Fwurg

[roodgeval]

Hi, I just started this game and had this idea for a racial characteristic. If you have any ups or down about this feel free to comment as all help is appreciated.

Thanks for your consideration.



Economy Boost: None
Jedi Boost: +1 stealth,
The ability to change shapes, you cannot shapeshift into races that have the huge racial characteristic, while weight remains constant.


Downside to Jedi Boost:

- Shapeshifting does not result in gaining racial characteristics other then in looks, so if you were to shift into a race that has natural flight it would not mean you could fly.

[Elmer]

Hello and welcome to FWURG :)

First about shape shifting: Please do not take this personal and offensively, but personally I don't like shape shifting abilities. Not in sci-fi settings, not in fantasy settings, nowhere actually. It always feel off to me to have shape shifters because their potential is either never used, or they are way to overpowered, or they conflict with the rest of the setting. So I have a small personal bad feeling about shape shifters.

Of course if you like to play shape shifters, don't let me stop you, everybody should be able to play his/her idea's and together we should be able to work this out to something great!

Because you can change your looks, it certainly has economical benefits. Your race would be a lot better in entertainment as they can change their appearance to the liking of the client. This would be really helpful for news-readers, guides, prostitutes, sportsmen (and women) etc.

When you go down this path, I think it is important to know to what level you like to shape shift. Only small changes in appearance or like a ditto and change your entire physique. How does this work in combination with injuries? And what about scars, acne? A scarred couch with acne is rather stupid. So first work on what you want and how this works, then we can try to implement it in the rules.

Maybe answer yourself (and for us) the following questions, this is important to get a better idea of how shape shifting abilities should work in he system:
To what level can the race shape shift?
How does this affect the organs?
How does this affect the bone structure?
What happens with injuries?
What happens with physical disabilities?
Can the skin colour change (and if yes, to what degree?)
Can de seize change? (how?)

I hope this will help to create a good basis to work on for the characteristic :)

[Dragonmaster352]

Personally I think the whole biology behind it is unnecessary. Other racial characteristics aren't worked out in detail like what your asking.

I think the biggest issue would be balancing, making sure it doesn't get too powerful.

[Elmer]

Dragonmaster is right that other racial characteristics are not worked out completely, but I think that is partially because the IC working of the characteristic created little problems for the OOC balancing. However I have the feeling that this time it is relevant to know what Roodgeval wants with the shapeshifting in order to create a good balancing power. Be able to turn into a couch and heal your limbs provide way other bonuses than be able to change skin colour and basic facial expressions.

The other part why I asked Roodgeval for further details is because of my previously explained distrust towards shape shifters in a setting. Shape shifting abilities are very powerful and I would hate to see them only partially worked out only to create thousands of questions later IC as a consequence of a too hasty created design with obvious holes in it.

[Brend]

I think shapeshifting is a unique ability, but I would not express shape-shifting as a +1 to stealth. It helps you to blend in, but it doesn't help you go around unnoticed. For example, a security system would still pick you up if you're the only one walking around, regardless of whether you look human or twi'lek.

That being said, personally I don't think shape-shifters really fit in the star wars universe, thought there is a single mention of it in a single movie... I think that we really need to know the extent of shape-shifting roodgeval has as a basis; if only to make sure that the power of the racial characteristic stays in line with the other characteristics.

The original proposal mentions that weight stays the same, so I would assume that volume should also stay roughly the same. By the way, the mentioned downside is not a downside at all in my opinion...

[Mercury]

I can see shape-shifting working, but I agree with the comments that clarity and details are needed. I have some idea's, but I think Roodgeval should come with a proposal, since its his idea ^_^

For reference, I would suggest looking at mimic octopi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimic_octopus). If anyone claims that shape-shifting is physically impossible, having something that does it in real life is a pretty convincing argument (and I'll also accept this type of argument if you invent a Hyperdrive that works differently from the ones we use in Fwurg).