Shatterzone Alien Conversion

[Tenchi2a]

So I am trying to convert one of the alien races from Shatterzone for my GURPS: Shatterzone campaign and have run into an issues. The race has some ability that I just can't seem to find a way to emulate with the GURPS 4th edition system. Yah it's a shock to me to. I'm sure somewhere in the books there is a way to do it but I just must be missing them. So said race can:

1. Take body parts (arms/legs) from its victims and attach them (instant graft) to itself and use them as if they where its own limbs. I was thinking about using Modular Abilities with enough points for Extra limbs and extra attacks, but that seemed like way to many points for just this one power.

2. Change the shape (not polymorph or mimic) of their bodies in extreme heat. As I already said this change is not a change to there appearance (race, sex, etc.) as much as it changing shape to achieve some form of advantage (extra legs, blade/blunt weapons, smaller leaner frame for speed, etc.).

3. Can in the above conditions alter their primary and secondary stats to some extent to facilitate faster speeds, stronger build, etc.

4. While they are all but indestructible (hard to kill, don't breath, don't bleed, dr 5, etc.) they have one floating weak-spot called the Nexus (kind of a heart-brain combo) that if hit is like a shot through the heart or brain to humans. But as said above it moves around the body and can't be seen from the outside.

I have all the 4th edition books, pyramids, etc. so if you know of abilities or build combos that will make these work please let me know where they are (book pg.##)

[Michele]

I think you have to tinker with Limitations. Those are always a judgement call, of course.

For instance, No Brain and No Vitals, as per the RAW, are 5+5= 10 points. If vitals/brain do actually exist but can only be hit by mere chance, I'd say this is no more than a 10% reduction on the cost of the straight Advantage combination. So price it at 9, and rule that a Critical Hit result with an impaling/piercing attack, you do get hit - but both in the brains and the vitals, since it's one thing for this species.

Proceed in the same way with everything else. Find the closest Advantage/Disadvantage, adjust the value in percentage using your own judgement, define some simple and clear rules for it.

[Thamior]

Originally Posted by Tenchi2a

So I am trying to convert one of the alien races from Shatterzone for my GURPS: Shatterzone campaign and have run into an issues. The race has some ability that I just can't seem to find a way to emulate with the GURPS 4th edition system. Yah it's a shock to me to. I'm sure somewhere in the books there is a way to do it but I just must be missing them. So said race can:

1. Take body parts (arms/legs) from its victims and attach them (instant graft) to itself and use them as if they where its own limbs. I was thinking about using Modular Abilities with enough points for Extra limbs and extra attacks, but that seemed like way to many points for just this one power.

2. Change the shape (not polymorph or mimic) of their bodies in extreme heat. As I already said this change is not a change to there appearance (race, sex, etc.) as much as it changing shape to achieve some form of advantage (extra legs, blade/blunt weapons, smaller leaner frame for speed, etc.).

3. Can in the above conditions alter their primary and secondary stats to some extent to facilitate faster speeds, stronger build, etc.

4. While they are all but indestructible (hard to kill, don't breath, don't bleed, dr 5, etc.) they have one floating weak-spot called the Nexus (kind of a heart-brain combo) that if hit is like a shot through the heart or brain to humans. But as said above it moves around the body and can't be seen from the outside.

I have all the 4th edition books, pyramids, etc. so if you know of abilities or build combos that will make these work please let me know where they are (book pg.##)

Not enough information.

1. What kind of body parts fit them and attach them where? Instead of your own limbs? When they get severed? Or when you deliberately tear them off? To what extent you can use the new limb? Do you get just its strength? A portion of it? It's dexterity? It's other abilities such as energy projectiles or what not? The price of modular ability is adequate because of its versatility.
2. Well you have to list all it can do and decide if these transformations are mutually exclusive. It's just Modular Ability and Shapeshifting after that. With Accessibility (Extreme Heat).
3. Are there some limitations to how long they can sustain it? If not, it's just improved stats with Accessibility limitation. If they can have better stats in extreme heat why wouldn't they always choose to have them in such conditions? It takes time for them to activate? If not, it's just 0-point feature if they choose to use improved stats or not.
4. What does it mean it moves around the body? It's either in their torso or their head? Where else can it be? Limb? Also it moves always? All over their body? Or it changes place during transformation?

[Tenchi2a]

Originally Posted by Thamior

Not enough information.

1. What kind of body parts fit them and attach them where? Instead of your own limbs? When they get severed? Or when you deliberately tear them off? To what extent you can use the new limb? Do you get just its strength? A portion of it? It's dexterity? It's other abilities such as energy projectiles or what not? The price of modular ability is adequate because of its versatility.

All of the above, they can be severed or torn off etc. The can use them as if they where always part of their body to the limit of the limbs ST/DX. So if they pick up a limb from a human it would be limited to the ST of the human it came from. If its a Orcs arm (Not in the setting but used as an example) it would have the ST of a Orcs. Since outside of this race (The settings boogeyman) no race has really exotic powers short of claws, no they can fire lasers out of their hands, as this would require the core of the body to generate the shot.

Originally Posted by Thamior

2. Well you have to list all it can do and decide if these transformations are mutually exclusive. It's just Modular Ability and Shapeshifting after that. With Accessibility (Extreme Heat).

Was thinking this, but just wanted to see if there where any advantages I was missing that were closer to the races ability.

Originally Posted by Thamior

3. Are there some limitations to how long they can sustain it? If not, it's just improved stats with Accessibility limitation. If they can have better stats in extreme heat why wouldn't they always choose to have them in such conditions? It takes time for them to activate? If not, it's just 0-point feature if they choose to use improved stats or not.

It doesn't change their overall stats at all. From the races write-up they seem to sacrifice in some combo X for Y or Z (example: ST for HT or DX). And seem to be able to do it on a whim when in extreme heat, with effort in hot environments,and not at all in temperate climates or colder.

Originally Posted by Thamior

4. What does it mean it moves around the body? It's either in their torso or their head? Where else can it be? Limb? Also it moves always? All over their body? Or it changes place during transformation?

It has no set location, it can be in the head,foot,arm,upper chest, stomach area,etc. the write-up seems to imply that it moves around as the body changes form or the alien actively tries to move it and only truly settles in a location when in colder climates. But not the same location for every one of them. It is not truly a brain or heart, not having the same mass and dimensions. It's more just the area that the nervous and circulatory system meets.

Added info, the race is silicon based and has nerve/vain system visible on its skin that looks like leads on a circuit board.

[Thamior]

Originally Posted by Tenchi2a

All of the above, they can be severed or torn off etc. The can use them as if they where always part of their body to the limit of the limbs ST/DX. So if they pick up a limb from a human it would be limited to the ST of the human it came from. If its a Orcs arm (Not in the setting but used as an example) it would have the ST of a Orcs. Since outside of this race (The settings boogeyman) no race has really exotic powers short of claws, no they can fire lasers out of their hands, as this would require the core of the body to generate the shot.



Was thinking this, but just wanted to see if there where any advantages I was missing that were closer to the races ability.



It doesn't change their overall stats at all. From the races write-up they seem to sacrifice in some combo X for Y or Z (example: ST for HT or DX). And seem to be able to do it on a whim when in extreme heat, with effort in hot environments,and not at all in temperate climates or colder.



It has no set location, it can be in the head,foot,arm,upper chest, stomach area,etc. the write-up seems to imply that it moves around as the body changes form or the alien actively tries to move it and only truly settles in a location when in colder climates. But not the same location for every one of them. It is not truly a brain or heart, not having the same mass and dimensions. It's more just the area that the nervous and circulatory system meets.

Added info, the race is silicon based and has nerve/vain system visible on its skin that looks like leads on a circuit board.

I would suggest looking at GURPS Powers p. 150: Physical Transformations - Metamorphoses - Rubber Body. And adjust it to your situation.

[Tenchi2a]

Originally Posted by Thamior

I would suggest looking at GURPS Powers p. 150: Physical Transformations - Metamorphoses - Rubber Body. And adjust it to your situation.

After reading this and switchable body parts from powers it looks like this will work with some mods.

Thank you for the help.

[ericthered]

For the adding of limbs, I'd use a heavily limited version of morph. Useful Modifiers include:


Needs Sample. Powers Page 75. The "eat the whole corpse" example is probably appropriate, because while you aren't using the whole body, you do need everything you're "Imitating".



Mass Conservation. Basic


Cannot Memorize Forms. Basic


Accessibility (Extreme Heat). Basic


I'm not sure if there should be a limitation that only limbs can be used, or if the improvised forms modifier should be taken. If you take one, you may want to take the other.



The "Vital Location" sounds like an accessibility limitation on unkillable.

[Thamior]

Originally Posted by ericthered

For the adding of limbs, I'd use a heavily limited
The "Vital Location" sounds like an accessibility limitation on unkillable.

I think more like Injury Tolerance (Homogenous). And a Vulnerability (Occasional or Rare) x2 damage (or whatever is appropriate) to simulate a moving random target inside the body. Whenever such character would take damage one can roll a combination of d6-es or just one d6 to determine in which body part this Nexus is right now. If it is the one that is being hit you can roll another d6 to determine if it is being hit (something like arteries rule in Martial Arts or Low-Tech).

[Tenchi2a]

Originally Posted by ericthered

The "Vital Location" sounds like an accessibility limitation on unkillable.

That sounds like it would work.

[Tenchi2a]

Originally Posted by Thamior

I think more like Injury Tolerance (Homogenous). And a Vulnerability (Occasional or Rare) x2 damage (or whatever is appropriate) to simulate a moving random target inside the body. Whenever such character would take damage one can roll a combination of d6-es or just one d6 to determine in which body part this Nexus is right now. If it is the one that is being hit you can roll another d6 to determine if it is being hit (something like arteries rule in Martial Arts or Low-Tech).

Will have to look into this but it sounds like the answer.