Animal Morph?

[Ragabash Moon]

So if I wanted to make a character able to turn into animals, I would need to pay 100 + the cost of the Wild Animal template + 160 to buy off 8 points of reduced IQ (assuming a python was the lowest IQ animal I saw in the campaigns book), right?

Then limiting it to animals only would be how much?

Or, if i were to make it Cosmetic only because I didn't care about the template, I could theoretically turn into a Tyranosaurus Rex, but I would still be a human just T-Rex size? So, no biting people for massive damage? Or would I only be able to be a human sized T-Rex (mass conservation seems to be separate)? Is size part of the template?

[Kalminos]

The difference in IQ will be less than 160 points because animals will still have normal Will and perception and such. so probably 80 points.

It also wouldn't be the wild animal template. you wouldn't be able to turn into an elephant because that requires you to allow for enough points to buy all that ST, etc;.

[Ragabash Moon]

Originally Posted by Kalminos

The difference in IQ will be less than 160 points because animals will still have normal Will and perception and such. so probably 80 points.

It also wouldn't be the wild animal template. you wouldn't be able to turn into an elephant because that requires you to allow for enough points to buy all that ST, etc;.

Ah, okay well that's fine then don't much care about the ST and such, but more reasonable animals. Like a domestic cat, a leopard, a wolf, etc. But, if I turned into a wolf I would need to take into consideration all of it's abilities...

Kind of makes me think it might be easier to just do it as Cosmetic. So, in theory I could turn into an Elephant, but I wouldn't be as strong as an elephant because I'm not actually an elephant... I just look like one.

Then to make it so that a leopard or such could use bite and claw attacks, take claws and bite attacks with switchable.

[Flyndaran]

You might try to see if modular abilities limited by real animal traits and combinations might be cheaper and/or easier to write up.

I've wondered about creating a shapeshifter than can only turn into cats. But look at how many advantages that would cover; small friendly and stealthy, cheetah fast, tiger huge, fisher cat swimming, sand cats for desert, Pallas's cat for cold, etc.

[SCAR]

You might want to have a read of this from mlangsdorf's blog.

The basic concept is to use a Summonable Ally as a Puppet for Possession.
You summon whatever creature you want to 'become' and possess them.

It's an idea, and not a fully workout and tested mechanic, and Mark does point out some potential options for abuse, but it might be an option to consider.

[Ragabash Moon]

Originally Posted by SCAR

You might want to have a read of this from mlangsdorf's blog.

The basic concept is to use a Summonable Ally as a Puppet for Possession.
You summon whatever creature you want to 'become' and possess them.

It's an idea, and not a fully workout and tested mechanic, and Mark does point out some potential options for abuse, but it might be an option to consider.

True but then what happens to your body? That would be a problem.

[oneofmanynameless]

Originally Posted by Ragabash Moon

True but then what happens to your body? That would be a problem.

Depending on the nature of your possession you're body could easily end up riding "within" the animal.

Also, Doesn't cosmetic morph limit you to creatures that are basically the same size mod as you? So you'd become a human sized T-Rex?

[Mr_Sandman]

Originally Posted by oneofmanynameless

Depending on the nature of your possession you're body could easily end up riding "within" the animal.

Also, Doesn't cosmetic morph limit you to creatures that are basically the same size mod as you? So you'd become a human sized T-Rex?

I've always assumed that Cosmetic more or less included Mass Conservation. Although by RAW Cosmetic doesn't say that explicitly, it does say "You can only change your outward appearance. Your abilities and racial template are unaffected," and SM is part of a racial template. I suppose you could have Cosmetic morph that allowed mass change within the range of a single SM. I'm not sure you could become a human-sized T-Rex without the "Improvised Forms" enhancement.

[Flyndaran]

Interestingly, T Rex is by far the largest of its relatives. It's kind of an overgrown version of its family, last I heard. Unlike other huge therapods.
I think a better human sized dinosaur might be a raptor relative (Dromaeosauridae) of some sort. Though velociraptors were chicken sized, and utahraptors were much larger than people, it's certainly possible that some as yet unknown species was man sized.