Help me create a sentient, shape-shifting parasite race! (ala Prototype)

hollybargle · 07-01-2014, 06:09 PM

Spoilers ahead, for those who haven't played Prototype.

In the video game Prototype, you play as Alex Mercer, a 'man' who eventually turns out to be just a sentient, shape-shifting virus. In the game he is able to change himself physically at will, as well as physically absorb people to gain sustenance and their memories or skills.

It can morph it's body into anyone it has absorbed before. It is essentially a humanoid shape, but it is actually made up of tendrils and strands that can change and shift at will.

I set out to create such an alien being (with a couple modifications), but as I am somewhat new to GURPS, I'm afraid I might have messed up somewhere. I'm wondering if anyone would be so kind as to look over my racial template, and tell me if I did anything wrong or need to change anything. A couple of these are modified abilities from the '50 point abilities' thread.

He cannot wear armor, as these things force the tendrils to clump together and they quickly fuse to the creature. This would quickly remove most of it's abilities, essentially becoming trapped in the armor. To remove armor and regain it's abilities, the armor must be ripped from the creature, causing 1d6-2 (at least 1) damage for each piece removed. It also cannot wear backpacks, but can carry small items within its body by constantly circulating them.

Also, to keep alive and able, it must consume the flesh of a sentient humanoid. If abstained for 3 days, it's abilities will cease to function, save for it's ability to consume. The humanoids can be only recently slain; it prefers them alive. Consuming something other than sentient meat will wreck with the workings of the being, requiring it to completely consume another sentient being before it can regain most of it's powers.

These two limitations are represented as pacts, (-15%) for no armor and (-20%) for Restricted Diet: Sentient Meat.

Sentient Shape-Shifting Disease

Advantages

Consume: (Innate attack, 10d6 cor. (Biological (-10%); Link (-10%); Melee Attack (Reach C) (-30%); Nuisance Effect: ability earns reaction penalty (-4) (-20%); Pact (Can't wear armor)(-15%)) [25]
With a successful Brawling attack, SSSD will begin to consume the target, merging the target's body with it's own. This allows Absorption and Mind Probe to activate, and a completely absorbed humanoid can be later morphed into. However, it reveals it's true nature to all those who see it.

Absorption:(Healing (Accessibility (Not on others) (-40%); Accessibility (Only while consuming sentient beings) (-40%); Affects Self (+50%); Biological (-10%); Capped (4 FP) (-20%); Link (-10%); Pact (Can't Wear Armor) (-15%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%) Reduced Fatigue Cost (+4) (+80%); Reduced Time (+1)(+20%); Reliable (+6)(+30%)) [32]
The SSSD consumes the target body, allowing it to heal any damage received. This will heal up to 6 for free (or 8 by using a FP) with a successful IQ+6 roll.

Doesn't Sleep [20]

Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]

Injury Intolerance: Diffuse (Biological (-10%); Pact (Can't wear armor) (-15%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%)) [65]
The SSSD is a mass of tendons and tendrils, able to change and shift at will

Mind Probe: (Accessibility: Must consume victim (-40%); Biological (-10%); Link (-10%); Pact (Can't Wear Armor) (-15%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%)) [4]
The SSSD can absorb memories from those it consumes. While consuming, roll against Interrogation to find one specific memory.

Alter Self: (Modular Abilities (Cosmic Power) 10 (Biological (-10%); Pact (Can't Wear Armor)(-15%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%); Physical Only (+50%)) [105]
By taking a ready maneuver (and spending 1 FP), the SSSD can morph it's physical form in many different ways.

Memory Absorption: (Modular Abilities (Slotted Cosmic Power) 8 (Accessibility: Only from skills previously absorbed) (-20%); Biological (-10%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%); Skills Only (-10%) [10]
Taking a Ready maneuver (and spending 1 FP), the SSSD can recall any skill that he has previously absorbed from somebody. (Starting with none)

Morph: (Accessibility (Only previously absorbed humanoids) (-40%); Biological (-10%); Cosmetic (-50%); Needs Sample (must consume target) (-50%), No Memorization Required (+50%; Pact (Can't wear armor) (-15%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%); Reduced Time (+3) (-60%); Retains Shape (-20%), Extra Morphing Capacity (Transcendent to Monstrous) (+20 CP) [40]
The SSSD can take a ready maneuver (and spend 1 FP) and morph it's form to resemble a humanoid it has absorbed before. The change is only cosmetic, and must be humanoid and weigh about the same. Alternatively, it can reveal it's true nature, changing it's appearance to 'Monstrous'.

Payload 5 [5]

Perk: No Visible Damage [1]

Total Advantages: 336

Disadvantages

Callous [-5]

Frightens Animals [-10]

Numb [-20]

Phobia: Fire [-5]

Restricted Diet (Sentient Meat) [-20]

Supernatural Feature (Doesn't 'Feel Right') [-5] The SSSD feels noticeably different to touch.

Uncontrollable Appetite (Sentient Meat) [-15]

Unhealing (Total) [-30]

Unusual Biochemisty [-5]

Vow (Never Wear Armor) [-15] This simulates the SSSD's inability to hold up armor without clumping it's tendrils together, negating it's natural defenses.

Vulnerability (Fire) (Common) (Wounding Modifier x2) [-10]

Total Disadvantages: -160

Total Points: 197

Talent: Xeno Impersonator [5] Gives talent bonus to Acting, Body Language, Disguise, Fast-Talk, Interrogation, Mimicry. No reaction bonus.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

phi16180339887 · 07-01-2014, 08:13 PM

Sounds like the 3rd ed. Parasite Seed (Robots pg. 73)
Basically a bioplas nanomorph that breeds by infecting and absorbing its host.

hollybargle · 07-01-2014, 08:48 PM

Basically! However, instead of a high TL campaign, this template could be used in a horror or fantasy game, depending on the creation method.

I see it as a sort of biological weapon, perhaps sent by an alien race. It would integrate into the sentient humanoid society, and slowly eat it from the inside, all the while gaining potential battle plans, technology blueprints, etc.

The Benj · 07-02-2014, 06:48 AM

Why convoluted Healing instead of Leech?

vicky_molokh · 07-02-2014, 06:59 AM

You should really consider going with Morph +Improvised Traits, and then pre-defining several trait sets, such as Regeneration with a Trigger for healing, varying levels of Payload (you don't need Payload when not using it . . .) etc. This will probably make the build more efficient.

Nereidalbel · 07-02-2014, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Benj

Why convoluted Healing instead of Leech?

Leech requires grappling and slowly draining the life out of something, while the concept here is to eat somebody to heal.

jason taylor · 07-02-2014, 09:33 AM

That sounds like a predator not a parasite.

Genesis · 07-02-2014, 09:44 AM

It looks to me like you're getting way more points back from Can't Wear Armor and Restricted Diet than you should, by taking them as limitations on your abilities as well as free-standing disads. Restricted Diet, especially, should not be a limitation at all. Can't Wear Armor makes more sense (you loose the abilities if you put on armor), but if that's the case then the Vow shouldn't be a disad on your sheet - it should just be a limitation on the abilities - and it should be capped at returning 15 CP, which is way less than it's giving you now.

I would echo the weirdness of your consume+healing abilities, which look like they ought to be based off Leech.

hollybargle · 07-02-2014, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

You should really consider going with Morph +Improvised Traits, and then pre-defining several trait sets, such as Regeneration with a Trigger for healing, varying levels of Payload (you don't need Payload when not using it . . .) etc. This will probably make the build more efficient.

Would this be essentially the same thing as the modular physical abilities? I was a bit unsure as to how Improvised Traits worked as opposed to Cosmic Modular Abilities (Physical Only).

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason taylor

That sounds like a predator not a parasite.

Yeah, true!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Genesis

It looks to me like you're getting way more points back from Can't Wear Armor and Restricted Diet than you should, by taking them as limitations on your abilities as well as free-standing disads. Restricted Diet, especially, should not be a limitation at all.

Yeah, I was a bit unsure as to the extent of how much Pacts I could place on my abilities. The explanation being, if it ever tried to wear armor or eat something other than a sentient humanoid, it would lose most of it's powers until it could remove the armor/find suitable prey.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Genesis

I would echo the weirdness of your consume+healing abilities, which look like they ought to be based off Leech.

It has unhealing, so the only way it can heal itself would be to consume a sentient person. As Nereidalbel stated earlier, it is much quicker than grappling and draining the life out of someone; it its physically throwing itself at a target and dissolving/eating it.

Varyon · 07-02-2014, 01:02 PM

I'm not certain Pact Limitations should have caps. A character with Vow: Can't Wear Armor [-15] loses character points for the session if he breaks the vow, and may be required to buy it off if he continues to do so. A character with Vow: Can't Wear Armor [-15] and [100] worth of Advantages with Pact: Can't Wear Armor (-15%) is getting back a total of [-30], but if he breaks his Vow he not only loses character points for the session but also loses [85] that he's invested in Advantages until he atones! Heck, I see no issue with a character having a Pact without having the corresponding Vow - breaking the "Vow" isn't out-of-character (because they never made one - or did but don't care about it beyond what it's gained them) but does result in the loss of special abilities.

That said, the SSSD shouldn't have that Vow, and Pact isn't appropriate either - the character simply loses access to the ability while wearing armor, there's no need to atone to regain it. In that case, it's more like a Can't Wear Armor Temporary Disadvantage, which is capped at 80% ([-12], assuming a physical inability to wear armor is worth the same as a Vow to abstain from doing so). The Restricted Diet is a bit hairier - I'd personally allow you to grab it as both a Disadvantage ("I only gain sustenance from eating people") and a Temporary Disadvantage ("My powers shut down if I eat anything other than people"), limiting the TD to 80%, as normal (for a maximum total of [-36]), but only if I specifically intended to throw you into situations where you can get tricked into eating something non-sapient. As it stands, you are going to be extremely difficult to trick ("Dude, this deer is totally sapient, you should eat it!"), and with actually having the Restricted Diet you aren't going to have a reason to just grit your teeth and eat anyway (if you lacked that Disadvantage, you could eat someone's rations if you were starving, losing your abilities in exchange for staying alive). Thus, I'd probably reduce the TD to a -5% Nuisance Effect (and possibly cap the return to [-5] or so).

07-01-2014, 06:09 PM	#1
hollybargle Join Date: Jun 2014	Help me create a sentient, shape-shifting parasite race! (ala Prototype) Spoilers ahead, for those who haven't played Prototype. In the video game Prototype, you play as Alex Mercer, a 'man' who eventually turns out to be just a sentient, shape-shifting virus. In the game he is able to change himself physically at will, as well as physically absorb people to gain sustenance and their memories or skills. It can morph it's body into anyone it has absorbed before. It is essentially a humanoid shape, but it is actually made up of tendrils and strands that can change and shift at will. I set out to create such an alien being (with a couple modifications), but as I am somewhat new to GURPS, I'm afraid I might have messed up somewhere. I'm wondering if anyone would be so kind as to look over my racial template, and tell me if I did anything wrong or need to change anything. A couple of these are modified abilities from the '50 point abilities' thread. He cannot wear armor, as these things force the tendrils to clump together and they quickly fuse to the creature. This would quickly remove most of it's abilities, essentially becoming trapped in the armor. To remove armor and regain it's abilities, the armor must be ripped from the creature, causing 1d6-2 (at least 1) damage for each piece removed. It also cannot wear backpacks, but can carry small items within its body by constantly circulating them. Also, to keep alive and able, it must consume the flesh of a sentient humanoid. If abstained for 3 days, it's abilities will cease to function, save for it's ability to consume. The humanoids can be only recently slain; it prefers them alive. Consuming something other than sentient meat will wreck with the workings of the being, requiring it to completely consume another sentient being before it can regain most of it's powers. These two limitations are represented as pacts, (-15%) for no armor and (-20%) for Restricted Diet: Sentient Meat. Sentient Shape-Shifting Disease Advantages Consume: (Innate attack, 10d6 cor. (Biological (-10%); Link (-10%); Melee Attack (Reach C) (-30%); Nuisance Effect: ability earns reaction penalty (-4) (-20%); Pact (Can't wear armor)(-15%)) [25] With a successful Brawling attack, SSSD will begin to consume the target, merging the target's body with it's own. This allows Absorption and Mind Probe to activate, and a completely absorbed humanoid can be later morphed into. However, it reveals it's true nature to all those who see it. Absorption:(Healing (Accessibility (Not on others) (-40%); Accessibility (Only while consuming sentient beings) (-40%); Affects Self (+50%); Biological (-10%); Capped (4 FP) (-20%); Link (-10%); Pact (Can't Wear Armor) (-15%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%) Reduced Fatigue Cost (+4) (+80%); Reduced Time (+1)(+20%); Reliable (+6)(+30%)) [32] The SSSD consumes the target body, allowing it to heal any damage received. This will heal up to 6 for free (or 8 by using a FP) with a successful IQ+6 roll. Doesn't Sleep [20] Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30] Injury Intolerance: Diffuse (Biological (-10%); Pact (Can't wear armor) (-15%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%)) [65] The SSSD is a mass of tendons and tendrils, able to change and shift at will Mind Probe: (Accessibility: Must consume victim (-40%); Biological (-10%); Link (-10%); Pact (Can't Wear Armor) (-15%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%)) [4] The SSSD can absorb memories from those it consumes. While consuming, roll against Interrogation to find one specific memory. Alter Self: (Modular Abilities (Cosmic Power) 10 (Biological (-10%); Pact (Can't Wear Armor)(-15%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%); Physical Only (+50%)) [105] By taking a ready maneuver (and spending 1 FP), the SSSD can morph it's physical form in many different ways. Memory Absorption: (Modular Abilities (Slotted Cosmic Power) 8 (Accessibility: Only from skills previously absorbed) (-20%); Biological (-10%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%); Skills Only (-10%) [10] Taking a Ready maneuver (and spending 1 FP), the SSSD can recall any skill that he has previously absorbed from somebody. (Starting with none) Morph: (Accessibility (Only previously absorbed humanoids) (-40%); Biological (-10%); Cosmetic (-50%); Needs Sample (must consume target) (-50%), No Memorization Required (+50%; Pact (Can't wear armor) (-15%); Pact (Restricted Diet (-20%); Reduced Time (+3) (-60%); Retains Shape (-20%), Extra Morphing Capacity (Transcendent to Monstrous) (+20 CP) [40] The SSSD can take a ready maneuver (and spend 1 FP) and morph it's form to resemble a humanoid it has absorbed before. The change is only cosmetic, and must be humanoid and weigh about the same. Alternatively, it can reveal it's true nature, changing it's appearance to 'Monstrous'. Payload 5 [5] Perk: No Visible Damage [1] Total Advantages: 336 Disadvantages Callous [-5] Frightens Animals [-10] Numb [-20] Phobia: Fire [-5] Restricted Diet (Sentient Meat) [-20] Supernatural Feature (Doesn't 'Feel Right') [-5] The SSSD feels noticeably different to touch. Uncontrollable Appetite (Sentient Meat) [-15] Unhealing (Total) [-30] Unusual Biochemisty [-5] Vow (Never Wear Armor) [-15] This simulates the SSSD's inability to hold up armor without clumping it's tendrils together, negating it's natural defenses. Vulnerability (Fire) (Common) (Wounding Modifier x2) [-10] Total Disadvantages: -160 Total Points: 197 Talent: Xeno Impersonator [5] Gives talent bonus to Acting, Body Language, Disguise, Fast-Talk, Interrogation, Mimicry. No reaction bonus. Any thoughts/suggestions? Last edited by hollybargle; 07-02-2014 at 01:46 AM.

07-01-2014, 08:13 PM	#2
phi16180339887 Join Date: Apr 2007	Re: Help me create a sentient, shape-shifting parasite race! (ala Prototype) Sounds like the 3rd ed. Parasite Seed (Robots pg. 73) Basically a bioplas nanomorph that breeds by infecting and absorbing its host.

07-01-2014, 08:48 PM	#3
hollybargle Join Date: Jun 2014	Re: Help me create a sentient, shape-shifting parasite race! (ala Prototype) Basically! However, instead of a high TL campaign, this template could be used in a horror or fantasy game, depending on the creation method. I see it as a sort of biological weapon, perhaps sent by an alien race. It would integrate into the sentient humanoid society, and slowly eat it from the inside, all the while gaining potential battle plans, technology blueprints, etc.

07-02-2014, 06:48 AM	#4
The Benj MIB Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Platform Zero, Sydney, Australia	Re: Help me create a sentient, shape-shifting parasite race! (ala Prototype) Why convoluted Healing instead of Leech?

07-02-2014, 06:59 AM	#5
vicky_molokh GURPS FAQ Keeper Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kyïv, Ukraine	Re: Help me create a sentient, shape-shifting parasite race! (ala Prototype) You should really consider going with Morph +Improvised Traits, and then pre-defining several trait sets, such as Regeneration with a Trigger for healing, varying levels of Payload (you don't need Payload when not using it . . .) etc. This will probably make the build more efficient. __________________ Vicky 'Molokh', GURPS FAQ and uFAQ Keeper

07-02-2014, 09:33 AM	#7
jason taylor Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon	Re: Help me create a sentient, shape-shifting parasite race! (ala Prototype) That sounds like a predator not a parasite. __________________ "The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison

07-02-2014, 09:44 AM	#8
Genesis Join Date: Dec 2010	Re: Help me create a sentient, shape-shifting parasite race! (ala Prototype) It looks to me like you're getting way more points back from Can't Wear Armor and Restricted Diet than you should, by taking them as limitations on your abilities as well as free-standing disads. Restricted Diet, especially, should not be a limitation at all. Can't Wear Armor makes more sense (you loose the abilities if you put on armor), but if that's the case then the Vow shouldn't be a disad on your sheet - it should just be a limitation on the abilities - and it should be capped at returning 15 CP, which is way less than it's giving you now. I would echo the weirdness of your consume+healing abilities, which look like they ought to be based off Leech.

07-02-2014, 01:02 PM	#10
Varyon Join Date: Jun 2013	Re: Help me create a sentient, shape-shifting parasite race! (ala Prototype) I'm not certain Pact Limitations should have caps. A character with Vow: Can't Wear Armor [-15] loses character points for the session if he breaks the vow, and may be required to buy it off if he continues to do so. A character with Vow: Can't Wear Armor [-15] and [100] worth of Advantages with Pact: Can't Wear Armor (-15%) is getting back a total of [-30], but if he breaks his Vow he not only loses character points for the session but also loses [85] that he's invested in Advantages until he atones! Heck, I see no issue with a character having a Pact without having the corresponding Vow - breaking the "Vow" isn't out-of-character (because they never made one - or did but don't care about it beyond what it's gained them) but does result in the loss of special abilities. That said, the SSSD shouldn't have that Vow, and Pact isn't appropriate either - the character simply loses access to the ability while wearing armor, there's no need to atone to regain it. In that case, it's more like a Can't Wear Armor Temporary Disadvantage, which is capped at 80% ([-12], assuming a physical inability to wear armor is worth the same as a Vow to abstain from doing so). The Restricted Diet is a bit hairier - I'd personally allow you to grab it as both a Disadvantage ("I only gain sustenance from eating people") and a Temporary Disadvantage ("My powers shut down if I eat anything other than people"), limiting the TD to 80%, as normal (for a maximum total of [-36]), but only if I specifically intended to throw you into situations where you can get tricked into eating something non-sapient. As it stands, you are going to be extremely difficult to trick ("Dude, this deer is totally sapient, you should eat it!"), and with actually having the Restricted Diet you aren't going to have a reason to just grit your teeth and eat anyway (if you lacked that Disadvantage, you could eat someone's rations if you were starving, losing your abilities in exchange for staying alive). Thus, I'd probably reduce the TD to a -5% Nuisance Effect (and possibly cap the return to [-5] or so).