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Old 12-08-2017, 07:04 AM   #31
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: Vampire Virus

Well, the default assumption in many settings is that vampires are secretly in control (or one of many competing groups). Just because a vampire is biological versus supernatural does not mean that they are not secretly in charge. When you have Unaging, you have time to gain wealth and power.

I agree though that Very Rapid Healing is the most worthless advantage in GURPS and, since the template already has two inhuman traits (Immunity to Metabolic Hazards and Unaging), you might as well go for three with Regeneration (Slow) and save 5 points. I would also personally replace Infectious Attack with Social Disease, but that is my own preference.
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Old 12-08-2017, 12:37 PM   #32
Otaku
 
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Default Re: Vampire Virus

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Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Well, the default assumption in many settings is that vampires are secretly in control (or one of many competing groups). Just because a vampire is biological versus supernatural does not mean that they are not secretly in charge. When you have Unaging, you have time to gain wealth and power.
Um...

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I mean, unless they are in charge. ;)
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Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
I agree though that Very Rapid Healing is the most worthless advantage in GURPS and, since the template already has two inhuman traits (Immunity to Metabolic Hazards and Unaging), you might as well go for three with Regeneration (Slow) and save 5 points. I would also personally replace Infectious Attack with Social Disease, but that is my own preference.
Hmm... have to think about that, but I can see why you'd do that. I had another idea that may or may not make things seem more realistic (seem... not necessarily actually be) and help with affording the template. Another common trope with immortals, in general, are the ones that gain power over time. It is no stranger to vampires, and sometimes includes the risk of development going awry.

I'm not sure if it would be a Feature or Unusual Background or something else, but what if there is a minimal, baseline vampire package. You get infected, you'll have these things unless you find a way to lose them. If you embrace vampiredom, you can go beyond. So how about an example of what this would change?

Newbie vampires would have Extended Lifespan (maybe with Longevity), instead of Unaging. They can, however, get more levels of Extended Lifespan, and eventually Unaging with Age Control, if they consume enough people. Or maybe the right people. Something like that. Another example is improving Regeneration, eventually gaining Regrowth, and maybe even Unkillable Lv.1 (the first two can have appropriate conditions so they don't seem quite as far-fetched, like Regrowth actually working by just grafting a replacement on from a "donor"). "Young" vampires get a honeymoon period where they might think they're immortal, but suddenly they realize they actually are aging, just more slowly, or have to deal with having been injured beyond what Slow (Regeneration) can deal with, etc. Do they become true monsters so they can live forever?

Oh, and people who would gladly make this trade still face a challenge... what kind of power can they get by pushing the limits of vampiredom? For every 1000 that try, one probably joins the ranks of the elder vampires, with the power, the prestige, and few additional drawbacks. A few more come close, but most either perish or make mistakes. "Oh, consuming enough wolf blood lets you gain X... but too much and you become a hairy monster. Oops."
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Old 12-10-2017, 01:22 AM   #33
Kesendeja
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Default Re: Vampire Virus

Vampire Virus 200 pts
60 pts in ST, DX, HT, HP, Per, FP
12 Pts in Acute Hearing, Acute Taste and Smell, Acute Vision
1 pt. Bite Attack
10 Pts. Breath Holding 5
6 pts, Claws (Sharp Claws) (Switchable)
15 pts Combat Reflexes
25 pts Dark Vision
25 pts Extra Attack
10 pts High Pain Threshold
13 pts Regeneration (Slow 1HP/12 hr) (Heals Radiation) (Requires Blood)
36 pts Regrowth (Requires Blood)
15 pts Unaging
-20 pts Dependency (Blood) (Very Common) (Weekly; Illegal)
-7 pts Weakness (Sunlight) 1d per 30 minutes) (Fatigue Only; Very Common)
-1 pts Distinctive Feature
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Old 12-10-2017, 03:02 AM   #34
(E)
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: New Zealand.
Default Re: Vampire Virus

What about a slightly different approach to blood consumption, if it is an engineered virus/nano what about blood being an addictive substance. Consumption of blood just stimulates the pleasure/addiction centers in the brain. If the purpose was just to encourage bodily fluid based virus transfer it seems like the simplest way.
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Old 12-10-2017, 05:36 AM   #35
Andreas
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Default Re: Vampire Virus

Rather than a constant template cost, a variable one often much better describes vampirism in fiction. For example, rather than adding more strength to someone who is already strong, than to a weak person (which is what happens if you just add X ST with GURPS' quadratic scaling of lifting), becoming vampires often seem to reduce relative strength differences between people. It is also not unusual for vampirism to heal some Disadvantages.

It does of course make it more complicated, but if the vampires happen to be a major focus of the game, it can be a good idea to put in that level of effort.
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Old 12-10-2017, 08:22 AM   #36
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: Vampire Virus

Here is another possible template that creates a biological vampire that is good at combat and good at stealth. The biological vampire benefits from a number of modifications that protects them from a number of 'traditional' threats to vampires, such as high density bones that protect their brain and their vitals (including their heart) from direct damage. While sufficient force will break their bones, it must do enough damage to kill the biological vampire first.

The vampirism virus transmits sexually (HT-6 to resist, +3 if using interruption and +6 if using condoms) and requires a year (during which the victim is contagious) to transform the victim (it is also transferable through blood and milk, though resistance is at HT rather than HT-6). During the transformation process, the victims gradually develop the traits of vampirism. Children born to infected or vampire mothers are immune to the virus but suffer lesser transformations during their fetal development stage.

Biological Vampire [200]

ST+4 [40]
DX+4 [80]
HT+4 [40]

Ambidexterity [5]
Breath Holding 4 [8]
Claws (Switchable, +10%) [6]
Combat Reflexes [15]
Craftiness 4 [20]
Extended Lifespan 4 [8]
High Pain Threshold [10]
Injury Tolerance (Unbreakable Bones, No Brain, No Vitals) [20]
Night Vision 8 [8]
Reduced Consumption 2 [4]
Teeth (Sharp, Switchable, +10%) [2]
Temperature Tolerance (Cold) 4 [4]

Berserk (6) [-20]
Heliophobia (6) [-30]
Restricted Diet (Human Blood; Substitution, -50%) [-10]
Social Disease [-5]
Unusual Biochemistry [-5]

Last edited by AlexanderHowl; 12-10-2017 at 08:26 AM.
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Old 12-10-2017, 11:56 AM   #37
Kesendeja
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Default Re: Vampire Virus

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Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Well, the default assumption in many settings is that vampires are secretly in control (or one of many competing groups). Just because a vampire is biological versus supernatural does not mean that they are not secretly in charge. When you have Unaging, you have time to gain wealth and power.
Actually, they aren't. Their are simply not enough of them to become a secret ruling body, that's left for the mortal secret societies.

They can amass great wealth and personal power, but mortal's will always be a threat. Especially in the information age.
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Old 12-11-2017, 08:54 AM   #38
starslayer
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Default Re: Vampire Virus

Technobabble ideas

The transformation has radical changes to physiology and anatomy.

Vampires have a second 'stomach' which blood is stored (fed through those fangs) which sits near the heart.

Inside that stomach are viral templates of the vampires DNA which radically increase cellular division (and by extension healing as well as the completeness of healing). The vamps need blood in this sack to reprogram into stem cells and send out to tissue to replace ones reaching the cell division limit (without such mutation in limbs wood rapidly destroy the vamp)
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