| From: | Bull <chaos@*****.COM> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Optional Metatypes |
| Date: | Thu, 29 May 1997 18:12:07 -0400 |
posting, I figured it was time for just a bit more...
This is actually a slight re-hash of some stuff I did last Fall and posted
to the list. However, I dug them out of storage (actually, out of the
Shadowrn Logs... Geez, are those huge and intimidating!:)) and did a bit
of editing and cleaning up.
I'm giving these to Fro for the newest Issue of the TSS (I hope to have the
3rd part of Quicksilver Lightning done up for you too, pally:)), so please
feel free to critque them and give me your views on them, as I would like
them to make sense and be at least a little bit balanced if Fro puts them
in the mag....:]
And Without further babbling, I present... Optional Metahumans (Formerly
known as Monster Meta's)
Optional Metatypes
by Steven "Bull" Ratkovich
A while back I came up with the idea of allowing players to run characters
that were a little bit of a step away from the norm. These character would
be of races not normally allowed, such as the Ghoul, the Sasquatch, and
possibly even the Vampire.
The problem is, there are no rules for playing these Metatypes, and so, I
created my own, following the Standard Character Creation from the SR2 main
rulebook.
These charcters can be a lot of fun, but are not for beginners, as there is
a great deal of role-playing potential that comes with the character.
After all, Ghouls are seen like hideous beasts, and treated as such, while
the Sasquatch is often considered, at best, a pet.
Also, these are not characters for the "Role Playing Challenged", AKA
Munchkins. These characters have the potential to be munchkinned worse
than your avaerage Troll, so should only be allowed into a campaign if you
think the player running them can handle the responsiblity.
The Optional Metatypes can add a whole new depth and direction to a
campaign, so please, use them, enjoy them, and let me know what you think.
GHOULS
The ghould is not necessarily a powerful character. He tough and strong,
but not necessarily overpowered.
To play a ghoul, "Race" must be chosen as Priority A during charcater
creation, or optionally if using the point cost system from the Shadowrun
Companion, you must spend 10 points to buy Metahumanity. Follow all the
normal rules for character creation. Other than the fact that the
character is limited by a society that fezars him and shuns him badly (and
that he had to consume flesh), the Ghoul Character is not limited to what
"class" he can be (i.e., Decker, Sammy, Mage, etc.)
The Ghoul has the following bonuses and penalties:
Bonuses: Weaknesses:
+2 Body -3 Charisma
+1 strength -1 Intelligence
Dual Natured Moderate Allergy to
Sunlight
Enhanced Hearing Almost blind
Enhanced Smell Enhanced Body Odor
Natural Claws (Strength M damage) Essence of 5
Restricted Diet (Flesh,
preferably human)
The Ghouls racial Maximums are:
Body: 8 Charisma: 3
Quickness: 6 Intelligence: 5
Strength: 7 Willpower: 6
Ghouls can use cyberware normally, and can be mages or shamans. However,
due to their restricted Charisma Rating, they have a difficult time
summoning up spirits or elementals.
As most ghouls are not trusted and widely hunted, they can be an extremely
difficult character to play, but rewarding.:)
SASQUATCH
The Sasquatch character is also chosen the same as the ghoul. They can be
any class, other than a mage. This is due to the way they think, and
magically active sasquatch are often shamans. They are not comfortable
with cyberware, although rare individuals are found to possess it. They
cannot speak the human language at all, and even when they mimic it, they
don't have meaning to it. They can,however, learn sign language, and this
is often how they communicate. All PC sasquatch are assumed to know sign.
They understand the human language, but cannot speak any form of it.
Bonuses: Weaknesses:
+2 Body -1 Charisma
+1 Strength -1 Intelligence
Sound Mimicry Lack of Speech
+1 reach -1 Willpower
Dual Natured
A Sasquatch's Racial Maximums are:
Body: 8 Charisma: 5
Quickness: 6 Intelligence: 5
Strength: 7 Willpower: 5
A Sasquatch, like all Optional Metatypes can be a challenge to play.
Especially if no one in the group knows his sign language. Also,they are
somewhat feared and mistrusted, although to a much lesser extent than the
Ghouls.
VAMPIRE
A friend of mine was bugging me to let him play a Vampire charactera while
back, but, as the rules stand, they are just grossley powerful beings. So I
sat down and tried to work out a way that a player could play a Vampire
character with a group of fairly new character.
The Vampire works similar to the way a Phys-Ad works, so that playing
something like a vampire is somewhat feasible (but still very suseptible to
munchkinizing. Sorry, but there's no way to make a vampire that isn't a
munchkin, at least deep down inside.)
Ok, to start, you pick your priorities. Race must be priority (A), and
depnending on whether you wanted a spellcasting Vampire or not, Magic would
be (B) or (C), with (B) being for the spellcaster. Magic can NOT be taken
any lower than (C), as the character is similar to a Phys Ad, even if he
can cast spells. I would also suggest using the more metahuman rule if
using this with a regular group.
If you are using the SR Companion rules, You must spend 10 points for
Metahuman, and then either 20 points for Magician or 15 points for a Phys
Ad (Even though he is technically not a Physical Adept).
I'll base my vamp on a human, but he could easily be adapted to one of the
other races.
Other than that, the rest of the char is standard. The last thing you do
is pick your vampiric powers. The Vampire get three "Power Points", which
is what he uses to buy his vampiric powers. All vampiric characters are
new vampires, freshly infected with the Vampiric Disease, thus they haven't
fully developed most of there powers.
Also, Vampires have a large amount of weaknesses. These vary from Vampire
to vampire, and soe even have few, if any, weaknesses. You can buy
Vampiric Weaknesses, which will then giove you more Power Points to spend
on Vampiric Powers. This is similar to the Edges and Flaws from the
Companion. Weaknesses can ONLY be bought at character creation, and the
bonus Power Points given by them MUST be spent at that time. Any points
not spent at this time are lost. You may not "save" points or partial
point until the next "grade", or Vampire Level.
Ok, the powers List...
Powers (Point cost) Weaknesses (Point Bonus)
Enhanced Strength(1) Allergy to Sunlight(*)
Enhanced Hearing(.25) Induced Dormancyfrom lack of
air(.25)
Enhanced Smell(.25) Vulnerability to Wood(.25/lvl)
Essence Drain(*) Allergy (psych) to Holy
Symbols(.5)
Immunity to Aging(.25) Unable to use cyber or bio(*)
Immunity to poison(.25) Essence Loss(*)
Imm. to pathogenins(.25)
Infection(1)
Mist Form(2)
Thermographic Vision(.25)
Regeneration(1/lvl)
Natural Claws(.5)
Powers or Weaknesses marked with '*' are automatically gained. They
cannot be bought off, nor do they give any bonus.
Now, what do some of these do? Well, in general, I followed the book and
took there normal powers. Some I modified. The most noticable change is
in the regeneration. Having a 2+ regen on a d6 gets vulgar, so you make it
difficult to get. Each level improvs the roll by 1 number. the chart
below calculates it. Notice at level one, you do not have a roll. This is
simply a basic regen. If you are hit for a Deadly wound, you are dying.
You do not get to regen. However, If you are at below a deadly wound, then
you auto regen like normal. The cost is deliberately high so that all but
the most powerful vampires instantly regenerate everything. Also, not that
stun damage DOES NOT regen. However, as this was much discussed just
recently on the list,feel free to make this rule optional (you will
anyways, so I might as well give permission.)
Regeneration Chart
Level 1 Basic Regen, no roll for deadly wound.
Level 2 Roll of 6 to regen
Level 3 Roll of 5 to regen
Level 4 Roll of 4 to regen
Level 5 Roll of 3 to regen
Level 6 Roll of 2 to regen
Level 7 Roll of 1 to regen
Level 8 DOESN'T EXIST!!!
Also, the other think I modified is the weakness wood. You can take it at
4 levels, nuisance, moderate, Serious, and deadly. This buys that allergy
at that level, as well as affects the damage code of pure wooden weapons
(No formica or varnished wood. It reduces the damage). Each level
automatically stages the damage from such a weapon up one notch (or 2
automatic successes, depending on how you calculate it).
Ex. a wooden club that does 6L damage normally, will do 6S damage instead
to someone with a level two allergy.
Also, A vampire is unable to use cyberware or bioware, as it messes up his
essence and if he had the regeneration ability, it would automatically kick
the intruding piece out and replace it with a regenrated original.
Claws are simialar to cyber spurs and will do Str M damage...
Lastly, the Vampire has grades called Vampire Levels, similar to Initiate
grades for Mages/Shamans/PA. The Karma costs are the same, except that
they do not have the quest type options available. They COULD, however,
group initiate
with vampired of a higher grade. This "initiation" basically consists of
the Vampire taking the time to learn about himself and learn new powers or
learn how to use his natural powers more easily.
Bull
--
Damn, I hate using other compy's... I don't have my fragging .sig! :]
