Mutation category expansion

Game Talk The Drawing Board
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[size=10pt]Alrighty! [/size]

So I floated the threshold suggestion awhile back and as that seems to have been well received it’s about time I suggest something else.

Forks

As it stands with thresholds ((Correct me if I’m wrong)) you can fall into a category and be unable to purify certain post-threshold mutations. That’s great. I like it. Let’s take that idea and run with it.

Forks would be where certain mutations ((mostly post-threshold)) branch off into more than one possible path of in category progression. Similar to how head-bumps or rough skin could turn into any number of things, these would be either-or post-threshold mutations, locking you permanently out of the other choice.

Example : Spider mutagen as one would expect, let’s you weave webs, eventually letting you block LOS and give the ‘webbed’ debuff to anything walking through them. Oddly enough web weaver isn’t post threshold, but we’ll ignore that for now. In this scenario web-weaver is where you fork, having a chance to gain:

Stickier webs that trap anything walking through it like a bear trap/snare
or
Stronger webs that non-spider’s can’t walk through without some serious (S)mashing

And the key here is ‘or’. Ideally these forks would add a bit of in-category flavor to your mutants, making it unlikely for a player to wind up playing the same mutie twice–even within the same threshold.

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So single-category mutually exclusive mutations? Don’t particularly see anything wrong with the idea. We already have mutually exclusive mutations from different categories.

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I’m planning on something like that in the Fish category.

Web Weaver isn’t Threshold-locked because a) I made it before the Thresholds, b) since Webs currently aren’t all that useful, I don’t feel the need to restrict 'em.

Now, being able to web-rappel and possibly use it as rope for construction purposes… those’d be post-Threshold.

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Time for some forks!

Cephalopod Forks and Mutations:

[spoiler]Cephalopod Fork

Tentacle arms turns into:

4 tentacles > 8 tentacles

OR

Gropers > Graspers

Gropers = Tentacle arms without the encumbrance penalty for going sans fingers, due to a brace of finger-like tendrils at the end. Can wear gloves again.

Graspers = An upgrade to Gropers. Covers the underside of your tentacle arms with a score of these psuedofingers. Finesse bonus when crafting or installing bionics. Can’t be disarmed.

Mutation : Solitary Eye

Your eyes have melded into a large leering orb that sits just above your brow.

Heightens perception. Penalty to throwing and ranged attacks due to diminished depth perception.

Turns into : Cyclopean

A single monolithic eye dominates your transhuman visage, displacing other features to pit itself squarely at the center of your face.

Same as before but the eye can be delicately manipulated like an organic telescope. For every turn you wait before throwing of firing something the penalties move towards being bonuses.

Cephalopod Fork

Shell becomes:

Nautilus

OR

Hermit

Nautilus = A much thicker shell and a chance to block melee and ranged attacks by hiding under it.

Hermit = Your shell is mostly empty space. Larger storage capacity. A ‘shell’ addition to the inventory that can’t be dropped for holding liquids.

Mutation: Hydrostatic Skeleton

Your bones have been replaced by a fluid filled cavity swaddled in a dense curtain of powerful muscle.

Immune to broken bones. Chance to break grabs due to flexibility.

[/spoiler]

EDIT

Just thought of a fish mutation.

Pending a good name = Your bite damage is increased based on total moving points. While not very useful on land this would give fish mutants a tremendously damaging attack underwater, should they have the appropriate mutations.

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It would be neat if the Hermit mutation allowed you to withdraw into your shell for protection from the elements and some defense, so you could sleep outdoors on the bottom of a riverbed without fear of acid rain. I’ve been hoping rivers and pools would be fleshed out so that a predominantly aquatic lifestyle could be viable.

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I love those ideas. And the fish mutation could be called Underwater Charge or Shark Charge?

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Maybe it would be good to add some winter/arctic concerned mutation? Via completely new mutation, or a sub-rote to existing one (polar beast/lupine/etc.) To help with ice labs or when you feel that (dramatic pause) winter is coming.

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We already have furry but this is a good idea. There’s an ice expansion in the works in Git…

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Just for the record, mutations are on hold until the new stable comes out. Feel free to add ideas, etc.

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As if I’d ever stop posting new mutations!

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D-D-Double Post!

Starting off with a few suggestions to existing mutations.

*Match the toughness enhancing mutations with a flavor. I’d suggest durable for Trogs and Unbreakable for insects as both are missing out on an extreme/insane modifier at the moment.
*Insect should share chitinous shell with spider ((Just as Ursine and Bovine share a few common traits)) as it seems like a great place to fork.

Insect forks and mutations

[spoiler]Insect Fork

Chitinous Shell add-on:

Sturdy Carapace = Increases the Health Pool for your head and torso.

or

Armored Extremities = Increases the Health Pool for your arms and legs.

Chitinous armor add on:

Fuzzy Exoskeleton - Alternating bands of black and yellow pile swathe your tough exterior, granting meager protection from the elements and insulating you from the cold.

or

Cerci - You’ve developed several paired appendages along your abdomen. While too primitive to function as proper arms they are more than capable of towing a little extra volume and occasionally grant a grab attack when conditions favor it.

Insect wings fork:

Bumbler - Strong flight muscles furiously beat your wings into a translucent blur as you run. While this does leave you marginally faster than before the tell-tale buzz you now produce might as well be a dinner bell.

or

Monarch - Your delicate wings are emblazoned with a dazzling array of colorful patterns like that of a butterfly. Admittedly of little tactical advantage they are nevertheless beautiful to behold.

[/spoiler]

Bird Mutation:

Magnificent Wings

Requires : Bird Wings

Description : While still shy of achieving true flight your newly engorged wings are not content to merely glide. You may now safely hover a short distance off the ground when needed.

Effect : You can safely pass over dangerous terrain ((I.E. Lava)) Can still trigger traps, as you only hover when needed.

Troglobite Mutation:

Annelidian Anatomy

Cancels: Subterranean Build

Description: Your body has softened and segmented like that of an earth worm so that you might limberly undulate through tight spaces. The transformation has left you decidedly less hardy in the process. -2 strength +2 Dex.

Effect: The inverse of Subterranean Build and a stepping stone to non-dwarfy trogness. If there was a way to add or remove limbs in game I’d change this to some sort of worm naga in a heartbeat.

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Maybe the butterfly wings could give you some sort of intimidation bonus against wildlife, like how it works in real life? Perhaps they could work similar to the Terrifying mutation, at the expense of decreasing your ability to hide, if that ever becomes a thing.

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I love the insect ideas.

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Humming Wings are planned for Bird. (They’ll burn a LOT of Hunger. So do hummingbirds.)

I realize that not everyone’s sold on Troglodyte -> Dwarf post-thresh. Vermiform is interesting but the current body part system can’t do it justice. Got any alternate ideas?

The insect stuff should probably consider the active-mutation menu once we get it operational. Last I knew, spotty wings like Monarch indicated that you’ll make whatever eats you sick. Not quite the same as Terrifying, but an interesting idea.

I think that not every category needs forks, too. Feel free to have ideas, but there’s no guarantee they’ll make it in.

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I realize that not everyone's sold on Troglodyte -> Dwarf post-thresh. Vermiform is interesting but the current body part system can't do it justice. Got any alternate ideas?

Honestly I think you could avoid allot of the negative response ELF-A garnered by tweaking the “DWARF-A” branch into traits that mesh more in line with mole people. I’ll post a few mutations around that idea.

Knowing that Annelidian Anatomy couldn’t currently replace the legs with a single unified health bar the worm naga was more or less a stretch goal for when such things start looking less impossible. For now it’s pretty much suggesting it be a slightly more horrible version of Eugene Tooms from the X-Files.

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A quick Trog mutation I want to throw out there before I start the day proper.

These guys are subterranean–if anyone gets beyond perfect night sight it should be these tunnel jumpers. To that end I suggest inverting the light/dark sight rules for them. Near blind in the day or when illuminated – Better then perfect vision in the dark. <- Meaning they get full visibility (Like daytime) through darkness AND a to-hit bonus on non-illuminated targets. Maybe even let them see through smoke?

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This is a good idea.

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ow my brain, inverting the light rules is decidedly non-trivial. There MIGHT be a way to do it, I’ll think about it.

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By the way, can someone update wiki mutations/mutcat pages? Getting decidedly outdated now.

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Soy & I updated them not so long ago, did you see the mutation thresholds page?