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From:	00DNA mcmanus@******.albany.edu
Subject:	shapeshifter pc
Date:	Mon, 01 Nov 1999 08:35:01 -0500

Message no. 1 When a PC who has decided to play a shapeshifter turns into animal form,
what does he roll for attacking?
Reaction? Unarmed Combat? Have other GM's allowed a specialization under
Unarmed Combat or perhaps a new skill?

Thanks

--00DNA
"...user connection terminated."

From:	Ereskanti@*.com Ereskanti@*.com
Subject:	shapeshifter pc
Date:	Mon, 1 Nov 1999 13:04:19 EST

Message no. 2 In a message dated 11/1/1999 8:33:57 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
mcmanus@******.albany.edu writes:

> When a PC who has decided to play a shapeshifter turns into animal form,
> what does he roll for attacking?

Critters I believe roll reaction (aka; pure NPC's). PC's I think can either
default to the "base critter combat mode" and roll Reaction or can use their
Unarmed Combat skills. Specializations in "Animal Form Combat" might be
allowable, but we don't do that here. At least, not yet. Hmmm....what a
thought...

-K
[Hoosier Hacker House]
[http://members.aol.com/hhackerh/index.html]
ICQ#-51511837

From:	dbuehrer@**.org dbuehrer@**.org
Subject:	shapeshifter pc
Date:	Mon, 01 Nov 1999 11:38:17 -0700

Message no. 3 Ereskanti@***.com wrote:
\ In a message dated 11/1/1999 8:33:57 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
\ mcmanus@******.albany.edu writes:
\
\ > When a PC who has decided to play a shapeshifter turns into animal form,
\ > what does he roll for attacking?
\
\ Critters I believe roll reaction (aka; pure NPC's). PC's I think can either
\ default to the "base critter combat mode" and roll Reaction or can use their
\ Unarmed Combat skills. Specializations in "Animal Form Combat" might be
\ allowable, but we don't do that here. At least, not yet. Hmmm....what a
\ thought...

I'd make them Reaction. However, if they wanted to they could develope a
specialized Unarmed Combat skill (i.e., Unarmed Combat: Wolf Form).

IMHO unarmed combat in human form wouldn't translate to unarmed combat in
animal form. As a human one can use their hands (to grab and lock) and
feet (kicks with power and a little range), whereas an animal doesn't have
those options. However an animal has teeth and can rake with claws.
Again, IMHO, being skilled in unarmed combat as a human wouldn't allow a
shape shifter to use those same skills in animal form. Maybe as a
complimentary skill...

-Graht
--
"My assistant, Bob the dinasaur, will now demonstrate
how to give a cat a 'fur wedgie.'"

From:	Barbie LeVile barbie@********.de
Subject:	shapeshifter pc
Date:	Mon, 01 Nov 1999 21:37:23 +0100

Message no. 4 On 01-Nov-99, 00DNA wrote:

> When a PC who has decided to play a shapeshifter turns into animal form,
> what does he roll for attacking?
> Reaction? Unarmed Combat? Have other GM's allowed a specialization under
> Unarmed Combat or perhaps a new skill?
>
> Thanks
>
House rule alert! :)

A sniped from my shapeshifter supplement regarding combat in animal form:

Animal form combat
This is a new skill to cover the natural combat abilities of the
shapeshifter in its animal form. The skill is to be used like the normal unarmed
combat skill. Without this skill the shapeshifter is limited to its reaction
attribute like a normal critter, in this case no pools can be used to augment
the combat test, just the pure reaction attribute has to be used. To boost this
skill with a physical adept power, the increase unarmed power must be brought
for this skill a second time since its a different skill then the normal unarmed
combat.

--
Barbie

"One World, One Web, One Program" - Microsoft Promotional Ad
"Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer" - Adolf Hitler

barbie@********.de http://www.amigaworld.com/barbie/index.html

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From:	00DNA mcmanus@******.albany.edu
Subject:	shapeshifter pc
Date:	Mon, 01 Nov 1999 16:05:30 -0500

Message no. 5 At 09:37 PM 11/1/99 +0100, Barbie LeVile wrote:
>Animal form combat
> This is a new skill to cover the natural combat abilities of the
>shapeshifter in its animal form. The skill is to be used like the normal
>unarmed
>combat skill. Without this skill the shapeshifter is limited to its reaction

Yes, I think from the email I've received that this is the best way to
go. I think they should be able to learn a skill that will carry them past
using their Reaction and Unarmed Combat is not the same thing, and I don't
think it's close enough to use a Specialization either. Thanks everyone
for the replies.

--00DNA
"...user connection terminated."

From:	Mike & Linda Frankl mlfrankl@***.com
Subject:	shapeshifter pc
Date:	Mon, 1 Nov 1999 18:19:49 -0500

Message no. 6 Graht sayeth:
> I'd make them Reaction. However, if they wanted to they could develope a
> specialized Unarmed Combat skill (i.e., Unarmed Combat: Wolf Form).
>
> IMHO unarmed combat in human form wouldn't translate to unarmed combat in
> animal form. As a human one can use their hands (to grab and lock) and
> feet (kicks with power and a little range), whereas an animal doesn't have
> those options. However an animal has teeth and can rake with claws.
> Again, IMHO, being skilled in unarmed combat as a human wouldn't allow a
> shape shifter to use those same skills in animal form. Maybe as a
> complimentary skill...

I dunno, ever seen a cat (big or small) do a disembowel move? The grab with
both forepaws and swing the rear two legs underneath, dig in and kick. If
done right it will rip out the underbelly of most animals (and your forearm
if your not careful playing with the house cat).

;)

Smilin' Jack

From:	Gurth gurth@******.nl
Subject:	shapeshifter pc
Date:	Tue, 2 Nov 1999 11:38:15 +0100

Message no. 7 According to 00DNA, at 8:35 on 1 Nov 99, the word on
the street was...

> When a PC who has decided to play a shapeshifter turns into animal form,
> what does he roll for attacking?
> Reaction? Unarmed Combat? Have other GM's allowed a specialization under
> Unarmed Combat or perhaps a new skill?

It doesn't say in the Companion, but I'd say either Reaction or Unarmed
Combat skill (as the player prefers).

A specialization for the critter's specific "style" of combat I'm not sure
I'd allow, since specializations in Unarmed Combat really don't have
drawbacks -- they just add an extra die. Compare it to specializations in,
for example, Pistols: with Pistols (Colt American) you're at a definite
disadvantage when using a pistol other than a Colt American, but in
Unarmed Combat there's never really a situation where you can't use the
specialization, except if you choose to do so yourself (like taking
Unarmed Combat (Boxing) and then announcing to the GM you'll kick your
opponent).

OTOH, with shapeshifters it might be doable, provided you let them take a
specialization that only works in one form or in the other -- like Unarmed
Combat (Animal Form), which means the character has to add the defaulting
TN modifier when fighting in human form.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
"Remember that all the items in the equipment lists are obviously
not available anywhere." --Gemini RPG, p. 100
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