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Old 06-24-2022, 07:57 PM   #11
Pursuivant
 
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Default Re: Value of Disadvantage that forces you to shapeshift involuntarily?

The closest thing to an "official" disadvantage is Involuntary Shapeshifting from GURPS 3E Shapeshifters.

Cost is -5 to -30 points based on how often you encounter the conditions which trigger your change. When the character changes, they lose all memories of their previous form and become an NPC under the GM's control.

Presumably, this disad didn't make it into GURPS 4E because it isn't much of a disadvantage and could be modeled by giving standard Shapeshifting the Nuisance Effect and Uncontrollable limitations. GURPS Powers and other books add the Cyclic and External Trigger special limitations.

Last edited by Pursuivant; 06-24-2022 at 08:04 PM.
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Old 06-24-2022, 08:20 PM   #12
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: Value of Disadvantage that forces you to shapeshift involuntarily?

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Originally Posted by Pursuivant View Post
The closest thing to an "official" disadvantage is Involuntary Shapeshifting from GURPS 3E Shapeshifters.

Cost is -5 to -30 points based on how often you encounter the conditions which trigger your change. When the character changes, they lose all memories of their previous form and become an NPC under the GM's control.

Presumably, this disad didn't make it into GURPS 4E because it isn't much of a disadvantage and could be modeled by giving standard Shapeshifting the Nuisance Effect and Uncontrollable limitations. GURPS Powers and other books add the Cyclic and External Trigger special limitations.
The problem with Uncontrollable on Alternate Form is it only applies to the base 15 point cost - not the point cost of the form itself. And as has been noted shapeshifting when you don't want to can be very costly in game - you can end up with a mob after you. Thus Compulsive Shapeshifting was my answer - and it works for the most part.
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Old 06-24-2022, 08:52 PM   #13
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Default Re: Value of Disadvantage that forces you to shapeshift involuntarily?

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Originally Posted by Pursuivant View Post
The closest thing to an "official" disadvantage is Involuntary Shapeshifting from GURPS 3E Shapeshifters.

Cost is -5 to -30 points based on how often you encounter the conditions which trigger your change. When the character changes, they lose all memories of their previous form and become an NPC under the GM's control.

Presumably, this disad didn't make it into GURPS 4E because it isn't much of a disadvantage and could be modeled by giving standard Shapeshifting the Nuisance Effect and Uncontrollable limitations. GURPS Powers and other books add the Cyclic and External Trigger special limitations.
Having a trait that says "you, the player, aren't allowed to choose to do anything in a given scene" is very much a disadvantage. In fact I tend to shy away from letting my players take any disad like that if it would crop up more than once every few sessions and they tend to dislike them even more than I do.
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Old 06-24-2022, 09:12 PM   #14
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Default Re: Value of Disadvantage that forces you to shapeshift involuntarily?

A 'Jekyll and Hyde' type character that I was working on when my desktop worked had Alternate Form connected to Split Personality, so when the persona switched, so did the shape. That may not be what you want, though.
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Old 06-24-2022, 10:54 PM   #15
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Default Re: Value of Disadvantage that forces you to shapeshift involuntarily?

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Uncontrollable doesn't do what I want done. Specifically:
* Any roll of 14+ fails.
* "On a failure, the GM takes over your ability, playing it as though it were an entity of a prankish or hostile nature."
* "After each uncontrolled act, you get another Will roll to control your power."

What I was looking for was one roll. As soon as you've shifted, the ability is back under your control again. Though I'd expect that directly shifting back to your normal form rarely is the right thing to do.
I think a possible delay of one second isn't that big a deal.
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Old 06-24-2022, 11:40 PM   #16
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Default Re: Value of Disadvantage that forces you to shapeshift involuntarily?

The Shapeshifting advantage takes ten seconds, by default. And the OP seems to be talking in terms of not being able to fight during those ten seconds.
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Old 06-25-2022, 02:10 AM   #17
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Default Re: Value of Disadvantage that forces you to shapeshift involuntarily?

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The Shapeshifting advantage takes ten seconds, by default. And the OP seems to be talking in terms of not being able to fight during those ten seconds.
That's why I think an extra second doesn't matter.
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Old 06-25-2022, 03:38 AM   #18
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Default Re: Value of Disadvantage that forces you to shapeshift involuntarily?

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Originally Posted by David Johnston2 View Post
I think a possible delay of one second isn't that big a deal.
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That's why I think an extra second doesn't matter.
I'm not sure what you're talking about here.
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Old 06-25-2022, 08:05 AM   #19
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Default Re: Value of Disadvantage that forces you to shapeshift involuntarily?

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And outing yourself as a werewolf in mixed company probably won't go over very well in most settings.
IMHO the setting will determine the other* disadvantage points, eg if no one knew you were a skin walker, Secret. Then maybe you're looking at Social Stigma, etc.
If the setting is changeling friendly, then accidentally changing would be "oops, haha, my bad", possibly a social faux pas a la wrong fork. Changeling Hostile - mob with torches & pitchforks...
*the uncontrolled change isn't the big points, it's what this means for your character / group in the setting.
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Old 06-25-2022, 02:59 PM   #20
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Default Re: Value of Disadvantage that forces you to shapeshift involuntarily?

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Originally Posted by Prince Charon View Post
A 'Jekyll and Hyde' type character that I was working on when my desktop worked had Alternate Form connected to Split Personality, so when the persona switched, so did the shape. That may not be what you want, though.
The GURPS 3E Involuntary Shapeshifting disad that I referenced requires Split Personality as well.
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