Why and Can

[valantinius]

accually in the game I'm about to run this is is the thought I used for stating up kincade.

sion of power. with the ability to stat himself out to whatever the situation demands.
scary as hell to face when you think about it. your never fighting the same guy twice.

[neko128]

Just to throw out a non-shapeshifting example, how about a Yogi or similar meditation-based "psychic"?  The equivalent of a Shadowrun Physical Adept.  He has a certain amount of...  "Focus", or "Mental Strength", which he can focus each day by meditating with the sunrise.  But depending on exactly how he spends his time meditating and what he focuses on, it manifests different.  Today, he's super-strong, tomorrow he's super-fast...

Or an "elemental self-infuser".  He can hold only so much raw elemental power, but he can use that power to infuse different aspects of his physical abilities.  Wind = Speed, Earth = Toughness, Fire = Strength, Water = Recovery.  Water could also be Aquatic, Fire could also be Breath Weapon, Air could also be "wings" (in a non-literal sense).  Maybe throw in the catch that "Marked by Power" is required whenever you have any power infused, because, well, you're friggin' filling up your soul with raw elemental might.  Oh, and the other catch would be you're vulnerable to opposed elements.

[paul_Harkonen]

A thought about Modular abilities in conjunction with True Shapeshifting.

I take modular abilities at 9 refresh, giving me 7 points to play with.  At the start of a scene I buy True Shapeshifting along with inhuman toughness (just because) with those points.  I then use True Shapeshifting to re-arrange my skills, for example, giving myself Weapons and endurance at superb (the rest doesn't matter).  I then change my abilities to give myself inhuman stregnth, speed and toughness.  What happens to my skills?  When I drop true shapeshifting do I turn back into my normal form, or do I stay in my altered form?

One option for dealing with this seems to make modular abilities incredibly powerful (and maybe a fix is to say, you can't take shapeshifting as a modular ability)  The other seems to dramatically weaken modular abilities (still a nasty power) as it limits your ability to change your skills to match up with your changing focus and powers.

[neko128]

I take modular abilities at 9 refresh, giving me 7 points to play with.  At the start of a scene I buy True Shapeshifting along with inhuman toughness (just because) with those points.

Well, if you follow the definition of Modular Abilities in the book, this is arguably illegal; True Shapeshifting is a Shapeshifting power, while Modular Abilities lets you buy abilities "focusing on" Creature Features, Minor Abilities, Speed, Strength, and Toughness.  As a GM, I'd just outlaw it.

[Deadmanwalking]

A thought about Modular abilities in conjunction with True Shapeshifting.

I take modular abilities at 9 refresh, giving me 7 points to play with.  At the start of a scene I buy True Shapeshifting along with inhuman toughness (just because) with those points.  I then use True Shapeshifting to re-arrange my skills, for example, giving myself Weapons and endurance at superb (the rest doesn't matter).  I then change my abilities to give myself inhuman stregnth, speed and toughness.  What happens to my skills?  When I drop true shapeshifting do I turn back into my normal form, or do I stay in my altered form?

Your skills drop back to your normal rating as you now lack the power to adjust them. Also, as mentioned, you can't do that. Re-read Modular Abilities, it only grants powers from specific categories (Creature Features, Strength, Speed, Toughness, and certain Minor Abilities).

One option for dealing with this seems to make modular abilities incredibly powerful (and maybe a fix is to say, you can't take shapeshifting as a modular ability)  The other seems to dramatically weaken modular abilities (still a nasty power) as it limits your ability to change your skills to match up with your changing focus and powers.

That's why the real hardcore shapeshifters buy True Shapeshifting AND Modular Abilities. It's a bit expensive for a starting PC, but it's the way the really dangerous ones do it.

With just Modular Abilities, yeah, you're limited by your skill choices, but hell a single high combat skill and you can make use of most of them. They're a fairly direct and limited selection, honestly.

[luminos]

Thinking about it, a starting character (it would have to be a submerged game) taking just true shape-shifting and 4 points of modular abilities would absolutely kick-ass.  You could only have two points of powers in any of your forms, but you would have enough versatility to deal with all kinds of circumstances.  Think of a starting character that can choose to shape-shift into something that can fly, something with spider-walk, something small enough to sneak around, and a number of other useful things as just a supplemental action.

[neko128]

That's why the real hardcore shapeshifters buy True Shapeshifting AND Modular Abilities. It's a bit expensive for a starting PC, but it's the way the really dangerous ones do it.

*shudder*

*cringe*

No, that's just mean.  *BAD* Deadmanwalking.

*ponders*

Though it'd make you a really, really scary assassin.  >.>

[Deadmanwalking]

*shudder*

*cringe*

No, that's just mean.  *BAD* Deadmanwalking.

*ponders*

Though it'd make you a really, really scary assassin.  >.>

Well, that's how I built the Skinwalker from Turn Coat...

[neko128]

Well, that's how I built the Skinwalker from Turn Coat...

...Which is a semi-divine creature of immense power, and which Harry treats as a threat on par with House Raith and the Council. 

[Deadmanwalking]

...Which is a semi-divine creature of immense power, and which Harry treats as a threat on par with House Raith and the Council. 

Well, he's overstating it's power a bit when he does that, but yeah.

To be fair they suggest in the game book doing the same (on a much smaller scale) as one way of designing Fetches.

Check out my Stat Revisions thread in the Spoilers Quarantine Zone if you want to see the Skinwalker stats in question, though you'll need to watch out for Changes spoilers.