A “meta-trait” is a collection of traits that are typical of a particular mental, physical, or supernatural state. In game terms, it functions much like a regular advantage or disadvantage. A meta trait can be part of a racial template or bought by an individual with exotic abilities. Record a meta-trait instead of its components on templates and character sheets.
With GM approval, you may modify elements of a meta-trait, altering its cost; e.g., to be able to carry things when you have Body of Air (see below), reduce the ST penalty and the corre sponding HP bonus, and delete No Manipulators.
Machine 25 points
Your body is mostly or completely mechanical, composed of non-living materials such as metal, plastic, and composites – although you might have a few organic parts, such as an outer layer of skin or a brain. Examples include robots, vehicles, and full cyborgs.
This meta-trait includes Immunity to Metabolic Hazards 30 points, Injury Tolerance (No Blood, Unliving) 25 points, Unhealing (Total) -30 points, and several 0 point features:
• You have an eight-hour energy reserve and need refueling three times a day. You can modify this with appropriate advantages (e.g., Doesn’t Eat or Drink, for a reactor that can run for years) or disadvantages (e.g., Increased Consumption, for a “gas guzzler” engine).
• You neither have nor can spend Fatigue Points; see Machines and Fatigue.
• Your body does not age. Instead, it wears out, with effects similar to aging.
Note that your Unhealing disadvantage means that the only way for you to regain lost HP is through repairs with Mechanic or Electronics Repair skill (as appropriate). Several traits not included above are common among machines, notably the advantages Digital Mind, Doesn’t Breathe, Pressure Support, Sealed, and Vacuum Support, and the disadvantages Electrical, Fragile, Maintenance, Numb, Restricted Diet, and Social Stigma (Valuable Property).
Necroid -13 points
Bad Smell -10 pts, Dependency (Clonefeed) -10 pts, Sterile 0 pts, Unusual Biochemistry -5 pts, Injury Tolerance (Unliving) 20 pts, IQ-1 -20 pts, Longevity 2 pts, Partial Amnesia -10 pts, Resistant to Metabolic Hazards (+8) 15 pts, Zeroed (Legally Dead) 10 pts, Social Stigma (Second-Class Citizen) -5 pts
Mentality variable
These traits represent common types of nonhuman intelligence:
AI 32 points
A computer mind. Absolute Timing 2 points; Digital Mind 5 points; Doesn’t Sleep 20 points; Intuitive Mathematician 5 points; Photographic Memory 10 points; and Reprogrammable -10 points.
Extradimensional Entity 201 points
You are a noncorporeal entity: most likely a Redspace Adversarial Intelligence. You are invisible and intangible (except to others with this meta-trait). You can temporarily become visible, or even solid, but this is draining. However, your senses can perceive the material world at all times, and your psionic abilities, if any, can always affect the physical world.
Doesn’t Breathe 20 points; Doesn’t Eat or Drink 10 points; Doesn’t Sleep 20 points; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards 30 points; Insubstantiality (Always On, -50%) 40 points; Invisibility (Substantial Only, -10%) 36 points; Possession (Spiritual) 80 points, and Unaging 15 points. Unnatural -50 points.
Automaton -85 points
A mind lacking self awareness and creativity. This is typical of many hive-creatures, constructs, necroids, and simple AIs. You can combine this with the AI meta-trait. Hidebound -5 points; Incurious (6) -10 points; Low Empathy -20 points; No Sense of Humor -10 points; and Slave Mentality -40 points.
Domestic Animal -30 points
A farm animal, pet, mount, or a trained wild animal. Cannot Speak -15 points; Hidebound -5 points; Social Stigma (Valuable Property) -10 points; and Taboo Trait (Fixed IQ) 0 points.
Wild Animal -30 points
An ordinary animal found in nature. Bestial -10 points; Cannot Speak -15 points; Hidebound -5 points; and Taboo Trait (Fixed IQ) 0 points.
Morphology Meta-Traits
These meta-traits describe some nonhumanoid body configurations that might appear on the racial tem plates of animals, robots, etc. Feel free to create meta-traits for other body layouts, using these examples as guidelines.
Ground Vehicle -100 points
Your body is like a car, tank, etc. Horizontal -10 points; No Legs (Tracked or Wheeled) -20 points; No Manipulators -50 points; and Numb -20 points.
Ichthyoid
You have a fish-like body (a “merman” would just delete No Manipulators). No Legs (Aquatic) 0 points and No Manipulators -50 points.
Quadruped -35 points
You are a four-legged creature with no arms (a “centauroid” would simply take Extra Legs – plus Hooves, if equine). Extra Legs (Four Legs) 5 points; Horizontal -10 points; and No Fine Manipulators -30 points.
Vermiform -35 points.
Your body is similar to that of a snake or a worm (a snake man with a humanoid upper torso would drop No Manipulators). Double-Jointed 15 points; No Legs (Slithers) 0 points; and No Manipulators -50 points.
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