Insubstantial: Always on vs Native form?

[ericthered]

Insubstantial has two seperate ways for a creature to be Insubstantial and never substantial:

1) Natural Form, a 0-point feature
2) Always on, a -50% limitation.

So what can you do with the Always on version that you can't with the Natural Form?

[Jerander]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Insubstantial has two seperate ways for a creature to be Insubstantial and never substantial:

1) Natural Form, a 0-point feature
2) Always on, a -50% limitation.

So what can you do with the Always on version that you can't with the Natural Form?

As I understand it, Natural Form is only a Feature if they can switch between the two states. Always On is for those who cannot switch to substantial at all.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by B63

Your "natural form" is considered a special effect. You must take this advantage if you can change between a physical and an insubstantial form

That is, if you can switch, which state is considered your normal form is a 0% Feature.

(Given the position in a middle paragraph, I suspect the word "advantage" in the second sentence should be "enhancement", or better yet, "specify this Feature" rather than "take this advantage". It makes little sense to say "you must take this advantage if you take this advantage", though this sentence might make sense in the introductory paragraph to explain what Insubstantiality is.)

[Tuoni]

I think Insubstantiabilty is a bit of a poorly worded/designed advantage. There are a couple things about it that don't sit well with me. That being said, this is my interpretation.

Always on Insubstantial allows one to take Effects Substantial and get all the benefits that entails like spell casting and using Telekinesis.

0-point features on the other hand, can't take enhancements, as that would be silly. So the immunity to physical harm is balanced by the fact that you can't do anything except communicate, and are at the mercy of anyone with magic, maledictions, mental powers or anything that has Effects Insubstantial

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Insubstantial has two seperate ways for a creature to be Insubstantial and never substantial:

1) Natural Form, a 0-point feature
2) Always on, a -50% limitation.

So what can you do with the Always on version that you can't with the Natural Form?

Not a thing. That's why it's a 50% limitation.

[ericthered]

So to sum things up:

Native form is only applicable if you actually purchase Insubstantial some other way. That helps. It really does.

[Anaraxes]

I don't follow. There is no 0-point form of Insubstantial that I see in either Characters or Powers (unless you want to count "Native Form Substantial Always On", which means not having the advantage at all. Where does the 0-point Insubstantiality come from?

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

I don't follow. There is no 0-point form of Insubstantial that I see in either Characters or Powers (unless you want to count "Native Form Substantial Always On", which means not having the advantage at all. Where does the 0-point Insubstantiality come from?

It is a 0 point feature that your native form is Insubstantial, IF you bought the advantage. So really it's kind of expensive.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

It is a 0 point feature that your native form is Insubstantial, IF you bought the advantage.

Yes, that's my interpretation.

[starslayer]

I always interpreted 'native form' to be exactly that. In your native form you are insubstantial- apply whatever other modifiers you want to the insubstantial advantage, and it behaves normally.

However if your native form is insubstantial and you are struck by some sort of power-obstructing ability, hit with some sort of 'assume your true form' power, or otherwise forced to go to 'normal'- you go insubstantial. If you did not take that feature, you go substantial: Largely semantic and for fringe cases, but could be important at some point in time to have defined, thus it's a +/-0% feature.