Updated Gremlins

[boxee]

House DeLong developed a class of soldiers designed for covert operations. They are called Gremlins, they are short bat winged humans,averaging three to four feet tall. Created by emerging into a genepool where their body is completly remade. The process takes about a week and the subject is unconscious. If the subject is removed before the process is complete the subject dies. Gremlins may be male or female however they cannot reproduce naturally.

Gremlins may be sent on solo long range missions or be part of a unit. As part of a unit they make excellent pointmen and scouts. Gremlins are not frontline troops, but may be forced into that situation.

One favored tactic is have the gremlin set explosives to draw troops away from the real target. Another tactic is using acid to slowly and nearly silently sabotage robot repositories, power farms, or industrial centers. Gremlins may also be sent to spy on rival houses or sent on long range recon missions.
Good fluff does the following: Why this class exists (history/lore/game role), how it should played, make you want to roll one up.

alignment: any
attribute requirements: none
attribute bonuses:
+1d6 PS
+2d6 speed
+1d6 PB (are seen as being cute)
occ bonuses:
splicer strength
+1 attack/round
+1 initiative
+1 dodge
+1 strike
+2 to pull punch
+5 vs. poisons/drugs
+10% vs coma/death
+2 vs horror factor

Base MDC: PEx5 +1d6/level.
bio-regenerates 1d6MDC per melee round. Can last ten times longer then normal during strenuous activity before feeling effects of exhaustion, can remain alert three days without sleep.

biological enhancements:
acid blood
bio-comm
chameleon skin
flight appendages (leathery wings).
6 acid nodules.
acid nodules are concealed, only a small bib can be seen.
stealth field

starting additional bio-e points: 3d4x10+20, +12 bio-e/level.

common skills:
standard (+10%).
occ skill programs:
infanrtyman (+10%)
reconnaissance/scout (+15%)
saboteur (+10)
one skill program of choice (use roughneck skill program list)

elective skills: Gets more skills as per roughneck.
bio-comms (+15%)
operate bio-equipment (+10%)
wilderness survival (+10%)
two of choice (use roughneck elective skill list)

secondary skills: Gets more skills as per roughneck.
four of choice


Standard Equipment: (highly varied from gremlin to gremlin)
Eye Pod, Face Wrap, Slap Patch
dagger, one handed bio melee weapon and bio-e handgun.
20 chigs, 10 migs, and 20 squigs.
miracle fiber armor
MDC utility belt with many pouches to hold small items.
Googles, first aid kit, clothes, sleeping bag, canteen,
two days rations, can be suplimented to last longer in field.
Gunny sack to carry gear on long range missions.

Gremlins may always draw explosives from house reserves to replace used ordinances. Supplies may be limited if the house is at war, or there is heavy combat.

May add more gear as you play.


Gremlins generally bunk with others of their kind, unless part of a very close unit.

Bio-E Enhancements for hand held weapons: 5d6 with 5 points/level.


Money- 1d4x100 in rare goods
3d6x10 in credits

[BookWyrm]

Here are a few thoughts;
The Gremlin process could be used by some Houses as an alternative to the Biotic method of using criminals from within the House as stock. The same Insanity rules for Biotics would apply. Make the process of going from human to Gremlin extremely painful, both physically and psychologically. They may be unconscious during the process, but it's still traumatizing.
The process limits their ability to speak (what sounds they make come out as grunts, raspy squeaks and something akin to a hissing laughter). Some handlers have developed a simple hand-signal language that enables both to communicate.

With most Gremlins the wings are small, vestigial (not much larger than an adult human hand). While not providing any real form of aerial movement, they do make a kind of soft clapping sound when the Gremlin is nervous, agitated or startled. The larger ones do grant the ability to Glide over short distances, but only from a significant usable height. One tactic developed by a sarcastic Dreadguard was to pick up a large-winged Gremlin, have it curl itself into a ball, then toss the Gremlin upward or in a high enough arc; at the height of the toss, the Gremlin would unfurl & dive-bomb the target. This became known as the 'Grem-Ball' maneuver.

As a by-product of the process, a Gremlin's skin color can vary from a stone-like grey to a slightly-dark green; the Chameleon Skin can make the skin seem spotty or scaly when not in use.
Appearance-wise, they look like the Gremlins of the old legends; short, about a meter tall, completely hairless & bald with slightly pointed tips on their ears. With most, their eyes seem to develop a protective membrane over the eyes, making them look either a solid milky white or a dark blue-ish black. Teeth appear to be sharp & dagger-like, but mostly harmless (only doing a single HP if you get 'nipped'). One sad side-effect of the process is that the Gremlins seem to sport dirty-looking fingernails and toenails. In truth, they are quite fastidious when it comes to hygiene.

There is a slight stigma to the process; most people treat Gremlins as semi- or unintelligent, like a simple mutt. However, while the process does hamper intelligence, it does not make the Gremlin an idiot.
Also, while the original subject had been male or female, the process upon completion leaves them looking gender-neutral or ambiguous at best. For modesty's sake, they are given some small scraps of clothing to be used, such as a tunic or wrap.