Legs

[Aigol]

If I wanted someone that could either have a snakelike tail that switched to being bipedal how would I do that? They move at the same land speed with tail or legs, would I just make their original legs switchable for 1 point if switchable works like the other examples under extra legs. Or is there another method for doing this?

[NorphTehDwarf]

I'd call it a 0-point physical feature if the tail doesn't allow the character to do things a bipedal character couldn't. If the tail lets one make a constriction attack or slither up walls or something, then I'd charge for those abilities.

[MagiMaster]

I'd have to agree, depending on the campaign. Both the original form and the snake tail are 0-point, so the ability to switch between two 0-point features should also be 0 points, assuming it's not in a realistic campaign where such a thing would freak people out. Otherwise, it'd be a perk, quirk or unusual background depending on the mechanics and setting details.

[PK]

Legs and Slithers are both 0-point features, but that assumes you only have one option. If you can switch between the two, you have some very minor advantages, because you can do things like confuse someone who's tracking you.

This should be a perk. Now, it's only a reasonable perk in a campaign that lets characters choose freely between Legs or Slithers! If not (e.g., if someone wanted to take this perk in a modern "commandos in Afghanistan" game), it's still a perk, but it should also require an Unusual Background, if available at all.

[Refplace]

It also is effectively granting you extra legs though. Since if they lose legs or tail they can still move at full value.

[Trachmyr]

Originally Posted by Refplace

It also is effectively granting you extra legs though. Since if they lose legs or tail they can still move at full value.

I agree, I'd price it the same as having 4 legs... your tail/body counts as 2 of them.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Refplace

It also is effectively granting you extra legs though. Since if they lose legs or tail they can still move at full value.

If.

OTOH, if it's a case of merging two legs, a crippled leg should have lasting effects on the tail mode too.

[Goober4473]

Originally Posted by MagiMaster

I'd have to agree, depending on the campaign. Both the original form and the snake tail are 0-point, so the ability to switch between two 0-point features should also be 0 points, assuming it's not in a realistic campaign where such a thing would freak people out. Otherwise, it'd be a perk, quirk or unusual background depending on the mechanics and setting details.

Hermaphromorph comes to mind as an example, though the utility of being male or female is a little more than a tail or legs. Sounds more like a perk, so long as it's controlled.

[PK]

Originally Posted by Refplace

It also is effectively granting you extra legs though. Since if they lose legs or tail they can still move at full value.

I think I'm being misunderstood -- I wasn't suggesting that the perk would let you manifest a working tail if your legs were crippled, or vice-versa! As I understood the original concept, your legs merge into a tail, or your tail splits into legs. So if you lose a leg, you can't just switch to a tail and move at full value. If your legs are crippled, so is your tail, and vice-versa, because they're the same thing. (And yes, that arguably gives people a reason to stay in "tail mode" all the time -- but as said before, always having a tail instead of legs is a 0-point feature anyway, so that's not a big deal.)

[cccwebs]

Well, the most RAW way would be using Alternate Form. I say this because switching between legs to a tail also changes hit locations and the amount of damage necessary to cripple the leg/tail. Since No Legs (Slithers) is a 0 point feature, the cost for Alternate Form would be 15.