Playing a Pixie - combining Diminutive Size and Human Guise

[Watson]

One of my players have been thinking of playing a Changeling that is the child of a Pixie (like Toot) and a human (I certainly hope that it is the mother that is human!) and I have been thinking a bit about this (as it can create some strange situations). I first point is that he should take Diminutive Size, making him about two feet tall (max). As most Changelings, he ought to take Human Guise  to be able to work in human society at all. He might take other powers, but that is not the question - the question is combining Diminutive Size and Human Guise.

The rules about Human Guise says that as long as the powers are not used, the character looks (to most senses) as a human being - in this case normal height etc. But I suppose that he still actually is about 1-2 feet tall, right (but looks like 5-6 feet tall)? If that's the case, I would assume that the restrictions from Diminutive Size still applies (not the benefits), despite the Human Guise being "active". This means that the damage restrictions still apply, even though he "looks normal" (the same thing goes for the restrictions in regards to Might etc).

What do you think? It is an interesting questions, as Human Guise normally restricts effects and powers that are beneficial to the character - not taking away restrictions (as in the case above).

PS. The fact that I think that the player is trying to maximize the characters ability to dodge attacks (Supernatural Speed, Superb Athletics and Diminutive Size for an effective Athletics of Legendary (+8)) is a different issue. DS.

[The Mighty Buzzard]

Sounds like you more or less have it right.  You might consider allowing Human Form though for proper shapeshifting to/from human size.

[Llayne]

If the pixie has glamours you could consider Human Guise an advanced and highly specialized sub category of a True Seeming. Then you could just let it work normally, he gets no benefit or drawback from her powers unless she drops the guise.

It really just depends on what you and the player can work out together.

As a side note, the player need not take Diminutive Size at all. The suite of a full Pixie can be taken on gradually and that could be one that he doesn't take until later. Although if he doesn't take it he should at least make his character pretty short and thin.

[Revlid]

[Richard_Chilton]

You might be able to get a bit of inspiration from http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,25470.msg1081135.html#msg1081135.

A couple of things to keep in mind:
1) What (if any) is the PC's relationship like with his father?
2) What (if any) is the PC's relationship like with the Summer Court?
3) What (if any) is the PC's relationship like with the Winter Court?

Summer Knight gives a bit of inspiration for the life of a changeling.   For example the daughter of the Troll gets no help from her father - he thinks he already did her a big favour when he didn't eat her mother.  The Changelings in that book need shelter from both courts as both courts like playing with them (and "encouraging" them to choose).

Also, you might want to work out the character's Fairy Form - listing all the powers he will get if he makes the choice to become fairy.  That way he knows what powers he can buy with refresh.  You might go with the example pixie in the book or go with a custom one.  Perhaps a night pixie has the normal pixie powers plus Cloak of Shadows? Or it was a pixie lording? Or a pixie who can use powerful magics, allowing the changeling to buy sponsored magic before he chooses?

Richard

[Watson]

Thanks for the help! 

[Sanctaphrax]

It seems to me that if you can't use Human Guise on a power while using that power, then you can't ever use it on a size power. When are you not using Diminutive Size?

Glamours or Human Form might be better here.

[Watson]

It seems to me that if you can't use Human Guise on a Power while using that power, then you can't ever use it on a size power. When are you not using Diminutive Size?

Technically that is correct - the powers can not be used while the Human Guise is "active". It is rather simple when it relates to "positive" Powers, but in this case it becomes problematic as it is a Power that in many ways is negative.

In OW, the ones with Human Guise are the WCV (easy), Hecatian Hags (also easy, man sized), Ghouls (same here) and most of the Denarians. In the case of some of Denarians, these seem to be the only ones that have Hulking Size in combination with Human Guise (no one in OW have Diminutive Size and Human Guise, perhaps that is a clue to the fact that they are not supposed to work together?). This would technically be the same or at least similar to Diminutive Size, in that Hulking Size also have a number of "negative" sides - these negative sides should not be affecting the character when in Human Guise (he is not hard to hit, Stealth is not considered Mediocre etc).

If Human Guise would only work on persons of a size relatively close to a standard human being, it would be fine (but the Denarians seems to be an exception to this). 

Glamours or Human Form might be better here.

I see in OW that Ogres (Hulking Size) and Pixies (Diminutive Size) do have Glamours, most likely used to hide their true form. This is probably the best way to do it.

EDIT: I do not want the player to use Human Form, as the Fey are not really shapeshifters.

[The Mighty Buzzard]

EDIT: I do not want the player to use Human Form, as the Fey are not really shapeshifters.

Good point.  Glamour it is then.

[sinker]

Of note he/she could have human guise and still be very short. The human guise could simply make them look like what we expect in a "little" person (usually stocky and proportionally "off" rather than slim and graceful as the pixies usually are). I suppose most little people are still three feet or so, but maybe the guise adjusts that a little as well.

[Sanctaphrax]

Faeries can be shapeshifters. Look at fetches.

Regardless, I like Human Form for Scions because it emphasizes the whole "two natures" thing.

PS: If OW says that Denarians don't have Human Form, OW is wrong.

[Llayne]

Puca and half a dozen other types of faries in folklore are shapeshifters, I wouldn't rule it out for the dresdenverse Fae.

[UmbraLux]

PS: If OW says that Denarians don't have Human Form, OW is wrong.

While that may work for your group, possession != human form.    Whether or not their fallen angelic form is (or even can be) limited to a human shape is open to question. 

[tymire]

Think Sanctaphrax was more refering to the fact that the Denarians ALWAYS transform to their combat shapes when fighting.  If they didn't have to do this why would they???  I mean it is kinda hard on clothes.

So yea MOST of the Denarians (at least the ones that can pass as human) should have human form.

[tymire]

PS: easy way to get around that high of an atheltics def is hit him with a might, end, or  disc attack and proceed to watch the guy get splatted....