Ok, so we have this free guardian spirit that is trying to find his direction in his new "life".

He's currently taking care of a few street kids and try to keep them away from trouble and keeping them dry.

Now, as spirit he has Mutable form, realistic form and masking.

So, what can i do?

I can look like anything and perform its function.

Here's a few ideas I've had - Problem arises when the book says a spirit can perform the same function as the object.

A briefcase
A large box
A potted plant ( had to)
A security drone
Gigers Alien
Someone famous
Someone infamous
Another team member
A suit of armour
A gun (probably unloaded)
A bulletproof vest
An animal
Any metahuman
Invisible (well, basically i CAN become air and gets the same aura look...)
Invisible metahuman form
A vehicle/drone (In this case i would count up to Body+Force in body size of vehicle so most of the time nothing fancy)
Cute kitten
A piece of furniture
A Securityguard uniform
A commlink

The list can become silly but in reality there is no limit...

I am going to be playing a Free Spirit in our game and we were trying to figure things out for the Mutable Form/Realistic Form/Aura Masking combo, as well.

Realistic Form
"A spirit with Realistic Form can be mistaken for a normal physical creature or object when it materializes, or it appears unremarkable when joined to a vessel. A spirit that appears as a metahuman would have a heartbeat and a regular breathing rate. A spirit that appeared as an object mimics the object’s normal functionality; for example, a toaster could be plugged into the wall to toast bread (though it would have no Matrix link, making it an antique toaster). The spirit is in no way disguised from the astral plane, but to physical observation appears to any senses to be a natural part of the physical world."

Mutable Form
"Spirits normally materialize using the same form every time. A free spirit with Mutable Form can appear differently each time it materializes. The spirit’s magical aura is unchanged. If the spirit also has the Realistic Form power (p. 102), add the spirit’s Force to any Disguise Tests it makes to impersonate someone. This power is only available to spirits with the Materialization power."

The above descriptions dont really give any kind of size limit or complexity limit. But, the toaster comment is interesting. Even an antique toaster has electronic parts and multiple moving parts.

Since they can become something as complex as a toaster, and perform the function as a toaster. (Granted, no computational or matrix capacity) What prevents them from becoming something that has no electronic parts are all? But, just mechanical. For instance, a non-electronic, old fashioned shotgun or LMG....

It would seem nothing would prevent that idea. Course, I can just see the number of spirits coming in as megatron clones now.

I'd say he needs to get the Analyze Device Spell and cast it on it before he can turn into it and have all of it's functions. Maybe even succeed in a Memory test with bonus dice equal to the net hits from the spell Modifiers could include how complex the device is and long it has been since he Analyzed the Device.

Otherwise he'll just look like it but not work.

But then again how can you actually plug it in if he became a toaster? Can it actually conduct electricity through it? I thought that it just looks and feels like the real thing, but things like metal buckles etc, don't really have any other properties (like magnetism).

A spirit that appeared as an object mimics the object’s normal functionality

That sentence right there tells you what you need to know about objects. If the spirit knows what a toaster is, it can turn into one and it will work. Just have to plug it in. The physical form mimics the functionality of the object.

I'd only limit the forms to what the spirit knew. So if you wanted the spirit to become a LMG, it'd have to know what one was and perhaps even assense it before being able to change into one.

Basically a spirit with Mutable Form is a doppelganger except it can dopplegang pretty much anything.

Obviously they do.

That opens up a whole can of worms.
Guns aren't that much of a problem, turning into a LMG without smartlink is certainly not the worst one can do with that power.
I've seen several discussions about possible half-spirits (does realistic form include functional reproductive glands?), ally spirits turning into aircraft carriers and LAVs and so on.
Even turning into acid or assuming the form of functioning nuclear weapons have been brought up.

Another debated question regards the attributes in the new form.
If a spirit with, say, Body 6 and 12 points of armor turns into a donut, can you take a bite out of him?
What does that do to the spirit?
Likewise, what happens if he turns into a solid wall of hardened steel?
What would the speed of a spirit motorcycle be?
And so on.

I was eagerly awaiting answers to this question, but now my brain hurts...

So was I. I'm designing a Free Spirit for a player and was thinking of giving her the mutable form and realistic form powers, but there has to be a limit to how it is used.

Is the box cardboard?

Yes, I just finished MGS4.

By RAW, the limits of this power are undefined and should be houseruled before anybody comes up with a free spirit or ally with that power to avoid unnecessary discussions.

One could rule that the spirit's stats always remain the same (in fact, anything else opens up worlds of possible abuse), and this is highly likely, given the fact that the power seems to be intended mostly as a way of concealment and not as a "i can transform into anything" auto win button.
Would be the most simple solution.

This would, unfortunately, limit nice concepts such as the spirit car (a black TransAm Firebird? Even though an AI might be more fitting for that...) effectively to posession spirits, as the spirit's normal physical movement rate would be ridiculously slow for most vehicles.

Also, and this is only an observation, but Realistic Form does not mention Immunity to Normal Weapons in the description, maybe it doesn't get this while using this power.

Oh, KITT is likely popping up everywhere with the introduction of AI PCs.

As for the spirits, the balance *might* be that you have to spend so much in the way of points to snag all of those powers. Also, can't masking be penetrated with enough hits? Also, insofar as the varied forms, you'll be limited in what you can do. A toaster is mechanical and electrical. A nuke is a molecular reaction resorting in a massive explosion. A gun is simple mechanics, but you'd still need the bullets.

There are plenty of limiting factors, you just need to see them.

Though the idea of a PC Free Spirit infiltrator who gets into a place by pretending to be a briefcase, then assuming the form of a different employee could be interesting.

From Realistic Form
"A spirit with Realistic Form can be mistaken for a normal physical creature or object when it materializes"

From Mutable Form
"A free spirit with Mutable Form can appear differently each time it materializes. "

From Materialization
"When materialized, critters may aff ect physical targets. Additionally, materialized critters gain Immunity to Normal Weapons.

'nuff said

For allies, that's only 2 karma per additional form.
A bit cheap for an aircraft carrier.



This, in any way, is easily possible if magical security isn't an issue.
I've also thought about giving an ally the appearance of its master.
Would allow for all kinds of nifty tricks, fake alibies and so on.

Though it could also prove desastrous when it gets free and has developed a grudge against you...
Sounds like a good variation for the evil twin quality.

The BBB4 says
"As a rule, spirit forms are metahuman-sized or smaller"

As far as what stats the spirit has in what form. From the RC:
"Materialized spirits have a movement rate of 10 meters per Combat Turn walking, and 25 meters per Combat Turn running, regardless of what type of spirit it was before becoming free. Any materialized spirit can use its movement rate in any direction, unfettered by gravity"

"For materialized spirits, the Physical attributes apply to its materialized form. For spirits of possession traditions, the spirit’s Physical attributes are added to the attributes of the vessel possessed by the spirit."

The GM simply enforces those rules, regardless of what form the spirit takes. It may have the 'functionality' of the object. But, for all other purposes, use the stats of the free spirit.

I understand what you are saying, but "materialize" actually has an english definition. I mean the Power is called Materialization not Materialize.

So what I'm saying is that you can materialize using Materialization, or you can materialize using Realistic Form. You can use Mutable Form while using Materialization, or you can use Mutable Form while using Realistic Form.

Like I said I know what you are saying, but I like it when things work simply and logically. Anyways, on page 177 of the BBB it says "As a rule, spirit forms are metahuman-sized or smaller..."

edit: oh, you got that already.

ok this says to me that any drone bike or hell even some armored vehicles are completely doable simply because of trolls or giants i mean mass, size, and durability would be insane.

only inhabitation allies can gain realistic form power. so if you have access to an aircraft carrier for the spirit to inhabit, i guess you might have problems... otherwise, you should be fine =P

this is true but being a free spirit cant you achieve that quite easily

Most traditional "Armored Vehicles" have more Volume then even a giant. But, say you make a spirit with the realistic form on an Armored Smart Car. it looks like an armored smart car, it sounds like an armored smart car. But...

"Materialized spirits have a movement rate of 10 meters per Combat Turn walking, and 25 meters per Combat Turn running, regardless of what type of spirit it was before becoming free. Any materialized spirit can use its movement rate in any direction, unfettered by gravity"

"For materialized spirits, the Physical attributes apply to its materialized form. For spirits of possession traditions, the spirit’s Physical attributes are added to the attributes of the vessel possessed by the spirit."

So, if the Spirit has all 2 in it's stats and say is a force 2 free spirit. It is an armored smart car with Body 2, Hardened armor 4 and a movement rate of 10/25. Cool thing is it could fly...

Seems to be rather clear cut.

Whatever object it LOOKS like it will have the stats of the spirit.

A sportscar will have a growling engine, exhaust fumes and the engine will feel hot when in use...But it aint gonna go very fast - not even with movement power.

We also have the possibility that there is literally no limit to how SMALL a materialized spirit can become.

"This is Mightly Lice, I have infiltrated the compound..and that CEO has far to much dandruff..."

And a F2 Lice would have Body 2 and Hardened Armour 4...not much other lice can do to him/her/it

We had our first game last night. Most of tha action is taking place in much buggy North Florida, at the moment. My Free Spirit with Mutable Form, Realistic Form, Aura Masking, Psychokinesis and Movement spent much of the time on the action part of the run as a knat....

Hmm, something to think about. Our group had a free spirit character for about half a session. He got fried with Mana Static.

Given a spirit's whopping vulnerability to background count, I'd say being able to turn into stuff isn't that big a deal, balance wise. They're basically just glass hammers to the extreme--crepe paper nukes maybe?

Also, as has been mentioned, I think it makes more sense to say the spirit is magically imitating the form and function of an object, rather than actually reproducing the physical and mechanical traits. So a spirit imitating a toaster will toast your bread when it's plugged in, not because it needs electricity to power it's coils, but because that's how the object it's imitating behaves.

That might also answer the question of how vulnerable the spirit is when in such a form. It might "play the part", such as a spirit turned into wineglass shattering during an opera performance, but the spirit itself keeps it's stats, and won't actually be harmed unless the fat lady has studied Kiai and makes an attack of will.

Yea, at the top of my character's to do list is Clensing and Filtering