S.T.A.R.S. BESM3e RP

A character with Alternate Form can instantaneously

transform into one other specific form that is determined

during character creation and approved by the Game Master.

Once selected, the choice of form cannot be altered. Alternate

Form allows the character to possess a radically different

body shape than his or her normal human form, and exhibit

exotic physical features as well. See the Metamorphosis

Attribute (page 40) for a variation on Alternate Form.

If a character only has a single, permanent, non-human

form, this Attribute should not be applied. Instead, the

character must acquire the relevant Attributes and Defects

that best represent the form’s capabilities. A character with

several different Alternate Forms should assign this Attribute

multiple times. The Attributes gained in the character’s

Alternate Form obviously cannot be Dependent (page 78)

upon the Alternate Form Attribute. Different Alternate

Forms can be built with different Attribute Levels as well. To

create a character with unlimited additional forms, see the

Dynamic Powers Attribute (page 29) or Power Flux (page

45) with a Shapeshifting speciality.

The extra form is built from 10 Character Points for

each Alternate Form Level, which can be used to acquire

Attributes and Defects. The character retains all the

Stat Values, Attribute Levels, Restrictions, and Defects

associated with his or her regular form. The newly acquired

Attributes and Defects add to the character’s normal form.

If the character’s Stats are modified by the Enhanced [Stat]

Attribute or Less Capable [Stat] Defect, the Derived Values

should be recalculated as necessary. Unless the GM indicates

otherwise, normal clothing becomes part of the Alternate

Form as well. An Alternate Form may only be assigned if

some disadvantage (social or otherwise) exists that make

staying in form all the time a significant disadvantage.

Reducing Attributes
:
Although the Attributes of an Alternate Form usually add

on top of the character’s base Attributes, sometimes the character

will need to “sell off” a few Attribute Levels to best match the

player’s concept. In this case, elimination of Levels returns Points

to the character, which can be allocated to other Attributes.

For example, a character with Level 4 Alternate Form can

add +40 Points to create the Alternate Form. If the character

wants to reduce his Superstrength from his normal Level 2

to a new Level 0, the character gains back the 16 Points spent

on Superstrength. Consequently, the Level 4 Alternate Form

now gives the character +56 Points (40 + 16 = 56) to spend

on new Attributes.

The reverse is true for “buying off” Defects: the Points

available for the character’s Alternate Form are reduced

appropriately.

If a character needs to reduce more than two Attributes

in his or her Alternate Form, or the secondary form is

intended to be weaker than the character’s primary form,

it is probably better to assign the Metamorphosis Attribute

(page 40) instead.