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?
Full Version: Super-size me!
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
I'd say at the very least round up. Otherwise, what's the point?
Exceptionally large vampire Troll!
~J
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.
Bod 7 demon rats...woo.
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.
| QUOTE |
| 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. |
How about Body 6 normal rats and housecats? Body 5 house flies?
| QUOTE (Apathy) |
| How about Body 6 normal rats and housecats? Body 5 house flies? |
If you read on the page before, p18,
| QUOTE |
| The Physical and Mental Attributes of an individual may be 50 percent higher than those of an average specimen. A small individual of the species will always have Attributes of at least half the average unless it is sick and/or injured. Even in the largest and smallest specimens, Essence, Reach, Attack Type, Movement Multiplier and Damage Modifiers remain the same, though the powers of individual creatures sometimes vary. |
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.
besides, houseflies wouldn't be body 1, they'd be body 0. now, cockroaches...
| QUOTE (Kagetenshi) |
| Hey! I like my Ork-sized Ghede flies! |
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.
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%.
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.
| QUOTE (toturi @ Mar 12 2005, 11:24 AM) |
| 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%. |
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.
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.'
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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