Avatar - Statting the mind-swapping

[LazarusDarkeyes]

My search-fu has failed to find a thread that answers this particular question:

How would you model the mind-swapping of a human into a Na'vi body? I mean, it could be a fantasy setting and mind-swapping into a golem or a futureistic setting where someone mind-swaps into a robot, but in any of those cases, how do you model that there are essentially two separate bodies, one mind, one 'soul' that is normally in one particular body, and it can be dangerous to instantly sever the connection?

Thanks ahead of time.

[SuedodeuS]

Ordinarily, something like this would be a plot device, and the "mechanic" would be the player paying enough CP to "trade up" into the body. In the case of Avatar, it may be appropriate to require an HT check (or series thereof), suffering penalties based on any missing HP.

If this is common, however, it's essentially Destructive Uploading (UT219) combined with an immediate download into the new body (UT220-221). I think the rules from those pages can be extrapolated to using magical rather than medical skills.


EDIT: Oops, completely misunderstood what you were getting at. You might want to look at the Possession Advantage (B75). A version that is restricted to Puppet Only would probably work as a starting point. Mechanic-wise, we never see any danger from quick-disconnecting, so we'll have to guestimate. Something like roll against HT+5. Success means you're disoriented, failure means you pass out and may require medical assistance, critical failure means you go into a coma or have a heart attack.

[sir_pudding]

The rules on Basic page 296 under "Mind Swapping" apply.

[LazarusDarkeyes]

I'll have to read them when I get home, but do those rules handle that the 'other body' is helpless and still needs to have basic needs (food, water, waste, etc.) met?

Movie Question: Does anyone know with great confidence if while the human slept, the avatar body was awake and vice versa so that the 'consciousness' essentially was ALWAYS awake in one of the two bodies?

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by LazarusDarkeyes

I'll have to read them when I get home, but do those rules handle that the 'other body' is helpless and still needs to have basic needs (food, water, waste, etc.) met?

Not specifically, those rules cover what traits are transferred from the original to the host, and how traits interact. It covers the Possession disadvantage as well as any technological or mystical forms of "mind-swapping". I'm not sure what you are actually asking for though, the Avatar technology does leave one body helpless. In a general case of Mind Swapping I suppose it depends, but usually in fiction it leaves a helpless body, yes. Although GURPS covers the alternative with the following section on Multiple Bodies.

Movie Question: Does anyone know with great confidence if while the human slept, the avatar body was awake and vice versa so that the 'consciousness' essentially was ALWAYS awake in one of the two bodies?

No, clearly not. There is at least one scene where Jake falls asleep in his wheelchair and Grace puts him in his cot. At that point both bodies would be "asleep".

[Stone Dog]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

No, clearly not. There is at least one scene where Jake falls asleep in his wheelchair and Grace puts him in his cot. At that point both bodies would be "asleep".

This was part of his fatigue problems. He would be going a long time without sleep and only able to pass out when he wasn't logged in. His Avatar body would be resting and replenishing itself when he wasn't piloting it so the fatigue always seemed like a non issue during blue time, but his brain was still straining to keep up with the long hours and this would catch up when he went back to his overclocked meatsack.