Nitebane: The PPE Method Alternate Morpheus Creation
The Nightspawn rulebook essentially offers three different methods for determining the characteristics of a Nightspawn's Morphus: Random Rolls, Selection or a Combination of the first two (see pp. 91-92). I don't feel that any of them are terribly well composed methods. I dislike the first most of all. The Morphus of a nightspawn is supposed to be reflection of its personality. The last thing I need is the dice telling me how to roleplay my character. Selection eliminates that problem. However, as noted in the text, it is a nightmare from the gamemaster's perspective. The Combination method contains the worst characteristics of both. Therefore, I have devised an alternative: the PPE Method. I find that it works nicely to preserve both player control and game balance. Using the PPE Method, a player may choose any morphus characteristics he desires as long as he pays for them with Potential Psychic Energy points. Just like Talents, each characteristic is assigned a value that must be removed permanently from the nightspawn's PPE base at character creation. I have included the costs that I use for all of the morphus attributes in the Nightspawn rulebook and Beyond the Shadows. I've attempted to equate the values with the benefit that each characteristic bestows as far as stats are concerned. Although this is likely to decrease the PPE and posibly overall strength of nightspawn characters, I feel it actually makes them more balanced, especially in the case of the Nightsawn Sorceror and Mystic O.C.C.s.
Unearthly Beauty
Doll-Like Appearance - 10 Animal Magnetism - 12 Elfin Features - 10 Physical Perfection - 10 Fallen Angel - 12
Animal Forms Full Animal - 15 Were-Animal - 12 Humanoid Animal - 10 Centauroid Animal - 15 Talons - 5 Feather Hair - 5 Insect Eyes - 5 Rodent Head - 5 All Others - 7
Stigmata Bloody Ooze - 5 Corpse Like - 5 Bones - 10 All Others - 7
Unusual Facial Features Oversized Cavernous Mouth - 5 Glowing Eyes - 5 Cyclops - 3 Misshapen Facial Features - 3 Extra Eyes - 5 Skull Face - 5 Sharp Teeth - 7 Small Horns - 5 Large Horns - 7 Facial Tentacles - 5 No Face! - 3 Alien Features - 3
Alien Shape Plasmoid - 10 Bark-like Skin - 7 Bony Exoskeleton - 7 Thorns- 7 Crystalline - 10 Living Tattoos - 3 Unusual Skin Color - 3 Hulking Monster - 7 Mouth-Covered Body - 5
Unnatural Limbs Prehensile Tail - 5 Spiked Prehensile Tail - 5 Tentacles - 7 Long, Sensitive Fingers - 5 Pairs of Tiny Arms and Hands - 5 Four Arms - 5 Pseudopods - 7 Articulated Spikes - 7 Antenna - 5
Biomechanical Armor Graft - 7 Plastic - 7 Rocket Jets - 7 Metal Teeth and Talons - 7 Metal Endoskeleton - 7 Mechanical Limbs - 10 Weapon Hands - 7 Metal Exoskeleton - 10 Metal Head & Eyes - 7 Wheels or Treads - 10 Gun Limbs - Add 5 PPE per gun Screen Face - 3 Speakers - 7 Tool Hands - 5-7 (GM's discretion) Monitor Eyes - 5 Chain Saw Arms - 5-7 (GM's discretion) Computer Creature - 5 Projectile Limbs - 10