it so people don't think he's a bigfoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grailknight Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! Try Shapeshift vs Sight group, limitation-not vs those who truly believe in Bigfoot. Limitation value is up to you but this should cover it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! Just make the distinctive features easily concealed. As long as he's wearing shoes and human clothes, he can pass as a harry, bearded mountain man. It's when his shirt gets torn off and he takes off his shoes that he becomes obviously a Sasquatch. Is the character vegetarian by any chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merrick Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! I hadn't looked at Shapeshift as an option, I'll have to check it out when I get home. Just make the distinctive features easily concealed. As long as he's wearing shoes and human clothes, he can pass as a harry, bearded mountain man. It's when his shirt gets torn off and he takes off his shoes that he becomes obviously a Sasquatch. I considered the "Ninja Turtle" special e.g. trench coat and fedora conceals all, but I do rather like that approach. Is the character vegetarian by any chance? We hadn't discussed it, but I'm curious to see where you're going with this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbywolfe Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! I don't think it is worth a power, just lower the value of the Distinctive Feature. I'm assuming the vegetarian question comes from the fact that that would be rather odd during that time period, and might be a plot hook or worth a Complication in and of itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! I hadn't looked at Shapeshift as an option, I'll have to check it out when I get home. I considered the "Ninja Turtle" special e.g. trench coat and fedora conceals all, but I do rather like that approach. We hadn't discussed it, but I'm curious to see where you're going with this I've been working on and off on a NPC that I want to be ambiguous. Could be a Sasquatch, could be a Neanderthal. Neanderthals were probably vegetarians, jury's out on Sasquatch (some people insist they are herbivorous, but some stories include things like stealing salmon from nets). If I ever run this, my NPC will be herbivorous when the PC's first encounter him, but they will have been toldpart of the process of befriending/taming/civilizing him will be to feed him "man food, bread, beer and the flesh of animals." They will have been given an opportunity to stock up on beer, pretzels, and beef jerky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ndreare Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! Harry from Harry and the Henderson's was a vegetarian as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyber624 Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! Instead of Shapeshift, what about Images or Mental Illusion? Images seems more appropriate, anyone can see through it with a PER Roll, as GM you just give bonuses to perceive to people who believe in Bigfoot and want him to be that. Images (Sight, 10 pts), 0 End (+1/2), Persistent (+1/4), No Range (centered on him so its mobile for free, -1/2), Set Effect (-1). 17 AP, 7 RC Fairly cheap way to pull off exactly what you described, RAW. Shapeshift also works, but you cannot use PER rolls vs the sense your Shapeshift buys to perceive the difference (as it is not an illusion, you have ACTUALLY changed your appearance.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midas Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! I've been working on and off on a NPC that I want to be ambiguous. Could be a Sasquatch, could be a Neanderthal. Neanderthals were probably vegetarians, jury's out on Sasquatch (some people insist they are herbivorous, but some stories include things like stealing salmon from nets). If I ever run this, my NPC will be herbivorous when the PC's first encounter him, but they will have been toldpart of the process of befriending/taming/civilizing him will be to feed him "man food, bread, beer and the flesh of animals." They will have been given an opportunity to stock up on beer, pretzels, and beef jerky. He uses the salmon to get bears to stomp around, confusing any tracking efforts. "Beef Jerky" is linked in your post - I was hoping it was going to be a youtube "messing with Sasquatch" video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbywolfe Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! This thread reminded me of how Brock from Venture Brothers helped a Sasquatch escape the army... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ndreare Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! This thread reminded me of how Brock from Venture Brothers helped a Sasquatch escape the army... I have changed my mind and there is such a thing as Bad/Wrong fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! I've been working on and off on a NPC that I want to be ambiguous. Could be a Sasquatch' date=' could be a Neanderthal. Neanderthals were probably vegetarians.....[/quote'] Whatever one thinks of the claim that Neanderthals were vegetarians,* the notion that they were "probably" vegetarians misunderstands the received scientific view. *Exceedingly unlikely would cover it for me. The Neanderthals roamed a subarctic tundra. There was winter there, and although I am not a botanist, it is my understanding that plants don't grow very well in the winter. So unless Neanderthal had an unsuspected ability to digest browse, the inference is that they were big game hunters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! "Beef Jerky" is linked in your post - I was hoping it was going to be a youtube "messing with Sasquatch" video. "Shopping Link Added by SkimWords" WTF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! Whatever one thinks of the claim that Neanderthals were vegetarians,* the notion that they were "probably" vegetarians misunderstands the received scientific view. *Exceedingly unlikely would cover it for me. The Neanderthals roamed a subarctic tundra. There was winter there, and although I am not a botanist, it is my understanding that plants don't grow very well in the winter. So unless Neanderthal had an unsuspected ability to digest browse, the inference is that they were big game hunters. Was it subartic tundra at the time, and did they live there year round or migrate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! Was it subartic tundra at the time' date=' and did they live there year round or migrate?[/quote'] Neanderthals didn't "roam the subarctic tundra". they lived as far from it as they could get - along rivers, and coastlines, mostly. And for supposed vegetarians, they left us an awful lot of hunting paraphernalia, and dead animal parts, either heavily chewed or used in ritual burials. As for Bigfoot .... eh. It's a myth. Might as well say it eats unicorns. cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Waters Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! A power to make you not appear as what you are is going to cut into your available character points for very little advantage. I would be inclined to go with the notion of earlier posters and say that he has distinctive looks, but they are easily concealed: heavy clothing, waxing, that sort of thing. He'll still be pretty distinctive as he will be big and hulking, but people will tend to think he is a rugby player or such rather than that he is a mythical/extinct creature. Occam's Razor would suggest the apparently more likely explanation that his is just big boned rather than that he is some kind of throwback. On that subject, the nosey reporter will probably not be helped by getting a photo: people see the character every day and are not that taken aback - so photographic evidence will be of limited use. A blood/DNA sample, however, might be able to scientifically prove that he is not a homo sapiens, so why not have the chase character change profession to a monster hunter (read lunatic, if you like) or a professor of ancient history whose scientific thesis that parallel races have survived into the modern day was laughed out of the scientific community and he, or she, sees the character as a ticket to scientific acceptance - if only the proof can be obtained. Of course if he ever does get outed as Bigfoot, it will become far harder to hide his distinctive looks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffinman01 Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! This is something that I wouldn't spend Character Points on since it all seems like a disadvantage. I'd go with the Distinctive Features that other people have posted, possibly put a Hunted/Watched by the reporter, and perhaps a slight reputation of "Bigfoot" (I think of it as someone being mistaken for a celebrity. He's not Bigfoot but he looks enough like him that people could make the mistake and hound him like he is). The only positive I see out of this would be if he was trying to intimidate people (ie PRE attacks) and he'd like to try and pretend that he actually IS Bigfoot to make the target freak out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midas Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! As for Bigfoot .... eh. It's a myth. Might as well say it eats unicorns. cheers, Mark Or skeptics. That's why bigfoot looks so well fed. @McCoy: The "Messing with Sasquatch" commercials by Jack Link beef jerky You have to admit, it was a nice weird coincedence that the phrase "beef jerky" triggered a shopping link. For the OP, don't have the energy to find it right now, but there is another bigfoot commercial (different product) where the big guy puts on a yellow rain coat with hood, grabs a bunch of flowers, goes into a bar, and presents them to a pretty girl. ("awwwww") Might be good for inspiration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ndreare Posted December 10, 2012 Report Share Posted December 10, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! Or skeptics. That's why bigfoot looks so well fed. @McCoy: The "Messing with Sasquatch" commercials by Jack Link beef jerky You have to admit, it was a nice weird coincedence that the phrase "beef jerky" triggered a shopping link. For the OP, don't have the energy to find it right now, but there is another bigfoot commercial (different product) where the big guy puts on a yellow rain coat with hood, grabs a bunch of flowers, goes into a bar, and presents them to a pretty girl. ("awwwww") Might be good for inspiration. the most awesome link i have followed in weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merrick Posted December 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! I did end up going with a reduced cost Distinctive Feature. It seemed to be the best option and the player seems really happy with it! She also opted not to have the monster hunter style person chasing her, and instead went with Claustrophobia... First place her new character went was the sewers beneath Boston...... Well, I tried to warn her. Tom the Misunderstood Bigfoot about wrecked the second strongest person in the party in one blow when she tried to stop him from panicking. Hilarity ensued. ... Tom also has an unhealthy interest in beef jerky. Take of that what you will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffinman01 Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Re: He's not Bigfoot! He's just a really tall, hairy guy! ... Tom also has an unhealthy interest in beef jerky. Take of that what you will Nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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