Crime Solving Giant Pacific Octopus?

[L.J.Steele]

Someone lent me van Pelt's Remarkable Bright Creatures about a crime-solving octopus that lives in an aquarium and helps the custodian solve the mystery of her son's disappearance.

And my spouse says -- is being an octopus a net bonus or net negative in GURPS....

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by L.J.Steele

Someone lent me van Pelt's Remarkable Bright Creatures about a crime-solving octopus that lives in an aquarium and helps the custodian solve the mystery of her son's disappearance.

And my spouse says -- is being an octopus a net bonus or net negative in GURPS....

It depends on whether you mean a realistic octopus (probably around IQ 4) or a human-equivalent octopus (IQ 10).

[L.J.Steele]

Originally Posted by whswhs

It depends on whether you mean a realistic octopus (probably around IQ 4) or a human-equivalent octopus (IQ 10).

Looks to be normal human IQ (it's the co-narrator in a noir voice) and literate enough to read its own tank label.

Otherwise seems to be a normal octopus

[ericthered]

The octosap in biotech is as close as we'll probably get to an official starting point. It's a 38 point template, but has -4 IQ and +3DX. It also pays 90 points for six levels of flexible extra arm, which I suspect is a point crock.

I generally like to stat octopuses with a total of four arms, with foot manipulator on them. I'm not sure that an octopus arms gets the full functionality of a human arm, and in gurps you get what you pay for.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by L.J.Steele

And my spouse says -- is being an octopus a net bonus or net negative in GURPS....

It depends on how deep you want to go into the kelp forest with cephalopod biology. A simple template that misses most of the cool tricks that octopi can do would probably have a negative cost. A detailed and reasonably accurate template would probably have a very high cost.

For example:

On the one tentacle, you've got ST 6 [-40]; IQ 6 [-80]; Bestial [-15]; Cold-Blooded [-5]; Dependency (Salt Water (Common), Hourly) [-20]; (effectively) Horizontal [-10]; Invertebrate [-20]; Loner [-5]; Low TL [~-40]; Self-Destruct [-10]; Short Lifespan 4 [-40]; and Social Stigma (Wild Animal) [-15]. [-300 points]

On the other tentacles, you've got DX 12 [40]; HT 12 [20]; HP 8 [4]; Basic Speed 7 [20]; 360-Degree Vision (Limitation: No Depth Perception in Side & Rear Hexes, -20%) [20]; Affliction (Ink Cloud - Area Effect, Bestows Itching or Mild Pain Affliction, Limited Uses, Emanation, Linked to Obscure) [~10]; Binding 10 (Enhancement: Engulfing, +60%; Limitation: Accessibility (Requires grapple with 2+ arms), -10%, Melee Attack (C), -30%) [26];

(the equivalent of) Breath Holding ~5 [10]; Doesn't Breathe (Gills) [0]; Chameleon 5 [25]; Enhanced Move 1 (Water, Limitations: Temporary Disadvantage (No Manipulators), -50%; Costs 2 FP/min., -10%) [8]; Extra Arms (6, Enhancements: Extra Flexibility, +50%; Long (SM +1), +100%; Limitation: No Physical Attack Except Grappling, -30%.) [132];

Discriminatory Smell (Aquatic) [15]; Discriminatory Taste (Aquatic) [10]; Double Jointed [15]; High Manual Dexterity 1 [5]; Lifting ST 4 (Limitation: Grappling ST only, -50%) [10]; Night Vision 5 [5]; Obscure (Vision, Ink Cloud - Limited Uses, Linked to Affliction) [~20]; Pressure Support 2 [10]; Regrowth (Slow, Limitation: Limbs Only, -20%) [32]; Sensitive Touch [10]; Slippery 5 [10];

Silence 5 [25]; quirk-level Injury Tolerance (Damage to limbs doesn't cause Bleeding) [1]; and probably a whole bunch of other adaptive traits. [~383+ points].

Net Cost: ~80 points.

[L.J.Steele]

Does the ink cloud already figure in that it is water based -- probably not all that useful in air?

Probably have to sell back most of the land based movement -- doubt they are very fast, tho they can climb pretty well.

Base would be illiterate, probably mute (don't know if they communicate by sound in the sea).

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by L.J.Steele

Base would be illiterate, probably mute (don't know if they communicate by sound in the sea).

It would, but they have some form of the Signals advantage, which costs the same as the ability to speak (relative to Cannot Speak).

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Net Cost: ~80 points.

Missing toxic follow-up and independent limbs...

[Pursuivant]

Expanding on my original post, here's a complete template for the GPO:

Giant Pacific Octopus (208 points)

Size -4; 33 lb., 1.5' diameter (compacted, 14' diameter with legs spread), orange, reddish-pink, or reddish-brown skin when not camouflaged.

Attributes: ST 5 [-50]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 6 [-80]; HT 12 [20]. -70

Secondary Characteristics: HP: 5 [0]; Basic Move 6 (Aquatic) [0]; Move 1 (Land) [0]; Basic Speed 7 [20]; Per 12 [30]; Will: 10 [20]; FP 12 [0]. +70

Advantages: 360-Degree Vision (Limitation: Accessibility (No Depth Perception in Side & Rear Hexes), -20%) [20]; Affliction 1 (Ink Cloud. Enhancements: Area Effect (2 yd. radius), +50%; Irritant (Mild Pain), +10%; Linked to Obscure, +10%. Limitations: Biological, -5%; Contact Agent, -30%; Dissipation, -50%; Emanation, -20%; Emergencies Only, -30%; Limited Uses (3-4/day), -20%.) [2];

Binding 10 (Enhancement: Engulfing, +60%; Limitations: Accessibility (Requires grapple with 2+ arms), -10%, Melee Attack (C), -30%; One-Shot, -10%; Temporary Disadvantage (No Manipulators), -50%.) [12]; Breath Holding 5 (Limitation: Accessibility (Skin must remain wet with seawater), -10%) [9]; Doesn't Breathe (Gills) [0];

Chameleon 5 (Enhancement: Controllable, +20%.) [30]; Enhanced Move 1 (Water, Limitations: Accessibility (Only to travel backwards in more or less straight line), -20%; Costs 2 FP/min., -10%; Temporary Disadvantage (No Manipulators), -50%; ) [4]; Extra Arms (6, Enhancements: Extra Flexibility, +50%; Long (SM +1), +100%; Limitations: Foot Manipulators, -30%; No Physical Attack Except Grappling, -30%; Nuisance Effect (Crippled at HP/3), -10%.) [102]; Extra Flexible Arms [5];

Discriminatory Smell (Aquatic) (Enhancement: Dispersed#, +20%) [18]; Discriminatory Taste (Aquatic) (Enhancement: Dispersed, +20%) [12]; Double-Jointed [15]; Good Grip 2 [10]; High Manual Dexterity 1 [5]; Injury Tolerance (No Groin, No Neck, (effectively) No Vitals) [15]; Innate Attack (Toxic Attack, 1d-2 HP tox (Enhancement: Cyclic (1 hr., 3 cycles), +30%; Side Effect (Moderate Pain), +20%; Symptom (Paralysis at 2/3 HP loss), +150%. Limitations: Follow-Up, Sharp Teeth, +0%; Resistible, HT-3, -15%.) [4].

Lifting ST 1 (Limitation: Accessibility (Grappling ST only), -50%) [3]; Long Arms (SM +1) [10]; Night Vision 6 [6]; Obscure 10 (Ink Cloud - Obscures Vision and Smell. Enhancements: Area Effect (2 yd. radius), +50%; Extended (Smell), +20%; Linked to Affliction, +10%. Limitations: Biological, -5%; Dissipation, -50%; Emanation, -20%; Emergencies Only, -30%; Limited Uses (3-4/day), -20%.) [11]; Pressure Support 2 [10]; Regrowth (Slow, Limitation: Accessibility (Limbs Only), -20%) [32]; Sensitive Touch [10]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Signals (Color Change) [15]; Slippery 5 [10]; Silence 5 [25]. 397

# Dispersed: Your sense isn't dependent on a single body part, but is dispersed across your body. This means that your sense can't be blocked or damaged by attacking a specific organ, but also means that you might need extra protection to protect against attacks which overload your sense.

Perks: Accessory (Hand Drill equivalent - Shell-softening saliva & rasping mouthparts)@ [1]; Can use simple tools with successful IQ roll$ [1]; Chameleon powers not affected by Colorblindness [1]; Injury Tolerance (Damage to limbs doesn't cause Bleeding) [1]; Standard Operating Procedure (Always uses Stealth) [1]; Water Jet% [1]. 6

@ Can bore into mollusk shells & softer materials as if you were using a hand drill.
$ Limits effects of Bestial.
% Can use internal siphon to squirt a weak jet of water when on land or clinging to solid object underwater. It has 1/2D 1, Max 2, RoF 1/2, and inflicts Knockback Only damage using the attacker's ST/2. Hits to an opponent's Face require roll vs. HT+4 to avoid Mental Stun for 1 second. It is targeted using DX-4 or Innate Attack (Jet)-4. It is "reloaded" by sucking water into the siphon, meaning it can only be used once every other turn, or just once on land. Effectively, it's the natural equivalent of Accessory (Squirt Gun). Mechanically, it's a very weak Innate Attack or a secondary use of Enhanced Move.

Disadvantages: Bestial [-15]; Cold-Blooded [-5]; Colorblindness [-10]; Dependency (Salt Water (Common), Hourly) [-20]; Horizontal [-10]; Invertebrate [-20]; Loner [-5]; Mute [-25]; No Legs (Aquatic) [0]; Self-Destruct [-10]; Short Lifespan 4 [-40]; Restricted Diet (Fresh Meat - primarily fish & shellfish) [-10]; Social Stigma (Wild Animal) [-15]; Susceptibility 3 (Contact Poisons (Occasional)) [-3]; Vulnerability (Corrosive Attacks (Occasional), 2x) [-20]. -198

Quirks: Cautious [-1]; Large Head (+1 SM compared to body, -9 to target Face, -11 to target Brain) [-1]; Likes enclosed spaces [-1]; No Skull DR [-1]; Nocturnal by preference [-1]; Requires Oxygen-Rich Water [-1]; Temperature Intolerance (Comfort Range 35-60 *F) [-1]. -7

Features: Can learn Easy or Average DX- or Per-based skills which don't require complex tool use (e.g., Camouflage, Climbing, Forced Entry, Shadowing), might be able to learn Easy mental skills. Copper Blood; Don't eat after mating (eventually starving themselves to death). Females guard eggs after mating. Gas-Permeable Skin (Justifying Breath-Holding, Susceptibility, & Vulnerability). Preferred Temperature: 45-54 *F. Spawns once.

Skills: Aquabatics (H) DX-2 [1] - 10; Brawling (E) DX [1] - 12; Crawling# (E) DX [1] - 12; Escape (H) DX-2 [1] - 20*; Stealth (A) DX [2] - 17**; Survival (Littoral Ocean) (A) Per [2] - 12; Wrestling (A) DX [2] - 12. 10

*+5 bonus for Double-Jointed, +5 bonus for Slippery. **+5 for Chameleon or Silence, Effective skill 22 if you can use both or just use Chameleon to hide motionless.

#The Aquatic equivalent of Swimming. Allows crawling on land at Swimming Move rates. Requires at least 50% of fins, legs, etc.

Notes: No spoken or written language per Bestial. Larger specimens can have much higher ST & Arm ST (up to ~157 lbs. body weight). Template is probably crocked due to very high cost of Extra Arms; it might be fairer to treat arms which don't benefit from Extra Attack or similar traits as Secondary Abilities with 1/5x point cost.

Edit: Updated point cost & advantage list to reflect the fact that all 8 of an octopus's arms have Extra Flexibility & Long.

[L.J.Steele]

That seems a huge amount of points given the limited utility of the powers for most campaigns -- in most settings, you've got the Aquaman issue of the powers not being all that useful in a mostly air-breathing environment.