 Super-size me!, Animal stats in the Critters book |
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 Mar 11 2005, 08:10 PM
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#1
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Running Target  Group: Members Posts: 1,408 Joined: 31-January 04 From: Reston VA, USA Member No.: 6,046  |
I'm annoyed by the way critters handles exceptionally large (or small) varieties of critters. In the book, exceptionally large creatures get a +5 to one or more (gm discretion) of their physical stats. This might make sense for exceptionally large critters (15 Bod Juggernauts become 20 Bod Juggernauts), but it gets ridiculous for the smaller ones (7 Bod Devil Rats and 6 Bod Ghede Flies!).
Instead of adding a flat +5 to the critter's stats, it makes more sense to me that you'd add +50% of their base stat (round down). So uber-juggernauts have bod=22, and big ghede flies are still bod=1. Seem reasonable? |
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Mar 11 2005, 08:04 PM
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#2
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,013 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Hey! I like my Ork-sized Ghede flies!
I'd say at the very least round up. Otherwise, what's the point? Exceptionally large vampire Troll! ~J |
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Mar 11 2005, 08:15 PM
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#3
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,840 Joined: 24-July 02 From: Lubbock, TX Member No.: 3,024 |
Actually, I thought you added 50 percent and not a flat number of 5, so I guess that way makes more sense, at least to me.
Bod 7 demon rats...woo. |
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Mar 11 2005, 08:18 PM
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#4
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Mr. Johnson Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,587 Joined: 25-January 05 From: Berkeley, CA Member No.: 7,014 |
Demon Rats (and their progenitor, Devil Rats) are already half the size of a dwarf. I don't see any problems with an Ork-sized one, especially since they are a SURGE experession.
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Mar 11 2005, 09:24 PM
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#5
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,408 Joined: 31-January 04 From: Reston VA, USA Member No.: 6,046 |
How about Body 6 normal rats and housecats? Body 5 house flies? |
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Mar 11 2005, 09:35 PM
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#6
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Mr. Johnson Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,587 Joined: 25-January 05 From: Berkeley, CA Member No.: 7,014 |
If you read on the page before, p18,
This contradicts the table on the next page. I'd use that text instead of the table, although with the amount pollutants and mutagens being dumped into the environment, the incomplete nature of the Awakening, and the relaxed laws on animal experimentation, there may be rats as bit as Capybaras. I'd expect GMs to use common sense.
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Mar 11 2005, 11:16 PM
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#7
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Immortal Elf Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670 |
besides, houseflies wouldn't be body 1, they'd be body 0. now, cockroaches...
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Mar 12 2005, 12:31 AM
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#8
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Mr. Johnson Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,587 Joined: 25-January 05 From: Berkeley, CA Member No.: 7,014 |
Well, the female Ghede flies have Essence Drain (temporary) and every point of essence feeds directly back into their Body, so I'd say they are a bad example to use for a disproportionate Body critter. A 6 Body Ghede fly could conceivably exist, if it bleeds someone dry of Essence. |
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Mar 12 2005, 12:24 AM
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#9
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Canon Companion Group: Members Posts: 8,021 Joined: 2-March 03 From: The Morgue, Singapore LTG Member No.: 4,187 |
I play by both rules. If +5 is within the 50% envelope for a random critter, then it is a +5, if not, limited to only 50%. Otherwise, if it is not a random critter, if I want the largest specimen I can find, it is 50%.
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Mar 12 2005, 02:17 AM
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#10
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 556 Joined: 28-May 04 From: Moorhead, MN, USA Member No.: 6,367 |
Sure a body 6 Ghede fly is a seriously unusual tiny insect, but consider that humans run the gamut from 1 to 9 with 3 being the "pedestrian" value.
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Mar 12 2005, 02:35 AM
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#11
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Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
I pretty much agree with this. I do think there should be some exceptions, where a Critter could possibly have more than a 50% increase, but that'd be on a case-by-case basis, and certainly not a random occurrence. |
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Mar 12 2005, 12:40 PM
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#12
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 611 Joined: 21-October 03 From: Yorkshire Toxic Zone Member No.: 5,752 |
A body 6 ghede fly because its drained you dry... seems to me at that point its skin would be stretched so tight if you flick it with your finger its gonna explode all over you... ;)
Not canon, but it would be funny: 'yes, you beat it in hand to hand so it doesn't bite you. No, don't worry about staging up the damage, it bursts all over you and you're covered in goo. Better make a test to resist disease... and you've got a +4 to all CHR related tests until you've had a shower.' |
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