My GM is toying around w/ the idea of allowing shifter characters to use their karma to purchase critter powers.

What do you guys think of this idea? And if you like it, what do you suggest for karma costs?

--Cheeba

I think it's a great idea and your GM is a genius

Hrrm ... well an easy solution would be to purchase the powers (up to the essence level, but no higher) as if they were spells - at the same cost.

However, rule that you cannot use the power until it has been purchased up to the essence level.

Though, which critter powers are appropriate ... tough call.

It really depends on the critter power and how well you can justify it in the conceptual framework of the adept's abilities.

-Siege

I'm his GM. I was trying to find a way to let shifters actually improve. No cyber sucks, and I just hate the idea of phsy-ad shifters, so powers was all I could think of.

So, here's the plan:
For 20 points of Karma, you can get a critter power at half essence (they have an essence of 8 after all).
You can add another 2 levels up to essence for another 20 points per increase. So, to get accident at essence ( it would cost 60 points.
I think it's a cool way to do it, and expensive enough that it shouldn't unbalance. Think about it, when the guy's running from the wearwolf, he always trips on something, or his car won't start, or something right? Well, now you know why.

It's a bad idea.

Fun as it may be, as most bad ideas can be, it's an unfair advantage to the PC. It deteriorates gameplay by allowing the player/character to become less afraid of critters since it can eventually become as powerful and scary as any of them are. It's always better to have something out of reach, something beyond the player/character's understanding. It builds a certain fear and respect of the unknown and adds an element of uncertainty and indecision at critical points in a run. Things that GMs love and help to make some of the best roleplaying and testing the bonds within the team.

Besides which, there is no way for a PC shapeshifter to learn these techniques. They would have to go out among paranormal critters and locate a specific one that has the power it wants. AND THEN, without killing it or being killed by it, convince it to teach them the critter power. (Which to them is innate and fairly unteachable.) Oh I forgot, communicating with such an animal is another challenge to overcome. Mindlink perhaps...

An adept gets powers automatically because that is their specialty. Similar to how a totem speaks to the shaman it wants to join its way, an adept can sense the abilities they naturally have access to and can invest their time and energy in learning. Critter powers are not innate to Shapeshifters and would require them to seek teachers, as in the aforementioned encounter.

It's your game, but if I were a player in that run and had a shapeshifter who could learn critter powers like Astral Armor, Engulf, Mist-Form, Enhanced Physical Attributes and Enhanced Reactions (1/2 essence + natural 1d6 = 5d6 for shapeshifters...

Pretty soon I would find the game too easy. And the GM would find it too challenging to invent all new terrors to keep the player group happy. And then he'd have all new gifts to grant them. It's the old old trap... letting one's players get too powerful too quickly. —let me ammend that: powerful to a not so fun degree. Even if it does take them years to achieve it—

Any critter power that mimics a spell effect should have spell costs. Either make them buy it at essence level or limit the effect to corrispond to the level purchased (L3 Concealment adds 3 to perception TNs even if the user has an essence of 8) Some powers should be restricted by common sense, a wolf shifter should not have access to the "Fire Engulf" power.

After reading some of them, you may want the cost to be 2 karma for each magnitude for abilities with permanent effect, 1 karma for 2 magnitudes of restricted uses per day, and 1 karma for 1 magnitude of at will instant or sustained.

If those appear to cheap, double each cost.

I would limit which powers they could learn, and have them learn them as metamagics (instead of metamagics at Initiation, that is) - actually learning the power would require either:
1) finding a teacher (intelligent animal or spirit with the power) or
2) doing a sort of vision quest (as per the rules for 'astral quests' for adepts).

If it's an adept 'shifter, don't give it a power point either. Maybe have them use the lowest of Initiate Grade and Essence as basis for the power. If you want mundane 'shifters to be able to lear the powers, assume they are 'magical' enough to initiate and gain powers without actually getting a magic rating (or give them a magic rating - they just can't use it for anything; once they've lost it, they loose all their nifty 'extra' critter powers)

Sounds like a grand idea (what runner wouldn't want to learn concealment?!)... given that shifters really are critters when it comes right down to it. Just makes sure it appropriately wigs out the PC's buddies when he uses that Fear power the first time (or, I shudder to think of it, paralyzing touch).

I like the isea. Confusion is powerful too though. These are going to be essence 8 creatures; using confusion on someone would give them a +8TN on all success tests and mean they had to make a willpower( 8 ) test to decide upon anything.

concealment is insanely powerful too.

Confusion is powerful, but it's a spell effect, so I hope it isn't that unbalancing.
Concealment is also powerful, but as it's self only, and it takes 60 karma to get it to the plus 8 area, is it really overpowered?

Anyway, does anyone else have any ideas for some type of power progression for shifters? I'm not sold on this, I just haven't come up with anything better. I'd love other suggestions.

as fun as those powers would be I think you should only let them get critter powers that fit in with the type of shifter they are.

like High frequency hearing and improved smell for Canine shifters ex: Fox, Wolf and so on. this way they shouldn't become to powerful but yet makes there animal side some what more apparent. well thats my 2

I'm avoiding phys-ad powers. I've also thought of using a bunch of powers from Werewolf: The Apocolypse. Of course then I'd have to work out how each power works in Shadowrun.