Inhabitation And You, Tired of Your Old Body? Want a New One? Options

[Ramaloke]

So Im not quite sure this trick works, but it seems like it should. Reading over the Inhabitation power it never states what type of entity you must be to use the power.

That is to say that it doesn't seem to be restrict the user of the power to any particular plane of existance. An Astral entity, physical entity, or a dual natured entity seems to be able to use the ability with equal effect.

Furthermore, even if it is only useable by entities with an astral presence it is easy enough to begin astrally perceiving in order to become dual natured.

So here is the trick:

1. Make an Ally spirit with the Inhabitation Power.
2. Release the Ally Spirit but keep its Spirit Formula.
3. Take the Spirit Formula and Summon the Spirit.
4. Invoke the spirit to get it the Endowment Power.
   (The Test is Magic + Binding + Spirits Force, We want at least 5 Hits, Spend Edge just to be sure for maximum Exploding 6s)
5. Find yourself a proper vessel. Somebody physically fit with no ware is preferable.
6. Prepare the Vessel. Use Mind Control Magic to make the vessel willing.
   (Enchanting + Magic, Vessel's Willpower, 1 day)
7. Begin using the Inhabitation power. Duration is (Spirit's Force) Days.
   (Opposed Test, Spirit's Force x 2 vs Vessel's Intuition + Willpower, you might be able to add your Binding skill to either dice pool. If so add it to the Vessels and spend edge.)

The final result is one of 3 things. Depending on the way the rolls on the last test went. If the spirit gets 2 net hits you get a True Form merge, if less than 1 net hit was scored for either spirit or vessel you get a Hybrid Form, if the vessel scores 2 net hits you get a Flesh Form. All three are good, though some are better:

1. A True Form Merge. You become a completely astral entity, gaining the Astral Form and Materialization powers. I'm inclined to say that you also gain a Force Attribute equal to your Magic Attribute or use your Magic Attribute in place of Force, others may not agree (as seen below, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ).
2. Hybrid Form. You become a dual natured entity permanently with all the bennies and downsides of that status. You gain Immunity to Normal Weapons (Again, Im inclined to give F = M, or use M as F, up to your GM though), and a new body, note that you can interface with ware and tech just fine. Add your physical stats to the vessel's physical stats. Neat.
3. Flesh Form. This is the best outcome. You become a dual natured entity permanently with all the bennies and downsides. You gain Immunity to Normal Weapons (Again, Im inclined to give F = M, or use M as F, up to your GM though), all the memories, abilities, and skills (both Active and Knowledge) of the host and Realistic Form and Aura Masking! Add your Physical stats to the vessel's physical stats. Note that you can interface with ware and tech just fine.

-edit-

Fixed some bits and added some others, accounted for Yerameyahu's position.

[Yerameyahu]

It seems like you can either follow the rules to the letter in order to sneakily do things, or you can alter things. You can't do both. If you're giving a non-spirit the ability to inhabit, you have to accept that you don't have a Force attribute at all. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) That'll be a rough character!

[Ramaloke]

Well, not having a force attribute really isn't that large of an issue at all. It just means that Immunity to Normal Weapons doesn't work for you since your Force = 0. Realistic Form just works and Aura Masking (the equivalent of 2 metamagics I might add) both key off of Intuition + Magic + Initiation.

A Spirits stats are dependent on Force, yours aren't, regardless of whether you are astral or not. This means Background counts, which specifically affect a spirit's force or a magician/adepts magic, dont mean squat to your physical stats. Your Astral Form magician with Materialization can even manifest in background count zones larger than his body and not "die", for example.

[Yerameyahu]

I feel like ItNW and the +Force stats are the whole point, though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Karoline]

I feel like ItNW and the +Force stats are the whole point, though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Well, actually if you can manage a flesh form, you can potentially gain a few hundred karma worth of skills as well as a similar amount of physical stats. And if this is allowed, there is nothing preventing you doing it multiple times, meaning you could easily use it to reach maximum stats and gain tons and tons of skills. It is also the ultimate means of going under cover or into hiding.

Edit: I do agree with Yera that you don't get to follow the rules to the letter in order to do something like this and then make an exceedingly huge leap in the rules to gain F=Magic.

[Ramaloke]

Really the whole point is adding your physical stats to the vessels, getting a boatload of skills for free, and 3 metamagics for the price of 1. ItNW would be just gravy.

Technically there is a way to get a Force Attribute, and it involves finding a spirit with Energy Drain (Essence), Endowment/Spirit Pact: Power, and using that to get 1.5 Magic = Force. You could easily get 9. Hardened Armor 18? Sure thing.

-edit-

As for doing it multiple times, Id say it depends entirely on which form you get. A true form merge? Yeah, you could pull it off again, a Hybrid for a Flesh Form? No, I dont think it'd work since you would just add your original stats to the new vessel, the skills might carry over though. Its a question of whether the skills are meatlocked into the vessel or come with you, I know the vessels stats should stay with.

For example if you were to astral project with this setup, I dont think you'd be able to bring the bodys physical attribute bonuses with you into the astral, you'd just use your base stats that you had before the inhabitation.

[LurkerOutThere]

Every time this thread gets posted someone thinks their the first to discover it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It's a long way to go for something few GM's in their right mind would allow based on flavor alone.

[Ramaloke]

I think the flavor could be quite excellent if done correctly. Lets say the magician in question contracts some terrible disease or has some grievous injury that modern science cant fix. This would be a viable solution to his problems no?

[pbangarth]

Under the Endowment spirit power description in Street Magic, p. 99, it says, "...grants the use of one of its powers to the subject." A Force 6 spirit with Endowment could grant "the use of" one of its powers to a subject. What Force would that be? The power granted is the spirit's power, which is a Force 6 power. The subject gets what the spirit gives the use of: a Force 6 power.

[Ramaloke]

I'm not trying to be dense, but how is that helpful pbangarth? That means that the only factor a spirits force has in the whole trick is how long it takes to do the inhabitation.

[pbangarth]

I'm not trying to be dense, but how is that helpful pbangarth? That means that the only factor a spirits force has in the whole trick is how long it takes to do the inhabitation.

It was a reply to the discussion above and elsewhere about what Force the borrowed power would have, when the borrower does not have a Force stat. Some argue use Magic instead, others argue if the borrower has no Force, then neither does the borrowed power. I argue that if the spirit lays its power on you, there is only one possible Force that power could have, that of the spirit that is lending it.

[Karoline]

Yes, though in the case of ItnW it gives you rating equal to double your force, as opposed to the force of the power used. I do agree though that any power granted from a spirit should have F equal to the spirit's F, but only when the F of the power itself is important.

[Ramaloke]

Ahh, well in that case, the answer is in one of the FAQs. You do use the spirit's force.

[pbangarth]

Ahh, well in that case, the answer is in one of the FAQs. You do use the spirit's force.

Ah, that would be the following, from the Shadowrun FAQ:

A spirit with Endowment can share any power it possesses. When using the power the character uses the spirit's attributes for any tests necessary for the power, as the power originates from the spirit.

Thanks!

[Yerameyahu]

Logically, I'm not sure that this means you Inhabit using their force, though.

[Ramaloke]

Well, you do Inhabit using their force. Thats why I said that the process takes (Spirit's Force) days, if you dont Inhabit using their force (because it as ruled that way by GM or some such) then the process takes 0 days and will pretty much result in a Flesh Form merge (the best one) every time.

Regardless of whether or not you use the spirits force for Inhabitation, the ItNW is given to you. You aren't borrowing it from the Spirit like Inhabitation. So you dont get the benefit of it since your force is 0.

[darthmord]

Logically, I'm not sure that this means you Inhabit using their force, though.

Why not? You have an Endowed Power. Logically it extends that if you are using such a power, any checks you have to make with the power are resolved as though the spirit was using the power. It passes the sniff test IMO.

[LurkerOutThere]

I think the flavor could be quite excellent if done correctly. Lets say the magician in question contracts some terrible disease or has some grievous injury that modern science cant fix. This would be a viable solution to his problems no?

if by viable you mean making a very powerfullenemy of your former ally spirit in or order to exploit a loophole that in my opinion is to denote that allyspirits and free spirits army the same as others. Sometimes the universe isn't about the pcs backstory.

[Ramaloke]

if by viable you mean making a very powerfullenemy of your former ally spirit in or order to exploit a loophole that in my opinion is to denote that allyspirits and free spirits army the same as others. Sometimes the universe isn't about the pcs backstory.

How exactly in invoking your formal ally spirit going to make it an enemy? You just gave it a huge powerboost. I mean sure, it might have abandonment issues, but other than that, making it an enemy? While I suppose it is a potential outcome, it surely isn't the most likely outcome.

As far as denoting that ally spirits and free spirits arent (I think thats what you meant) the same as others, yeah they arent, but nothing prohibits a normal spirit from having inhabitation. Nothing I've done in the trick makes ally spirits less useful or cool, or free spirits less special.

[Yerameyahu]

That's what I'm saying, Ramaloke. The Inhabit power (and the action) itself is borrowed, but that hardly means that every future use of Force (including the inhabitation entity results) is also borrowed.

[Ramaloke]

That's what I'm saying, Ramaloke. The Inhabit power (and the action) itself is borrowed, but that hardly means that every future use of Force (including the inhabitation entity results) is also borrowed.

I never said that was the case. I advocated letting the summoner use his magic as force or gaining a force attribute equal to his magic so that ItNW would work, I never advocated using the spirits force for anything but the original endowment power which is how it actually works. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The resulting inhabitation entity uses the scores from the magician and the vessel in all cases.

[Yerameyahu]

… I know. This is called 'agreeing' and it's what I'm doing with you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Ramaloke]

… I know. This is called 'agreeing' and it's what I'm doing with you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Ahh, well then Cheers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Hard to fault a guy for agreeing with me.

-edit-

Unless you happen to be my Girlfiend, she always seems to be able to fault me. Though I'm pretty sure most of her questions are trick questions anyway.

[pbangarth]

Unless you happen to be my Girlfiend, she always seems to be able to fault me. Though I'm pretty sure most of her questions are trick questions anyway.

Heh. Wait till you get married.

[Yerameyahu]

"Girlfiend"; typo, or just appropriate? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)