Help with a tricky jellyfish race [GURPS 4]

[Deadly]

I'm trying to design a custom aquatic race. Think jellyfish for the basic concept.

I need them to have very long tentacles, for GURPS purposes let's just fix it at 35 yards long. I'd prefer not to set a fixed number of these, maybe one specimen has ten another twenty of such tentacles. It should be possible to ignore this aspect. These tentacles can't be used to manipulate objects but they can be used to sense and feel, so I hope they don't need to be considered "arms".

The first tricky part is that I want these tentacles to have an Affliction attack causing agony and paralysis on contact. In effect I want an Affliction with a reach of 35 yards which isn't a ranged (that is, targeted) attack, it needs to affect anyone who is so unlucky as to get in skin contact with at least one tentacle. They probably just drift about with only little accuracy. I can not figure out if that means it should be an Area, Cone, Jet or Aura effect. It's not the entire body that causes this effect, only the tentacles trailing behind but I suppose the creature could move in such a way that the tentacles surrounded it like a kind of aura or something.

Second, the race communicates through chemical means, using these tentacles to pick up on various chemicals in the water. I'm thinking this is a form of Telecommunication, but I can't quite figure out the exact details or more importantly the exact point cost. It only functions under water, it isn't targeted but rather broadcast indiscriminately in whatever direction the currents take it, it's subject to noise obviously, racially restricted and vague. How to translate that to GURPS?

[jindra34]

I'm trying to design a custom aquatic race. Think jellyfish for the basic concept.

I need them to have very long tentacles, for GURPS purposes let's just fix it at 35 yards long. I'd prefer not to set a fixed number of these, maybe one specimen has ten another twenty of such tentacles. It should be possible to ignore this aspect. These tentacles can't be used to manipulate objects but they can be used to sense and feel, so I hope they don't need to be considered "arms".

The first tricky part is that I want these tentacles to have an Affliction attack causing agony and paralysis on contact. In effect I want an Affliction with a reach of 35 yards which isn't a ranged (that is, targeted) attack, it needs to affect anyone who is so unlucky as to get in skin contact with at least one tentacle. They probably just drift about with only little accuracy. I can not figure out if that means it should be an Area, Cone, Jet or Aura effect. It's not the entire body that causes this effect, only the tentacles trailing behind but I suppose the creature could move in such a way that the tentacles surrounded it like a kind of aura or something.

Aura. And those are arms just without hands, so that should help with figuring out reach.

Second, the race communicates through chemical means, using these tentacles to pick up on various chemicals in the water. I'm thinking this is a form of Telecommunication, but I can't quite figure out the exact details or more importantly the exact point cost. It only functions under water, it isn't targeted but rather broadcast indiscriminately in whatever direction the currents take it, it's subject to noise obviously, racially restricted and vague. How to translate that to GURPS?

10-15 points I think is what it would come out to.

And is this going to be a PC race? cause if not then don't worry about it.

[Deadly]

Aura. And those are arms just without hands, so that should help with figuring out reach.

Aura does seem fitting, I suppose, except that it seems to assume it is the entire body that causes the effect.

Making them extra arms will be insanely expensive too, and will force me to fix their number of tentacles. Unless I can count them all as one extra arm. I'd rather have it be a vague "bunch" of tentacles.

10-15 points I think is what it would come out to.

And is this going to be a PC race? cause if not then don't worry about it.

The intention is to make it a viable PC race, yes.

[jindra34]

Aura does seem fitting, I suppose, except that it seems to assume it is the entire body that causes the effect.

Making them extra arms will be insanely expensive too, and will force me to fix their number of tentacles. Unless I can count them all as one extra arm. I'd rather have it be a vague "bunch" of tentacles.

The other option is to fluff them as 'legs' (they are limbs after all) which can get you large bunches for the same cost, but has some goofy rules for aquatic
creatures.

[Deadly]

The other option is to fluff them as 'legs' (they are limbs after all) which can get you large bunches for the same cost, but has some goofy rules for aquatic
creatures.

The problem as I see it is that they're so very long. 35 yard long tentacles would be a +7 SM which comes out to a +700% cost to extra arms or legs. From my quick calculations that'd be about 100 points if I go with legs, and that's before the Affliction, just a bunch of very long legs that can't be used for anything (no kicking, no walking, not a thing). That's a very expensive set of non-functional legs. And afflictions are fairly expensive too.

[jindra34]

The problem as I see it is that they're so very long. 35 yard long tentacles would be a +7 SM which comes out to a +700% cost to extra arms or legs. From my quick calculations that'd be about 100 points if I go with legs, and that's before the Affliction, just a bunch of very long legs that can't be used for anything (no kicking, no walking, not a thing). That's a very expensive set of non-functional legs. And afflictions are fairly expensive too.

The only other option (and one I'm not sure fits) then is to kick the entire jellyfish up to like SM +6 or +7, which will give massive discounts on strength (especially when combined with no fine manipulators). Still it costs zero points.

[Gengulphus]

I think you could do the tentacles as Strikers with a Follow Up attack. Stack Cannot Parry, Clumsy (-4 to hit), Limited Arc (Down), and Weak onto the strikers for -210% and the cost is only ~30 points for crushing damage at a +7 to SM. Then design your Affliction and tag Follow Up Attack onto it (should be +0%). Since Striker can represent pairs of horns and such, so I don't see why you'd need to buy more than one unless you plan to also have them take Extra Attack and be capable of striking at multiple targets.

As for the communication deal, I personally think that it's probably a 0-point feature. Sounds like it's longer range than speaking but that's probably canceled out by the reliability being dependent on currents and what have you. I suppose you could do it as Discriminatory Taste with limitations and a feature to emit the proper chemicals, but that's probably just a complicated way of coming back to the exact same place.

[Mewtarthio]

You could make the tentacles an Area Effect with Emanation, hitting anyone who comes near you. Maybe Bombardment, so there's only a chance they get hit. Always On if you can't retract them or anything. Don't bother writing up the tentacles themselves; they're just a special effect of the attack. Maybe it's a nuisance effect that your enemies can chop them away.

[Deadly]

The only other option (and one I'm not sure fits) then is to kick the entire jellyfish up to like SM +6 or +7, which will give massive discounts on strength (especially when combined with no fine manipulators). Still it costs zero points.

I just feel that unless I make the tentacles useful in some other way, maybe to manipulate objects, they shouldn't really require any special mention other than the paralyzing effect which is a pure Affliction and nothing more.

I think you could do the tentacles as Strikers with a Follow Up attack. Stack Cannot Parry, Clumsy (-4 to hit), Limited Arc (Down), and Weak onto the strikers for -210% and the cost is only ~30 points for crushing damage at a +7 to SM. Then design your Affliction and tag Follow Up Attack onto it (should be +0%). Since Striker can represent pairs of horns and such, so I don't see why you'd need to buy more than one unless you plan to also have them take Extra Attack and be capable of striking at multiple targets.

As for the communication deal, I personally think that it's probably a 0-point feature. Sounds like it's longer range than speaking but that's probably canceled out by the reliability being dependent on currents and what have you. I suppose you could do it as Discriminatory Taste with limitations and a feature to emit the proper chemicals, but that's probably just a complicated way of coming back to the exact same place.

I don't see much of a difference with strikers than arms or legs. More or less same mechanics involved.

I can see your point about the communication. It really is mostly the same as talking, which you get for free, just using chemicals. It works over a longer distance but that's negated by the fact that it's not very precise beyond a certain range.

You could make the tentacles an Area Effect with Emanation, hitting anyone who comes near you. Maybe Bombardment, so there's only a chance they get hit. Always On if you can't retract them or anything. Don't bother writing up the tentacles themselves; they're just a special effect of the attack. Maybe it's a nuisance effect that your enemies can chop them away.

Emanation sounds like a plausible idea. Maybe with Selective Area. And I feel you're right about the tentacles, they really are just like a special effect.

Alternatively I could just rule that the tentacles are a 0-point feature, since they don't do anything (that isn't paid for by the affliction) and can be chopped off (and possibly regrown, but that's a separate advantage and should be easy enough)

[Deadly]

Sorry for double post. I got the following, let me know if it makes sense and how to improve it.

SM 0, the tentacles would make it +7 but I'm not counting them since they don't have a strength and wouldn't affect the strength of the creature itself.

Trailing Tentacles (length 2xHT yards; number of tentacles equal to HT; ST 0) [0]

Paralyzing Touch 1 (trailing tentacles only; incapacitation, agony and paralysis, +250%; area effect, 32 yards, +250%; contact agent, +150%; low signature, +10%; bombardment, skill 10, -15%; emanation, -20%; nuisance effect, tentacles can be cut, -5%; reduced duration, 1/6th, -15%; resistible, HT-5, -5%) [70]

Regrowth (trailing tentacles only, -50%) [20]

Telecommunication (chemical trail; broadcast, +50%; racial, -20%; vague, -50%; only underwater, -10%; subject to noise, -10%; can be intercepted, -10%) [15]

First and major problem is that the tentacles are of variable length based on HT here, but the affliction is a fixed area effect. Is there a way to make the area variable based on HT too, or will it have to be a fixed size? I can fix the size of the tentacles as I had originally planned, but I think it's nicer with it based on HT, if only it can work.

Second, the paralyzing touch is rather expensive. Is it really worth 70 points I wonder?

Third, some of the modifiers on the telecommunication are made up and kinda randomly chosen. I don't know what they're realistically worth, but I think maybe 15 points for the telecommunication is a bit high for something that is not much better than regular speech.

[jindra34]

I just feel that unless I make the tentacles useful in some other way, maybe to manipulate objects, they shouldn't really require any special mention other than the paralyzing effect which is a pure Affliction and nothing more.

Most of a jellyfish is its tentacles, and my third proposed technique they really don't cost points (SM is a zero point trait) so they are just a note. Maybe you could make a special use of jet (extending range to fit +40% [gives 40 yard reach for both regular and 1/2d]) which while leaving it a ranged attack still qualifies it for melee tricks (final +250% for affliction types .-30% for contact agent +0% for jet +40% for range, so 36 points for affliction per level). And everything on Telecomunication is proper.

Edit: One level of my proposed affliciton + proposed telecomunication + cannot speak + aquatic + no fine manipulators comes out to 11 points, no manipulators at all comes out to -9 points. Does that seem reasonable?

[Deadly]

Most of a jellyfish is its tentacles, and my third proposed technique they really don't cost points (SM is a zero point trait) so they are just a note. Maybe you could make a special use of jet (extending range to fit +40% [gives 40 yard reach for both regular and 1/2d]) which while leaving it a ranged attack still qualifies it for melee tricks (final +250% for affliction types .-30% for contact agent +0% for jet +40% for range, so 36 points for affliction per level). And everything on Telecomunication is proper.

Edit: One level of my proposed affliciton + proposed telecomunication + cannot speak + aquatic + no fine manipulators comes out to 11 points, no manipulators at all comes out to -9 points. Does that seem reasonable?

But is a Jet really appropriate here?

And with a +7 SM it'd be able to take cheap points in ST even though it makes no sense because most of its size adds nothing to its strength.

Maybe I'm not seeing your proposed idea right. No extra arms then? Just a size modifier and an affliction?

[jindra34]

But is a Jet really appropriate here?

Powers (aka the most essential non-core book) mentions that jet is appropriate for things like whips so i figure its close enough.

And with a +7 SM it'd be able to take cheap points in ST even though it makes no sense because most of its size adds nothing to its strength.

Maybe I'm not seeing your proposed idea right. No extra arms then? Just a size modifier and an affliction?

SM idea was based on me being away from books yesterday. If the increase in size is solely for the affliction then using something like jet is a better means. And if it has no functional arms or legs (which most jellyfish don't) the tentacles are best a trait (aka no point value thing) or a special effect (no point thing modifier from powers essentially) of the affliction which I didn't list on there.

Build is affliction + telecom (that was given to you) + cannot speak at all + aquatic + no (fine) manipulators, at -9 or 11 points depending on whether they have any ability to affect things. Drop no (fine) manipulators [give them arms and hands] and you get 41 point total.

[Deadly]

Powers (aka the most essential non-core book) mentions that jet is appropriate for things like whips so i figure its close enough.

SM idea was based on me being away from books yesterday. If the increase in size is solely for the affliction then using something like jet is a better means. And if it has no functional arms or legs (which most jellyfish don't) the tentacles are best a trait (aka no point value thing) which I didn't list on there.

Hmm... I guess I might try to work it out as a jet. It just doesn't seem as convincing as some of the other options like aura or emanation.

And I'm thinking of giving them at least two larger tentacles that can be used for manipulating things. They're meant to be a possible (if maybe not very likely) PC race, so they really should have some manipulators. But that's separate from this particular issue.

[jindra34]

And I'm thinking of giving them at least two larger tentacles that can be used for manipulating things. They're meant to be a possible (if maybe not very likely) PC race, so they really should have some manipulators. But that's separate from this particular issue.

Do they have anything with the flexibility/versatility of hands? Cause if not they still qualify for no fine manipulators.

And jet was a low price alternative to the 70 point AoE version.

[Deadly]

Do they have anything with the flexibility/versatility of hands? Cause if not they still qualify for no fine manipulators.

I'm thinking the tentacles would be flexible enough to function well as manipulators. They'll also have some level of cosmetic Morph, so perhaps they could even develop fingers when needed. I haven't gotten to that point yet, though.

And jet was a low price alternative to the 70 point AoE version.

Yeah. I played around with jet previously and it is less expensive for sure, but it just never seemed totally right. I'll have to try again.

[Deadly]

Alright, I think this is relatively good but let me know if something could be improved. This ends up at 92 points total, which is a little high but as long as it's below 100 I can live with it.

One thing, I'm not sure if the trailing tentacles should have a cost when they can be used for sensing? Also, someone with low HT would pay a little more for the affliction than they technically should. I'm not sure how to best fix that.

SM 0, +7 if tentacles count

Trailing Tentacles (length 2xHT to a max of 40 yards; number of tentacles equal to HT; ST 0; can be used for sensing) [0]

Tentacles (extra-flexible; long, +1) [30]

Paralyzing Touch 1 (trailing tentacles only; incapacitation, agony and paralysis, +250%; jet, +0%; increased range, ½D 40, max 40, +100%; no signature, +20%; contact agent, -30%) [44]

Regrowth (trailing tentacles only, -50%) [20]

Telecommunication (chemical trail; broadcast, +50%; racial, -20%; vague, -50%; only underwater, -10%; subject to noise, -10%; can be intercepted, -10%) [15]

Acute Touch [2]
Chameleon 2 [10]
Discriminatory Smell [15]
Discriminatory Taste [10]
Doesn't Breathe (gills) [0]
Double-Jointed [15]
Extended Lifespan 1 [2]
Injury Tolerance (no brain) [5]
Morph (cosmetic) [50]
Slippery 2 [4]
Subsonic Hearing [5]
Ultrahearing [5]

Cold-Blooded (below 50°) [-5]
Curious [-5]
Dependency (salt water; constantly) [-25]
Invertebrate [-20]
Mute [-25]
No Legs (Aquatic) [-5]
Vulnerability (cutting x3) [-45]
Xenophilia [-10]

[jindra34]

Alright, I think this is relatively good but let me know if something could be improved. This ends up at 92 points total, which is a little high but as long as it's below 100 I can live with it.

One thing, I'm not sure if the trailing tentacles should have a cost when they can be used for sensing? Also, someone with low HT would pay a little more for the affliction than they technically should. I'm not sure how to best fix that.

Acute touch covers most of the sense deal. And you could make the tentacles fixed length (and why the f' are they variable in the first place?).

[Deadly]

Acute touch covers most of the sense deal. And you could make the tentacles fixed length (and why the f' are they variable in the first place?).

Just like some humans are taller than others, some of these have longer or shorter tentacles, as well as more or less of them. And I thought it would be an interesting little detail, because I figure the difference in tentacle length would be more pronounced and more important than the differences in human height.

I could make it a fixed length, true, but I think it's more interesting if it's variable.