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Octomorphs, movement and sizes.

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Tearlach Tearlach's picture
Octomorphs, movement and sizes.
I think I saw this somewhere in the rulebook but can't for my life find it anymore, but how large is the the octomorph? I'd prefer sizes for mantle and arms separately as that better models it. If it is in the book, just point me to the right place. Also, movement speeds? I'd imagine that it crawls around a bit slower than a normal man. But when he uses his jet? And how would it modify underwater speeds? Speaking of sizes, I do wonder about some other morphs, like the novacrab. It has 2 meter long legs, but how large is the carapace of the thing? Also, am I right in assuming it moves at "normal" human speed? (4/20)
HappyDaze HappyDaze's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.

Add "How fast does the Neo-Avian fly?" and "Should the NEo-Avian morph list a bonus to Flight, or is there some reason it just has the skill listed?" to these questions.

bakho bakho's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.

I see no point in morphs giving bonuses to skills. An up-lift raven has experience in 'operating' in neo-avian morphs. Landwalkers like humans - don't. This is reflected by the skill choice in char creation (e. g. if I'm playing a neo-avian uplift char, I'm gonna max out his Flight skill).

And 'Flight' is listed under 'advantages' not a skill bonus or somesuch. I presume this indicates that the biomorph is capable of actual flight (having wings and all that!:D)

Just my two cents...

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HappyDaze HappyDaze's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.

I might agree if the Flight entry for the Neo-Avian had been given a movement rate, but it's listed in the same manner as the Neo-Hominid's bonus to Climbing (absent a numerical vlaue). They could have listed it a movement mode as they did for the synthetics.

As for Morphs giving skill bonuses - why not? Some forms are simply going to be better at certain actions. While the Flight skill covers both a Neo-Avian and an Arachnoid (they use Thrust Vector as a movement mode), I can easily see the Neo-Avain granting a bonus to the skill if it's really purpose-built to the task. Especially in this case, a bonus to Flight for the Neo-Avian helps to offset its low max cap on SOM (the aptitude Flight is based on).

bakho bakho's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.

Hmm. Well. We could argue that all types of morphs are capable of climbing, but they have to be specially outfitted to be able to fly. So, a bonus to climb would represent the neo-hominid's better proficiency at that; while flight is a bonus unto itself.

Though, I like the idea that humanoid ego's would have trouble with flying properly ("you can switch to my body, landwalker; but that doesn't mean you can fly!") :P

Good point about morphs giving skill bonuses, I must've missed that.

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Tearlach Tearlach's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.

Also, why doesn't the section mobility systems under Robotic Enhancements list speeds?

HappyDaze HappyDaze's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.

I wondered that too, especially as I considered adding a few of them to my arachnoid.

HappyDaze HappyDaze's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.

[quote=bakho]Though, I like the idea that humanoid ego's would have trouble with flying properly ("you can switch to my body, landwalker; but that doesn't mean you can fly!")
[/quote]
Except that they don't - my original space colonist/argonaut has the Flight skill to operate his Arachnoid. I had no problems with learning the skill at all.

bakho bakho's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.

Well, sure anybody can take ranks in the skill. Just saying that an uplift from a flying species would probably be more proficient (reflected in skill choice, not necessarily RAW) at it than your average Joe human ego.

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HappyDaze HappyDaze's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.

Unless we're talking the humanoids on Titan...

Decivre Decivre's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.
For Octomorphs I worked under the assumption that they are half the size of a North Pacific Giant Octopus... about 7 foot long tentacles with a head that's can extend to a length of about foot to knee on an average person. Remember that the tentacles have no bones, so it takes muscle effort to support things; unlike us, they cannot really utilize the tips of their tentacles for manipulation as easily, so assume they have to be within about 4 feet to manipulate most things to a serious degree. When standing on two tentacles, thy would likely only add 2 to 3 feet to their overall height because only the widest part of their arms is strong enough to support them. As for movement rates, page 191 implies that if a movement rate isn't listed, a walk speed of 4 and run speed of 20 is to be assumed.
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Tearlach Tearlach's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.
Those are pretty well-thought out houserulings, I think I'll steal them until we get some cannon on the subject. And yeah, probably 4/20 for movement. But what about their air/water jet, and how much air do you exhale per second? That could be rather important info.
Decivre Decivre's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.
I would say that under zero gravity conditions, it works the same: 4 if moving at a basic speed, 20 if rushing with their water/air jet. Under micro-gravity, reduce it to crawling/climbing speeds, and in normal gravity make it only a possibility in water. As for how much air is used (such as with an internal air supply or whatnot), I would make it double their air usage when walking, 6 times the air usage while running... if they run for a half-hour, they've used 3 hours worth of air.
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Tearlach Tearlach's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.
octopodes can be airborn for about 50 meters using their waterjet. Although I don't think your houseruling is bad, I for one would be a lot more happy if their jet was more like in real life. Really resource intensive, propelling them to crazy speeds, allowing stunts you do not expect.
Decivre Decivre's picture
Re: Octomorphs, movement and sizes.
Tearlach wrote:
octopodes can be airborn for about 50 meters using their waterjet. Although I don't think your houseruling is bad, I for one would be a lot more happy if their jet was more like in real life. Really resource intensive, propelling them to crazy speeds, allowing stunts you do not expect.
Just for clarity, normal octopodes produce a [i]water jet[/i] from their hyponomes. Octomorphs shoot air to propel themselves, which would not have nearly as much force as a jet of water. That said, you are underestimating the normal walk and run speeds. 20 meters per round sums to 24 kilometers per hour (14.91 mph). That can be increased as high as 30 kilometers per hour in a sprint (18.64 mph). That's not particularly slow, you know.
Transhumans will one day be the Luddites of the posthuman age. [url=http://bit.ly/2p3wk7c]Help me get my gaming fix, if you want.[/url]