Homebrew Variations and Scars

[lladas]

So, I have some questions and/or feedback on this Variation, since one of my players is using it to make chestbursters with his character's murder tail. Concerning the Variation's Magnitude, is it supposed to be 2-5 [as written], 3-5 [as later mentioned in the thread], or 1-5 [as implied by the mechanics]? Because as it's currently written, the Variation's effects imply it is rated from 1-5 [allowing you to make a Magnitude 1 Offspring]. However, the Litter Deviation seems to be written under the assumption its minimum Magnitude is 2, but also does not grow more potent if Offspring has 3 Magnitude before adding the Deviation. Is there something I'm missing here? Is it just the result of conflicting drafts?

My table has assumed Offspring is rated from 1-5, and changed how Litter works, accordingly. The Remade can create a number of offspring each story equal to Scar Power + 1, albeit at one less Magnitude than they otherwise could [minimum 1]. The Deviation is still +2 Magnitude, so at the maximum Magnitude [Offspring 4 with Sympathetic Link and Litter], the Remade is only able to make between 2 and 6 offspring, each with 3 Scar-free Magnitude of Variations [and presumably, they would all be identical]. It's not quite what you were intending, but what do you think?

Sorry for the late reply. I teach at a big state school and the transition to online teaching for my courses has been rough along with everything else going on. You are right that the issue arose out of conflicting drafts and me not stating clearly that I had made edits.

Your table is right in their reading of the Variation. And I like your alteration. I will make edits to the Variation to note that it has been updated. Having 6 offspring with 3 Scar-free Magnitude of Variations might be incredibly powerful. Let me know how that goes.

Hope everyone is staying healthy and safe.

[SdeSpencer]

i made this a while ago, but i figured i should probably put this here just to get more people to see it. i wanted something simultaneously very evocative of the sources i took from and very flexible.

Forgotten (• to •••••)
Subtle
Toggled, Tiered

Memories of your actions are altered somehow (such as making it so that you weren’t there, or making it so that the “you” that was there wasn’t you), and this allows you to better slip away from conspiracy attention.

At all levels, treat a number of Overt Variations, Scars, and Merits of total Magnitude/Dot Rating no greater than Magnitude (including Deviations) multiplied by Scar Power as Subtle. As well, if a Conspiracy Tracking action bonus would be in some way countered by this Variation, decrease it by an amount up to Magnitude (including Deviations). In addition, treat Anonymity as costing half as many Dots as it would otherwise, rounded up.

At Magnitude ●, Everything you do while this is active are hazy and hard to recall. In order to properly remember what happened, the affected must succeed on a Composure + Intelligence memory roll. Successful memory rolls (including Clashes) allow memory for the rest of the Story. This is only attemptable once per Scene.

At Magnitude ●●, as Magnitude ●, but the dice pool is Composure - Scar Power, and either

• Quickly Forgotten: Successful rolls only allow memory up to the current Chapter.
• Forever Lost: Failure on the memory roll (or not choosing to roll) PERMANENTLY alters the memory and forbids future rolls unless actively reminded

At Magnitude ●●●, as Magnitude ●, but there is no base roll to resist the memory being altered (At ST discretion and Player Permission, certain Characters without ability to clash may get a chance die to remember) and either

• Slipping Away: Only available if you chose Quickly Forgotten as your Magnitude 2 effect. Successful rolls only allow memory up to the current Scene.
• Need to Hold on: You gain both Magnitude 2 effects

Deviations:

• (+1 Magnitude) Physical: As well as affecting minds, your power affects physical and digital record of your existence. These things alter or delete themselves as time goes on (typically taking about a Chapter, though as little time as a Turn to as much time as 2-3 Chapters is acceptable). If the record has some way to roll counter or Clash, it does so. If you have Mummy 2e, you may also take Enigma at half price, rounded up.
• (+1 Magnitude) Immediate: Usually, this Variation only affects memories after the Scene has finished and some time has past. If this Deviation is picked, this Variation will force memory Rolls/Loss every (10-Scar Power) Minutes (Turns in an Action Scene).
• (-1 Magnitude) Sticking Memory: Memories are never lost once regained through a successful memory roll.
• (-1 Magnitude) Lesser Forgotten Actions: While your version of Forgotten DOES alter memories, it only does so in a non-substantial way (such as rewriting all your supernatural actions as mundane, or all your actions seeming non-aggressive in afterthought). If this is chosen, Ignore the rules regarding Anonymity and Enigma, and treat Forgotten as a standard Subtle Variation for the purpose of The Relentless Deviation (Ignore Sidebar).

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SIDEBAR: Forgotten and Relentless:

Quite simply, Forgotten is usually a life ruining thing to have permanently on. Typically it causes basically everyone you love, such as your Allies and Loyalty Touchstones to completely forget you even exist (or be unable to recognize you). As such, it needs specific rules in order to be fair when it comes to Relentless Variation.

When Entangled with the Relentless Deviation, Forgotten adds a Deviation to it’s entangled scar, with an added magnitude of one half the default (not necessarily full) Magnitude of Forgotten, rounded up. This is in addition to, not instead of, the standard Relentless Variation Deviation. As well, treat Forgotten as an Overt Variation for the Purpose of Relentless Variation.

---

[espritdecalmar]

Serenity Now (•-•••••, Cephalist Variation)
Subtle
Directed, Tiered, Toggled

The Deviant can calm emotions and even induce a soporific state.

At Magnitude 1, the subject of this Variation adds the Deviant’s Scar Power to their next non-supernatural Composure roll made within the scene.

At Magnitude 2, the Magnitude 1 effect now applies to all non-supernatural Composure rolls the target makes in the scene.

At Magnitude 3, choose one:
Apatheia: The target takes a penalty on all rolls to cause violence, destruction, or mayhem equal to Scar Power.
Breathe In: The Deviant can suppress one non-Persistent emotional Condition or Tilt the target possesses for the rest of the scene.

At Magnitude 4, choose one:
Tranquility: The Deviant enjoys the benefits of both Magnitude 3 effects.
Lotus: The remade must have selected Apatheia as their Magnitude 3 effect. The target gains the Insensate Tilt. If the Tilt persists for the remainder of the scene, the target regains one point of Willpower.
Compartmentalize: The transformed must have selected Breathe In as their Magnitude 3 benefit. The Deviant can suppress one Persistent emotional Condition the target possesses for the rest of the scene. This has no effect on Scars.

At Magnitude 5, the Deviant enjoys the benefits of all Magnitude 4 effects.

Deviations

Aura (+1 Magnitude): The Variation affects all viable targets within range. Roll to target each one individually.

The Cephalist relies on the vibratory frequency of specially grown crystals to project feelings of inner peace. (Power Failure; Controlled, Wits).

The Coactive is constantly surrounded by an aura of calm, as the spirit of wrath within him feeds on the anger of others. (Murderous Urge; Persistent, Manipulation).

Tiny speakers embedded in the Invasive’s skin play subliminal ASMR recordings while in contact with a source of electricity (Involuntary Stimulus; Involuntary, Dexterity).

[lladas]

Chlorokinesis (• to •••••) (Chimeric Variation)
Overt
Directed, Tiered, Toggled
The Remade can bond with, and manipulate, plant through will alone.
The Broken can affect targets in range with a Size no greater than the Variation’s Magnitude times Scar Power.

At Magnitude •, the Deviant bonds with the target(s). The Broken gain the 8-Again quality on any Survival roll in the area and the Rote quality with the target itself.

At Magnitude ••, through their bond the Broken can promote growth or decay in a plant. The Remade can make a plant unnaturally blossom or grow in Size. Plants can grow at a rate of Magnitude per turn up to the maximum the Deviant can control. If they seek to wither a plant, the Remade can deal damage per turn to plants equal to Scar Power + Acclimation in an action scene. Otherwise, they can force a target to die and not bear fruit.

At Magnitude •••, the Deviant can instigate the plan that they are bonded with to move. The plant has a Strength equal to its Size + Scar Power and a Dexterity equal to Scar Finesse. The plant has a Speed equal to the Variation’s Magnitude – one fifth of the Size of the target.

At Magnitude ••••, the Deviant can break up their control among a number of targets whose combined Size equal no greater than their maximum.

At Magnitude ••••, the Remade can merge their body with the plant. While integrated, the Broken can manipulate the target as per Magnitude •••, but they gain a bonus to all rolls made equal to their Acclimation. While melded, any damage to the plant’s Structure causes an equal amount of lethal damage to the Deviant, and if they lose consciousness, they are expelled from the plant and suffer a medium Instability.

Deviations

• Photosynthesis (+1 Magnitude): The bond with the Deviant generates enough nourishment to keep the target alive and vibrant. This can be used to heal and keep alive any plant that was previously dying.The blood of the Dryads flowing through the Chimeric’s veins allows them to bond with trees like their ancestors and with that they are bound forever to their traditional forests lest they die (Native Environment, Persistent).

The Invasive was never meant to be anything more than the next step in agricultural technology so he must replenish the mutagenic fertilizer canisters he uses to grow his crop (Depletion; Controlled; Dexterity).
Symbiotic mold allow the Mutant to manipulate vegetation, but she shares their aversion to fire (Phobia; Persistent).

[lladas]

Communicable (Standard Deviation)
Scar Type: Any
+2 Magnitude: Using the entangled Variations infect other Remade in the area with the primary Scar. For Involuntary and Persistent Scars, the infection takes immediate effect. With Controlled Scars, the infection only takes hold when another Broken uses a Controlled Scar in the same scene. Any attempt to resist the infection uses the Scar Attributes of the primary vector. The primary Scar must be Magnitude •• or higher (before applying any Standard Deviations) in order to benefit from this Deviation.

+3 Magnitude: The Deviation applies to all the Remade’s Variations. Only one Scar can have this Deviation.

[SomethingFishy]

Sorry for the late reply. I teach at a big state school and the transition to online teaching for my courses has been rough along with everything else going on. You are right that the issue arose out of conflicting drafts and me not stating clearly that I had made edits.

Your table is right in their reading of the Variation. And I like your alteration. I will make edits to the Variation to note that it has been updated. Having 6 offspring with 3 Scar-free Magnitude of Variations might be incredibly powerful. Let me know how that goes.

Hope everyone is staying healthy and safe.

No worries on the late reply, I'm not much better, clearly : p. Besides, my player only just accrued enough Experiences to purchase the new Variation [and needs to get worse at managing Instability before his character can develop it]!

And yeah, having [effectively] 6 Manticores with 3 Scar-free Magnitude of Variations could be pretty powerful with the right [or wrong] power. Definitely not a change I recommend for every table!

That said, after we realized that Manticore Companion... doesn't actually provide guidelines on how the creature is statted [and neither, frankly, does the section on Manticores in the Antagonists section] we started workshopping our own take on the concept of "can make monster/s" which we might use instead. My player still hasn't decided which he prefers, but I might as well share it, since it does something subtly different from Offspring or Homunculus [which I took some inspiration from when coming up with the spawn's stats]. Can't have enough servitor monster powers, I guess?

Spawn [• to •••••]
Overt
Discrete, Perpetual
Through mundane or arcane means, the Remade bears strange or monstrous children.
At the time the Deviant develops this Variation, determine what form his spawn takes, what their general disposition is, and how they are born. Much like a Lash, these creatures are as varied as the Transformed themselves, and can be anything from squirming alien larva to immaculate, patchwork automatons. Regardless of appearance, all spawn have the following traits, modified by their Variations:

• Spawn take actions as if they were a Retainer of a rating equal to half Scar Power [rounded up] with expertise according to their concept and disposition. For the purposes of certain Variations, they are treated as using a given Skill when it makes sense, and likewise treat their pool as an appropriate Attribute.
• Defense equal to Scar Finesse
• Size equal to Scar Power
• Health equal to Size + Magnitude
• Scar-Free Magnitude of Variations equal to half Spawn’s Magnitude [rounded up]. Spawn use their effective Retainer rating in place of all Scar Attributes when calculating Variation effects and double their rating for Scar Finesse or Resistance rolls.
• Whenever possible, spawn do not roll Initiative and share their parent’s turn. Otherwise, they use Scar Finesse.

A Deviant’s spawn are generally loyal to their parent, and are capable of following simple commands. A Remade can create up to her Scar Power in new spawn each story.
This Variation may be taken multiple times. Each time it reflects a different kind of spawn.

Deviations:

• Fearsome Spawn [+1 Magnitude]: The Deviant’s spawn add one to their effective Retainer rating.
• Fecund [+1 Magnitude]: The Remade may create up to twice her Scar Power in new spawn every story
• Sentient Spawn [+1 Magnitude]: The Remade’s spawn are intelligent and can follow complex commands given by their parent. They also increase their effective Retainer rating by one.

The Chimeric is served by the grotesque larvae that hatch from the eggs her alien ovipositor compels her to lay in dead meat [Murderous Urge; Persistent; connected to a melee Lash with the Channel effect].

The Coactive suffers debilitating headaches, the only relief for which comes when the living nightmares gestating in her head slither free from her skull [Genetic Disorder; Persistent; Deviation: Suppressible [Perilous Variation]].

The experimental A.I. interfaced with the Invasive’s brain grants him the ability to build loyal drones out of nearly any mechanical device, but doing so takes time and parts [Preparation; Controlled].

Some Design Notes: So this is definitely geared towards making characters whose presence will eventually result in a horrific infestation/army. I tried to offset that by making the spawn individually weak. Ignoring Variations that affect these values, they usually don't have a lot of Health, are easily pushed around, and their Defense doesn't get very high. Before Deviations, most will have a pool that is, at best, 6 dice, and increasing the pool beyond that reduces the spawn's maximum Health and Scar-free Magnitude of Variations. It might not be enough for some tables and it might be too much for others, but I think it is a middle ground that works in theory. I welcome any critique, however!

[The MG]

[...] Homunculus [which I took some inspiration from when coming up with the spawn's stats].

I'm glad that you mention it, because I realized I made a grave error when I wrote Homunculus, and now I have an incentive to fix it.

Basing the summon's stats on Scar Attributes rather than Magnitude creates a strong incentive to max your own Attributes and burn every dot of Magnitude on Deviations, as that gives you more bang for your buck. This is an issue that affects Homunculus far worse than it does Spawn, because you wisely used Magnitude for more things, and didn't include negative Deviations or ways to increase the summons' available Variations.

As for the Spawn itself, it looks pretty good. Just rolling (Magnitude x 2) dice is a lot more elegant than the complex shit I tried to do with Homunculus, and I think I'm just going to lift that for my revision.

Can't have enough servitor monster powers, I guess?

We absolutely can't.

[Vent0]

Next up: (Re)Animation

[Primordial newcomer]

Next up: (Re)Animation

Should be interesting, while im sure you know, i would keep in mind the variation Healing Touch is capable of resurrection at magnitude 5

[Vent0]

Should be interesting, while im sure you know, i would keep in mind the variation Healing Touch is capable of resurrection at magnitude 5

I was thinking more Object Minionization, or Zombies, not full Resurrection.

[Primordial newcomer]

I was thinking more Object Minionization, or Zombies, not full Resurrection.

Ahh ok, my bad

[espritdecalmar]

Here's a Standard Deviation:

Reluctant Variation

Scar Type: Any

+1-2 Magnitude: The Deviant has difficulty accessing Variations entangled with the Scar. Activating the entangled Variations first requires a successful Scar Resistance roll. For Controlled and Involuntary Scars, this replaces the Scar Finesse roll normally made to activate Variations, and increases Magnitude by one, while for Persistent Variations, this adds a necessary roll to the activation process, thus making any Perpetual Variations Toggled, and increases Magnitude by two. This Deviation cannot be combined with an Involuntary Stimulus Scar that also possesses the Uncontrollable Deviation.

[Primordial newcomer]

No worries on the late reply, I'm not much better, clearly : p. Besides, my player only just accrued enough Experiences to purchase the new Variation [and needs to get worse at managing Instability before his character can develop it]!

And yeah, having [effectively] 6 Manticores with 3 Scar-free Magnitude of Variations could be pretty powerful with the right [or wrong] power. Definitely not a change I recommend for every table!

That said, after we realized that Manticore Companion... doesn't actually provide guidelines on how the creature is statted [and neither, frankly, does the section on Manticores in the Antagonists section] we started workshopping our own take on the concept of "can make monster/s" which we might use instead. My player still hasn't decided which he prefers, but I might as well share it, since it does something subtly different from Offspring or Homunculus [which I took some inspiration from when coming up with the spawn's stats]. Can't have enough servitor monster powers, I guess?

Spawn [• to •••••]
Overt
Discrete, Perpetual
Through mundane or arcane means, the Remade bears strange or monstrous children.
At the time the Deviant develops this Variation, determine what form his spawn takes, what their general disposition is, and how they are born. Much like a Lash, these creatures are as varied as the Transformed themselves, and can be anything from squirming alien larva to immaculate, patchwork automatons. Regardless of appearance, all spawn have the following traits, modified by their Variations:

• Spawn take actions as if they were a Retainer of a rating equal to half Scar Power [rounded up] with expertise according to their concept and disposition. For the purposes of certain Variations, they are treated as using a given Skill when it makes sense, and likewise treat their pool as an appropriate Attribute.
• Defense equal to Scar Finesse
• Size equal to Scar Power
• Health equal to Size + Magnitude
• Scar-Free Magnitude of Variations equal to half Spawn’s Magnitude [rounded up]. Spawn use their effective Retainer rating in place of all Scar Attributes when calculating Variation effects and double their rating for Scar Finesse or Resistance rolls.
• Whenever possible, spawn do not roll Initiative and share their parent’s turn. Otherwise, they use Scar Finesse.

A Deviant’s spawn are generally loyal to their parent, and are capable of following simple commands. A Remade can create up to her Scar Power in new spawn each story.
This Variation may be taken multiple times. Each time it reflects a different kind of spawn.

Deviations:

• Fearsome Spawn [+1 Magnitude]: The Deviant’s spawn add one to their effective Retainer rating.
• Fecund [+1 Magnitude]: The Remade may create up to twice her Scar Power in new spawn every story
• Sentient Spawn [+1 Magnitude]: The Remade’s spawn are intelligent and can follow complex commands given by their parent. They also increase their effective Retainer rating by one.

The Chimeric is served by the grotesque larvae that hatch from the eggs her alien ovipositor compels her to lay in dead meat [Murderous Urge; Persistent; connected to a melee Lash with the Channel effect].

The Coactive suffers debilitating headaches, the only relief for which comes when the living nightmares gestating in her head slither free from her skull [Genetic Disorder; Persistent; Deviation: Suppressible [Perilous Variation]].

The experimental A.I. interfaced with the Invasive’s brain grants him the ability to build loyal drones out of nearly any mechanical device, but doing so takes time and parts [Preparation; Controlled].

Some Design Notes: So this is definitely geared towards making characters whose presence will eventually result in a horrific infestation/army. I tried to offset that by making the spawn individually weak. Ignoring Variations that affect these values, they usually don't have a lot of Health, are easily pushed around, and their Defense doesn't get very high. Before Deviations, most will have a pool that is, at best, 6 dice, and increasing the pool beyond that reduces the spawn's maximum Health and Scar-free Magnitude of Variations. It might not be enough for some tables and it might be too much for others, but I think it is a middle ground that works in theory. I welcome any critique, however!

Shouldn't Sentient Spawn be plus 2 magnitude? It's a straight upgrade from Fearsome Spawn

[espritdecalmar]

Unhealthy Variation (• - •••••, Controlled Scar)

Keywords: Physical; Subtle; Repeatable

Activating the entangled Variations causes the Deviant to weaken steadily. Although similar to Perilous Variation, the effects of this Scar are more insidious in nature.

At Magnitude 1, the player may accept a Beat to fail a roll while an entangled Variation is active due to debilitation.

At Magnitude 2, the Deviant suffers the moderate Sick Tilt while any entangled Variations are active. Outside action scenes, the Remade suffers a penalty equal to Magnitude on any rolls requiring concentration or stamina.

At Magnitude 3, choose one:

• The Deviant suffers the grave Sick Tilt while any entangled Variations are active.
• The Deviant suffers the moderate Poisoned Tilt while any entangled Variations are active. The poison has a Toxicity equal to Magnitude, and must be resisted every Scar Resistance rounds/minutes.

At Magnitude 4, choose one:

• The Deviant suffers from both the moderate Sick and Poisoned Tilts while any entangled Variations are active.
• The Deviant suffers from the grave Poisoned Tilt while any entangled Variations are active.

At Magnitude 5, the Deviant suffers from both the grave Sick and Poisoned Tilts while any entangled Variations are active.

Deviations

Soporific (+1 Magnitude): The Deviant also suffers from the Drugged Tilt while any entangled Variations are active. The roll to shake off the effects for one turn is penalized by Scar Magnitude.

[The MG]

Take two. I'm tagging SomethingFishy just in case her player hasn't decided which minion Variation to use yet.

Anathema, Revised (Coactive Variation; ●● to ●●●●●)
Overt
Directed, Tiered, Toggled
The Broken is able to share some fraction of her Divergence, forcing Baseline conspirators – and anyone who draws her ire – to feel the jagged edges of a cracked soul.
This Variation allows the Deviant to inflict curses, which function as unentangled Persistent Scars of a Magnitude equal to or less than the Magnitude of Anathema. The Broken may purchase Anathema any number of times, each purchase allowing her to inflict a different Scar. The following special rules apply:

• If the victim is a Deviant, the curse doesn’t count against his number of unentangled Scars, doesn’t worsen with rising Instability, and can’t be used to entangle new Variations.
• If the curse matches one of the victim’s extant, non-Repeatable Scars, he only suffers the Scar with higher Magnitude.
• The inflicted Scar can’t be Addictive Variation or Maintenance.
• The victim can’t gain beats from the Scar’s Magnitude ● effect.

At the time the Remade develops Anathema, choose one rider to apply to her curse:

• Doom: The Deviant inflicts the Scar upon a target in range. Once per chapter, she can extend a curse to the end of the chapter instead.
• Forbiddance: As Doom, but the Deviant suffers a minor Instability when she lays her curse, and must name an activity forbidden to the victim (which he could reasonably avoid doing). The inflicted Scar only manifests if he then performs the activity. Whether it triggers or not, the curse lasts until the end of the story. This form of Anathema is Subtle instead of Overt.
• Geas: As Doom, but the Deviant suffers a minor Instability when she lays her curse, and must name a task to be performed by her victim (which can’t be impossible or suicidal). The curse lasts until the end of the story or until the victim completes the named task, whichever comes first.
• Sympathy: The Deviant can inflict her curse from anywhere in the world, but she needs to have a sympathetic link to her target (a sample of hair or blood, a treasured personal item, a loved one, etc.). This can be done once per story without adverse effects, but each additional usage causes a medium Instability.

Deviations

• Flexibility (+1 Magnitude): The Deviant may select from an additional number of riders equal to half Scar Power (rounded up) when she lays her curse.
• Severity (+2 Magnitude): As Flexibility and exclusive with it. The Remade’s curse can have multiple riders at once. If this would inflict multiple points of Instability, she only suffers the highest level.

The Transmissible Chimeric takes sick pleasure in injecting Baselines with the retrovirus that transformed him (Addictive Variation; Persistent).

By feeding a victim’s name to his inner demon, the Coactive allows it to possess them, but it soon grows hungry again (Power Build-Up; Involuntary; Resolve; Deviation: Short Circuit [Power Failure]).

The Invasive can drive people mad just by showing them the biomechanical nightmare beneath his skin (Persistent Drawback [Conspicuous Appearance]; Controlled; Dexterity).

Design Notes
Following lladas' suggestion, I revised Anathema to function more like Sacred Flesh. I may have gone too far in that direction, but I like it more like this.

Homunculus, Revised (Mutant Variation; ● to ●●●●●)
Overt
Discrete, Perpetual
Part of the Remade’s power manifests as a separate entity, reminiscent of a Manticore but far less independent. This Variation may be purchased any number of times, and each time it grants the Deviant control over a different entity.
The homunculus works as follows:

• It rolls twice its Magnitude for any action reflecting its nature (including activating or directing Variations), and half that for other actions.
• Its Advantages are determined as for a Deviant, using Magnitude in place of Attributes; it doesn't have Stability, Willpower, Touchstones, or Aspirations, but gains Scar-free dots of Variations equal to Magnitude.
• If the homunculus takes or heals Instability for any reason, it treats it as points of damage of equivalent severity (bashing for minor, lethal for medium, and aggravated for major).
• By accepting a level of lethal damage, the homunculus gains the benefits of spending Willpower. This damage can’t be healed by Variations.

If the homunculus dies, it returns to life at the beginning of the next story, or at the beginning of the next chapter if the Deviant accepts a medium Instability.

Deviations

• Malformed (-1-4 Magnitude): The homunculus suffers an unentangled Persistent Scar of a Magnitude equal to (Deviation + 1).
• Calcified (+1 Magnitude): One or more of the homunculus’ Toggled Variations become Perpetual.
• Instinctive (+1 Magnitude): The homunculus gains an Aspiration. If long-term, the homunculus adds +1 die on actions that furthers its Aspiration, or +5 on actions that could resolve it; if short-term, it adds +3 on actions that could resolve its Aspiration.
• Self-Aware (+2 Magnitude): As Instinctive and exclusive with it. The homunculus gains both a long-term and short-term Aspiration.
• Derived (+1-4 Magnitude): Every dot put into this Deviation grants the homunculus two additional dots of Variations.

The Cephalist can project an idealized self into the world, but this only warps her self-image further (Unstable Variation; Controlled; Manipulation).

An angel watches over the Coactive, defending him until he can meet his fated end (Misfortune; Persistent).

The Mutant’s severed head can only watch helplessly as some alien consciousness directs her undying body (Missing Limb; Persistent).

Design Notes
This version is marginally weaker than the first, but should be harder to powergame and slightly easier to handle. I folded its Willpower into its Health track to reduce the number of resources you need to keep track of, and split the Sapient Deviation into Instinctive and Self-Aware, which emulate the Symbiote Form.