Tyciol wrote:After reading the power, and looking at the many often ignored different species of insects in many of Palladium's publications, I began to wonder if perhaps it could have an influence over these kinds as well.
Under the power, it lists as an important note that Mutants in Orbit is suitable for use with Heroes Unlimited. Is this just a general note to insect lovers, or is it perhaps implying that the power could be used to control them as well? While these insects are definately bigger, for many of them I'm not as sure that they'd be any smarter. They only have an IQ of 1D6 after all.
Other interesting insect creatures for considering are the Xiticix, Gatherers, Pincer Warriors, Dabugghs and Mantax Sectles from Rifts, the Star Hives from Phase World, the Vacuum Wasps from Nightbane: Between the Shadows, and the Glinerachs, Chyknz Worms, and possible the Seleniaks from Skraypers.
In the case of intelligent insects, it would be similar to attempting to use a summon and control canine's spell on a wolfen. If it were to work at all, it should be at least possible to resist it, and work similar to the Control Others spell, just on mutants only.
Other powers that came to mind were Animal Abilities and Animal Metamorphosis, as there are no insect powers akin to these, would it be possible to get them, making some estimations on what such things would provide? If not, Shape Changer would cover that and be ultimately more useful.
In such fictions as Starship Troopers and Starcraft, we can see the horrors that great armies of insects can unleash. I can only hope they are as good in the Rifts Movie (any idea if they'll have the Xiticix in it? Probably not more than a cameo if anything for the first one). Such an alien mind is extremely frightening. Even in Aliens, they seemed quite insect-like, though based on other creatures.
That's not a bad idea, having it work similar to Control Others when it came to mutant insects. As for the Animal Metamorphosis, technically an argument can be made for a character with this power being able to transform into insects as they are considered part of the animal kingdom and the power description does have an 'any and all animals' option... however, one of my few house rules forbids that happening again in any of my campaigns.