Homebrew Variations and Scars

[SomethingFishy]

Homunculus, Revised (Mutant Variation; ● to ●●●●●)

Oh, this looks good. I personally don't much like negative Deviations on Variations, but there's so much to spend Magnitude on in Homunculus, it is sort of necessary. I really like folding Willpower into the Health Track, plus calculating all derived traits using Magnitude is definitely a lot simpler than before. I might even revise Spawn to do something similar.

And my player ultimately went with Spawn for his character's chestbursters. However, this comes at an excellent time, because one of my other players had his character flip to Devoted last session, and wants his new character to be a Cephalist with a rebellious shadow that acts on his darkest desires. Homunculus is perfect for that!

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

My idea was that, while Sentient Spawn comes with an extra benefit, stacking both Sentient and Fearsome for spawn with effective Retainer ratings of 5 makes each good enough to keep them both Magnitude 1 [and allowing spawn to follow complex commands did not seem benefit enough for a Deviation]. However, I admit that Fearsome could use something to make it more attractive next to Sentient, I just couldn't think of anything not already covered by Variations. Maybe it could grant 1 Scar free Magnitude of a Variation like Carapace, Gigantic, or Lash? That could disrupt Spawn's careful balance between Magnitude, Deviations, and Scar Attributes, though.

Maybe it would be better if Sentient was reworked into something that reflected human-like ability to communicate and solve problems, turning into a far more robust narrative benefit. Meanwhile, Fearsome becomes +1-2 Magnitude, with each dot increasing spawn's effective Retainer rating by 1? I guess it's something to mull over!

[The MG]

Oh, this looks good.
[...]
And my player ultimately went with Spawn for his character's chestbursters. However, this comes at an excellent time, because one of my other players had his character flip to Devoted last session, and wants his new character to be a Cephalist with a rebellious shadow that acts on his darkest desires. Homunculus is perfect for that!

I'm glad, and I'd be very happy to see someone actually use/playtest it.

I would personally recommend using Instinctive/Self-Aware for the rebellious aspect, since there isn't really a good Scar for enforcing bad behaviour.

I'm actually really curious about the composition of your group, now, though I guess this isn't the thread for it.

I personally don't much like negative Deviations on Variations, but there's so much to spend Magnitude on in Homunculus, it is sort of necessary.

Yeah, it's, ah, a little overloaded.

Maybe it would be better if Sentient was reworked into something that reflected human-like ability to communicate and solve problems, turning into a far more robust narrative benefit. Meanwhile, Fearsome becomes +1-2 Magnitude, with each dot increasing spawn's effective Retainer rating by 1? I guess it's something to mull over!

That sounds like a good fix. Perhaps Sentient could allow the Spawn to count as a Mentor equal to its Retainer rating (not including the bonus from Fearsome) for Mental and Social Skills, so that it can auto-succeed on relevant actions (see p. 116 of the KS manuscript)?

[Primordial newcomer]

Oh, this looks good. I personally don't much like negative Deviations on Variations, but there's so much to spend Magnitude on in Homunculus, it is sort of necessary. I really like folding Willpower into the Health Track, plus calculating all derived traits using Magnitude is definitely a lot simpler than before. I might even revise Spawn to do something similar.

And my player ultimately went with Spawn for his character's chestbursters. However, this comes at an excellent time, because one of my other players had his character flip to Devoted last session, and wants his new character to be a Cephalist with a rebellious shadow that acts on his darkest desires. Homunculus is perfect for that!


My idea was that, while Sentient Spawn comes with an extra benefit, stacking both Sentient and Fearsome for spawn with effective Retainer ratings of 5 makes each good enough to keep them both Magnitude 1 [and allowing spawn to follow complex commands did not seem benefit enough for a Deviation]. However, I admit that Fearsome could use something to make it more attractive next to Sentient, I just couldn't think of anything not already covered by Variations. Maybe it could grant 1 Scar free Magnitude of a Variation like Carapace, Gigantic, or Lash? That could disrupt Spawn's careful balance between Magnitude, Deviations, and Scar Attributes, though.

Maybe it would be better if Sentient was reworked into something that reflected human-like ability to communicate and solve problems, turning into a far more robust narrative benefit. Meanwhile, Fearsome becomes +1-2 Magnitude, with each dot increasing spawn's effective Retainer rating by 1? I guess it's something to mull over!

That latter option (where it's focused more narratively) sounds great. It's a great variation by the way. I enjoyed reading it

[Mr.Scissors]

Hey everyone, first time posting in awhile and I just wanted to say how excited I am for this game.

I love Deviant because it give a way to give the misfits, freaks, and those trans humanists a formalized code, the breaking of the soul for power. That being said, I do have a few questions. I don’t know if you’ve already addresses these, but some of the Adaptations sound a little vague.

Question 1: I noticed that under the Sacred Flesh Variation, the manuscript mentioned in their examples a Mutant who could give anyone ANY Variation, but a Mutant’s Adaptation states that it can convert any Variation into any other UNIVERSAL Variation, but not a Clade specific Variation. So CAN a mutant with Sacred Flesh really supply ANY ability, even Clade specific ones?

Question 2: A Coactive has an Adaptation that can push a Variation above its normal limit up to, I presume, the maximum 5. However, let’s say the Variation a Coactive increases is Hybrid Form. There’s a LOT of wiggle room there.

Q2. Does that mean the Coactive can increase each INDIVIDUAL power of the Hybrid form?

Q3. Can they increase the4 Hybrid form so that they can gain new abilities EACH time they decide to push the Variation?

Example: A Coactive has the Variation Hybrid Form at 2 which includes the powers Lash and Boneless. But let's say one day he increases his Hybrid Form from 2 to to 3 so the powers gained are: Lash, Boneless, and Speed. But say that a day later, the Coactive pushes his variation again from 2 to 3 so his powers that got with the form are now Lash, Boneless, and Flight?

[Satchel]

Question 1: I noticed that under the Sacred Flesh Variation, the manuscript mentioned in their examples a Mutant who could give anyone ANY Variation, but a Mutant’s Adaptation states that it can convert any Variation into any other UNIVERSAL Variation, but not a Clade specific Variation. So CAN a mutant with Sacred Flesh really supply ANY ability, even Clade specific ones?

Pretty sure that's literally just "this description works for any secondary Variation you might want to use it for."

Question 2: A Coactive has an Adaptation that can push a Variation above its normal limit up to, I presume, the maximum 5. However, let’s say the Variation a Coactive increases is Hybrid Form. There’s a LOT of wiggle room there.
Q2. Does that mean the Coactive can increase each INDIVIDUAL power of the Hybrid form?

Pretty sure they can only boost Hybrid Form as a whole.

Q3. Can they increase the Hybrid form so that they can gain new abilities EACH time they decide to push the Variation?
Example: A Coactive has the Variation Hybrid Form at 2 which includes the powers Lash and Boneless. But let's say one day he increases his Hybrid Form from 2 to to 3 so the powers gained are: Lash, Boneless, and Speed. But say that a day later, the Coactive pushes his variation again from 2 to 3 so his powers that got with the form are now Lash, Boneless, and Flight?

Given that this is a weirdo redlining that you're applying to get one extra power unless you hurt yourself, I think it's fine to say using a booster Adaptation to temporarily branch a new power into Hybrid Form's specifically limited Magnitudes is fair game.

[SomethingFishy]

I'm glad, and I'd be very happy to see someone actually use/playtest it.

I would personally recommend using Instinctive/Self-Aware for the rebellious aspect, since there isn't really a good Scar for enforcing bad behaviour.

Well, get pumped for a stress test, because the shadow is Magnitude 3 with Instinctive, Calcified, Derived 3, Malformed also 3, and loaded with Boneless 3, Brachiation 1, Enhanced Speed 1, and Telepathy 4. It's basically a worse version of Emily's shadow walk power in Dishonored 2, and it is going to cause a ruckus.

Yeah, it's, ah, a little overloaded.

Hmm, I wonder if you could address this by altering Derived? Like, what if it allows the Homunculus to freely access the Remade's Variations, using them as the Remade does [treating Involuntary activations as Controlled]? You could fold Malformed into it too, so that this comes at the cost of a Persistent Scar. It would not be nearly as versatile, but might lighten its load a bit?

Perhaps Sentient could allow the Spawn to count as a Mentor equal to its Retainer rating (not including the bonus from Fearsome) for Mental and Social Skills, so that it can auto-succeed on relevant actions (see p. 116 of the KS manuscript)?

I think this idea is great, and I'm totally stealing it! If the Staff Merit was in Deviant, I'd probably have the spawn use that instead, but it is not, so Mentor is the next best thing.
Not that it couldn't use Staff and just throw out a page reference, but I like limiting it to what can be done with just Deviant.

I also took this opportunity to give Spawn another look. I briefly flirted with making it Toggled instead of Perpetual, but ultimately decided that was a bad idea if I had to include clarification that, once made, the Spawn persist until destroyed and are therefore Perpetual, despite the Variation that created them not being Perpetual. I also thought about changing the way spawn calculate Advantages to be more like Homunculus [again], but I guess I like how the Spawn share Initiative with their parent too much. And if that stays, then it feels like I'm not actually changing much, but maybe that's just me.

In the end, I mostly ended up tweaking Fearsome and Sentient [now Intelligent]:

• Fearsome [+1-2 Magnitude]: For each +1 Magnitude, the Deviant’s spawn add one to their effective Retainer rating.
• Intelligent [+1 Magnitude]: The Remade’s spawn can follow complex commands given by their parent and collectively function as a Mentor with a rating equal to their Retainer rating.

Also, my musing on Toggling Spawn lead me to experiment with another possible Deviation, but I'm not sure it is really appropriate. What does everyone think?

• Unstable [+1 Magnitude]: The Remade’s spawn have an additional +2 dots of Scar-free Variations, but only live for a single scene. The Spawn Variation becomes Toggled and the Deviant can only create new spawn once per chapter. This is Exclusive with Fecund.

I'm actually really curious about the composition of your group, now, though I guess this isn't the thread for it.

Oh, well, then maybe I'll start a new thread when I get a chance! It doesn't really seem appropriate to dump the player characters into the Interesting Character Ideas thread [not that they aren't interesting, but it seems against the spirit of the thread].

That latter option (where it's focused more narratively) sounds great. It's a great variation by the way. I enjoyed reading it

Thanks! You probably made it better [or at least more interesting] by talking about it.

[espritdecalmar]

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

Keywords: Any; Subtle; Repeatable

The Deviant powers the entangled Variations by temporarily decreasing her mundane abilities.

When this Scar is taken, choose whether its effects apply to Mental, Physical, or Social Skills. When the Remade activates any of the Scar’s entangled Variations, the player must choose a number of Skill dots of the chosen category determined by Scar Magnitude, to which the Deviant loses access so long as the Variation is active. The Remade cannot select Skills granted by Variations or other supernatural sources to pay for this Scar, or Specialties.

At Magnitude 1, the Deviant pays a single Skill dot to activate an entangled Variation.

At Magnitude 2, the Deviant pays three Skill dots to activate an entangled Variation.

At Magnitude 3, the Deviant pays six Skill dots to activate an entangled Variation.

At Magnitude 4, the Deviant pays ten Skill dots to activate an entangled Variation.

At Magnitude 5, the Deviant pays fifteen Skill dots to activate an entangled Variation.

Deviations

Flexible (-1 Magnitude): The Deviant can pay with Skill dots from any category.

Lingering (+1 Magnitude): The Deviant loses access to the chosen Skills for the rest of the chapter.

[The MG]

Here's a terrible idea I knocked out in an afternoon. I'll probably revise it once I've slept on it, but for now, let's just get some eyes on it.

Inner Power (Coactive Variation; ● to ●●●●●)
Subtle
Discrete, Reflexive, Toggled
The Deviant can access an esoteric source of power, beyond those usually available to the Remade. This might be the occult power of blood, stolen celestial fire, words of power from a prehuman language, or any other energy or fuel.
The Broken can hold points of Inner Power equal to the lower of Magnitude and Scar Power. She can spend these to activate Adaptations and to pay the cost of Controlled Scars, as well as the innate costs of certain Merits and Variations (such as Fast-Talking or Storm-Caller), but not to enhance her actions or to negate damage, Instability, or Willpower loss from Persistent Scars and outside forces.
When the Deviant goes an entire chapter without using her Inner Power, she regains a single point, up to her maximum. Otherwise, Inner Power is only replenished at the start of a new story.
At Magnitude ●, one point of Inner Power is equivalent to a level of bashing damage, and two points is equivalent to a level of lethal damage.
At Magnitude ●●, choose one:

• Blood: One point of Inner Power is equivalent to a level of bashing or lethal damage, and two points are equivalent to a level of aggravated damage.
• Heart: One point of Inner Power is equivalent to one minor Instability, and two points are equivalent to one medium Instability.
• Mind: One point of Inner Power is equivalent to a point of Willpower.

At Magnitude ●●●, choose one:

• Breadth: Choose two Magnitude ●● options.
• Flesh: One point of Inner Power is equivalent to a level of damage of any severity.
• Soul: One point of Inner Power is equivalent to one minor or medium Instability, and two points are equivalent to one major Instability.

At Magnitude ●●●●, choose one:

• Depth: Choose two Magnitude ●●● options.
• Life: One point of Inner Power is equivalent to two levels of bashing or lethal damage, or one level of aggravated damage.

At Magnitude ●●●●●, the Deviant enjoys all lower-Magnitude effects.

Deviations

• Font (+1 Magnitude): As an unrolled Directed effect, the Deviant can spend points of Inner Power on another Remade’s behalf.
• Might (+1 Magnitude): The Deviant can spend a point of Inner Power in place of Willpower to enhance a roll to activate or Direct one of her other Variations, or to contest a supernatural power targeting her. This Deviation can’t modify the Magnitude ● effect of Inner Power.
• Well (+1 Magnitude): The Deviant uses the higher of Magnitude and Scar Power to determine how many points of Inner Power she can hold.

By night, the Coactive can draw on the occult symbolism of darkness to fuel her Variations (Power Failure; Controlled; Wits).

The Invasive experiences the background radiation of the cosmos as a deafening static roar, day and night, but it also charges his internal batteries (Sensory Deprivation; Persistent; Deviation: Nightmares).

A second nervous system grows through the Mutant’s body, and whoever it belongs to, it pulses with electrochemical power (Alternate Persona; Persistent).

[Master Aquatosic]

What do ypu mean when ypu say that points are "equivalent" to various damage levels?

[Satchel]

What do ypu mean when ypu say that points are "equivalent" to various damage levels?

For the purposes of paying various costs, presumably.

[Master Aquatosic]

For the purposes of paying various costs, presumably.

Ah, that makes sense

[The MG]

What do ypu mean when ypu say that points are "equivalent" to various damage levels?

Yeah, Satchel has it right. Obviously something I need to clarify.

[lladas]

Here's a terrible idea I knocked out in an afternoon. I'll probably revise it once I've slept on it, but for now, let's just get some eyes on it.

Inner Power (Coactive Variation; ● to ●●●●●)

I love this Variation. It is so much better than my Heart's Blood idea. A lot less confusing and a lot more clear in its progression. It could easily be used for all the examples I provided; especially with the right Scar. This is fantastic.

[Tessie]

[*]Font (+1 Magnitude): As an unrolled Directed effect, the Deviant can spend points of Inner Power on another Remade’s behalf.

All Directed Variations/effects are rolled. Since willing targets can just waive contesting the Variation, you don't even have to specify whether it's contested. I would, however, probably require the other deviant to be willing for it to work.

[The MG]

I love this Variation. It is so much better than my Heart's Blood idea. A lot less confusing and a lot more clear in its progression. It could easily be used for all the examples I provided; especially with the right Scar. This is fantastic.

Thank you. Truth be told, Heart's Blood was what inspired Inner Power to begin with, though I didn't specifically look at it while writing this.

I'm going to rewrite Inner Power to be a 2-5 Variation, actually, just like Heart's Blood. A Magnitude 1 Variation probably shouldn't be able to pay for a Magnitude 2 Variation, and I don't think the Life option actually accomplishes anything.

All Directed Variations/effects are rolled.

Hence why I specified why this breaks that rule. On the other hand, I hadn't actually double-checked how the Directed and Reflexive keywords interact, Iso 'm going to have to rewrite that anyway.