Additional Rules

 

Shapechangers

Shapechangers ("Shapers") are beings that are first and foremost animals who have aquired not only Sapience but the ability to assume a metahuman form as well.  Rumors of such beings have existed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years throughout the history of mankind of earth in civilization.  In the SR4.3H games, the Shapers are a fully integrated part of the game universe.  Found hereon are the rules for Shapers as found in the SR4.3H games.  These rules are a work in progress and may often make reference to specific PC's and NPC's as found in the SR4.3H games.

Shapers vs. Werecreatures

The Krieger strain of the Human-Metahuman Vampiric Virus has been discovered to have crossed over into some species of shapers.  These creatures are often quite mad and seen as highly dangerous in most societal laws.  In game mechanics terms, Werecreatures use the same mechanics as Shapers in general, but add the power of Infection.  Additionally, 1 in 6 werecreatures also possess additional powers as well as pscyhological disorders.

Shaper Characters

As a player-character, a Shaper is a race.  As such, they have a racial BP cost during character creation of 50 points.  Furthermore, a shaper has two sets of attribute of which they must purchase, those being that of their Metahuman form (Player selects from the five known metatypes) as well as that of their animal self.  Each Metatype has all the dis/advantages of the particular metatype with regards to attributes and adjustments (social, physical appearance, etc).  It is possible for a Shaper character to improve their physical attributes to either their primary metahuman type or their natural critter form but they are developed individually.  All shaper characters start as a single critter type and a single metahuman type.  They also begin with the following powers and abilities as well as disadvantages.

Powers

Disadvantages

Shaper Adept

This archetype is for those Shapechangers whose inherent abilities allow for them to develop a greater degree of control over their forms as well as the abilities possessed by those forms.  Often members of this archetype are referred to as Changelings.

BP Cost : 15

A Shaper Adept (Changeling) gains the ability to advance his/her abilities in various powers.  In many ways, these resemble Adept abilities (Enhanced Senses, Augmented Attributes) while in other ways they may resemble certain Manipulation/Transformation magics.  At the time of purchase, the only ability additional ability that is granted to a Changeling is the power of Masking bestowed upon them.  The Changeling can only use this ability at first to appear as a normal metahuman of the type they are assuming or a normal creature of the type they are naturally.  Upon actual Initiation, the power works exactly as the power described on page 190 of the SR4 text.

Upon Initiation, the Changeling can begin to develop additional talents and expansions to his/her natural abilities.  Furthermore, the Changeling gains the ability to increase their magic attribute in a manner similar to a normal magician character (pg 189 SR4).  The Changeling also may select a single Talent which is similar to a Metamagic selection a magician character can obtain.  The list of Talents available are found below.

Shaper Talents

This list of specific abilities is for the development of a Shapeshifter Magician and/or Shaper Adept (see previous).  Some of the talents listed below are unlearnable by any but the Shaper Adept archetype.

This talent allows the shaper to move through the air (or theoretically the water) as if their weight was supported on solid ground (or liquid water in the instance of marine shapers).  The shaper moves at their normal movement rates for the form they are in (metahuman or critter).  Initiating the ability is a Complex Action.  It is considered a Sustained Action and the shaper adjusts his/her actions by a normal sustaining modifier (-2 dice).

 

The power is expanded in that a shaper may communicate with other critters of their native species as well as utilize the power of Animal Control (pg 286).  GM's may wish to impose a -2 dice modifier if a particular critter, while of the same species may not be from the same region of the characters history.

 

The usage of this talent incurs a drain test upon the individual.  The GoI of the shaper is the number of bonus points that are applied to any of the Physical Attributes of the shaper in question (not to exceed twice the current statistic or twice the racial maximum, whichever is lower).  Optionally the points may be applied to the shaper in the form of an armor rating as per the Armor ability.  The armor value bestowed in this fashion cannot exceed the characters normal unadjusted Body rating.  The number of hits at the time of the test is the number of turns the augmentation is in effect for.  A Drain test is made by the shaper using Willpower + Charisma, with the DV (Stun) being equal to one-half (round up) the number of hits on the duration test.  This talent may only be used once per lunar quarter (7 day period).  This talent may be purchased more than once in order to utilize it more frequently.

 

This power grants the shaper the power of Movement (pg 289).  The number of hits bestowed by the test equals the number of turns the power is in effect for.  This talent may only be used once per lunar quarter (7 day period).  This talent may be purchased more than once in order to utilize it more frequently.

 

Commonly found amongst certain species of shapers, the power of Beast Rage turns the Shaper into an almost mindless killing machine.  To initiate the talent, the shaper must complete an extended <Body> (1 Pass) Charisma + Willpower test.  Once the test is completed, the shaper rolls his/her Magic.  Every hit attained in the test equals a +1 to all Physical Attributes as well as bestowing the benefits of Pain Resistance (pg 188-189).  Additionally, the shapers physical attacks are increased by +2 value.  The duration of the Beast Rage is also dependant upon the Magic test, with each hit equaling a number of turns equal to the shapers Charisma attribute.  At the completion of the talents duration, the shaper suffers immediate drain equal to the number of hits on the magic test, rolled with Body + Strength (unadjusted) as the surviving attributes.  This drain is tracked on the Stun condition monitor.  Furthermore, the effect is extremely stressful imparting a -4 dice penalty modifier on all actions for a number of turns equal to the hits initially generated.  If a shaper chooses to try and act during this duration in a stressful way (continuing to engage in combat for instance), then the duration of the modifier is extended for the duration they persist in the activity.

One of the most profound shaper talents, this allows for the character to perform an action exactly as a Shapechange spell with one very special exception.  The shaper can assume the form of any normal critter whose Body attribute is within a number of points greater/lesser than the Grade of Initiation of the shaper.  The talent is a sustained action.  The number of hits in the Magic test performed increased the base attribute of the form taken.  The GM may impose a dice modifier or perhaps a threshold in the event that the shaper is not fully aware of a particular critter type.  Only normal critter forms may be assumed, no paracritters allowed.

 

This talent allows for a shaper to be able to Regenerate damage taken from a Weapon Foci, Combat Spells, Critter/Adept Powers, etc.  The rating of the foci/spell/power is treated as a threshold that must first be exceeded (an extended test).  For Spells and Adept powers, use one-half (rounded up) the Force of Spell/Attribute of Critter/Adept to determine the threshold imparted upon the test.

 

This talent allows for a shaper to perform an incredible act of beneficence.  The shaper effectively synchronizes themselves to an individual whom is themselves harmed.  This allows the individual to gain the benefits of the Shaper's powers of Regeneration (as well as Enhanced Regeneration if so possessed).  The shaper makes an extended Magic <Body + Damage Value> (1 turn) test first of all to perform the synchronization with the subject.  Once the synchronization is completed, the shaper begins to make Regeneration tests on behalf of the subject.

 

This action is fatiguing to the shaper who performs the action.  They make a fatigue test equal to the Damage Value of the individual they perform this action for using Charisma + Willpower.

 

 

Critter Alterations

The following are alterations/expansions to the Critters as found on pg 291 of the SR4 text.

Dog

Great Cat (Large- Tigers/Lions)

Shark (Large - Great White, Tiger, Deep Oceanic)

Wolf

 

 

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