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Old 11-25-2013, 07:04 PM   #1
FOXDIE_
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Default Uncontrollable Trigger vs Trigger?

I've been trying to stat up a Werecreature who's forced to change into his were form during a full moon. I've run into some alternative methods – GURPS Fantasy has "Compulsive Lycanthropy", GURPS Horror has Alternate Form as a disadvantage (which isn't quite what I want.)

The most confusing one is the suggestion from GURPS Powers concerning an Uncontrollable Trigger of the full moon, for -15%. I'm have a really difficult time figuring out why Trigger: Full Moon would be -40%, while an Uncontrollable Trigger is only -15%. Having the trigger be uncontrollable seems in every way worse than having a trigger. Is there a solution to this? What do you guys think?

The best I can come up with is allowing the character to take BOTH Trigger AND Uncontrollable Trigger, but nothing I can find supports that. I'm baffled.

Last edited by FOXDIE_; 11-25-2013 at 07:31 PM.
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Old 11-25-2013, 10:04 PM   #2
Puppetminion
 
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Default Re: Uncontrollable Trigger vs Trigger?

Quote:
Originally Posted by FOXDIE_ View Post
The most confusing one is the suggestion from GURPS Powers concerning an Uncontrollable Trigger of the full moon, for -15%. I'm have a really difficult time figuring out why Trigger: Full Moon would be -40%, while an Uncontrollable Trigger is only -15%. Having the trigger be uncontrollable seems in every way worse than having a trigger. Is there a solution to this? What do you guys think?

The best I can come up with is allowing the character to take BOTH Trigger AND Uncontrollable Trigger, but nothing I can find supports that. I'm baffled.
Despite the similar names they do completely different things.
Trigger: Full Moon means the character can ONLY be a wolf under the full moon (and for a minute after it sets, technically). They can always choose whether they want to change, but it only works 3 days of the month (hence -40%, the rest of the time they are normal people)
Uncontrollable Trigger: Full Moon means that they HAVE to roll vs Will or change to the animal form when the full moon rises. For the rest of the month they can change or not at will - so they are still a shapeshifter and the limitation is less.

If they can only change during the full moon and can't always stop it happening, then I can't see any reason not to have both limitations (you might also want to look at Minimum Duration, also from Powers, to prevent the character immediately shifting back to human form when the moon forces a change)
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Old 11-25-2013, 10:38 PM   #3
FOXDIE_
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Default Re: Uncontrollable Trigger vs Trigger?

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Originally Posted by Puppetminion View Post
Despite the similar names they do completely different things.
~snip~

Thank you! I don't know what mental lapse came over me that led me to be unable to consider that an Uncontrollable Trigger couldn't be activated SAVE by that trigger. It finally clicked, thanks entirely to you. Appreciated :)

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Originally Posted by Puppetminion View Post
Minimum Duration, also from Powers, to prevent the character immediately shifting back to human form when the moon forces a change)
Yep, yep, I've already taken that into consideration. Thanks!


Hm, another question, though. Assuming I took both Trigger and Uncontrollable Trigger, would 'Unconscious Only' still be a valid limitation? It seems to very often go hand in hand with 'uncontrollable.'

Last edited by FOXDIE_; 11-25-2013 at 10:42 PM.
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Old 11-25-2013, 11:14 PM   #4
Nereidalbel
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ellicott City, MD
Default Re: Uncontrollable Trigger vs Trigger?

Quote:
Originally Posted by FOXDIE_ View Post
Thank you! I don't know what mental lapse came over me that led me to be unable to consider that an Uncontrollable Trigger couldn't be activated SAVE by that trigger. It finally clicked, thanks entirely to you. Appreciated :)



Yep, yep, I've already taken that into consideration. Thanks!


Hm, another question, though. Assuming I took both Trigger and Uncontrollable Trigger, would 'Unconscious Only' still be a valid limitation? It seems to very often go hand in hand with 'uncontrollable.'
Unconscious Only means you can NEVER choose to transform. It's intended for use with Uncontrollable and Uncontrollable Trigger.
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Old 11-26-2013, 02:08 AM   #5
davidtmoore
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Default Re: Uncontrollable Trigger vs Trigger?

Just to summarise:

Uncontrollable - May shapeshift at any time. When stressed, roll Will or shapeshift.
Uncontrollable Trigger - May shapeshift at any time. During full moon, roll Will or shapeshift.
Trigger (Full Moon) - Shapeshifting is always conscious, but can only shapeshift during full moon.
Unconscious Only - Shapeshifting is never conscious! Must be taken with Uncontrollable.

The combinations are:

Uncontrollable and Uncontrollable Trigger - May shapeshift at will. Must roll Will not to shapeshift during full moon or when stressed.
Uncontrollable and Trigger - May shapeshift at will during full moon, and must roll Will not to shapeshift during full moon. May not shapeshift at all the rest of the month.
Uncontrollable and Unconscious Only - Must roll Will not to shapeshift when stressed. May not shapeshift at any other time.
Uncontrollable, Unconscious Only and Trigger - Must roll Will not to shapeshift during full moon. May not shapeshift at any other time.

I don't think you can meaningfully combine all four limitations.
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