Re: Statting up a Dullahan
 

Okay, that makes a lot more sense, though I'm not sure Construct is necessary, since regardless, the base package will include Unkillable 3 (Achilles Heel, Gold, Rare, -10%) [135]. The more I think about it, I want both head and body to die if either one is killed with gold, or for both to go into "ghost mode" if either is reduced to -10xHP in another way. Actually, that seems more like it's a more severe limitation on Duplication rather than Construct+Sequential. Maybe...

Sympathetic Death: If one of your Dupes dies, so do all of them and you. If you also have Unkillable 2 or 3, if one is brought to -10xHP, all of you drop into the same dormant state. However, any effect that brings back the dead also works on all your dupes and you, including a use of Extra Life. -70%.

On another note, I plan on making Telesend with the duplicate part of the base package. BS says that Telesend with just your Dupes should use the Racial limitation, but this is a race of creatures that always have a single Dupe, no more, no less, and can only communicate that way with their own Dupe. Would you say that qualifies Telesend for a more sizable limitation?

Re: Statting up a Dullahan
 

Sympathetic Death would make more sense for an Ally though, as it is a limitation for Ally. For example, if the head is an allly of the body, it would make sense for the body to have Ally (Head; 100%; 15-; Special Abilities, +50%; Sympathetic Damage, Death, -50%) [15]. The head itself would have many disadvantages, such as No Legs (Portable) [-30], No Manipulators [-50], Social Stigma (Monster) [-15], and Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25], meaning that it would much cheaper Ally than otherwise suggested.

Re: Statting up a Dullahan
 

It would be RAW for an Ally. That does not mean it would make more sense for an Ally.

Re: Statting up a Dullahan
 

I'd peg it at -50%, but allow -60% since the math is kinder for a 35 point advantage. Otherwise it seems like a fair replacement for what normally happens when a dupe dies.

By RAW, you would take Mindlink [5] and Telesend (Racial, your dupe -20%) [24] for 29 points total as shared advantages (not in the head/body meta-traits). This gives you total two way communication between your dupes, and you don't need to ever roll for anything.

If you want to bump up "only your dupe" to -80%, I personally wouldn't object since normally Telesend w/racial would be your entire species (humans, for example).

Re: Statting up a Dullahan
 

The first problem is Ally is that it's either (a) under the GM's control or (b) a mindless automation that needs to be controlled to the exclusion of doing anything else.

The second problem is "Social Stigma" and "Dead Broke" would apply equally to both or neither.

Finally, even under the ally approach doesn't it make more sense for the head to be the "brains" of the character and the body to be a means for getting stuff done? The relationship of command seems more logical as head controls body, even though it's not attached. Here the head would be some sort of adviser? Perhaps one that usurp control periodically?

If I was going to use the ally route, I'd build the head as the character with Telecontrol to manage a puppet body.

Re: Statting up a Dullahan
 

It depends on if the body possesses No Brains. If it does, then the head is not the brains of the outfit, it is just a passenger that the body carries around for communication purposes (it would even be possible for the body to lock away the head if it gets too annoying, as the head depends on the body for mobility). The head is more vulnerable than the body, as it has no mobility or manipulators, so it is likely the junior partner in the relationship, though it could be useful as a spellcaster.

In this type of situation, the body of a dullahan would have two allies, a carried head and a summonable mount, each bound to the other's fate. The head would be worth 15 CP while the mount would be worth 40 CP, meaning that a dullahan should probably be a minimum of 300 CP as a template, as it will need points for other stuff.

Re: Statting up a Dullahan
 

It's just as likely that the head is not only the brains of the outfit but also sight, smell, and hearing. Being blind, deaf, and mute would be about as serious as being "bodyless" in terms of disads.

If psi or magic is in play, the head could be much more capable than the body.


Allies (NPCs) don't pay to have the PC as an ally. Unless you're creating a true headless horseman with head, body and horse where 2 of those are allies?

Re: Statting up a Dullahan
 

Yes, the body would be the primary while the mount and head would be the secondaries. The body should have its own senses though, similar to the headless horseman of legend.

Re: Statting up a Dullahan
 

What the heck is a sessile head useful for?

Re: Statting up a Dullahan
 

Well, that would depend on its abilities (and it is not sessile, that is a different form of No Legs). For example, the head could possess supernatural abilities that allow it to summon the dead or open gateways to Hell. Or it could possess the ability to cause unspeakable terror with a glance and feed off the fear. It really depends on how you design the dullahan.