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Message no. 1
From: Ereskanti@***.com Ereskanti@***.com
Subject: Hide-n-seek Adepts (Possible Solution)
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 23:37:21 EST
A thought came to me while reading all of these abilities and not-probablies
that a(n) (Physical) Adept could have (terminology varying by edition). What
struck me this time was the description of a(n) (Physical) Adept using his/her
abilities as being "channeled" through their body. This would definitely meet
these qualifications...

If "Invisibility" could not be gained, or a "Disregard" (as that is
described
as a "Mental Illusion", which is a direct projecting of shaped mana in a
complex/spell-like manner), then perhaps a newer look on the "Concealment"
consideration. What struck me this time was the description of a(n)
(Physical) Adept using his/her abilities as being "channeled" through their
body. This would definitely meet these qualifications...

How about "Concealment" from the POV of the Chameleon or Halibut? As in,
changing the skin tones of ones' self in order to better blend into a
background environment. Consider the following if you would:

Adaptive Coloration (Selective)
Power Cost : 0.5 Power Points per level
Range : Self

With this ability, the (Physical) Adept can make a change in his/her outward
color schema in a manner similar to many animals found in the wild. Though
not as rapid in color change as Adaptive Coloration possessed by the
Bandersnatch (which involves the warping of light waves by outward
paranormality expressiveness), it is capable of creating dramatic details.

To effect the change, creating a camouflaging tone to ones' self, the
(Physical) Adept makes a power test, rolling his/her developed level in the
ability, with a target number base of a 3. Modifiers involving the complexity
of the traversed environment effect this. For instance, busy patterns might
incur a +4 to the target number, while singular color patterns or textures,
might incur no penalty. The number of successes so generated by the test
indicates the modifier to the Visual Perception target number needed by
another to spot the camouflaged individual.

A Complex Action is needed to incur the change, and each change incurs a
degree of strain upon the (Physical) Adept in question, perhaps 6M or
(Successes Achieved)M, resisted with Body or Willpower, as considered
appropriate by the ruling GM at the time. If left alone, the color changes
made will revert to normal in (Successes Achieved)D6 hours. Of course, those
individuals with "Centering" abilities can possibly augment either their
success level, or their drain resistance.

-K
Message no. 2
From: Kelson kelson13@***********.com
Subject: Hide-n-seek Adepts (Possible Solution)
Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 05:08:21 -0800
On Wed, 31 Mar 1999 23:37:21 Ereskanti wrote:

>How about "Concealment" from the POV of the Chameleon or Halibut? As in,
>changing the skin tones of ones' self in order to better blend into a
>background environment. Consider the following if you would:

<Snip>

This power is in the "spirit" of the limitations of a PhysAd. As far as the
actual mechanics, I would simplify them by treating the spell as having a similar effect
to camoflage armor (although perhaps allowing more of a benefit). Regardless, you have
captured what I meant when I said that their abilities should be grounded through their
person. Bravo.

>-K

Justin


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Message no. 3
From: Andrew Cowan lesbos@******.net
Subject: Hide-n-seek Adepts (Possible Solution)
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 1999 08:39:13 -0500
> How about "Concealment" from the POV of the Chameleon or Halibut? As in,
> changing the skin tones of ones' self in order to better blend into a
> background environment. Consider the following if you would:

Definitely more reasonable than some other suggestions I've heard. I would make the
following changes, though:

Physads don't take drain.
Since physad powers as a rule are always on when beneficial, I would eliminate the complex
action.

AndyKatie

>
> Adaptive Coloration (Selective)
> Power Cost : 0.5 Power Points per level
> Range : Self
>
> With this ability, the (Physical) Adept can make a change in
> his/her outward
> color schema in a manner similar to many animals found in the
> wild. Though
> not as rapid in color change as Adaptive Coloration possessed by the
> Bandersnatch (which involves the warping of light waves by outward
> paranormality expressiveness), it is capable of creating dramatic details.
>
> To effect the change, creating a camouflaging tone to ones' self, the
> (Physical) Adept makes a power test, rolling his/her developed
> level in the
> ability, with a target number base of a 3. Modifiers involving
> the complexity
> of the traversed environment effect this. For instance, busy
> patterns might
> incur a +4 to the target number, while singular color patterns or
> textures,
> might incur no penalty. The number of successes so generated by the test
> indicates the modifier to the Visual Perception target number needed by
> another to spot the camouflaged individual.
>
> A Complex Action is needed to incur the change, and each change incurs a
> degree of strain upon the (Physical) Adept in question, perhaps 6M or
> (Successes Achieved)M, resisted with Body or Willpower, as considered
> appropriate by the ruling GM at the time. If left alone, the
> color changes
> made will revert to normal in (Successes Achieved)D6 hours. Of
> course, those
> individuals with "Centering" abilities can possibly augment either their
> success level, or their drain resistance.
>
> -K
>
>
>
Message no. 4
From: Lady Jestyr jestyr@*********.html.com
Subject: Hide-n-seek Adepts (Possible Solution)
Date: Mon, 05 Apr 1999 00:30:01 +1000
>> How about "Concealment" from the POV of the Chameleon or Halibut? As
in,
>> changing the skin tones of ones' self in order to better blend into a
>> background environment. Consider the following if you would:
>
>Definitely more reasonable than some other suggestions I've heard. I
would make the following changes, though:
>
>Physads don't take drain.

Actually, I know some Physad powers under SR2 did cause drain - Attribute
Boost, and the like. Not sure about Sr3; haven't checked.

Lady Jestyr

The Shadowrun Webring Ringmaster
- Random acts of... good evening, officer. -
Webring at: http://shadowrun.html.com/webring/
jestyr@*********.html.com | http://www.geocities.com/~jestyr
Message no. 5
From: Ereskanti@***.com Ereskanti@***.com
Subject: Hide-n-seek Adepts (Possible Solution)
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 1999 13:27:55 EDT
In a message dated 4/4/1999 8:49:12 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
lesbos@******.net writes:

> > How about "Concealment" from the POV of the Chameleon or Halibut? As
in,
> > changing the skin tones of ones' self in order to better blend into a
> > background environment. Consider the following if you would:
>
> Definitely more reasonable than some other suggestions I've heard. I
would
> make the following changes, though:
>
> Physads don't take drain.
> Since physad powers as a rule are always on when beneficial, I would
> eliminate the complex action.

A reason I was looking at the "drain" consideration, as well as the
"complex
action" consideration, is that "Melenin Alteration" is not that rapid in
mammals (go to photofors in other animals, then HEY, we have a plan) or
animalia in general. Additionally, as it is not something that the
"(Meta)Human Animal" was designed to do, I wanted a tad bit of balance into
the consideration.

-K
Message no. 6
From: dghost@****.com dghost@****.com
Subject: Hide-n-seek Adepts (Possible Solution)
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 1999 13:22:23 -0500
On Mon, 05 Apr 1999 00:30:01 +1000 Lady Jestyr
<jestyr@*********.html.com> writes:
>>> How about "Concealment" from the POV of the Chameleon or Halibut?
As
in,
>>> changing the skin tones of ones' self in order to better blend into a
>>> background environment. Consider the following if you would:

Use the Adept Knack Power form Steve K's page
(http://members.aol.com/talonmail/) ... you treat it as an (Improved)
Invisibility spell with a cost of .5 per force point since the drain code
is M.

>>Definitely more reasonable than some other suggestions I've heard. I
>would make the following changes, though:
>>
>>Physads don't take drain.

>Actually, I know some Physad powers under SR2 did cause drain -
Attribute
>Boost, and the like. Not sure about Sr3; haven't checked.

Attribute Boost still inflicts drain.

--
D. Ghost
(aka Pixel)
WARNING: Virus found: Win.com
Disinfect? (Y/N)

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Message no. 7
From: Oliver McDonald oliver@*********.com
Subject: Hide-n-seek Adepts (Possible Solution)
Date: Sun, 04 Apr 1999 11:44:51 -0800 (PST)
On Mon, 05 Apr 1999 00:30:01 +1000, Lady Jestyr wrote:

>>Physads don't take drain.
>
>Actually, I know some Physad powers under SR2 did cause drain - Attribute
>Boost, and the like. Not sure about Sr3; haven't checked.

Correct Lady J.

-----------------------------------------------------------
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http://web2.spydernet.com/oliver/
-----------------------------------------------------------
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Brought to you via CyberSpace, the recursive frontier.

"that is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may
die."
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Message no. 8
From: Andrew Cowan lesbos@******.net
Subject: Hide-n-seek Adepts (Possible Solution)
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 1999 23:29:53 -0500
Regarding Lady Jestyr's comment, SR3 physads don't take drain. And as far as taking time
for the transformation, maybe change the mod if there's been a sudden background-colour
change (e.g. a physad is stealthily clinging to a black airplane with adaptive
colouration, and is forced to jump off, then for a short time (say, the average roll of
quickness or willpower D6 combat turns)the physad would be black transitioning to adapt
colouration to match the air colour, and the first combat turn after entering free-fall
maybe negate any mod for the colouration, and then bring it back gradually... I would say
all of this should be GM's discrition though

Andykatie
Message no. 9
From: dghost@****.com dghost@****.com
Subject: Hide-n-seek Adepts (Possible Solution)
Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1999 00:38:10 -0500
On Sun, 4 Apr 1999 23:29:53 -0500 "Andrew Cowan" <lesbos@******.net>
writes:
>Regarding Lady Jestyr's comment, SR3 physads don't take drain.

Uhm ... Yes they do. I can't speak for SR1 but in SR2 and SR3, physads
take drain from Attribute Boost power.

Page 34, Grimoire:
"When the boost runs out, the adept must make a Drain test, of sorts, to
dermine if he is weakened by the boost."

Page 168, SR3:
"When the boost runs out, you must make a Drain Resistance Test."

Now, Physical Adepts don't take *Physical* drain, but they DO take drain,
just not from most of their powers.

(remeber: Attribute Boost and Improved Physical Attribute are two
different powers.)

>And as
>far as taking time for the transformation, maybe change the mod if
>there's been a sudden background-colour change (e.g. a physad is
>stealthily clinging to a black airplane with adaptive colouration, and
>is forced to jump off, then for a short time (say, the average roll of
>quickness or willpower D6 combat turns)the physad would be black
>transitioning to adapt colouration to match the air colour, and the
>first combat turn after entering free-fall maybe negate any mod for
>the colouration, and then bring it back gradually... I would say all
>of this should be GM's discrition though

For that mechanic, I would say roll (Power Level, Intelligence, and/or
Willpower) dice against a target number based on the complexity of the
background plus a modifer for movement of the adept relative to the
background (IOW, the background moving and the adept is staying still and
the adept moving against a stationary background are treated as the
same.) and then divide the number of successes into a base time to change
colors of say 1 minute.

Out of curiousity: Is that behemoth of sentence at least mostly
grammaticly correct?

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(aka Pixel)
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Disinfect? (Y/N)
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