Highlander (ish) style quickening mechanic

[Drakyrias]

I'm looking to design a mechanic around immortals quickening for when an immortal takes another's head.

Specific elements for my version of immortals (which are not true Highlander immortals) is that when they take another immortal's head they run the risk of the energy they absorb changing their appearance. They can absorb power, memory, skills, but can also over time end up looking radically different.

(An example shown in the fiction I'm semi-basing this from shows an immortal pointing out a photo where a person that doesn't even resemble them anymore except for a specific scar).

Looking for some help/advice.

[Refplace]

In Highlander it was often temporary and seemed not to have a huge effect.
One idea to noodle around with is Possession with Mind Swap for the special effect.

[Drakyrias]

Like I said, this isn't a true Highlander mechanic, but Highlander is the more well known fiction that these immortals are being based on.

The Kurgan for example never suddenly started looking like Rameriz after taking his head. That is a risk with these immortals.

[The Colonel]

?award character points when the PC defeats another immortal ... and allow them to take extra disadvantages and dump existing traits to cover cost gaps.
The rest is fluff.

[Nereidalbel]

Use a modified version of Corrupting on whatever Unusual Background you require for Immortals to be, well, immortals. That will give you (the GM) points to use on that character, whether the player likes it or not.

[Bira]

The movies never established a specific mechanic for it beyond "it makes you stronger", and you're not trying to be 100% faithful to them anyway, so you're pretty free to do whatever you wish here.

The simplest solution here does indeed seem to be just giving the winner of such a fight a bunch of character points they while at the same time directly altering their character sheet with any "surprise traits" you want them to have.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Bira

The movies never established a specific mechanic for it beyond "it makes you stronger", and you're not trying to be 100% faithful to them anyway, so you're pretty free to do whatever you wish here.

The simplest solution here does indeed seem to be just giving the winner of such a fight a bunch of character points they while at the same time directly altering their character sheet with any "surprise traits" you want them to have.

I would want a mechanism that let me refuse any "bonus" character pts that came with strings on them. "Let your character die or let me screw with him." is pretty hostile.

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

I would want a mechanism that let me refuse any "bonus" character pts that came with strings on them. "Let your character die or let me screw with him." is pretty hostile.

That would be the guy who just buries people alive instead of decapitating them.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

That would be the guy who just buries people alive instead of decapitating them.

<shrug>If that's what it takes to avoid being turned into an NPC.

[Bira]

It seems like you're assuming a more antagonistic relationship between players and GMs than me.

Since the original poster wanted a setup in which absorbing the powers of another immortal also changed your appearance, I naturally assumed that this is what the "surprise" changes would limit themselves to. You know, raised or lowered Appearance, Distinctive or Unnatural features, or even a change that's worth no points and just means you look different than you did before. It didn't seem like it was something the character would have control over.

Assuming that this necessarily means the GM is going to outright take your character from you is reaching a bit.