Another Character Build 400BP System, Shapeshifter Face (Strange Combination, I know) Options

[Blackb1rd]

I think this is one of the most unique combinations i could have come up with. A shapeshifter who is a face. Just a couple of personal concerns i need adressed:

1. What is the native language for a shapeshifter? anything you want it to be, none, not covered in the RAW.
2. There's 12BP left over for Contacts, what would be most useful for a face, as i've never played one before, and at what L/C ratings?

Here he is, no name or real fleshed out background yet, just need comments on the stats and gear:

Negative Qualities:
Wanted: Hunted for Pelt +10BP
Weak Immune System +5BP
Distinctive Style: Blood red tribal tattoo that extends from the left shoulder up onto the neck, visible in Animal and Human forms. +10BP
Paranoia +10BP
435BP
Metatype: Shapeshifter, Black Jaguar, Shift (Human), (Allergy Silver Severe, Vulnerability Silver) 65BP
370BP
Positive Qualities:
Perceptive 10 BP (+2 to perception tests)
Linguist 5BP (1/2 time to learn languages, +2 to all language skills)
First Impression 5BP (+2 on any social tests at first meeting)
350BP
Attributes:
Body 5 20BP
Agility 6 10BP
Reaction 5 30BP
Strength 4 10BP
Charisma 5 40BP
Intuition 4 30BP
Logic 3 20BP
Willpower 3 20BP
Edge 3 20BP
140BP
Skills:
Influence Skill Group 4 40BP
Pistols 4 18BP Specialization Semi-Automatics
Disguise 3 12BP
Shadowing 3 12BP
Blades 3 14BP Specialization: Katana
Forgery 3 12BP
Dodge 3 12BP
Knowledge Skills: 21 Free Points
Professional:
Translator 4
Interests:
Fine Cuisine 3
Fine Restaurants 2
Language Skills:
English Native
Japanese 3(5)
German 3(5)
Arabic 3(5)
Cantonese 3(5)
20BP
Gear: 40,000 Nuyen 8BP
Large Black Backpack 250¥
Katana (STR/2 +3) 1000 ¥
Morrissey Alta (5P, AP-1, Built in Laser Sight) 850¥
Advanced Safety System 600¥
Silencer 200¥
10 Spare Clips 120¥
Fairlight Caliban Commlink 8000¥
Novatech Navi OS 1500¥
Agent 4 5,500¥
Subvocal Microphone 50¥
Form Fitting Body Armor 1600¥
Thermal Damping 6 3000¥
Chemical Protection 4 1000¥
Jet Black Suit from the Berwick Line W/ Blood Red Silk Tie 3100 Nuyen
Rating 5 Fake SIN (James Richards) 5000¥ Personal: Amazonian Consulate Employee
Rating 5 Fake Gun License 500¥, Richards
Rating 5 Fake Concealed Carry License 500¥, Richards
Rating 5 Fake SIN (Henry Allen) 5000¥ Personal: Professional Freelance Translator
Rating 5 Fake Gun License 500¥, Allen
Rating 5 Concealed Carry License 500¥, Allen
12BP

[tagz]

Language can be whatever you want it to be, but you should make it appropriate to your backstory.

Perhaps you learned English because you were raised in a zoo before you learned you could shift. All that time around people speaking you could pick up anything. That's just one example.

Shapeshifters tend to be harder characters to effectively roleplay, so I would have suggested creating the backstory FIRST and then creating the stats and gear as fits the story, but seeing as you already have that part done I'd say next step is creating a good backstory and personality that fits the abilities you set for it.

Keep in mind there is MUCH debate as to the mindset of a shifter. Some believe they think and behave much like regular metahumans while others believe that they have much more primal mindsets and motivational drives behind their actions.

I like to think they can think like regular metahumans but have a much stronger sense of instincts that might confuse them in certain situations where instincts fall short in an urban or more social setting. With time and enough exposure to social situations and such they can learn to adapt to anything like a normal metahuman, much the way we learn to do things against our own instincts. This is how I see it at least, your game may have a different outlook. If you like this outlook then consider how much exposure your shifter has had. Raised in a metahuman society? Fresh our of the jungle? These things could have a huge impact on what fits as a character history to your stats and abilities.

As the face I'd say a fixer contact (cause the fixer is fairly important as "the guy who knows the guy") and perhaps an intel contact (like a lonestar beat cop, a corporate drone of a mega, etc) that you could go to for info and legwork.

I'll let the number crunchers on the site look at the actual abilities. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rotate.gif)

[Karoline]

Hmm, I'd first like to point out that being hunted as a shifted doesn't seem like it would fall under wanted unless there is a bounty on your character in particular (Which there may be, but it just seems like your giving yourself 10 BP because shifters are hunted)

That aside I think the main problem is that with only 9 dice, the character won't make a very effective face. Be real great at the secondary face things have to do (Like still hold their own in combat) but won't be much better than your average generalist as far as social interaction goes.

Consider working in being an adept, even if you leave magic at 1 or 2. 2 points of magic could easily get you kinestics 2 for a +2 DP, and lets you get 2 points of improved ability in two social skills.

A 10 point surge can get you glamor (+3 DP) and some other small bonus, though you'll have to take a penalty to go with it. Peltage and a tail seem like they would go really well with a shifter.

So, there is a nice little +7 bonus for 25 BP.

[Blackb1rd]

So if i were to add the Improved Ability to two Social active skills, say, Con and Negotiation would that break up the skill group? I suspect it would but i need confirmation on that regard.

Karoline, i appreciate you pointing out the Wanted Negative quality i took, the thing is i took it for exactly the reason you mentioned. My character in particular is wanted. By whom or what i am not yet completely sure, but trust me it will have a substantial impact on the game.

As a side note i generally come up with a rough outline of what i want my characters background to be, then i move onto CharGen and shape the character's abilities around that loose background, once the character's completed i then write out a complete background in full detail. It's just what works for me.

[Karoline]

So if i were to add the Improved Ability to two Social active skills, say, Con and Negotiation would that break up the skill group? I suspect it would but i need confirmation on that regard.

No reason it would break up the skill group, it just gives a bonus to the skill. Shouldn't break your group any more than a smartgun should break your pistols group.

[Blackb1rd]

No reason it would break up the skill group, it just gives a bonus to the skill. Shouldn't break your group any more than a smartgun should break your pistols group.

Excellent, thank you again, i appreciate your time. You have an excellent understanding of the rules as well which is really useful as i find some of the wording in the RAW kind of confusing. I've taken your suggestions to heart and now have, assuming a first meeting with an NPC, an 18 dice pool for Con and Negotiation and a 16 Dice pool for Intimidation and Leadership. You've been very helpful.

Took vestigial tail and extravagant eyes as negative surge qualities, and Glamor and Thermographic Vision (May change this) as positives.

Would you mind if i just PMed you with any other concerns in the future?

[Karoline]

Excellent, thank you again, i appreciate your time. You have an excellent understanding of the rules as well which is really useful as i find some of the wording in the RAW kind of confusing. I've taken your suggestions to heart and now have, assuming a first meeting with an NPC, an 18 dice pool for Con and Negotiation and a 16 Dice pool for Intimidation and Leadership. You've been very helpful.

Much more facelike (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

And even on non-first meetings 16/14 is quite good. (It isn't pornomancer, but those tend to attract sniper bullets (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) )

Took vestigial tail and extravagant eyes as negative surge qualities, and Glamor and Thermographic Vision (May change this) as positives.

Would you mind if i just PMed you with any other concerns in the future?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Feel free to PM me if you'd like. I'll give the character a bit more of a looking over in the mean time, I was just hitting the basics that I noticed.

[Blackb1rd]

Much appreciated, as always. Changed Thermographic Vision to fangs.