Bodysnatching?

[AerthChild]

I have an interesting variation on Shapeshift/Possession that I'm not sure how to price. Essentially, the target advantage, in concise terms, is thus;

The victim is a recently deceased, still technically functional corpse. The corpse is destroyed in the acquisition process. The newly acquired form is added to the attacker's list of bodies as an extra life, with a separate health pool, and separate physical traits. Mental and some supernatural traits are retained from the original form of the attacker when shapeshifting.

I'm thinking this could be worth 50 points per body acquired, adjusted as needed for the value of the physical traits of the body as per Alternate Form. Those character points must be spent in order for the acquisition process to be successful, and the death of a body loses those 50+ points. I come to this by adding the Cosmic (+100%) modifier to Alternate Form, reflecting the separate health pool and the use of non-racial physical traits, and tacking Extra Life on there with the Copy limitation. Does that sound fair?

Also, would there be a base cost for the ability to take bodies, too, and if so how much? I have no idea how to price that, considering the hefty cost of having these extra forms in the first place, and the notable differences between this advantage and the Possession advantage.

[starslayer]

Unkillable 2 + reincarnation + ammunition slow reload individual rounds

[AerthChild]

That is an interesting option, but it implies that there can only be one stored form at a time. It's an alternative to Extra Life, though . . . Should I still add a 50% cosmic modifier to reflect the separate health pool? That's really the part I'm having the most trouble with. I guess I could make him pay for HP with an accessibility limitation - Only in alternate form . . . That would negate the need for the Cosmic enhancement entirely.

It's so simple I feel like an idiot. I'm still open to any suggestions, since my current options don't feel quite right for what I'm trying to accomplish.

[Nereidalbel]

Other Alternate Forms having their own health pool is the No Sypathetic Injury enhancement, not a Cosmic.

The above Unkillable build requires you to set your "ammo" capacity when you buy it; that's your limit on extra lives. Run out of bodies and you're done!

[starslayer]

Originally Posted by AerthChild

That is an interesting option, but it implies that there can only be one stored form at a time. It's an alternative to Extra Life, though . . . Should I still add a 50% cosmic modifier to reflect the separate health pool? That's really the part I'm having the most trouble with. I guess I could make him pay for HP with an accessibility limitation - Only in alternate form . . . That would negate the need for the Cosmic enhancement entirely.

It's so simple I feel like an idiot. I'm still open to any suggestions, since my current options don't feel quite right for what I'm trying to accomplish.

Why would it only be one stored at a time? Ammo can be up to 6 uses. It can even be more uses but then it stops being a disadvantage in and of itself.

I'm having trouble understanding what your point is about the 'separate health pool'- is it that if it dies you want its reincarnation to be instant, or can it ALSO change forms at will to balance damage?

For instant (or nearly so) reincarnation take regeneration extreme (only when dead).

If the monster can change forms at will then it ALSO has alternate forms, or morph (requires sample).

If the monster can just 'will itself to die' in order to force a form change- that's a 0 point feature.

[AerthChild]

Originally Posted by starslayer

Why would it only be one stored at a time? Ammo can be up to 6 uses. It can even be more uses but then it stops being a disadvantage in and of itself.

I'm having trouble understanding what your point is about the 'separate health pool'- is it that if it dies you want its reincarnation to be instant, or can it ALSO change forms at will to balance damage?

For instant (or nearly so) reincarnation take regeneration extreme (only when dead).

If the monster can change forms at will then it ALSO has alternate forms, or morph (requires sample).

If the monster can just 'will itself to die' in order to force a form change- that's a 0 point feature.

This is actually incredibly helpful. Thank you.

To answer your question, yes. I want the monster to both reincarnate instantly if it has another form stored, and also be able to change forms at will to balance damage. If it has no stored forms, it defaults to a spirit form (it's natural form) and wakes up in it's place of power.

I must have just misread the skill or something, I was tired when I replied last.

*Edit* Now I know why I made that incorrect assumption. I have no idea where the Ammunition limitation is, and I was looking at the wrong limitation.

*Edit #2* Is there a way to make Morph allow you to take physical attributes that are not racial? Specifically, Magery is physical in my world. The level of Magery is not on the Human racial template, but I want the monster to have different levels of Magery when he takes different forms. I also want him to have their scars, deformities, old injuries, and other physical modifications that may have happened to them in life, but are most definitely not racial traits. It should even go so far as to acquire addictions, and other physical traits when he transforms. Should I just adjust the point value of each form, setting the limit on Morph accordingly?

[AerthChild]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

Other Alternate Forms having their own health pool is the No Sypathetic Injury enhancement, not a Cosmic.

The above Unkillable build requires you to set your "ammo" capacity when you buy it; that's your limit on extra lives. Run out of bodies and you're done!

Where is said enhancement? I cannot find it. I may just be overlooking it.

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by AerthChild

Where is said enhancement? I cannot find it. I may just be overlooking it.

Non-Reciprocal Damage, Powers p75.

[starslayer]

Originally Posted by AerthChild

This is actually incredibly helpful. Thank you.

To answer your question, yes. I want the monster to both reincarnate instantly if it has another form stored, and also be able to change forms at will to balance damage. If it has no stored forms, it defaults to a spirit form (it's natural form) and wakes up in it's place of power.

I must have just misread the skill or something, I was tired when I replied last.

*Edit* Now I know why I made that incorrect assumption. I have no idea where the Ammunition limitation is, and I was looking at the wrong limitation.

*Edit #2* Is there a way to make Morph allow you to take physical attributes that are not racial? Specifically, Magery is physical in my world. The level of Magery is not on the Human racial template, but I want the monster to have different levels of Magery when he takes different forms. I also want him to have their scars, deformities, old injuries, and other physical modifications that may have happened to them in life, but are most definitely not racial traits. It should even go so far as to acquire addictions, and other physical traits when he transforms. Should I just adjust the point value of each form, setting the limit on Morph accordingly?

1. Ammunition == limited use + slow/fast reload [slow and single shot atva time for your build]

2. add unlimited to the morph but keep the requires sample limitation. This will let you take all traits from the person you are copying (assuming your morph pool is large enough). This will mean that the copy gets all the good and bad traits (non mental disadvantages etc). Take partial shapeshifting to only take what your wasn't from your sample to make the new template.