Welcome to the Zoo-a possible alternative for the Half-Man from Trophy Case V2 No4
I must admit, i've always felt sorry for the Ani-men Origin in H&H, with 1D6 blatant deformities requiring constant disguises, and two abilities just a touch better than the baseline Human Origin-and trying to hold their own running with Demi-gods, Aliens and Mermen. I've been thinking a bit-
(tops up coolant levels in Brainport)
-and I might have a few alternatives.
The Hybrid-some poor souls, due to accident of birth, Mad Science or Blasphemous Sorcery, have evolved a number of animal-like traits that set them apart from their mundane kindred. The PC chooses two Traits from the following list below. Each listed Trait has both a Lesser and a Greater version. The PC then chooses one Mark for each Trait chosen...the Mark is Subtle, and easily hidden from casual detection-only those with keen senses and training(or reason to be suspicious-can see the Mark. If a Greater Trait is chosen, then the Mark is quite Blatant, and anybody may see it unless special precautions are taken. Alternately, the PC may take three Subtle Marks in plase of a Blatant one (Editor Approval).
Animal Traits
Animal Senses- Subtle: the PC can either Surprise foes on a 4+ on a 1D6 when alone, or is only Surprised on a 1 on 1D6 Blatant: the PC has both.
Boosted Sense- Subtle: the PC chooses one of the 5 Senses and gets a +1 Skill Modifier when applicable. Vision could lend itself to Spot Hidden and Spot Details at extreme distances, Touch could also be used to Spot Hidden and/or Detect Forgery ("this is the wrong kind of paper for U.S. currency"), Smell could help identify substances in the air, Track Suspects by scent etc. Blatant: the PC gets a +2 to Skill Modifiers and possible bonus benefits: Vision might get a +1 to Ranged Combat, Smell and Taste might get a +1 Save vs Gas or Ingested Poison, Touch might get +1 Initiative as the air currents against their skin help track targets, etc.
Natural Weapons- Subtle: the PC does 1D6-1 damage in Unarmed Combat or while Grappling. Blatant: the PC either gets 1D6+1 damage, or 1D6 plus a single Advantageous effect such as +1 to Strike in a fistfight, grapple or charge, +1 to Wreck or Climb or Dig etc.
Evolutionary Adaptation- Subtle: the PC picks a single thing that they are 'good at' due to their Animal Trait and get a +1 on all Skill Checks for it. Examples may include Slow Respiration (save vs Gas/suffocation) Climb, Sprint, Swim, Hide, etc. Blatant: The PC gets a +2 instead.
Movement: Subtle- the PC may either add +3 to Movement or or have a Great Leap of 18 ft. Blatant: the PC could have both at once. Failing that the PC could have a +6 to Movement and a +1 to Running Skill Checks, or Great Leap of 30 ft and a +1 to Jumping Skill Checks.
Environment- Subtle: The PC gets a +2 to Saves vs either Hot or Cold temperatures, and for the purposes of Exhaustion has a +2 to Constitution when in that condition vs other Heroes/Mobsters. Blatant: As above and also the PC also takes half damage (round down) from that condition or even as an attack.
Armor- Subtle: The PC has a natural AC of 7/12. Blatant: the PC either has an AC 0f 5/14, or 6/13 with a -1 per die from a single type of damage (blunt, cutting or penetrating).
Regeneration- Subtle: The PC heals as if always under the influence of a First Aid Kit, and this can stack with First Aid or other Medicine. Blatant: The PC has all of the above, gets an additional +1 to Saves vs Poison and Disease, and can regrow body parts at the rate a normal person can heal a broken bone.
Night Vision- Subtle: the PC can see through any non-magical Darkness up to 30 ft. Blatant: the PC can see up to 60 ft in total Darkness, or 30 ft in any direction, or can also see up to 30 ft in blinding light.
Poison- Subtle: the PC has either a poison spray (5 ft range) or a Bite (Grappling Combat only but -2 to Saves) that causes Exhaustion in targets until they take a breather and wash the bite, wipe their eyes etc. Blatant: the PC's Poison also is: Venomous (1 Damage for 1D3 Turns) or Blinding (acts as a Tear Gas for 1D3 Turns) or Diseased (Exhaustion lasts for 2D6 Turns, with a new Save after that-Sulfa Drugs can cut the recovery time in half).
Lands on Their Feet- Subtle: the PC can instantly stand back up when knocked over and subtract 10 ft from all Falling Damage. Blatant: the PC can also Leap up to 15 ft, and subtracts that from Falling Damage as well (as long as they jumped rather than fell)
The Wonder Animal (bonus Origin)-some PCs were never remotely Humanoid to begin with. These are the Super-geniuses of the Animal Kingdom, evolved through Divine Intervention or Mobster shenanigans. The PC picks three Animal Traits instead of two, these Traits are always Blatant. In addition, the PC gains the following Weakness:
The World of Man is not Mine-the PC takes an Alien Environment penalty for any Skill or Background that they do not have, just as an Android would. In addition, while attempting to do anything highly improbable with Human tools (typing a document with hooves, opening a doorknob with a beak etc) the Editor may demand a Skill Check(and with the penalty it's pretty much always a Hard Check). In addition, the Wonder Animal cannot speak any Human languages though they might understand them just fine (and a Horse PC that learns Morse Code is going to shock the blazes out of that Boy Scout!)
The Wonder Animal either looks like a perfect member of its species (and is treated as such by Humanity-woe betide the dog without a tag, or a Bengal Tiger at all). Failing that, the PC may choose to be some hideous unnatural thing instead, and risk the usual torch-wielding mobs when their disguise fails...
Sample PC, Subtle Mode:
The Silver Spider- Teddy Weaver, Hybrid Mysteryman, Level 2
STR 16(+1)
DEX 11
CON 13
INT 11
WIS 10
CHA 9
Attack: +0(+1 Melee)
AC 5/14, 4/15 in Costume
Hit Points: 10
Move: 12
Save: 15 (+3 vs Missles, Poison, +1 vs Science, Plot)
Alignment: Neutral
Skills: 2D6K1. Teddy speaks fluent English. Since his astounding transformation, he seems to know an instinctive Animal Kung-Fu (+1 Unarmed Damage, -/+1 AC).
Background: His transformed body has made him a natural Athlete, +1 to Running, Climbing, Swimming and Grappling checks.
Origin Abilities: Animal Senses(only surprised on a 1 on 1D6) Sticky Fingers (+1 to Climb Checks, +2 with Background added in). The Mark of the Beast-reacts to danger seconds before it happens, has an amazing amount of Static Cling unless actually wet).
Class Abilities: May use any weapon(Save vs Plot for Guns) and wear up to a Bulletproof Vest. Adds Missle Save Bonus to AC. Has Heightened Skills and 3 Stunts per day. Special Attack: Counter-punch, +2 bonus to hit anyone that just missed him that round, melee only.
Equipment
The Black Wasp-a 1933 Schwinn with extra-strong brakes, heavy rims, hastily-applied paint job and a 35CC chainsaw motor added on-treat as Scooter. Carries a shapeless burlap bag in the front basket for the repair kit, spare tubes and a First Aid Kit
Wrist Rocket-a slingshot that folds against his forearm when not in use, range 50 ft, Damage 1D3 or Special Ammo
3 tubes of marbles and his "Venom rounds"-a tube of ping-pong balls full of red pepper (treat as Tear Gas Pen if target struck)
50 ft of silk rope
3 reels of hospital gauze (improvised handcuffs, bandages, etc)
The Silver Spider ensemble- his Uncle's old Navy Coat with a Spider emblem over the heart via silver paint, sturdy black work pants, leather gloves, sneakers hastily painted black, a blue bandanna with a faintly web-like pattern across his face, battered old fedora and dark glasses(-/+1 AC). No helmet as of yet, it seems to get in the way too much
Satchel full of peanut butter sandwiches for energy
His Story: Teddy couldn't believe it-and the doctors didn't either. He'd always been thin-blooded to the point he shivered in Summer, needed an inhaler if a flower even looked at him...and those spider bites in Uncle Tony's basement had nearly done him in-Brown Recluses, each one capable of killing a man under the right conditions.
Uncle Tony and Aunt Molly had always taken care of him since the malaria had taken his folks-the fact Ma had the disease during her pregnancy was probably why Teddy was so frail. But there was nothing wrong with his mind, full Honors in school and college bound-until the basement. Teddy had spent the week of his 17th birthday at Lakefront General slipping in and out of lucidity, talking to his Aunt and Uncle, the nurses, Ma and Pa, the strange man without a face spewing nonsense about Power and Responsibility and the Great Hunt soon to commence...
But then Teddy woke up and everything was fine. Better than fine, he could breathe without the inhaler, he ate like a horse, he wasn't weak or tired in the least. Yep, everything was Aces, right up until Teddy got home-and found Uncle Tony crying silently in the kitchen. Molly and he had fought over something, she was at her Folk's for a few weeks...Horse-apples. Uncle Tony couldn't tell a lie to save his life...Teddy figured it out in under three days from the whispered phone calls, the large men lurking in the sedans, his Uncle puttering with test tubes in the basement. Uncle Tony did favors for the O'Connor Family sometimes, research of some kind-and instead of turning the results over to Liam O'Connor...he'd put it into Teddy's veins. And now he wasn't sick anymore, he could catch a baseball without looking at it, he could climb up to the roof like he was walking on the floor...Teddy put his hands on the bumper of the Family sedan, heaved-lifted the back end two feet off the ground, just like in the dream...
A day of sewing and tinkering later,Teddy Weaver left his Uncle Tony a letter on the kitchen table-and the Silver Spider went to go find Molly Weaver, just like those guys on the Radio...
Sample PC, Blatant Mode:
The Raptor-Edith Baker, Hybrid Fighter, Level 2
STR 11
DEX 16(+1)
CON 11
INT 12
WIS 8
CHA 13
Attack: +1 (+1 Ranged)
AC: 7/12, 5/14 in Costume
Hit Points: 12
Move: 18
Save: 16(+3 vs Missles, Poison, +1 vs Science, Plot)
Alignment: Chaotic (pretends Neutral as Edith)
Skills: 1D6. Edith is fluent in English and French, having been tutored abroad.
Background: A former world-famous dancer, Edith gets a +1 to Run and Jump checks, can choreograph and teach...but she will never perform before an audience again as she is now. As Raptor, she has incorporated her dance moves into her combat style, -/+1 AC.
Origin Abilities: Built to Run:+6 Move, +1 Running checks(+2 with Background). Natural Weaponry: 1D6 in Melee Combat, +1 to Wreck. Marks of the Beast: Her legs crawl with ropes of inhuman muscle, and her knees pivot backward at full speed or when jumping. She cannot hide these without extreme, crippling measures. Her feet end in two razor-sharp black talons and the soles of her feet look like thick rawhide, likewise marking her a monster.
Class Abilities: She can use any weapon and armor, may handle Guns without a Save vs Plot. She can attack up to two Mobsters of <1HD per turn.
Equipment
A modest one-bedroom bungalow at 1470 Gold Terrace, with a plain but functional studio in the back
A 1928 Cushman Trike scooter, modified for an invalid with full back rest and belts
Horrible, ugly leg braces, boots and crutches (nullify her Origin Abilities and Background Bonuses, reduce her Move to 6-but disguise her deformities
The Raptor Ensemble- brown triple-layered silk pants loose enough for her legs to move, silk brigandine jacket with extra padding to make her look bigger and more masculine, black silk gloves and a reptilian tribal mask that vaguely resembles a lizard's face, with her eyes peering out from its 'teeth' (Bulletproof Vest and Helmet)
Twin Army Surplus Colt Revolvers (range 250 ft, 6 shots 1D6 Ranged Attack) in gator-skin holsters and a half-dozen re-loads set in Speed Loaders.
Lifetime Passes to all of the Concert venues in Lakefront City, a result of her previous Diva-hood.
Four First Aid Kits at home-accidents happen when your students learn new routines
Origin: You had it all-acclaim, money, respect, lovers...Edie Baker had it all.Right up until she turned down Albert Tolino for a date. Tolino wasn't a man to take 'No' lightly...but you knew where it would lead, and you were never going to be a Kept Woman for some Mobbed-up Whiskey Baron. After several weeks of tense stand-offs though, Tolino seemed to gravitate to your Understudy, Diane Halperin-and despite your warnings Diane seemed just fine with Big Al as her Sugar Daddy. At the end of October, you called Tolino and held out the Olive Branch-Diane was ready to spread her wings, you felt she was ready...so Edith Baker was going to 'catch the Flu' for a fortnight, a gift for Diane and an apology to Al, all rolled up in one...
You never saw the sedan that hit you at speed and left you broken like a ragdoll-but you caught part of the plate when they hit Reverse and backed over you again.The driver was Gianni Torrio, Tolino's Number One.
It took six months before you were able to return home-in a wheelchair. You had money-if you weren't too extravagant you were set for life-and students pestered you far and wide for tutoring, so okay, three days a week teaching what you knew, correcting postures and picking the more likely successes...but it wasn't enough, it would never be enough. An army of charlatans and quacks offered cures-you hired a Private Eye to head them off at the pass and screen for any Honest Joes, not that you figured any would show...
But one did. The treatment was highly experimental, the results were not guaranteed-and they didn't want your money, not a red cent. Ice-baths, massage, injections of amniotic fluid and something called a Vita-Ray chamber...sure, why not? They weren't going to make you any more paraplegic...
Everything was burning, they were all dead, all dead fire everywhere and you ran and ran and ran and...
And...ran? You ran. your legs-they worked again! You would dance again, dance until you died-and then you looked...down. At.Your.LEGS. The scream you made didn't sound even remotely human.
You heard the rumors about the monster that broke into Lakefront Hall and stole a dozen costumes-and laughed and laughed as you waited for your purchase, .44 caliber, custom holsters. You turned in the mirror, your knees rotating like gimbals-the mask was glorious, gleaming amber eyes, a cage of steel teeth, green and orange and red highlights, broad padded shoulders.You were strong, dangerous, a scaly reptile predator...a RAPTOR.
Torrio screamed as you tore through the sedan door with your lovely, lovely talons and emptied three rounds into him-he returned fire somehow, you danced around the bullets and kicked the windscreen in. Torrio took off somehow, but you ran up the fire escape, across the roof and down down down onto the roof of the Phaeton but somehow Torrio shook you off-and hit a fire hydrant...you wanted to stay so badly and watch the mook bleed and drown, but sirens were near, and it wasn't the cops who taken your legs, was it?
Gianni Torrio lived, three bullets in him, half drowned and a broken arm...No matter. Torrio would die.Diane Halperin-she had to have known, she would die. Albert Torrio would die slow.
You will dance again. You are the Raptor, and you will dance on their graves.