Other Atavism Ideas?

[glamourweaver]

So I've been pondering other potential Atavisms for Beasts. Obviously the set we've got are very broad and cover a lot of potential Horror morphologies and associated powers. That said, I think I've got at least two more, so I'd like to land the other three minimum...

- One for burrowing through earth and stone, protecting from underground suffocation, and at least with Satiety expenditure, being able to offensively hurl earth or wield cave ins/sink-holes. I think Namtaru fits best here.

- One for having additional fanged mouths/thorns/sharp scales/razor pinions/etc so that contact with your body causes damage. I think Eshmaki.

Any thoughts on those or ideas for the other three?

[StSword]

For the earth thing I have to say that an application to bury someone alive seems more appropriate than throwing earth.

Have you given thought about low satiety? Perhaps teleportation through the earth or high speed movement through the earth?

As for the quills/etc atavism, other than the thought that it would be also be usable offensively during grappling, perhaps a satiety expenditure to grapple someone (and dealing the damage from this expenditure) through all brawl attacks? Something like "The beast claws at you, rending your flesh, but the shark like scales of his claws get caught on your flesh, trapping and tearing at you as you struggle to get away," something like that perhaps?

[Nepher]

One that is definitively missing imho, but I'm not really sure how to implement it:

Cavernous Maw (Makara)
Normal Satiety: The Beast can eat and digest anything that can enter his mouth. His bite inflict 0L, and ignore Durability, but he still need to grapple the target he bite or control the object he chew.
Low Satiety: The Beast's hunger guide his maw, allowing him to bite a target or an object without grapple or control. In addition, he can extend his jaw dramatically, allowing him to chew and swallow a target of Size equal to Lair/2. the target must be restrained, immobile or fully in control of the Beast, since the swallowing and chewing might last from a dozen seconds to several minutes depending on the size, at the storyteller discretion.
Satiety expenditure: The Beast next bite deal 0A damages. The beast swallow big chunk of flesh, replacing her own: each aggravated damages dealt heal one lethal damage or two bashing damages.

What do you think ? I can't say if it's weak or overpowered...

[StSword]

Well I suggest changing the satiety expenditure- it already provides agg damage, on a turn for turn basis, so I'd be wary of making an effect that lasts so much longer.

So how about something a little different, like maybe a self-healing effect?

[YeOfLittleFaith]

It occurs to me we don't really have an Atavism dedicated to "otherworldly swiftness" (attack preempting, Defense vs Firearms, Initiative boosting, Speed increase, etc), but the theme is partially covered by some of the Advanced Merits, and when I think of nightmarish monsters it's less "impossible bullet dodging agility" and more "implacable and looming". So I suppose it's not as characteristic as existing Atavisms.

[StSword]

Well when I think of fast monsters, I don't really think of bullet dodging, it's true, but a flash step ala weeping angels from dr who is extremely thematic for monsters, I feel.

Or at least I think a lot of people would be frightened of something that moves faster than the eye can follow.

[YeOfLittleFaith]

Or at least I think a lot of people would be frightened of something that moves faster than the eye can follow.

Absolutely. But then, the Merits and other Atavisms might well already have us covered.

[Nepher]

Well I suggest changing the satiety expenditure- it already provides agg damage, on a turn for turn basis, so I'd be wary of making an effect that lasts so much longer.

So how about something a little different, like maybe a self-healing effect?

Well, I misread Limb from Limb Updated in the original post, I kept aggravated damages since Werewolves inflict aggs when eating someone. Also updated the swallowing to avoid insta-eating someone at Lair 9-10, but I'm still not sure of it...

It occurs to me we don't really have an Atavism dedicated to "otherworldly swiftness" (attack preempting, Defense vs Firearms, Initiative boosting, Speed increase, etc), but the theme is partially covered by some of the Advanced Merits, and when I think of nightmarish monsters it's less "impossible bullet dodging agility" and more "implacable and looming". So I suppose it's not as characteristic as existing Atavisms.

What about something like serpent-ish body ? Giant Serpent of all sort are classical monsters.

[MCN]

What about something like serpent-ish body ? Giant Serpent of all sort are classical monsters.

Its ironic that we don't have this with an entire family that reveres Medusa. Granted, the original medusa wasn't exactly fully serpentine, but modern legends with naga and the like? Should be something akin to it.

[glamourweaver]

Would the serpent body Atavism have a use that the Makara "use my tentacles to make awesome Brawl attacks" power doesn't already? (can't remember what it's called right now, and I'm in a rush so can't check)

[ZealousChristian24]

A sort of "action at a distance" Atavism, whether it represents telekinesis or freakishly long arms or a frog's tongue might be fun.

[glamourweaver]

A sort of "action at a distance" Atavism, whether it represents telekinesis or freakishly long arms or a frog's tongue might be fun.

I kind of thought that was the point of the Satiety expenditure version of "Monster from the Deep". Like if you're playing a Manticore, you'd take MftD with Basilisk's Touch to sting with your tail.

[glamourweaver]

So do people agree with the Family associations.

Namtaru get the tunneling/subterranean Atavism

Eshmaki get the harmful hide (I'm thinking base effect damages someone who touches you, low satiety lets you grapple by your hide grabbing and holding them, satiety expendicture lets you actually fire your barbs/pinions/extra-teeth/whatever)

Makara get the devouring maw?

[glamourweaver]

Would spinning webs work as an Atavism, or should that just be a Lair Trait (bring webs about to trap prey by calling down Lair)?

[malonkey1]

Would spinning webs work as an Atavism, or should that just be a Lair Trait (bring webs about to trap prey by calling down Lair)?

Slinging webs at somebody should be an atavism. Filling a place with webs should be a Lair Trait.