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Old 08-27-2017, 12:59 AM   #1
Flyndaran
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Default Morphing into Strongman vs. Thinman question

Morph only changes your species template. This means my average strength character could change into young Schwarzenegger but will be far weaker thereby not really be much of a mimic. Same goes for a circus Thinman but in reverse and impossibly strong.

How would I make a Morph that actually takes on the physical traits of what they mimic even if it's outside default for species?
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Old 08-27-2017, 06:32 AM   #2
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Default Re: Morphing into Strongman vs. Thinman question

Sounds like you want Improvised Forms from Powers (p75). This lets you vary the Racial Template as you add it.
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Old 08-27-2017, 06:57 AM   #3
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Default Re: Morphing into Strongman vs. Thinman question

This is a houserule of sorts, but I've always allowed Strength to be morphed into. I do require that you look the part: musclebound or super thin, as you stated. Or perhaps just very small or very large.
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Old 08-27-2017, 11:46 AM   #4
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Default Re: Morphing into Strongman vs. Thinman question

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Originally Posted by dbm View Post
Sounds like you want Improvised Forms from Powers (p75). This lets you vary the Racial Template as you add it.
I have that, but the extra Strength, for example, has to come from somewhere. My character has a limitation of features from IQ number of forms. So he can pull the scent of his dog form into his human form.
But if the biggest form he knows is a strapping human, he can't gain that form's actual strength. Because the human template is ST 10.

I know that GMs can make whatever racial templates they want. I just wanted to know RAW methods and how other players/GMs would do it.
Since Morph is about full mimicry and failing to actually take on the full provable physical traits of another feels like a failure of advantage.

This may go in reverse too. Morphing to mimic me wouldn't give the character my severe nearsightedness. Sure, that's a disadvantage. But it would mean they couldn't wear glasses thereby failing to pass as me. (Contacts would be too thick for me to wear -7.00)
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Old 08-27-2017, 11:50 AM   #5
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Default Re: Morphing into Strongman vs. Thinman question

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Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
This is a houserule of sorts, but I've always allowed Strength to be morphed into. I do require that you look the part: musclebound or super thin, as you stated. Or perhaps just very small or very large.
I wonder how one would go about making templates more individual, at least for full Morphs.
Mimicking me gets all my above and below species average physical traits as a unique template. Greater than average strength, and pain tolerance, but also nearsightedness, and clumsiness.
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Old 08-27-2017, 01:01 PM   #6
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Default Re: Morphing into Strongman vs. Thinman question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post

I know that GMs can make whatever racial templates they want. I just wanted to know RAW methods and how other players/GMs would do it.
Since Morph is about full mimicry and failing to actually take on the full provable physical traits of another feels like a failure of advantage.
That is your answer really.
Default Morph and Altered Form uses the default racial template.
However any GM can create additional templates or sub templates.
This could be Old vs. Young, Male vs. Female, cultural, racial or based on ethnicity and background. For example Northern Barbarian vs. Southern Empire.

Mostly you will see these distinctions in a Supers game but Morph with Sampling is one way I would build a Doppleganger for example.
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Old 08-27-2017, 01:04 PM   #7
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Default Re: Morphing into Strongman vs. Thinman question

Cool. I was just getting confused reading all the threads about Morph. And how there were so many variants and arguments that seemed to suggest my idea was not only not RAW, but unbalanced.
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Old 08-27-2017, 01:48 PM   #8
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Default Re: Morphing into Strongman vs. Thinman question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
(Contacts would be too thick for me to wear -7.00)
This isn't actually true, although I used to think it was. I have hard gas-permeable contact lenses at -14.0.
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Old 08-27-2017, 02:42 PM   #9
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Default Re: Morphing into Strongman vs. Thinman question

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Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
Cool. I was just getting confused reading all the threads about Morph. And how there were so many variants and arguments that seemed to suggest my idea was not only not RAW, but unbalanced.
Any variable power type ability can be unbalanced in certain circumstances.
GURPS has Wild Talent, Modular Abilities, Shapechange, Alternate Abilities, and Power Stunting as methods of doing this.
I personally think hey are all fairly well balanced against each other.
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Old 08-27-2017, 03:03 PM   #10
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Default Re: Morphing into Strongman vs. Thinman question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
I have that, but the extra Strength, for example, has to come from somewhere. My character has a limitation of features from IQ number of forms. So he can pull the scent of his dog form into his human form.
But if the biggest form he knows is a strapping human, he can't gain that form's actual strength. Because the human template is ST 10.
The Improvised Forms enhancement says:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Powers p75
You can improvise new racial templates as you change, mixing and matching the natural physical traits you desire. Possibilities range from modifying your native form with a useful body part to creating a completely new template. Improvised templates can't cost more than what you can afford with your Morph ability
So as long as you can morph to a form worth 20pts you could morph to a human with +2 to ST. In your case that would take up one of your allowed options.
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