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> How do Ghouls turn out in actual play?
mmu1
post Oct 18 2004, 11:48 PM
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I was doing some reading lately, and took a look again at the Ghoul rules in CC, which made me wonder about a few things.

1. Ghouls are blind, but it's a zero-point flaw. Does that mean they can get cybereyes to be able to see normally? The book mentions ghouls getting cybereyes and plastic surgery to conceal their identity, but are they functional, or cosmetic? The rules don't specify...

2. As far as blindness and astral perception go, what the hell does "...a +2 target modifier for visual tests based solely in the physical world." mean? Presumably, ranged combat is a visual test of this sort - but what about melee combat? And does "solely in the physical world" mean "anything without a living aura" or "anything that isn't astrally projecting or dual natured"?

3. The Willpower (6) check at character creation - how do you GMs handle that? Does it seem ill-conceived to anyone for creating a Ghoul character from scratch, even with the +2 dice? Aren't ghouls disadvantaged enough without potentially getting no successes on the test? (and don't tell me all races aren't meant to be more or less balanced and equal - if they weren't, you wouldn't have to pay extra to be an Elf...) And what happens if someone ends up with Int or Cha of 0, do you keep them from creating the same exact character all over again - thus effectively re-rolling?

4. Are there any big advantages to being a metahuman-flesh eating blind monstrosity that I'm overlooking?
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Fortune
post Oct 19 2004, 12:05 AM
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QUOTE (mmu1)
1. Ghouls are blind, but it's a zero-point flaw. Does that mean they can get cybereyes to be able to see normally? The book mentions ghouls getting cybereyes and plastic surgery to conceal their identity, but are they functional, or cosmetic? The rules don't specify...

Ghoul blindness is not the same as the Blindness Flaw, and may be corrected/alleviated with Cybereyes.

QUOTE
2. As far as blindness and astral perception go, what the hell does "...a +2 target modifier for visual tests based solely in the physical world." mean? Presumably, ranged combat is a visual test of this sort - but what about melee combat? And does "solely in the physical world" mean "anything without a living aura" or "anything that isn't astrally projecting or dual natured"?


Creatures that are considerd Dual-natured (ie. always active astrally) are exempt from the +2 to normal skills.

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tjn
post Oct 19 2004, 12:17 AM
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QUOTE (mmu1)
4. Are there any big advantages to being a metahuman-flesh eating blind monstrosity that I'm overlooking?

There are no big advantages to overlook :P Ghouls get fairly screwed over.

EDIT:

In reference to 3: I personally just give the best possible roll at character creation. Ghoul PCs have enough problems; they don't need to turn into mindless beasts too.
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Tal
post Oct 19 2004, 12:26 AM
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There was an argument about the cost of a ghoul pc here a few months ago, when you look at it, it really doesn't balance out except for the rarity value of intelligent runner ghouls...
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Capt. Dave
post Oct 19 2004, 12:32 AM
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I gave my ghoul player a choice: take the result of 2 sucesses (no dis/advantages), or make the roll and take whatever he gets.
He took the former option.

A ghoul is an interesting addition to a team, and can cause some comedic relief, as well as potential problems
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Tal
post Oct 19 2004, 12:43 AM
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'Specially a mundie ghoul. 'Sorry guys, there's an astral barrier over the building. I'll just wait in the car, okay?'
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Zenmaxer
post Oct 19 2004, 01:02 AM
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Yeah... unless you're going completely munchkin, ghouls are almost totally useless. Even then, I generally hesitate to use them, especially because dual-natured is a 10 point flaw for a reason.. There's no pain like actually getting whomped down by two watcher spirits.
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Tal
post Oct 19 2004, 01:09 AM
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...The hell do you munch a ghoul?
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Herald of Verjig...
post Oct 19 2004, 02:38 AM
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QUOTE (Tal)
...The hell do you munch a ghoul?

First, make sure you are a tiger shifter or bigger, then be sure to remove any weapons or cyberware on the ghoul (too crunchy), then just enjoy the meat.

If you mean munch as in the act of causing a munchkin, it's not really possible except for exceedingly specialized results. Most (maybe all, not taking the time to check) of the possible advantages a ghoul may have can be taken by SURGE, plus you are more able to have a stylish full body mullet.
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Dashifen
post Oct 19 2004, 02:40 AM
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Why a shifter? Just so you can regen?
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Kayne
post Oct 19 2004, 02:44 AM
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Not necessarily. You'd have to be pretty big, or hungry, to finish a whole ghoul in one sitting.
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Dashifen
post Oct 19 2004, 02:49 AM
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Yeah but that ghoul's not going to go down easy. Those nails are hard on the esophogus :)
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toturi
post Oct 19 2004, 02:54 AM
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To properly munchkinise a ghoul, you must make use of the Chargen procedure of creating a ghoul.

It is stated that a normal PC be created, before being Ghouled. Therefore, take all the Flaws a ghoul is going to get, then Ghoul him. IE get a PC that is Blind and is Allergic to Sunlight and has Sensitive System(or was that Biorejection?) then let him be Ghouled.
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stone-rhino
post Oct 19 2004, 03:00 AM
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Do mundanes become dual-natured if they turn into ghouls?
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Tanka
post Oct 19 2004, 03:11 AM
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Yes, Ghouls are dual-natured by (pardon the lack of words) nature.
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Eyeless Blond
post Oct 19 2004, 03:24 AM
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Which is why they suck; I'm not sure if anything a Ghoul gets is worth a 10-pt flaw
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Tanka
post Oct 19 2004, 04:57 AM
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While you're always active, that also means seeing any unmanifested spirits (which is a huge plus in some instances) and being able to deal with them while a lot of others can't (uh, pretty much 9/10 of the population?) even dream of seeing something unmanifested.
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Blaze
post Oct 19 2004, 02:50 PM
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At the risk of sounding like a complete munchkin (which I'm not, honest!), you could always make your Ghoul a Warrior Adept and fit him with Cybereyes, giving you IIRC four whole power points to play with on an already passably hard character. I don't know if other GMs do the same, but I allow dual-natured adepts (or, at least, the only one I've had to deal with) use their adept powers against astral targets too, albeit using Charisma as Strength. This can make quite a useful character for dealing with magical defences and threats. Just because you can be attacked by something that most of your team-mates are immune and oblivious to doesn't mean you can't beat the snot out of it.

-JH.
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toturi
post Oct 19 2004, 03:20 PM
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As long as the PC is dual natured and not projecting, he is entitled to use his Strength for astral combat.
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Moon-Hawk
post Oct 19 2004, 03:23 PM
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Would the nutrition spell alleviate the need for metahuman flesh for a ghoul spellcaster? (or maybe for an adept with the not-quite-official knack power)
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Nikoli
post Oct 19 2004, 03:37 PM
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I would say it would stave off the effects of hunger for the ghoul but not the feeling, in otherwords, while they aren't becoming more gaunt and ugly, they sure as heck feel like they haven't eaten in a while.
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Moon-Hawk
post Oct 19 2004, 03:41 PM
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Right. Before it starts, I want to say don't confuse Nutrition and Fast. Nutrition gives you the nutrients you need, but you still feel hungry unless you eat something (nutritious or not). Fast removes feelings of hunger but provides no nutritional value.
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Herald of Verjig...
post Oct 19 2004, 05:39 PM
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The best thing about nutrition and fast are that at force 1, they provide you with at least one day's effect any time you cast it. You don't need more than a minute to make each effect remain, and since each lasts (successes+force)*12 hours, you don't need to cast it very often.
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Shockwave_IIc
post Oct 19 2004, 09:22 PM
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QUOTE (tanka)
While you're always active, that also means seeing any unmanifested spirits (which is a huge plus in some instances) and being able to deal with them while a lot of others can't (uh, pretty much 9/10 of the population?) even dream of seeing something unmanifested.

And if it's a nature Spirit it gets to spank you with it's confusion power, without the need to manifest. One of the reason's i dropped the Dual nature Surge Effect off one of my last characters.

Though i could be mistaken
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Fortune
post Oct 19 2004, 09:51 PM
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I'm not too sure about that. Doesn't it specifically state that the Spirit must manifest to use that Power? I'm pretty sure it doesn't state things in the same manner as it does for spells (ie. present on same plane).
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