Bestial Alternate Form Question

[pjason]

I'm creating a character that is a Dragon Deciple, with physical features resembling that of a dragon for a high powered fantasy game.

I wanted to make him have an alternate form (big beast, around 200 point racial package) he could switch into when he goes Berserk, but am having trouble deciding which way to do it. He should be Berserk the entire time he is in his alternate form and shouldn't be able to use normal weapon (claws and teeth only).

Option 1 (195 points)
Alternate Form (Uncontrollable, -10%; Reduced Time, 1 Second, +80%; Temporary Disadvantage (Berserk (N/A) + Stress Atavism (Severe, N/A)), -75%) [15 + 180 = 195]

-Form: Big Beast Metatrait (Alternate Form Only, -10%) [180]

Option 2 (138 points)
Alternate Form (Uncontrollable, -10%; Reduced Time, 1 Second, +80%) [26 + 112 = 138]

-Form: Big Beast Metatrait (Alternate Form Only, -10%) [180] + Berserk (N/A) (Alternate Form Only, -10%) [-23] + Stress Atavism (Severe, N/A) (Alternate Form Only, -10%) [-45]

Which way is RAW?

[Diomedes]

Originally Posted by pjason

I'm creating a character that is a Dragon Deciple, with physical features resembling that of a dragon for a high powered fantasy game.

I wanted to make him have an alternate form (big beast, around 200 point racial package) he could switch into when he goes Berserk, but am having trouble deciding which way to do it. He should be Berserk the entire time he is in his alternate form and shouldn't be able to use normal weapon (claws and teeth only).

Option 1 (195 points)
Alternate Form (Uncontrollable, -10%; Reduced Time, 1 Second, +80%; Temporary Disadvantage (Berserk (N/A) + Stress Atavism (Severe, N/A)), -75%) [15 + 180 = 195]

-Form: Big Beast Metatrait (Alternate Form Only, -10%) [180]

Option 2 (138 points)
Alternate Form (Uncontrollable, -10%; Reduced Time, 1 Second, +80%) [26 + 112 = 138]

-Form: Big Beast Metatrait (Alternate Form Only, -10%) [180] + Berserk (N/A) (Alternate Form Only, -10%) [-23] + Stress Atavism (Severe, N/A) (Alternate Form Only, -10%) [-45]

Which way is RAW?

I think RAW is to make Berserk a Trigger for the Alternate form, and Stress Atavism a separate disadvantage.

[Dinadon]

Note that option one will only cause you to be berserk and suffer stress atavism whilst transforming. Alernate Form isn't active when you're in your alternate form.

As to berserk and stress atavism, if they have a control roll of N/A in the alternate form, but have control numbers in the normal form, put the difference in the costs onto the alternate form's template.

[pjason]

Originally Posted by Dinadon

Note that option one will only cause you to be berserk and suffer stress atavism whilst transforming. Alernate Form isn't active when you're in your alternate form.

That interpretation actually makes perfect sense to me.

I was confused by p.106 of Powers. It uses Alternate Attack as an expample that seems to imply that the Temporary Disadvantage limitation with Berserk on Alternate Form causes you to go berserk the entire time you are in the form.

"El Tigre immediately goes berserk when he uses Alternate Form (Tiger)."

If this is not what was ment, this is probably a pretty bad example.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by pjason

I was confused by p.106 of Powers. It uses Alternate Attack as an expample that seems to imply that the Temporary Disadvantage limitation with Berserk on Alternate Form causes you to go berserk the entire time you are in the form.

"El Tigre immediately goes berserk when he uses Alternate Form (Tiger)."

If this is not what was ment, this is probably a pretty bad example.

That does appear to be the meaning of that passage from Powers. The temporal state of Shapeshifting is the cause of quite a bit of confusion. You'd have to check with Kromm to be sure, but I think the idea is that the Alternate Form has the Berserk in its template AND the TempDisad limit on the base cost.