SDC Were-men?

[Abadon Spectre]

I've already got the basic background for them worked out in my head, but was wondering what some of you more experienced rifts players/GMs thought of the following....

Taking the werebeasts as they are presented in Rifter #4 and making them non-SN creatures somewhat more along the lines of the changeling and auto-g.
Specifically making them human mutants (weremen) and...

Lose Natural AR and vulnerability to silver.
Lose magic and reduce PPE to 4d6
Keep attributes and natural abilities
Keep hit points add standard rifts SDC (2d6 + 12)
Keep psionics and ISP.
Keep Wildlust
Enhanced human lifespan (+50%)
Dominant genetics (can reproduce normally within their own type, but interbreeding with humans will produce a wereman 50% of the time).
Wereman abilities become active at puberty

Basically you up with a tough human who has some minor psionics, enhanced senses, and limited but potent shapeshifting.

Is there any published armor or technology that is specific to shapeshifters?

[Shark_Force]

sounds not much like a were-creature. why not just make them something else entirely, the megaverse is big enough to allow for more than one type of creature that has multiple natural forms.

[Abadon Spectre]

sounds not much like a were-creature. why not just make them something else entirely, the megaverse is big enough to allow for more than one type of creature that has multiple natural forms.

Yea, that's kind of the ultimate goal, but I prefer to adapt existing material and I haven't thought of a more plausible name for them yet.

While I don't have full story details (like names or set locations) worked out yet, but the basic story for these things is that they are/were a gene-splicer creation.

A gene-splicer was attacked by a CS unit trying to gain access to his tech and data base. He defeated the unit rather easily, but decided to punish the CS so he created the were-men. A human mutant that would play on some of the coalition states and mankind's most atavistic fears.
He changed the surviving unit members so that, while they themselves could not shift or have any of the other abilities, they would have increased fertility and pass the trait onto their young. He also altered their memories of the conflict to remove suspicion of his manipulation. He also captures and alters several dozen others in various CS controlled areas and elsewhere around the continent. Time passes and a new and dominant mutation (which genetically resembles the psi stalker mutation before it manifests) sweeps through the CS and surrounding areas with record speed.

The idea is to have PCs play these were-men surviving an attempted purge and maybe even eventually find and settle/conquer their own land/world.

[ShadowLogan]

Is there any published armor or technology that is specific to shapeshifters?

AFAIK no, nothing exists to compliment shapeshifters.

[drewkitty ~..~]

I've already got the basic background for them worked out in my head, but was wondering what some of you more experienced rifts players/GMs thought of the following....

Taking the were-beasts as they are presented in Rifter #4 and making them non-SN creatures somewhat more along the lines of the changeling and auto-g.
Specifically making them human mutants (were-men) and...

Lose Natural AR and vulnerability to silver.
Lose magic and reduce PPE to 4d6
Keep attributes and natural abilities
Keep hit points add standard rifts SDC (2d6 + 12)
Keep psionics and ISP.
Keep Wildlust
Enhanced human lifespan (+50%)
Dominant genetics (can reproduce normally within their own type, but interbreeding with humans will produce a wereman 50% of the time).
Wereman abilities become active at puberty

Basically you up with a tough human who has some minor psionics, enhanced senses, and limited but potent shapeshifting.

Is there any published armor or technology that is specific to shape-shifters?

If you are going to be making them to be human mutants the you you might just go whole hog and us the Lycanthropy superpower from HU2. They could be called an RCC (fits PB's horrible usage pattern for the label, even thou I would not use it) since the trait is inherited like with the Psi-Ghosts in Psyscape.
You probably will want to avoid using "were-" in what you name them. (unless there is 'sudo-', 'quazy-', 'faux-' or the like to go with the 'were-')

EDIT: To be truly a Char Class, it needs a skills set. Not just detailing a race, nor just having racial bonus skills.

Answer: No, not that I know of armor or tech that is shapeshifter specific.
Force Fields….ether tech or magic... are the best 'armor' for Shape-sifters in my opinion.

[Abadon Spectre]

If you are going to be making them to be human mutants the you you might just go whole hog and us the Lycanthropy superpower from HU2. They could be called an RCC (fits PB's horrible usage pattern for the label, even thou I would not use it) since the trait is inherited like with the Psi-Ghosts in Psyscape.
You probably will want to avoid using "were-" in what you name them. (unless there is 'sudo-', 'quazy-', 'faux-' or the like to go with the 'were-')

I've played one of those (tiger form) before in an HU campaign and I really didn't like it so I tend to forget its there. Not to mention I simply just like the idea of having both a hybrid form and an animal form.
That said, I'm definitely not done with this yet, so I'll give it another look over.

The were-man name is just a fill in until I get more of the background worked out.

[Shark_Force]

sounds not much like a were-creature. why not just make them something else entirely, the megaverse is big enough to allow for more than one type of creature that has multiple natural forms.

Yea, that's kind of the ultimate goal, but I prefer to adapt existing material and I haven't thought of a more plausible name for them yet.

While I don't have full story details (like names or set locations) worked out yet, but the basic story for these things is that they are/were a gene-splicer creation.

A gene-splicer was attacked by a CS unit trying to gain access to his tech and data base. He defeated the unit rather easily, but decided to punish the CS so he created the were-men. A human mutant that would play on some of the coalition states and mankind's most atavistic fears.
He changed the surviving unit members so that, while they themselves could not shift or have any of the other abilities, they would have increased fertility and pass the trait onto their young. He also altered their memories of the conflict to remove suspicion of his manipulation. He also captures and alters several dozen others in various CS controlled areas and elsewhere around the continent. Time passes and a new and dominant mutation (which genetically resembles the psi stalker mutation before it manifests) sweeps through the CS and surrounding areas with record speed.

The idea is to have PCs play these were-men surviving an attempted purge and maybe even eventually find and settle/conquer their own land/world.

were-creatures seem like not quite the right thing to base it off then. increased PB would make sense for a creature intended as a revenge by a gene splicer, as would increased MA. beyond that, inserting some genes to make them wanderers and for males to seek relationships with multiple women could quickly spread this mutation far and wide... but enhanced physical attributes elsewhere don't make a huge amount of sense to me, or at least not large increases (i'm certainly not going to argue that physical attractiveness is not related to PP, PE, or PS). plus, having notably higher attributes might make the mutation stand out more, which would be undesirable.

that said, while puberty would be the stereotypical time for the mutation to become visible, it's pretty poorly suited to the gene splicer's goals. that would mean that the mutation is visible *before* breeding age... having the mutation a bit more delayed could potentially lead to an entire second generation of mutants having been born by the time anyone realizes what's going on. if the gene splicer could put a genetic timer of some sort in (and i don't see why not), having all the mutations start happening at around the same time, rather than when people reach a certain age, could throw people off even more and cause more panic, because until a proper investigation is conducted and the findings released, nobody feels safe (in contrast, if it happens at puberty, you can easily know you're safe if you've already hit puberty).

[ShadowLogan]

As is the suggested mutation traits seem fine, though others have pointed out issues with when they become active that I can agree with so it needs a bit more development there to address their concerns.

Since you are putting in minor psionics, that opens it up to an option to explain the shapeshifting: Ectoplasm.

Ectoplasmic substances are connected with at least 3 classes to form bodies in Rifts (T-Monster Man in SA1, Ecto-Traveler in SB3, Ecto-man in WB30), and the power itself says you can form limbs, and variants exist for disguises (mask) or golems (Astral Golem on the Astral Plane only). So you could have them appear to shapeshift by forming an ectoplamic cocoon like the T-Monster Man in SA1 (may not have the name correct, but their tattoos form an ectoplasmic shell around the T-Man type per text) though the ectoplasm here is psyhic in origin and not magical.

Classes with unique versions of psi-powers exist (CyberKnight, Amaki-Duelist, Psi-Slayer all have variants of Psi-Sword, CyberKnight and Psi-Shield, Burster's Pyrokenssis, Zapper's Electrokensis, etc), this is just one with an ectoplasmic bent of its own.

[Abadon Spectre]

Since you are putting in minor psionics, that opens it up to an option to explain the shapeshifting: Ectoplasm.

Ectoplasmic substances are connected with at least 3 classes to form bodies in Rifts (T-Monster Man in SA1, Ecto-Traveler in SB3, Ecto-man in WB30), and the power itself says you can form limbs, and variants exist for disguises (mask) or golems (Astral Golem on the Astral Plane only). So you could have them appear to shapeshift by forming an ectoplamic cocoon like the T-Monster Man in SA1 (may not have the name correct, but their tattoos form an ectoplasmic shell around the T-Man type per text) though the ectoplasm here is psyhic in origin and not magical.

Interesting idea... seems like that could be done with an expansion on the ectoplasmic disguise power. Make it a super psionic power, more realistic, and allow for some size expansion and weaponry. Then... expand on it for a class the same like the burster and zapper expand on existing powers.

[say652]

In the South America book 1, the Atlantean Monster Hunter might also be worth looking at.

[taalismn]

sounds not much like a were-creature. why not just make them something else entirely, the megaverse is big enough to allow for more than one type of creature that has multiple natural forms.

I'm good with this......there's various wars you can build them too....After the Bomb for animal forms, and Heroes Unlimited for transformative abilities.

Lycanthropy can be the property of life on an entire alternate Earth or alien ecosystem, so why just limit it to supernatural lifeforms?

[RockJock]

One of the newish vampire books has werejaguars with bone weapons that shape shift into body piercings. This lets them carry a tool kit in, or out of animal form. Sort of reminded me of Rahne from the New Mutants having her clothes turn into a collar and back.

I could see a belt with a magic, or Naruni FF? Maybe TW jewelry? Not so much as made for shapeshifters, but of great use by them.