Question Regarding Buying Traits that are in your Racial Template

[Jachra]

If you have a racial template (in this example it's a racial template called Snakeblood,) and there's a trait in it that you want to buy for your character (so that you can use it across racial templates with Alternate Form), are there any issues with purchasing it for your character and removing it from the template? Specifically, if the template has Double-Jointed, but you want Double-Jointed for yourself.

The only effect I can see is that it reduces the value of your template vis-a-vis other racial templates, so it could potentially increase the cost of Alternate Form.

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Jachra

Are there any issues with purchasing it for your character and removing it from the template? Specifically, if the template has Double-Jointed, but you want Double-Jointed for yourself.

The only effect I can see is that it reduces the value of your template vis-a-vis other racial templates, so it could potentially increase the cost of Alternate Form.

You've pretty much got it exactly right - remove it from your racial template, reducing said template's cost, and thus adjusting the cost of what you can transform into, and just note it as belonging to your personal template instead. The only thing is, the GM will have to approve it, as they approve all racial template modifications.

[roguebfl]

The RAW way would be to by Not Double Jointed as a personal disadvantage [as this is the RAW way to remove a racial trait] then use the point to by Double Jointed. Assuming you're using the disadvantaged limit rules the only cost is he you have less points you can back from having personal disadvantages.

RAW a player can't just chose to take part of packed the must take the full packed and take disadvantages that say yeah you're an unusual member of your race because you don't have it.

it fit a back story of you were born missing a common trait that you then work hard at learn to do it the hard way.

[shawnhcorey]

In my campaigns, if a player wants to change a racial template, they must take Unusual Background to do it. Of course, the cost of the Unusual Background would depend on the size of the change.

[RyanW]

Another way to do it is to modify the Alternate Form template (again, with GM approval, but I wouldn't have any problem here if I were GMing it). Basically, instead of turning into a grue, you turn into a double jointed grue.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by roguebfl

The RAW way...

There is no "RAW way" as there are no rules governing the building of Templates. There are guidelines. You could argue your way is dogmatic, it's certainly shown up in the forums as a method of "buying off an Advantage", but really I can't think of any book that sets up that way of doing it in regards to Racial Templates.

Even going back to 3e, you just drop the Advantage, reduce your Character by so many points and move along.

Also... your way introduces confusion and complication. It's simpler to just remove an Advantage from a Template than to add extra "Mitigator" Disads and 'rebuy' the Advantage in a 'second' place on the sheet.

[Armin]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

There is no "RAW way" as there are no rules governing the building of Templates.

B262, red box. That's the RAW way. Whether you call it a rule or a guideline isn't relevant, as it's the way you're told to do it if the GM allows the change.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by Armin

B262, red box. That's the RAW way. Whether you call it a rule or a guideline isn't relevant, as it's the way you're told to do it if the GM allows the change.

it also has the benefit that if someone Else curses with Alternate form Affliction you will still keep you advantage built that way

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Armin

B262, red box. That's the RAW way. Whether you call it a rule or a guideline isn't relevant, as it's the way you're told to do it if the GM allows the change.

Well okay then. I've never read that box before.

And I've never used or had a GM use that in any game I've been in. Huh.

[Anaraxes]

The point of the "No racial X" + "Oh Wait I Do Personally Have X" traits is simply to avoid the question in the OP -- whether or not you can modify a racial template. Imagine you have a software program that doesn't let you hack the data files, or a GM that would never dare change a racial template from the book value (because then it's obviously not true of everyone of that race!). The net effect is no different on the CP totals, but it's a procedure that makes some people happier because the template, per se, doesn't change. No permission or software update needed.