Difference between revisions of "Nekomimi-Maiden/ShapeshiftingRevision"

Revision as of 01:23, 18 April 2010

Shapeshifting is an unfortunately expensive affair for the Lunar Exalted, suffering from the hypothesis that one thing letting you do ten little things [of approximate power "1"] is equal to one thing letting you do one BIG thing [of approximate power "10"]. Unfortunately, this does not hold true, as power increases tend to be more exponential or logarithmic rather than directly additive. As such, I have decided to take a look at recosting shapeshifting to be cheaper for the utilitarian effects, streamline the number of necessary knacks some, and ensure that the knacks that ARE potent [read: DBT] remain balanced. Towards this goal, I've taken inspiration from the Alchemicals and created "Adaptations", which are lower-cost improvements of the base knack. At the moment, I've just condensed certain knacks that seemed logical outgrowths of other knacks into Adaptations, but it'll allow for further expansion. Knacks now cost 6xp or 2bp apiece. Unless otherwise stated, Adaptations cost 3xp or 1bp.
A Lunar may take two knacks in place of a charm at character creation, and is required to do so at least once. Thus a Lunar under standard creation rules has, of Charms/Knacks, 7/2, 6/4, 5/6, or 4/8
Knacks are Bolded, Adaptations Italicized

Form Acquistion Knacks: Size
Humble Mouse Shape: Essence 2, Stamina 2. As normal.
Adaptation: Emerald Grasshopper Form, Ess 2, Sta 3.
Becoming the Swarm: Full Knack
Hungry-All Consuming Cloud: Full Knack
Towering Beast Form: Essence 2, Stamina 3. As normal.
Adaptation: Mountainous Spirit Expression, Ess 2, Sta 4.
Adaptation: Tyrant Mouse Dominion: Requires Mountainous Spirit Expression and Emerald Grasshopper Form
Titan Menagerie Method: Knack
God-Beast Transcendence: Knack
Illimitable Beast Declaration: Ess 5, Sta 5. Requires either Emerald Grasshopper Form Adaptation or Towering Beast Form Knack. Works as normal
Emperor Ox Expansion: Requires Mountainous Spirit Expression. Works as normal, is full Knack

Form Acquisition Knacks: Entities
Prey's Skin Disguise: Ess 2, Wits 3. As normal.
Green Sun Child: Ess 4, Int 4, as normal. Heart-Theft of the Behemoth is unnecessary for hunting down 'primordial creatures', only appropriate size and refinement knacks; no longer exists
Hearth and Flame Shell: Ess 4, Sta 4, as normal.
Adaptation: Heavenly Servant Imitation , requires Ess 5, Int 5.
Adaptation: Ash and Tears Banquet, Requires either H&F Shell or Green Sun Child.
Laurels and Ivy Technique: Ess 4, Per 4, as normal.
Adaptation, Root and Branch Mastery, requires Ess 5, Per 5.
Adaptation: Essential Mirror Form: Is Ess 6, Int 6 adaptation for any form acquisition knack that grants access to forms with essence-based powers, such as elementals, gods, demons, and soon.

Form Acquisition Knacks: Refinement
Luna's Hidden Face: Ess 3, Wits 3. Allows for taking of creatures unable to live in Creation; less mutated beings are valid with normal knacks.
Adaptation: Hungry Dream Cloak, permits Raksha form.
Life of the Hummingbird: As normal.
Adaptation, Taste of Luna's Champions. No EXP necessary by expending one additional success per borrowed shape to be permanently learned.
Flickering Star Infusion: Ess 4, Manipulation 4. No prerequisites, as normal
Compassionate Mirror Nature: Essence 2, Charisma 3. No prerequisites, permits hunting without killing.
Adaptation: Courtesan's Possession, Essence 3, Charisma 4. As normal.

Shapeshifting Refinement Knacks:
Hybrid Body Rearrangement: As per errata, except that abominations are not available with the base knack.
Adaptations: Monkey-Arm Style, Changing Plumage Mastery (as normal), Impossible Shape Restructuring (Permits abominations to be accessed with Hybrid Body Rearrangement)
Adaptation: Twin-Faced Hero; requires any Form Acquisition or Shapeshifting Refinement Knack, applies to all equally once purchased
Internal Form Mastery: Ess 2, Wits 3. Use natural physical attributes in stolen forms, plus allows for effects of aging on stolen forms as per Honing the Stolen Form
Subtle Silver Declaration: As normal.
Somnolent Statuary Method: Knack
Ant and Starfish Trick: Knack

Shapeshifting Speed Knacks
Quicksilver Second Face: As normal.
Adaptations: Lightning Change Style, Constant Quicksilver Rearrangement [Ess 4]

War Form Knacks
Deadly Beastman Transformation: Gives third true form, War Form. War Form allows for up to [Essence+4] motes worth of mutations to be allocated as per Hybrid Body Rearrangement, regardless of whether the Lunar knows that knack; these mutations are taken when the character enters their War Form. Additionally, they gain the benefit of the Gift-OK keyword.
Devastating Ogre Enhancement: Knack, Essence 3, Stamina 3. Gives +1 to all physical attributes while in War Form. Can be taken again at Essence/Stamina 6 and 9 for another +1 to all physical attributes in War Form.
Perfected Hybrid Interaction: Adaptation to Deadly Beastman Transformation; the Lunar may define the appearance of her war form and reallocate the mutation motes as she likes, so long as it is a blend between man and beast forms, whenever she takes the form. Additionally, she is no longer limited to "appropriate" mutations, and may have wings on a cat form if desired.
Terrifying Beastman Alteration: Adaptation to Deadly Beastman Transformation. When in War Form, all mutations - be they those granted by Deadly Beastman Transformation, or gained through Hybrid Body Rearrangement - cost 1m, much like a chimera.

[Edit] I will admit that I may have undercosted the base knacks some. However, I would rather make them less expensive to start and increase the cost to balance, rather than try to reduce the cost afterward.
[Edit 2: Edit Harder] Added rules for chargen, knacks from Dreams and Glories. Redefined Twin Faced Hero.
[Edit 3: Clarified which were Knacks and Adaptations for easy glancing
[Edit 4: Spaced better some. Also, rewrote DBT and War Form knacks]