Tri-Stat dX Swarm attribute revision By Zegon Destructacon Cost: 1 point/level Effective Level: 2 points/level Relevant Stat: Body Required PMVs: None Optional PMVs: None Progression: Linear; +1 slot/level Reduction: None Restrictions: Special; See Disabilities Swarm permits the character to transform into a number of smaller creatures, weather they be bats, flies, ants, motes of fire, or even water droplets. This attribute typically had many ways of being interpreted, hence the re-write of the attribute. Every level of Swarm gives one 'attribute slot'. These slots can be used to increase the size and strength of the swarm, or even give it special powers such as flight or energy immunity. Swarmed characters normally don't have any stats to speak of. Each creature can maneuver their way out of all but the most air-tight confines, being able to climb non-greased walls, etc. While swarmed, no attributes or skills of the swarmed character can be used, and the character's actions are limited to move, attack, and observe. Swarms do not have any skills, and have an ACV starting at X/2, rounded up. The swarm deals, on default, one damage per critter in it on a successful hit. If a swarm is hit by an attack, the attack automatically kills a critter (which has 1 hit point), unless the attack has spreading, area effect, cone, linear, or auto-fire. Auto-fire attacks kill one critter per hit they score. Spreading attacks kill one critter per five damage per level of spreading. Area Effect attacks are particularly deadly, and kill one critter per damage point they deal. Cone operates much like Area Effect in this matter, and linear will kill one critter per ten damage per level deal. Area effect, cone, and linear attacks can NOT kill more critters than are in the area they cover. Critters need to eat, breathe, cannot swim, and of course perform other functions that living, breathing creatures need to do. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Abilities - Adaptation - 1 slot/level Each level of Adaptation the swarm acquires can be used to making it immune to a particular type of environmental effect. Examples are listed under the Adaptation attribute. Attack Mastery - 1 slot/level Each level of attack mastery increases the ACV of the swarm by 1. Bigger Swarm - 1 slot/level Each level of Bigger Swarm increases the amount of critters you generate per hit point by one. It also allows the swarm to achieve a greater area, making the maximum distance between any two swarm members increase by five meters. To have Swarm, you MUST have this ability at least at level 1. Energy Immunity - 5 slots/level The swarm is immune to a particular type of energy or element. Common examples include cold, heat, electricity, sound, holy, negative, temporal, and boi-energetic. The type you are immune to must be easily discernable in your swarmed form and MAKE SENSE. Most who take this also take the Energy Weakness disability. Flight - 2 slots/level Each level of flight permits one level of the 'flight' attribute to be used while in swarm mode. Insubstantial - 1 slot/level The 'motes', or what have you, are more capable of getting past solid barriers than normal critters of their type. At one level they are treated with insubstantial level three. At two levels they have it at level six. Four is required for level eight. Five is required for level ten, and eight is required for level twelve. Turning insubstantial is not a capable defense for swarmed creatures, as by going insubstantial it is imposable for them to attack, or even form up to regain the character's normal form. Weapons and the like without the affects incorporeal ability can still harm the swarm as normal. This cannot be combined with cannot attack or cannot penetrate. Special Defense - 1 slot/level The critters are immune to one type of natural weakness. Among these include breathing, eating, and magnifying glasses (Okay, I'm making the last one up). Swimming - 1 slot/level Each level of swimming gives the swarm one level of the Swimming Speed attribute. This is generally appropriate for fish, etc. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Disabilities - Cannot Attack - 3 slots The swarm, plain and simple, cannot attack. For whatever reason, it cannot create an effective enough force to cause any sort of damage to any target of any size. This cannot be combined with cannot penetrate or insubstantial. Cannot Penetrate - 2 slots The swarm has so much of a problem against armor that it cannot even penetrate mundane clothing, fur, or exceptionally thick skin. The swarm can only affect naked flesh. Against people wearing clothing, this means damage dealt is reduced to 1/10th normal. Several animals and other creatures without armor become immune to this swarm, as well. This cannot be combined with insubstantial or cannot attack. Energy Weakness - 2 slots A particular type of energy, see energy immunity, is exceptional fatal to the critters. Every round inside of such an environment causes half of the critters to die. Furthermore, area effect, spreading, and the like of attacks kill twice as many critters as normal.