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Old 07-17-2019, 12:46 PM   #41
Varyon
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Default Re: [DF] Mermaid racial template?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
I like that!
Consider it taken.
Feel free. A simple "attack" (which could be done in conjunction with other attacks, and allows the recipient to swim away on their turn) probably just means this second doesn't count against the time the character has remaining before needing to breathe again. To actually reset the "clock," the characters probably need to avoid doing anything else (other than swimming along, possibly with the mermaid towing the sailor along as encumbrance) for a full second at minimum to let the character catch his/her breath. At least, that's how I'd interpret Affects Others when applied to Doesn't Breathe.

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Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
Realistically that's certainly true, but this is DF.
Which means normal musical instruments should work underwater, but at a sizable penalty - a penalty that can be negated with an appropriate equipment modifier. Maybe -4 to skill (regardless of what instrument it is), and a +2 CF to negate it. Underwater-only versions of instruments may also be available at no additional charge, but such would work at -4 to skill when out of the water.

DF means you can avoid certain consequences, provided you have sufficiently kewl loot.
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Old 07-17-2019, 01:05 PM   #42
WingedKagouti
 
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Default Re: [DF] Mermaid racial template?

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Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
push air through
That won't happen underwater without magic making an air bubble.

You need to push water through any blown instrument while underwater, and since water is almost 800 times as dense as air you need truly spectacular lungs to use blown surface instruments (and even if you can, they won't sound anything like they do in air). String instruments face a similar challenge, the strings may cause some sort of sound, but they'll be far quicker to stop making any sound.

A culture that lives underwater is unlikely to spend resources on making surface instruments work in their environment except for very special occasions as a temporary measure. They'd be far more likely to figure out how to make music in a way that works underwater without special magic involved and saving the Air magic for "Nice people can survive and move underwater"-situations.

Sure, you could treat music the same way above and below water with a familiarity penality, but that feels very lazy to me.
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Old 07-17-2019, 01:16 PM   #43
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Default Re: [DF] Mermaid racial template?

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Originally Posted by WingedKagouti View Post

A culture that lives underwater is unlikely to spend resources on making surface instruments work in their environment except for very special occasions as a temporary measure. They'd be far more likely to figure out how to make music in a way that works underwater without special magic involved and saving the Air magic for "Nice people can survive and move underwater"-situations.

Sure, you could treat music the same way above and below water with a familiarity penality, but that feels very lazy to me.
No arguments there, I just objected to the absolute part of the prior statements. I think some percussion instruments like xylophones, cymbals, triangles, etc would work well though sound different.
Also hollowed out shells as drum like instruments.
Castinets should be good too, things that rely on impact or rubbing but not a lot of large movement
Edit: Tail drumming sounds good too.
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Last edited by Refplace; 07-17-2019 at 01:25 PM.
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Old 07-17-2019, 01:26 PM   #44
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Default Re: [DF] Mermaid racial template?

ANGLERMERMAIDS [5]:

Image: Like miniature mermaids, but scaly all over, with huge, black, unblinking eyes, a gaping maw full of needlelike teeth, and a long, thin antenna with a bioluminescent tip extending from the center of the brow. There are no Anglermermen; the males of the species are tiny and nonsapient, with expressive faces disturbingly similar to human infants.

Choice Professions: None.

Marginal Professions: Bard.

Attributes: ST -1 [-10];

Secondary: SM -2 [0];

Advantages: Amphibious [10]; Doesn't Breathe (Gills -50%) [10]; Nictitating Membrane x1 [1]; Night Vision x3 [3]; Pressure Support x2 [10]; Striking ST +2 (Biting Only -60%) [4]; Teeth (Sharp) [1];

Perks: Illumination [1];

Disadvantages: Dependency (Moisture, Daily) [-10]; No Legs (Slithers) [0]; Social Stigma (Monster) [-15];

Features: Born Biter x3 [0]; Night-Adapted Vision x3 [0];

Notes: Can't share lower body armor with humanoids and most other body types. Takes full penalties for attempting to swim while wearing armor. Generous GMs may wish to allow individuals to purchase Arrowproof Nudity [1], or at least Enhanced Dodge (Can't Wear Armor -40%, In Water Only -20%) [6/Level]. Rumors of widespread Anglermermaid Clerics and Unholy Knights serving mad otherworldly deities long forgotten by others on the ocean's floor and rampant Elder Spawn infestation are unsubstantiated. They do show a strong tendency to cling to the Elder Anglermermaid Druid known as the Black Fish With a Thousand Young, but the vast swarm of cranky Anglermerboys surrounding her at all times makes it difficult to verify anything.

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Old 07-17-2019, 02:03 PM   #45
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Default Re: [DF] Mermaid racial template?

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Doesn't Breathe (Gills -50%; Affects Others (Kissing -50%) +25%) [15], instead of Doesn't Breathe (Gills -50%) [10]. Kissing is based on Blood Agent -40%, but Blood Agent allows a lot more types of contact (such as biting, or as GURPS Powers tactfully put it "more intimate contact"), so I felt a further -10% was warranted.
I like this, though 5 points seems pricey for an ability that a PC would use only rarely. Though, I suppose if it could work for the whole party, it's a cheap, always on, breathe underwater spell. Not very practical in combat, but great for stealth missions, hiding from surface enemies, making it down long underwater tunnels, etc. How many people do you suppose you could practically support?
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Old 07-17-2019, 02:07 PM   #46
Varyon
 
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Default Re: [DF] Mermaid racial template?

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Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc View Post
ANGLERMERMAIDS [0]:
Minor quibble - if these can function both on land and as deep down as real anglerfish*, they should have Pressure Support 2 [10], increasing the template cost to [5]. If desired, you could probably reduce their point value back to [0] with Unattractive [-4] and some sort of Quirk. For the latter, perhaps the idea of sapient males is confusing to them? This could result in them referring to males by feminine pronouns, for example.

*A rule of thumb I found with a quick online search is that pressure increases by 1 atm every 11 yards, so Pressure Support 1 (1-10 atm) only lets you go down 99 yards. Pressure Support 2 (1-100 atm) lets you go down to 1089 yards, which seems to be around where most anglerfish hang out.
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Old 07-17-2019, 02:23 PM   #47
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Default Re: [DF] Mermaid racial template?

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ANGLERMERMAIDS [0]:
Your on a roll Sir!
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Old 07-17-2019, 02:24 PM   #48
Varyon
 
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Default Re: [DF] Mermaid racial template?

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I like this, though 5 points seems pricey for an ability that a PC would use only rarely. Though, I suppose if it could work for the whole party, it's a cheap, always on, breathe underwater spell. Not very practical in combat, but great for stealth missions, hiding from surface enemies, making it down long underwater tunnels, etc. How many people do you suppose you could practically support?
As I noted above, I feel a mermaid (shorthand for a character with this trait) and a sailor (shorthand for a character who needs to breathe air) could spend a full second to replenish the sailor's air supply. With a 5-character party, even if they are swimming as fast as they can (so their air supply only lasts HT seconds), a single mermaid could keep all characters advancing, particularly if they are arranged such that she can reach each by taking a Step from the previous one. Round 1, she gives the first character breath while the others advance 1 yard (Move/5). Round 2, she Steps over to the second character and gives him breath, the first one and all the others advance 1 yard. Round 3, she Steps over to the third character and gives him breath, while everyone else advances 1 yard. Round 4, she Steps over to the fourth (and final) character and gives him breath, while everyone else advances 1 yard. Assuming HT 10, Guy 1 has 7 rounds of breath left, Guy 2 has 8, Guy 3 has 9, and Guy 4 is full up with 10, and everyone has advanced 3 yards over the last 4 seconds. Assuming she starts giving breath again once Guy 1 has 2 seconds of breath left, that means the party advances 8 yards every 9 seconds, with nobody at any risk of drowning.

To simply share her ability to breathe underwater with everyone by having everyone advance while holding hands (or touching her every HT seconds), she'd need Doesn't Breathe (Gills -50%, Affects Others x4 +200%) [50].
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Old 07-17-2019, 03:14 PM   #49
Gold & Appel Inc
 
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Default Re: [DF] Mermaid racial template?

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Originally Posted by Varyon View Post
they should have Pressure Support 2 [10], increasing the template cost to [5].
Works for me.
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Old 07-18-2019, 01:10 PM   #50
Gold & Appel Inc
 
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Default Re: [DF] Mermaid racial template?

Astrid, Warrior Mer-Princess! (Mer-Swashbuckler) [250]:

Image: A cute, athletic teenage mermaid, with red hair and freckles, and shimmery green scales on her lower body that present a rainbow opalescence in the right light. She's very athletic, and usually heavily armed. Her seahorse, Mathilde, is swift and sure, but as smart as Lassie.

Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 15 [100]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 13 [30];

Secondary: Dam 1d-1 / 1d+1, BL 24#; Spd: 7.0 [0]; Move: 7 [0]; HP 11 [0]; FP 13 [0]; Will: 10 [0]; Per: 10 [0];

Advantages: Ally (War Seahorse, 12-) [8]; Amphibious [10]; Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Doesn't Breathe (Gills -50%) [10]; Enhanced Move (x0.5) (Water) [10]; Enhanced Parry x1 (Spear) [5]; Luck (Regular) [15]; Nictitating Membrane x1 [1]; Night Vision x4 [4]; Pressure Support x1 [5]; Signature Gear (Fine Balanced Trident) [3]; Serendipity x1 [15]; Weapon Master (Trident) [20];

Perks: Weapon Bond (Lucky Trident) [1];

Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Noblewoman Lite) [-5]; Dependency (Moisture, Daily) [-10]; Impulsiveness (9-) [-15]; No Legs (Slithers) [0]; Overconfidence (6-) [-10]; Sense of Duty (Adventuring Companions) [-5]; Vow (Never Wear Armor) [-15];

Features: Night-Adapted Vision x5 [0];

Skills: Aquabatics (H) DX [4]-15; Brawling (E) DX+1 [2]-16; Carousing (E) HT [1]-13; Climbing (A) DX-1 [1]-14; Jumping (E) DX [1]-15; Fast-Draw (E) (Knife) DX+2c [2]; First Aid (E) IQ [1]-10; Net (H) DX [4]-15; Intimidation (A) Will [2]-10; Knife (E) DX [1]-15; Riding (A) (Seahorse) DX [2]-15; Savoir-Faire (E) (High Society) IQ+1 [2]-11; Spear (A) DX+4 [16]-19; Stealth (A) DX-1 [1]-14; Thrown Weapon (E) (Spear) DX+1 [2]-16; Wrestling (A) DX [2]-15;

Notes: Can't share lower body armor with humanoids and most other body types. Takes full penalties for attempting to swim while wearing armor. Code of Honor: Noblewoman Lite is for our purposes, "Maintain and Defend Your Personal, National, and Family Dignity and Reputation at all Times."

Background: Astrid's father wants her to settle down, marry a nice Mer-Prince, and inherit his kingdom or seal a treaty or something, and she supposes she might do that stuff someday, but right now she's all about seeing the world and having crazy adventures while she still can. Brave and sure of herself to a fault, she never backs down from a challenge, even if it gets her into something she can't handle herself.

Last edited by Gold & Appel Inc; 07-19-2019 at 04:53 PM.
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