Trigger an alternate form when unconscious

[Genius3e8]

Hi GURPS gurus,
Another conundrum I've run into that I need your help with. I am creating a character that has alternate forms that he can turn into, but I want one of them to have a trigger that turns it in when he falls unconscious. I found Unconscious Only, but I want him to be able to trigger it conciously too.

Also, would the trigger cost be applied to the form before the 10% reduction on the form cost, after the 10% reduction, or to the 15 point ability cost?

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Genius3e8

I am creating a character that has alternate forms that he can turn into, but I want one of them to have a trigger that turns it in when he falls unconscious.

You want the "Uncontrollable Trigger" version of the Uncontrollable limitation, from Powers (p. 106). It specifies an "object", but it's been used to build things like werewolves transforming during the full moon, so conditions are okay as well. I'd put "Unconsciousness" as a Common trigger, so it would be worth -10%.

Note that unless you put Once On, Stays On onto Alternate Form, this character will transform when they fall unconscious, but if they wake up and then get knocked out again, they will revert to their "base" form again.

Originally Posted by Genius3e8

Also, would the trigger cost be applied to the form before the 10% reduction on the form cost, after the 10% reduction, or to the 15 point ability cost?

You pretty much always apply all such modifiers to the 15 point ability cost for Alternate Form. The only limitation valid on the price of the template is the -10% that Alternate Form provides.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Genius3e8

Hi GURPS gurus,
Another conundrum I've run into that I need your help with. I am creating a character that has alternate forms that he can turn into, but I want one of them to have a trigger that turns it in when he falls unconscious.

Just set that form as his base form. He won't get a cost discount since it's not an alternate form, of course, you always pay full cost for your default form.

[Genius3e8]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Just set that form as his base form. He won't get a cost discount since it's not an alternate form, of course, you always pay full cost for your default form.

I've considered that, but I should have mentioned that he's getting the alternate forms ability from a possessing spirit (does not control him, riding along, no body Ally) so it's granted by familiar (-40%), which makes his base form just a human if he's denied access to the spirit.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Genius3e8

I've considered that, but I should have mentioned that he's getting the alternate forms ability from a possessing spirit (does not control him, riding along, no body Ally) so it's granted by familiar (-40%), which makes his base form just a human if he's denied access to the spirit.

Whats the reason for the change while unconscious?
Sounds like its a tougher for so increased survivability right?
And since the character can do it consciously it would seem like the form is overall positive with few drawbacks.
Once On, Stays on sounds like the best fit but also look at Reflexive and enough Reduced Time to make it a Free Action.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by Genius3e8

I found Unconscious Only

This Limitation refers to the character's control, not his actual mental state. It means you can't choose to activate your power even when you're conscious. It's the stereotypical untrained newbie psi / apprentice Limitation.

It doesn't mean an ability automatically activates if you happen to go unconscious. (If you're unconscious, you can't choose to activate abilities even without Unconscious Only on them. That's the normal state of affairs.)

Uncontrollable is really only appropriate if the ability can be "prankish or hostile" and causes the character problems while he's unconscious. Notice that in Kelly's example, you don't really want to be a werewolf during the full moon. It's not awesome D&D druid combat monster form, but only three days a month. That build is American Werewolf in London.

If the ability is useful while you're unconscious, like a turtle-up-and-regen defense or astral projection or whatever, then I'd go with Refplace's suggestion (Reflexive, plus possibly Once On, Stays On), but also add Unconscious Only -- because here, the character can't purposely choose ever to activate the ability. The GM can activate it, but in this case the concept tells us that the GM will make that choice only when the character goes unconscious.

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Uncontrollable is really only appropriate if the ability can be "prankish or hostile" and causes the character problems while he's unconscious. Notice that in Kelly's example, you don't really want to be a werewolf during the full moon.

Actually, the values I was quoting are for abilities that aren't destructive. They triple for abilities that are. I don't think an ability needs to be particularly destructive to qualify for a limitation for being triggered uncontrollably - the fact that someone can be, for instance, looking for a shapeshifter, and find out whether you're one or not by conking you on the head (and thus discovering the truth when you're in the worst position to do anything about that), is worth a limitation. Something like the full blown "ravenous wereform that attacks your friends" would definitely get the triple value from Uncontrollable Trigger.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

Actually, the values... triple for abilities that are {destructive}.

That's right, there are two cases for Uncontrollable. Thanks for reminding me.

[Genius3e8]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Whats the reason for the change while unconscious?
Sounds like its a tougher for so increased survivability right?
And since the character can do it consciously it would seem like the form is overall positive with few drawbacks.
Once On, Stays on sounds like the best fit but also look at Reflexive and enough Reduced Time to make it a Free Action.

Great questions. I'm playing this as the spirit trying to keep his host alive so he doesn't need to find another host, convince it to do what it wants, get the host trained, etc. It's a healing and protective form, think a statue with Regen and regrowth.

[Anaraxes]

Why doesn't the spirit help out when its host is conscious? It has the power to heal the host, yet chooses not to use it... because?

(Not trying to be difficult, just trying to understand the concept.)

Is "unconsciousness" really the trigger you're looking for, or would something like "below 0 HP" or "below -HT HP" fit better? Unconsciousness can be caused by drugs, spells, cinematic rabbit punches, and so on, where the host isn't really hurt. Then there's "asleep" :)