Pestilence (3e adv.) and deadliness of diseases caught from corpses

[NineDaysDead]

Ebola (Biotech p.113)
Statistics: Blood; HT-3 to HT-5 to resist; 3d+1 day delay; 1d toxic damage; 12-hour cycle with seven cycles. Symptoms are frightening: moderate pain (p. B428) after loss of 1/3 HP, nauseated and severe pain (p. B428) after loss of 1/2 HP, and Hemophilia after loss of 2/3 HP; death comes with convulsions, which can splatter blood around the immediate area. Highly contagious; HT rolls are at -5 if in physical contact with a victim’s blood or bodily fluids.

Converted to an advantage:
Ebola
Toxic Attack 1d (Blood agent -40%; Cyclic 12 hours*, 7 cycles +36*%; Highly Contagous +50%; Onset (3d+1 days) -40%; Resistable HT-5, -5%; Symptoms: 1/3 HP: moderate pain +60%; 1/2 HP: nauseated +60%, severe pain +80; 2/3 HP: Hemophilia +30%) [14].

Pneumonic plague (Biotech p.113)
Statistics: Respiratory; HT-6 to resist; 1d/2+1 day delay; 1d toxic damage; 12-hour cycle with 12 cycles. Symptoms produce moderate pain and coughing (p. B428) after the loss of 1/3 HP, and choking (p. B428) after the loss of all HP. Highly contagious.

Converted to an advantage:
Pneumonic plague
Toxic Attack 1d (Area Effect +100%; Cyclic 12 hours*, 12 cycles +66*%; Emanation -20%; Extended Duration X 30, +60%; Highly Contagous +50%; Onset (1d/2+1 days) -30%; Persistant +40%; Resistable HT-6, -0%; Respiratory Agent +50%; Symptoms: 1/3 HP: Coughing +60%, Moderate pain +60%; All HP**: Choking +50%) [24].
Extended Duration and Persistent mean that any area the bearer has walked through in the last 5 minutes is infectious.

*+12% looks right for a 12 hour cycle to me.
** following the pattern, I’d guess all HP multiplies the cost by 0.5.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Jerander

What if I went with something like, "Prolonged contact is treated as time spent in a plague-ridden area?" (Mechanic? Sorry, I didn't think to look up the disease rules last night when I had access to my books...) Quirk or perk?

The basic state of being infected with something isn't worth points either way. On one hand, it can make you ill, maybe kill you. On the other hand, you can be evil and infect your enemies. It washes out.

Undead don't suffer the effects themselves but can still infect others, so it doesn't wash out any more. But . . . undead have already paid points for Immunity to Metabolic Hazards, so this is covered. Having a nasty disease isn't really a separate ability; you wouldn't charge points for that as Innate Attack, any more than you'd charge points for Allies for the rat swarm living in the ribcage because, well, you don't care that they're there. Neither is any kind of ability you control; they're more like creepy worn equipment. Since this "equipment" has minor, passive utility for you, it's akin to an Accessory perk -- but a cooler name is in order. You can be sure that if I ever update Undead to 4e, Pestilence will be a perk.

[Jerander]

Originally Posted by Kromm

You can be sure that if I ever update Undead to 4e, Pestilence will be a perk.

And that's mighty fine by me!

Thanks,
Jerander.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Undead don't suffer the effects themselves but can still infect others, so it doesn't wash out any more. But . . . undead have already paid points for Immunity to Metabolic Hazards, so this is covered.

Well, most things that are immune to disease are also not particularly capable of being carriers for disease; diseases tend to die when away from their normal hosts. It's probably a perk that you can keep a disease alive, without it affecting you, unless it's one of those diseases that can normally survive outside of a human host. About the only disease a mummy could realistically carry would be something with a spore form, such as anthrax, and while zombies could probably poison their teeth and nails with filth, it won't really stay poisoned without maintenance.

[Kromm]

Fair enough -- call the perk "Zombie Petri Dish" if you like. The mechanics of it are irrelevant . . . these are freakin' undead. I refuse to be roped into any discussion of realism where undead are concerned. ;)

[NineDaysDead]

Originally Posted by Kromm

As for how to put a cost on it: unless it's fast enough to matter in combat, call it a perk.

Why are the poisons on page 144 of powers not perks? Only one “Fantasy venom” is fast enough matter in combat.

Originally Posted by Kromm

Undead don't suffer the effects themselves but can still infect others, so it doesn't wash out any more. But . . . undead have already paid points for Immunity to Metabolic Hazards, so this is covered. Having a nasty disease isn't really a separate ability; you wouldn't charge points for that as Innate Attack, any more than you'd charge points for Allies for the rat swarm living in the ribcage because, well, you don't care that they're there. Neither is any kind of ability you control; they're more like creepy worn equipment. Since this "equipment" has minor, passive utility for you, it's akin to an Accessory perk -- but a cooler name is in order. You can be sure that if I ever update Undead to 4e, Pestilence will be a perk.

Why is body of flame's burning attack not a perk? They don’t control it; it has Always on -40%. They don’t care that it’s there; They have DR 10: Fire/heat.

[Kromm]

Venom and flame, unlike disease, are attacks you can actively use. You have no control over what plague you're carrying, though, or who will get it (friend or foe). It's just there, living on you. Also, context matters -- Pestilence is only useful if you lose the battle and the other guy walks away and gets sick. Abilities that only matter when you lose -- and probably die, given your Social Stigma and likely reactions to it -- aren't worth a lot. I'd call "I have a bomb in my head that does 100d damage if I die" an Accessory perk, too. Whether it's a fair perk depends on the GM.

But as a writer, whether it's a fair perk depends on . . . me. And if I update Undead, I'll be calling this a perk. I see no real utility to the user at all. It's mostly just an icky special effect of being a scary monster.

[NineDaysDead]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Venom and flame, unlike disease, are attacks you can actively use. You have no control over what plague you're carrying,

Why don’t you get to choose the effects at character creation?

Originally Posted by Kromm

though, or who will get it (friend or foe). It's just there, living on you.

So if you don’t take “Always On” it should be worth the normal amount of points, since you can switch it on or off?

Originally Posted by Kromm

Also, context matters -- Pestilence is only useful if you lose the battle and the other guy walks away and gets sick. Abilities that only matter when you lose -- and probably die, given your Social Stigma and likely reactions to it -- aren't worth a lot. I'd call "I have a bomb in my head that does 100d damage if I die" an Accessory perk, too.

Doesn’t this apply to all (except Fantasy venom) the poison attacks from powers, by the time they kick in the fight will be over one, way or another.

[jSarek]

Originally Posted by Agemegos

Don't lick such a corpse, and keep it out of the water supply.

I just wanted to restate this advice, because it is awesome.

That is all.