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Old 04-20-2021, 09:59 PM   #1
Sorenant
 
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Default [MH] Inhuman Template: Spore

Hello, I came to seek feedback and rule checking on a new Inhuman option I created.

It is based on works like The Colour Out of Space, Saya no Uta and The Thing.

SPORE
200 points
Your kind hails from beyond the stars, children of unknowable elder beings launched towards the void to seed new worlds and repat the cycle. Something went wrong, however. Maybe the journey was too long even for your kind, or simply the pod was from a bad batch, but whatever the reason your pod malfunctioned and produced spores without inprinting any directives. Lost without any objective, most of your brethren dispersed across the planet to satisfy their hunger, yet others like you became attracted by the natives and joined them to observe their alienness closer.

Advantages: Ambidexterity [5]; Constriction Attack (Engulfing, +60%) [24]; Crushing Striker (Long 1, +100%; Swing-Capable, +20%; Flexible, +30%; Switchable, +10%) [13]; Double-Jointed [15]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Homogenous, +40; No Blood, +5; No Eyes, +5; No Head, +7; No Neck, +5) [62] Morph (Cosmetic, -50%; Needs Sample, Entire body, -50%) [20]; Regeneration (Regular) [25]; Regrowth [10]; Stretching 2 [12]; Unfazeable [15]; Universal Digestion [5].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous, -20; Mitigator, Morph, -70%) [-6]; Curious [-5]; Frightens Animals [-10]; Gluttony [-5]; Low Empathy [-20].
Features: Can buy off Low Empathy.
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Old 04-21-2021, 06:12 AM   #2
Sam Baughn
 
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Template: Spore

Full Immunity to Metabolic Hazards seems unlikely for a living creature. Maybe Immunity to Sickness and Resistant to Poison, plus Unusual Biochemistry? Or Immunity to Metabolic Hazards (Earth, -20%) as for the devourers in Applied Xenology.
Swapping Cosmetic on Morph for Retains Mass allows you to drop parts of your racial template (i.e. Constriction Attack, Striker, Stretching) to pay for advantages, which both lets you improve appearance (allowing you to impersonate any human) and use animals' physical traits. This costs only 10 points, which can be paid for by tweaking Immunity and adding Unusual Biochemistry.
To go full Thing-mode, you really want Improvised Forms, but the cost is steep. Dropping Constriction Attack, Stretching, Striker (all easily replaced with Improvised Forms), Unfazeable (not central to the concept), and Appearance (I think it works out more point-efficient to drop appearance to pay for physical traits as needed, since then you get full value for it rather than the mitigated version) plus taking -1 to DX and IQ (seems reasonable for something with basically no central nervous system) should give you about enough.
The standard inhuman disadvantage of Reputation doesn't seem to fit spores, so I'd suggest a compulsory swap for Curious (which, if I read you right, is intended as a personal disadvantage).
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Old 04-21-2021, 08:55 AM   #3
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Template: Spore

Given the list of your inspirations, shouldn't they have Social Stigma (Monster) that is mitigated by their Morph?
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Old 04-21-2021, 09:19 AM   #4
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Template: Spore

It seems like the Mitigator on Appearance should be -80%, like the Morphology Inducer from MH5.
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Old 04-21-2021, 10:07 AM   #5
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Template: Spore

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Baughn View Post
Swapping Cosmetic on Morph for Retains Mass allows you to drop parts of your racial template (i.e. Constriction Attack, Striker, Stretching) to pay for advantages, which both lets you improve appearance (allowing you to impersonate any human) and use animals' physical traits. This costs only 10 points, which can be paid for by tweaking Immunity and adding Unusual Biochemistry.
Seeing as most creatures the character could impersonate lack the appropriate Constriction Attack, Striker, and Stretching, while a Thing/Kandra/Slime/whatever would be capable of using them even when transformed, I think leaving them on the template is appropriate (just make a note that they aren't part of the template that gets replaced). I personally feel something between Cosmetic and Mass Conservation should be the Limitation - a Spore may not mimic its subject well enough to get through a medical exam (which Mass Conservation would allow), but should probably gain at least some special abilities (one that turns into a horse might gain Hooves and Enhanced Move (Ground); one that turns into a wolf might gain Sharp Teeth and Discriminatory Taste/Smell). Marking that variant at -30% (only -10% relative to Mass Conservation alone) doesn't seem too far-off, and is still the same price thanks to the -80% limit. Of course, given that the Spore may not be gaining a lot of the Disadvantages those templates normally have (reduced IQ most notably), it may be difficult to afford those while staying within the [+0] limit of baseline Morph...

EDIT: Also, does Appearance need a Mitigator? You already have to "pay" for negating it out of your Morph budget if whatever you turn into isn't a hideous mass of pulsating flesh.
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Last edited by Varyon; 04-21-2021 at 10:11 AM.
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Old 04-21-2021, 05:52 PM   #6
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Template: Spore

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sorenant View Post
Hello, I came to seek feedback and rule checking on a new Inhuman option I created.

It is based on works like The Colour Out of Space, Saya no Uta and The Thing.

SPORE
200 points
Your kind hails from beyond the stars, children of unknowable elder beings launched towards the void to seed new worlds and repat the cycle. Something went wrong, however. Maybe the journey was too long even for your kind, or simply the pod was from a bad batch, but whatever the reason your pod malfunctioned and produced spores without inprinting any directives. Lost without any objective, most of your brethren dispersed across the planet to satisfy their hunger, yet others like you became attracted by the natives and joined them to observe their alienness closer.

Advantages: Ambidexterity [5]; Constriction Attack (Engulfing, +60%) [24]; Crushing Striker (Long 1, +100%; Swing-Capable, +20%; Flexible, +30%; Switchable, +10%) [13]; Double-Jointed [15]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Homogenous, +40; No Blood, +5; No Eyes, +5; No Head, +7; No Neck, +5) [62] Morph (Cosmetic, -50%; Needs Sample, Entire body, -50%) [20]; Regeneration (Regular) [25]; Regrowth [10]; Stretching 2 [12]; Unfazeable [15]; Universal Digestion [5].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous, -20; Mitigator, Morph, -70%) [-6]; Curious [-5]; Frightens Animals [-10]; Gluttony [-5]; Low Empathy [-20].
Features: Can buy off Low Empathy.
Shiny. Very very shiny. Would fit right into MH5.
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Old 04-21-2021, 08:06 PM   #7
Sorenant
 
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Template: Spore

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Baughn View Post
Full Immunity to Metabolic Hazards seems unlikely for a living creature. Maybe Immunity to Sickness and Resistant to Poison, plus Unusual Biochemistry? Or Immunity to Metabolic Hazards (Earth, -20%) as for the devourers in Applied Xenology.
Thanks for the indepth analysis!
My reasoning behind Immunity to Metabolic Hazards is that it can devour anything, poisonous substances, viruses, bacterias, everything is equally food for it, and given it has Universal Digestion and extensive homogenous anatomy, it's entire body is akin to mouth. Nanomachines might be an exception but if I recall correctly these falls outside the Metabolic Hazards definition. Besides, it's supposed to be a sort of bioweapon and it would be embarrassing for such being to become ill due to sickness or poison, earthly or alien.
The problem with Resistant to Poison is that some poisons like Curare can cause damage or other negative effects regardless of your resistance and can only be prevented by complete immunity. I like Unusual Biochemistry idea, it's weird that this creature can be positively affected by medicines without problem but not negatively so, and this disadvantage would fix it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Baughn View Post
Swapping Cosmetic on Morph for Retains Mass allows you to drop parts of your racial template (i.e. Constriction Attack, Striker, Stretching) to pay for advantages, which both lets you improve appearance (allowing you to impersonate any human) and use animals' physical traits. This costs only 10 points, which can be paid for by tweaking Immunity and adding Unusual Biochemistry.
To go full Thing-mode, you really want Improvised Forms, but the cost is steep. Dropping Constriction Attack, Stretching, Striker (all easily replaced with Improvised Forms), Unfazeable (not central to the concept), and Appearance (I think it works out more point-efficient to drop appearance to pay for physical traits as needed, since then you get full value for it rather than the mitigated version) plus taking -1 to DX and IQ (seems reasonable for something with basically no central nervous system) should give you about enough.
Morph is an advantage I'm not very familiar with, I never allowed it for players and I just what I do what I want when an NPC has abilities that would warrant it as PC. For one, are Improvised Form and Needs Sample compatible? I can interpret both ways: They are not, because one can only transform into what it sample, without modifying it. Or they are, one can transform into anything but if they want to pass as another person, they need to sample it.
Varyon's analysis is also on point. I imagine this creature being able to look like an innocent child one moment, then leap as an horrendous mass right after. This wouldn't be the case if it had Constriction Attack et al as "part" of Morph. It's probably feasible if I add Reduced Time, but then again the cost becomes a barrier.
I'd argue Unfazeable is central to the concept. I couldn't fit Terror in it, but ideally it should be akin to a cosmic horror that causes SAN check on normal people who look at its natural form. It would be unbefitting if it became intimidated by some gangbanger or panicked after meeting another horror monster.
I wouldn't reduce its IQ but I've considered adding something like Innumerate. I don't want this creature to be "dumb" but it would be flavorful to make its intelligence alien to humans, it would also keep it from becoming too technological. I like the idea of reducing its DX, though. I was afraid it had too many edges in violent combat due to its Injury Tolerance and Regeneration, despite lack of ST, and I think reduced DX would make it more rounded.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Baughn View Post
The standard inhuman disadvantage of Reputation doesn't seem to fit spores, so I'd suggest a compulsory swap for Curious (which, if I read you right, is intended as a personal disadvantage).
I thought about it as more of a selection bias than personal: Not so curious spores would just see humans as food and become a "monster", the curious ones would see more to them and some would even join them. Regardless, I think your suggestion o swapping Reputation with Curious is very fitting.

Quote:
Originally Posted by cdru View Post
Given the list of your inspirations, shouldn't they have Social Stigma (Monster) that is mitigated by their Morph?
It should, it was my mistake to not add it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1 View Post
It seems like the Mitigator on Appearance should be -80%, like the Morphology Inducer from MH5.
You're right, for some reason I recalled it as -70%.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Varyon View Post
Seeing as most creatures the character could impersonate lack the appropriate Constriction Attack, Striker, and Stretching, while a Thing/Kandra/Slime/whatever would be capable of using them even when transformed, I think leaving them on the template is appropriate (just make a note that they aren't part of the template that gets replaced). I personally feel something between Cosmetic and Mass Conservation should be the Limitation - a Spore may not mimic its subject well enough to get through a medical exam (which Mass Conservation would allow), but should probably gain at least some special abilities (one that turns into a horse might gain Hooves and Enhanced Move (Ground); one that turns into a wolf might gain Sharp Teeth and Discriminatory Taste/Smell). Marking that variant at -30% (only -10% relative to Mass Conservation alone) doesn't seem too far-off, and is still the same price thanks to the -80% limit. Of course, given that the Spore may not be gaining a lot of the Disadvantages those templates normally have (reduced IQ most notably), it may be difficult to afford those while staying within the [+0] limit of baseline Morph...

EDIT: Also, does Appearance need a Mitigator? You already have to "pay" for negating it out of your Morph budget if whatever you turn into isn't a hideous mass of pulsating flesh.
Yes, those abilities are core to the creature in any form so I don't think it would be proper to use Morph to get them.
I agree with you regarding Morph but as I mentioned above this trait is a mystery box for me. Using your horse example, can Morph with Cosmetic/Mass Conservation be used by SM+0 creature to turn into a SM+2 horse because of Stretching? Similar questions keeps rising when I look at it and don't feel confident in using it.
About Appearance, it's another question that raises thanks to Morph. In doubt, I went with what official Inhuman templates did.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice View Post
Shiny. Very very shiny. Would fit right into MH5.
Thanks very much!

Edit: I have a question, is there some way to make Leech into a normal attack? As in, it needs to penetrate DR to take effect? As is it's malediction-like and bypass all DR. Contact Agent was my first thought, but it simply can't penetrate DR, you'd need to strip the target of all non-tough-skin DR beforehand to use it.
I ask because I'd swap passive regeneration for a a devour-and-recover type of ability, like take a bite and use the enemy meat as yours.

Last edited by Sorenant; 04-21-2021 at 08:12 PM.
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Old 04-22-2021, 06:30 AM   #8
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Template: Spore

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sorenant View Post
Thanks very much!

Edit: I have a question, is there some way to make Leech into a normal attack? As in, it needs to penetrate DR to take effect? As is it's malediction-like and bypass all DR. Contact Agent was my first thought, but it simply can't penetrate DR, you'd need to strip the target of all non-tough-skin DR beforehand to use it.
I ask because I'd swap passive regeneration for a a devour-and-recover type of ability, like take a bite and use the enemy meat as yours.
Weaponized from Psionic Powers should do what you're looking for despite the name.
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Old 04-22-2021, 07:03 AM   #9
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Template: Spore

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Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice View Post
Weaponized from Psionic Powers should do what you're looking for despite the name.
That was my first thought too, but it needs special adjudication. Normally, Weaponized (-80%) would require Ranged (+40%), and Leech requires Malediction (+100%) to take ranged, and then you would add Melee (Melee, cannot parry, -35%) to put back the need for contact, and likely another limitation to put the "continuous contact" clause back in place...

It makes a big mess that ends with a significant limitation priced out to being an enhancement. Calls for a more simple ruling. I could hand-wave the Contact-no contact and ranged-not ranged, but then -80% off for Weaponized (DR Protects) seems too generous a discount.
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Old 04-22-2021, 07:35 AM   #10
zarawesome
 
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Template: Spore

Would Social Stigma (Monster) be counted? The moment you're revealed for who you are, you have to run.
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