[Space] [Racial Templates] Really Alien Aliens

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by SydneyFreedberg

* New skill: Navigating underwater, largely by ocean currents and seafloor "landmarks." Defaults to Submarine-5.

I've got a similar house-rules version of Underwater Navigation. It's very different from regular sea navigation, especially if you're swimming rather than riding in a submarine.

Originally Posted by SydneyFreedberg

I almost gave the Armstrongs "Leadership" as well, but I realize that conflicts with them having Mild Shyness as a default trait... maybe I should make that a Common Optional trait so they can have leader-types?

Leadership should probably the optional trait. A species composed entirely of (potential) leaders seems unlikely, or at least a lot more competitive.

Create a leader caste that doesn't have Shyness or which has Mild Shyness and a Perk that allows them to use Leadership skill without penalties. You can define them as a "variation" to the standard species template.

Originally Posted by SydneyFreedberg

Also, I revised the male Strider as per Pursuivant's suggestions: Charisma bonus drops from +3 to +2 (still impressive considering it's the minimum a functional adult can have)

That seems more reasonable and fits the species better. An entire species of sophants with Charisma +2 is still going to be devastatingly effective as merchants, politicians, diplomats, entertainers, etc. Effectively, every Strider is going to be a natural ambassador for their species, which translates into massive amounts of "soft power."

Other species might fear their power, but they're just so damned likeable . . .

[Refplace]

Now that its revealed my article "Exotic Social Communication" in the current Kickstarter and "An Alien Way of Thinking" Pyramid #3/110 were written to help the GM come up with really alien aliens. Not so much in physical attributes but how different traits might affect how a race thinks or communicates.

[SydneyFreedberg]

That’s an interesting article. My thought with these aliens is a little less ambitious: They don’t have radically different ways of perceiving the world than humans, they’re just “animals that evolved elsewhere” and thus have different biological imperatives driving their psychology.

Which reminds me that no one’s commented on my craziest race, the Trinocs with their low-grade multiple personality disorder from the very first post — anyone have suggestions on those guys?

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by SydneyFreedberg

Which reminds me that no one’s commented on my craziest race, the Trinocs with their low-grade multiple personality disorder from the very first post — anyone have suggestions on those guys?

No comments because the build looks good, although possibly reduce Acute Vision for overall improved Per.

If you're trying to model the sort of wide-angle vision that animals like deer or rabbits have, possibly just give them 360-Degree Vision with No Depth Perception as a Nuisance Effect which just affects vision to side and rear hexes.

They might also have other "defensive" sensory traits like Parabolic Hearing (swiveling ears) or Telescopic Vision. A deer- or rabbit-like creature will also have traits like Discriminatory Hearing; Discriminatory Vision; Night Vision or Ultrasonic Hearing.

If they're really spindly, without much combat power, possibly buy down ST to 6-7, add 1-2 levels of Lifting ST and +2 HP. That saves 6 points.

Alternately, do the same but buy levels of Striking ST instead of Lifting ST if they can't carry much but they can punch or kick effectively.

Possibly add Weak Bite.

Fearfulness 4 with racial IQ 10 means that the species will be constantly living in terror and will be very vulnerable to lasting trauma due to failed Fright Checks. Possibly tone it down.

Paranoia seems like a good optional disadvantage.

Demoting racial Cowardice and Fearfulness to just the Careful quirk seems appropriate for soldiers, first responders, and other people in high stress jobs. It also makes the species marginally viable as a PC race.

Part of the reason that there isn't much discussion of the Trinoc's origins might be because there's a well-known species from the Traveller RPG, the K'kree, which has somewhat similar psychology and history. There was a GURPS 3E Traveller series which included a book that covered the K'kree in depth.

[SydneyFreedberg]

Helpful, thanks. I’ll definitely tone down Fearful and at least up the Self Control numbers on Coward & Berserk. The original (3e) build for Trinocs had Split Personality , but that proved too restrictive in 4e, so I tried to do the “radical personality shift under pressure” thing with limitations and the Personality Change quirk; not sure I implemented that right…..

The original Trinoc build wasn’t actually centauroid. Maybe I could change them back to bipeds to further distinguish them from the K’kree.

And I’d completely forgotten about the K’kree, who are also centauroid herbivores with an often-genocidal hatred of carnivores that drove them to conquer an empire. Yes, that IS similar — I’d probably read out the K’’Kree before inventing the Trinocs, too. Now, K’kree are more bisonesque, though, all big and staid, while my Trinocs are more modeled on gazelles, being super skittish (and also really smart).

[SydneyFreedberg]

I revised the Trinocs, below.

I moved Fearfulness to Common Optional Traits -- it really overlaps a lot with Cowardice -- and improved the Self-Control numbers. I also lowered base Strength and converted their Berserker strength to Striking Strength.

And I also realized the "Reprogrammable" disadvantage is a poor reflection of how Trinoc "Narcotic Council" dictatorships use pheromones to program their populations: It's not brainwashing them to obey so much as locking them into a useful mode, be that Coward, Berserker, or Savant.

[i]Edit: I also updated this post to recost the "only when Berserk" limitation properly, based on reading one of JohnDAllman's always-useful "(dis)advantage of the week" threads.

Racial Template: Trinoc (32 points)

Spoiler:  

Attribute Modifiers:
ST -3 [-30]
Striking ST+3 (only when berserk, -20%) [24]
IQ 12 [40]
HT -1 [-10]

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers:
Basic Move +2 [+10]
Hit Points -1 [-2]

Advantages:
360 vision [+25]
Acute Taste & Smell x3 [6]
Extra Legs: 4-legged [5]
Single-Minded [+5]
Versatile [+5]

Disadvantages:
Berserk (12) [-10]
Chummy [-5]
Cowardice (12) [-10]
Intolerance: meat-eaters [-5]
No depth perception [-15]
Reputation: former galactic overlords (-2 with almost everyone; +3 with species that did well under the Trinoc Empire, a large group) [0]
Quirk: Personality shifts (coward to berserker to single-minded savant) [-1]

Trinocs living under a Narcotic Council must take one of the following lenses:

Narcotized Trinoc Worker (0 points)
Replace Berserk (12) and Cowardice (12) with Cowardice (6)

Narcotized Trinoc Warrior (+5 points)
Replace Berserk (12) and Cowardice (12) with Berserk: Battle Rage

Narcotized Trinoc Savant (0 points)
Replace Berserk (12) and Cowardice (12) with Berserk (15), Cowardice (15), and Obsession: Perform Assigned Task (6)

Common but optional traits:
These traits are NOT part of the racial template but are included as suggestions for individual characters
Gadgeteer [+25 or +50 points]
Talent: Artificer [+10/level] or Mathematical [+10/level]
Fearfulness [-2/level]
Paranoia [-10]
Phobia: meat-eaters [-15]
Code of Honor: oppose all forms of brainwashing & mind control (for Trinocs living free of a Narcotic Council) [-5]
Social stigma: Second-class citizen [-5] or Minority [-10] or Valuable Property (-10) or Subjugated (-20)
“The Trinoc Empire should be restored” or “No species should ever have dominion over another”: either can be anything from a Quirk [-1] to Fanaticism [-15]

[SydneyFreedberg]

This thread looks pretty well wrapped up, so I’m going to put (tentatively) final versions of the five Quartet templates below, to complement the finalized Trinocs in the previous post:

Edit: I just amended this post to add “cannot hover” to the Triphibians, which I’d forgotten, and drop point cost accordingly.

Female Strider (105 points)

Spoiler:  

Attribute modifiers:
ST +10 (SM+1, -10%; temporary disadvantage: no fine manipulators, -30%) [60]
DX -1 [-20]
IQ +2 [40]
HT +2 [20]

Secondary Attribute Modifiers:
Size Modifier: +1
Basic Move +3 [+15]
Will +1 [+5]

Advantages
Charisma +1 [+5]
DR 3 (tough skin, -40%) [+9]
Sharp Beak (can’t use when holding things in tongue, -50%; Armor Divisor 2, +50%) [+1]
Subsonic speech [+10]
Reputation: most powerful species in the galaxy (+3 with almost everyone, -4 with enemies of the Quartet, a large group) [0]

Disadvantages
Bloodlust [-10]
Chummy [-5]
One Arm: Prehensile tongue (flexible, +50%) [-15]
Sense of Duty: herd [-5]
Pacifism: aggressive self-defense* [-5]

* You only fight to defend yourself and your people, but you have a broad definition of “self-defense.” You may preemptively attack any individual, group, or (in some cases) even species that has used deadly force against you and your people in the past, and you may use maximum force to end this perceived threat.


Common optional traits:
These traits are NOT part of the racial template but are included as suggestions for individual characters
Ally Group, Duty, & Sense of Duty: Herd [variable]
Code of Honor: Professional (various) [-5]
Fanaticism: Herd [-15]
High Pain Threshold [+10]
Honesty [-10]
Selfless [-5]
Truthfulness [-5]
New Talent: Strider Herd Traditions (+5/level): Administration, Diplomacy, Hiking, Leadership, Singing.

Male Strider (101 points)

Spoiler:  

Attribute Modifiers
ST +6 (SM+1, -10%, temporary disadvantage: no fine manipulators, -30%) [36]
IQ +2 [40]
HT +1 [10]

Secondary Attribute Modifiers:
Size Modifier: +1
Basic Move +3 [+15]
Will +1 [+5]

Advantages:
Charisma +2 [+10]
DR 3 (tough skin, -40%) [+9]
Sharp Beak (can’t use when holding things in tongue, -50%; Armor Divisor 2, +50%) [+1]
Subsonic speech [+10]
Reputation: most powerful species in the galaxy (+3 with almost everyone, -4 with enemies of the Quartet, a large group) [0]

Disadvantages:
Chummy (-5)
One Arm: Prehensile tongue (flexible, +50%) [-15]
Pacifism: self-defense only [-15]


Common optional traits:
These traits are NOT part of the racial template but are included as suggestions for individual characters
Patron & Duty: friendly herd [variable]
Additional Charisma [+5/level]
Cultural adaptability: xeno-adaptability [+20]
Empathy [5 or 15]
Language Talent [10]
Social chameleon [+5]
Talent: Alien Friend [+5/level]
Talent: Strider Herd Traditions [+5/level]
Talent: Smooth Operator [+15/level]
Code of Honor: professional diplomat [-5]
Curious [-5]
Xenophilia [-10]
New Talent: Strider Herd Traditions (+5/level): Administration, Diplomacy, Hiking, Leadership, Singing.

Armstrongs (62 points)

Spoiler:  

Attribute Modifiers: none

Secondary Attribute Modifiers:
Basic Speed +0.75 [15]
Basic Move -2 [-10]

Advantages:
Perception +2 [10]
Combat Reflexes [15]
Extra Legs: four-legged [+5]
Fearless +2 [+4]
Injury Tolerance: No neck [+5]
Sharp Claws [+5]
Silence +1 [+5]
Fur [+1]
Extensible ambush arm: Arm Strength +3 (one arm) [+8]; Long x3 [+30]
Reputation: Quartet members (+2, almost everyone; -3 with Quartet enemies, a large group) [0]

Disadvantages:
Cannot kick (all four legs) [-7]
Sense of Duty: pack [-5]
Sleepy (1/2 the time): [-8]
Shyness (mild) [-5]
Truthfulness [-5]
Quirk: Catnap anywhere, anytime (-1)


Common optional traits:
These traits are NOT part of the racial template but are included as suggestions for individual characters
Ally Group, Duty, & Sense of Duty: Herd [variable]
Code of Honor: Professional (various) [-5]
Acute Senses [+2/level/sense] or Perception [5/level]
Danger Sense (+15)
Additional Fearlessness [+2/level]
Additional Arm Strength [+4/level]
Stubborn [-5]
New Talent: Armstrong Ambush Arts (+10/level): Brawling, Camouflage, Light Walk, Observation, Stealth, Tactics, Traps, Wrestling.

Sessiles (25 points)

Spoiler:  

Attribute Modifiers:
ST -3 [-30]
IQ +1 [20]

Secondary Attribute Modifiers:
Size Modifier +2 [+0]
Hit Points +5 [+10]

Advantages:
360 vision [+25]
Does Not Breathe: gills only [0]
Extra Arms x6 (flexible +50%, short -50%, only 3 can grapple any given target, -25%) [45]
Enhanced Tracking x1 [+5]
High Manual Dexterity +1 [+5]
Injury Tolerance: no head or neck [+12]
Pressure Support 1 [+5]
Single-minded [+5]
Reputation: Quartet members (+2, almost everyone; -3 with Quartet enemies, a large group) [0]
“Milk”: provides 8 meals/day for Triphibians or related animals* [+8]

Disadvantages:
Bad Sight: nearsighted [-25]
Increased Life Support x2: aquatic, filter feeder [-20]
Sessile (movable with great effort, -10%) [-40]

Feature:
Arms (flexible +50%, short -50%) [0]

* Price based on Reduced Consumption advantage, since it replaces 1 meal/day for 8 Triphibian: That’s equal in effect to Reduced Consumption 1 for 8 characters, +16 points, -50% since only Triphibians and related species can benefit.

Common optional traits:
These traits are NOT part of the racial template but are included as suggestions for individual characters
Ally Group, Duty, & Sense of Duty: Herd [variable]
Code of Honor: Professional (various) [-5]
Compartmentalized Mind [+50/level]
Gadgeteer [+25 or +50 points]
Versatile [+5]
Combat Paralysis [-15]
Low Pain Threshold [-10]
Shyness [variable]
Versatile [5]

Triphibians (9 points)

Spoiler:  

Attribute Modifiers
Strength -4 [-40]

Secondary Attribute Modifiers
Size modifier -1 (4.5’) [0]
Perception +2 [10]

Advantages:
Absolute Direction: 3D [10]
Doesn’t Breathe (oxygen storage x25) [10]
Enhanced Move 1: water [20]
Nictating Membrane 1 [1]
Flight: Winged, Cannot Hover [24]
Pressure Support 1 [5]
Speak underwater [5]

Disadvantages:
Chummy [-5]
Ham-Fisted [-5]
No Legs: Semi-Aquatic [0]
One Arm [-20]
Short Arm [-5]
Quirk: playful [-1]

Common optional traits:
These traits are NOT part of the racial template but are included as suggestions for individual characters
Ally Group, Duty, & Sense of Duty: Herd [variable]
Code of Honor: Professional (various) [-5]
Additional Perception (+5/level) or Acute Vision (+2/level/sense)
Daredevil [+15]
Versatile [+5]
Curious [-5]
Impulsiveness [-10]
Overconfidence [-5]
Short Attention Span (-10)
New Talent: Triphibian Mobility (+5/level): Acrobatics: Aerobatics, Flight, Navigation: Air, Navigation: Undersea*, Swimming.

* New skill: Navigating underwater, largely by ocean currents and seafloor "landmarks." Defaults to Submarine-5.

[SydneyFreedberg]

And I’ve launched a new thread with three new racial templates: warrior Fomori, merchantile Teceti, and disgusting Spitslugs together form the Empire of Pain.