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Old 08-17-2015, 02:49 AM   #1
Tyneras
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Kentucky, USA
Default Afflicting a Taboo Trait?

If you use Afflict (Morph) to give someone a racial template with taboo traits, and they already have the traits that are taboo, what happens? Since Taboo Traits are zero point features, it seems like this an (excessively) cheap way to negate a ton of traits in a target. But maybe that's intended, unsure.

Planned for a baleful polymorph type attack, so mental disadvantages (such as taboo traits) would not be omitted.
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Old 08-17-2015, 04:01 PM   #2
Desthro
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Albuquerque
Default Re: Afflicting a Taboo Trait?

From what I have read on a number of different threads regarding taboo traits, I don't think their traits would get negated per se. They wouldn't be able to acquire said traits while they were so afflicted, but each trait is likely to not be affected if they are already in possession of said traits.

Though, I can see room for GM interpretation, especially if the traits affected are completely physical. IE: You got turned into a tree. You have move 0. Guess what, enhanced move doesn't really work anymore. But that's not exactly the same thing either.

If Humans aren't allowed to buy magery (example), and they were a Muman (magical human bear with me here ;) LOL), that had purchased magery 32, and then got morphed into a Human instead of a Muman, I would leave them with their purchased magery. Just because Humans can't acquire magery normally, doesn't mean that humans with magery don't exist. (Unusual Backgrounds exist for that reason.)
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Old 08-17-2015, 04:03 PM   #3
Nereidalbel
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ellicott City, MD
Default Re: Afflicting a Taboo Trait?

If you're changing them into an entirely different species, I'd allow it. However, trying to turn a human into a human with Taboo Trait IQ > 1 would get an immediate "NOPE!"
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Old 08-17-2015, 04:18 PM   #4
malloyd
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Default Re: Afflicting a Taboo Trait?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Desthro View Post
From what I have read on a number of different threads regarding taboo traits, I don't think their traits would get negated per se. They wouldn't be able to acquire said traits while they were so afflicted, but each trait is likely to not be affected if they are already in possession of said traits.
That would be my take too. Taboo traits prevent you from *purchasing* the trait.

It's also worth keeping in mind that Shapechanging costs are, well, pretty broken, mostly I think in an effort to keep the math workable and to base them on the statistics for the individual forms rather than making you build a combined template including everything with suitable some of the time limitations.

Attempting to calculate a fair cost for anything at all on the basis of a build that includes Morph, especially if it is at all a complex build depending on the fine details of the template pricing rules, is likely to be an exercise in futility. You'll likely be better off just pricing it by feel.
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Old 08-17-2015, 04:26 PM   #5
Desthro
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Albuquerque
Default Re: Afflicting a Taboo Trait?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nereidalbel View Post
If you're changing them into an entirely different species, I'd allow it. However, trying to turn a human into a human with Taboo Trait IQ > 1 would get an immediate "NOPE!"
Wouldn't that not happen because the human template (for that specific campaign) already exists? I was thinking about this more, and would allow for it to negate existing traits if the affliction was paid for in such a manner that negated the traits that were taboo. Again, just because a trait is taboo, doesn't mean you cannot have it. If it removed an advantage or advantages and/or inflicted a disadvantage or lowered attributes, I would expect to see that cost reflected in the racial template as a net disadvantage. (IE senseless blob of protoplasm with all of the great benefits that come with that). That would raise the cost of the affliction advantage accordingly. I'd even go so far to allow an inverse version of modular abilities to negate advantages or traits that you DON'T know about, on a point for point version (fun!). But I'd never allow for the removal of a trait by the infliction of a 0-point taboo. That's nonsense now that I think about it LOL
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Old 08-17-2015, 04:28 PM   #6
Nereidalbel
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ellicott City, MD
Default Re: Afflicting a Taboo Trait?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Desthro View Post
Wouldn't that not happen because the human template (for that specific campaign) already exists? I was thinking about this more, and would allow for it to negate existing traits if the affliction was paid for in such a manner that negated the traits that were taboo. Again, just because a trait is taboo, doesn't mean you cannot have it. If it removed an advantage or advantages and/or inflicted a disadvantage or lowered attributes, I would expect to see that cost reflected in the racial template as a net disadvantage. (IE senseless blob of protoplasm with all of the great benefits that come with that). That would raise the cost of the affliction advantage accordingly. I'd even go so far to allow an inverse version of modular abilities to negate advantages or traits that you DON'T know about, on a point for point version (fun!). But I'd never allow for the removal of a trait by the infliction of a 0-point taboo. That's nonsense now that I think about it LOL
No, if you want a human to be a human without their [insert list of advantages here], you pay the price for Negated Advantage. However, if you wish to change a human into a goldfish, that's just Morph or Alternate Form, depending on whether you want to stick to one species, or, declare as you roll.
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