Nathilas
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Animal Power

Wed 17 Aug 2016, 16:25

Hi, 

I just receive my book for Mutant: Genlab Alpha and create the character of the player and I found myself questioning the animal power. Most of them are to simple, not strong enough to be a good choice at the character creation. I think about Fast reflex ( give +2 to initiative when you spend a FP) or Sixth sense ( give a +2 modification to scout when a ennemy try to sneak). 

For Fast reflex, I think that the bonus given by the expanse of a FP is small compare to the risk of using FP. I speak about the feral effect that take place when you roll a 1. I don't know if I'm alone thinking that 5 out of the 6 result a dramatically severe and can break the continuum of the game. For exemple, The group arrive to a combat and one player decide to use a FP to boost his initiative by 2. But he roll a 1 on his base dice, and roll another 1 after that. The character become more animal than human and run away. The combat take place with one player less and after that, the player have to find their companion in the wilderness. I find it somewhat hard to play. 

For the Sixth sense, I question myself on how the player would know he is being sneak if he haven't scout the ennemy. How can he choose to spend a FP if he doesn't know he is being sneak. 

Am I alone to find the animal power not strong enough?
 
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Fenhorn
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Re: Animal Power

Wed 17 Aug 2016, 17:40

When we played MGA, it happened a couple of times that a character runaway and hid in a hole or something but not that often.

The animal powers are weaker because 1) the player can choose powers so they can fine-tune their characters, mutant on the other hand have random mutations and 2) there is no real bad result from the miss table. Sure some of them are somewhat badish, but none will kill you. The mutants table will kill you (it will permanently damage your attribute until you are dead). For short: A mutant will be weaker and weaker for as long as he lives, until he dies, his mutations are random but very powerful. An animal will stay strong and his power are perhaps not as fancy as for the mutants, they usually boost skills and that can be very good and the animal powers match his character perfectly because he has selected them.

But sure, every now and then a member of the group will runaway and hid in a hole or in a pond (or wherever his animal-self finds it nice and secure). In our group, a hunter in the mix is a very good thing, not only so he can hunt for food and make bows, arrows and armor, he can track runaway party members.
“Thanks for noticin' me.” - Eeyore
 
Nathilas
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Re: Animal Power

Wed 17 Aug 2016, 21:30

Well, your point is very good, I didn't think about it that way. Thank you for your reply. 

You mention that sometimes one of the character would run and it was not so disturbing for the game. It is reassuring to read this. Can you tell me more about the other feral effect, do they break your game or are they good too. Some of them can last for many days in game term, isn't it a little too long?
 
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Fenhorn
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Re: Animal Power

Wed 17 Aug 2016, 22:01

The results that make the character act a little bit more like an animal can affect some skill but will more be a roleplaying thing. Just because an animal mutant becomes more animal than human doesn't mean that he becomes an enemy to the group. On some level he probably can sense that these are his friends even though he can't talk anymore. The 1. result is of course a pain when it happens but most animals just go and hide (away from whatever threat they think is near). Here we (me as a GM and the targeted player) discussed where he ran to and what he will do during those hours. The worst of the effect on the list is number 5 - you act like a human for a while. That means no domination and no animal powers. Can be a funny bit for the player to roleplay though.
“Thanks for noticin' me.” - Eeyore
 
Nathilas
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Re: Animal Power

Thu 18 Aug 2016, 15:46

Thank you, it is reassuring to read that. I think I will give it a try.
 
Crosbie71
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Joined: Wed 05 Apr 2017, 08:44

Re: Animal Power

Sun 09 Apr 2017, 09:26

And you have the option to draw a mutation card and play 'tainted'...

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