I need help rolling a new character

[Closet_Pankin]

If you’ve seen me around, you might know that in order to get really into Cataclysm, I used a pretty damn cheaty character in order to learn the ins and outs of Cataclysm and how to work most or all of the mechanics in the game. Now that I learned how to drive and maintain a vehicle, I think I’m ready to use a balanced character. However, the idea of a mutated ex-human velociraptor monster wandering post-apocalyptic New England is oddly appealing to me, and so I plan on debugging me some raptor mutations on a new game. However, I’m a bit unsure on how to make being a god damn velociraptor balanced with negative traits, and as you may guess, my opinion is a little… biased.

So, does anyone have any ideas on how to make a dinosaur’s life in zombie/demon infested America challenging? Please let me know!

[TheFlame52]

Go with the ‘lab escapee’ scenario. I think you can pick mutations from different categories there.

[Closet_Pankin]

Go with the ‘lab escapee’ scenario. I think you can pick mutations from different categories there.

It doesn’t look like all of the mutations are there, oddly enough.

[Coolthulhu]

Experiment scenario lets you pick talons for legs, I think. If you also pick robust genetics, unstable genetics and long fingernails you’ll probably eventually mutate hand claws.

Robust genetics + unstable genetics is generally a very “fun” kind of character to play.

It doesn’t look like all of the mutations are there, oddly enough.

Yes, only the “weak” ones. You can still make a mutant, just not a total mutant. You’ll need radiatio/mutagen/unstable genetics for the more monstrous ones.

Monstrous mutations aren’t THAT strong. Best melee mutation is either hooves or talons and they both count as negative trait. Your feet will freeze in the winter.

[Closet_Pankin]

Ah, I see, thank you guys very much! I think for now I may stick to debug, however I’m leaving out almost all of the really good mutations and taking a lot of bad ones.

[Pieroh]

For lab escapee, I would recommend robust genetics atleast and night vision simply because, well, it’s a lab, with turrets and stuff. I would also recommend high intelligence because all the books in there need a high intelligence most of the time. A bit longer down the road into your life as a lab survivor, if your cooking skill is high enough and you got the right equipment (chemistry set, batteries, bleach, amnonia, etc), you can make your own raptor mutagens/serums, assuming you can find the PExx (xx = some jumble of numbers), raptor journal/book and then study that for the recipes. You need a fairly high cooking skill though, ATLEAST 5 but maybe 7 or 8.

[Closet_Pankin]

For lab escapee, I would recommend robust genetics atleast and night vision simply because, well, it’s a lab, with turrets and stuff. I would also recommend high intelligence because all the books in there need a high intelligence most of the time. A bit longer down the road into your life as a lab survivor, if your cooking skill is high enough and you got the right equipment (chemistry set, batteries, bleach, amnonia, etc), you can make your own raptor mutagens/serums, assuming you can find the PExx (xx = some jumble of numbers), raptor journal/book and then study that for the recipes. You need a fairly high cooking skill though, ATLEAST 5 but maybe 7 or 8.

I think you’re mistaking Lab Escapee with the lab survival challenge. Anywho, I finished the character. Due to roleplay purposes and the backstory I have for this character he started in the middle of a city, but hopefully I balanced him out enough. What do you guys think?

I’m a bit torn on having Pretty or not. It’s really there to help a bit to offset the ridiculous ugly penalties to being a velociraptor. This guy’s backstory (which I hope to fuck is lore friendly) is that he was a voluntary test subject for mutagens and, being one of the first ‘acceptably’ successful mutants, was shows to the public in talk shows, news stories, etc. in order to show he was still human and whatnot to help give good publicity to the mutagen programs. Again I am not sure if this fucks with the lore and I really hope it doesn’t, but pretty is there to simulate the fact that the public knows a dinosaur person exists.

Edit: Changed Large Talons to claws, the unarmed was too OP.

[Coolthulhu]

Yeah, looks OK to me.
With those monstrous bodyparts, he’ll rip things apart in melee, but won’t be able to take hits well.
Very strong start, but bad scaling (except for melee damage).

[Closet_Pankin]

[quote=“Coolthulhu, post:8, topic:7847”]Yeah, looks OK to me.
With those monstrous bodyparts, he’ll rip things apart in melee, but won’t be able to take hits well.
Very strong start, but bad scaling (except for melee damage).[/quote]

got slapped by a hulk, gg

[KA101]

[quote=“Closet Pankin, post:7, topic:7847”]
I think you’re mistaking Lab Escapee with the lab survival challenge. Anywho, I finished the character. Due to roleplay purposes and the backstory I have for this character he started in the middle of a city, but hopefully I balanced him out enough. What do you guys think?

I’m a bit torn on having Pretty or not. It’s really there to help a bit to offset the ridiculous ugly penalties to being a velociraptor. This guy’s backstory (which I hope to fuck is lore friendly) is that he was a voluntary test subject for mutagens and, being one of the first ‘acceptably’ successful mutants, was shows to the public in talk shows, news stories, etc. in order to show he was still human and whatnot to help give good publicity to the mutagen programs. Again I am not sure if this fucks with the lore and I really hope it doesn’t, but pretty is there to simulate the fact that the public knows a dinosaur person exists.

Edit: Changed Large Talons to claws, the unarmed was too OP.[/quote]

Nope.

You done chargenned pretty much counter to the lore. Do some reading and use the forum search function next time, please.

1. Mutations are not general public knowledge; they’re tabloid fodder at best, and the details in those cases are more likely to be incorrect.

2. To the degree that any mutation-line was being considered for any sort of general use, that would be Alpha, pretty much as a Homo superior or “super-soldier” serum. And that wasn’t quite ready for large-scale trials before the cataclysm hit.

3. Raptor mutagen was first proposed the day you left the shelter (some labs were still operational). No raptor-people ever existed when there was a public to which to show them, not that XEDRA would show them off.

4. Raptors are ugly because they really don’t look at all human. You look like (and since you took the Threshold, have the mentality of, so you may as well BE) a carnivorous & predatory dinosaur. Folks should either scream and run, or level weapons–not walk up and say hi. Even other mutants would probably get edgy (at least) around you.

Bottom line: you wanna play a raptor? Great! I’m glad you like my work. But don’t mistake your story for anything official.

[Closet_Pankin]

[quote=“KA101, post:10, topic:7847”][quote=“Closet Pankin, post:7, topic:7847”]
I think you’re mistaking Lab Escapee with the lab survival challenge. Anywho, I finished the character. Due to roleplay purposes and the backstory I have for this character he started in the middle of a city, but hopefully I balanced him out enough. What do you guys think?

I’m a bit torn on having Pretty or not. It’s really there to help a bit to offset the ridiculous ugly penalties to being a velociraptor. This guy’s backstory (which I hope to fuck is lore friendly) is that he was a voluntary test subject for mutagens and, being one of the first ‘acceptably’ successful mutants, was shows to the public in talk shows, news stories, etc. in order to show he was still human and whatnot to help give good publicity to the mutagen programs. Again I am not sure if this fucks with the lore and I really hope it doesn’t, but pretty is there to simulate the fact that the public knows a dinosaur person exists.

Edit: Changed Large Talons to claws, the unarmed was too OP.[/quote]

Nope.

You done chargenned pretty much counter to the lore. Do some reading and use the forum search function next time, please.

1. Mutations are not general public knowledge; they’re tabloid fodder at best, and the details in those cases are more likely to be incorrect.

2. To the degree that any mutation-line was being considered for any sort of general use, that would be Alpha, pretty much as a Homo superior or “super-soldier” serum. And that wasn’t quite ready for large-scale trials before the cataclysm hit.

3. Raptor mutagen was first proposed the day you left the shelter (some labs were still operational). No raptor-people ever existed when there was a public to which to show them, not that XEDRA would show them off.

4. Raptors are ugly because they really don’t look at all human. You look like (and since you took the Threshold, have the mentality of, so you may as well BE) a carnivorous & predatory dinosaur. Folks should either scream and run, or level weapons–not walk up and say hi. Even other mutants would probably get edgy (at least) around you.

Bottom line: you wanna play a raptor? Great! I’m glad you like my work. But don’t mistake your story for anything official.[/quote]

Oh shit, my bad. I thought I had read up on all the canon lore but I must’ve missed some bits here and there. And yes, I’m loving the raptor mutagen. Is that information available in emails in labs or elsewhere?

But yeah, good thing I got jello’d by a hulk.

[KA101]

1 is primarily a forum discussion. 2/3 are in the lab notes on computers (they’re in a JSON too) and the description for the raptor-mutagen recipe. 4 is the definition of passing the Threshold, as well as the Ugliness value in mutations.

[Closet_Pankin]

I feel really dumb now for missing all that. Thanks!