Alternate Races

This article offers rules for alternate player character races, including Vampires, Shapeshifters, and Ghouls.

SHAPESHIFTER CHARACTERS

Shapeshifters are also known as were-animals, stemming from the ancient myths of the werewolves. They are not limited to any animal in particular, but some shapeshifter forms are more common than others, and some are only found in certain geographic areas. Mongoose shapeshifters, for example, are not at all common, but they're much more likely to be found in places like Hawai'i or Africa than within the borders of UCAS. A few common examples of shapeshifters are listed in the Shadowrun rules on p. 230, and include bears and wolves in the northern hemisphere, tigers in Asia, foxes in the Far East, and seals in coastal waters worldwide. The only shapeshifters which seem to originate in the city environment are ones such as cat, dog and the occasional rat. There are no known occurrences of paranormal animals becoming shapeshifters.

The core of a shapeshifter's being is the animal. They are not humans, but are animals with the ability to take on a human form. Even in human form, some aspects of their animal nature show through in animal-like features. In astral space, a shapeshifter's aura always shows his animal form. Many believe that this is an indication of their preference for the animal's nature over that of their human side. Regardless of which form a shapeshifter takes, however, their animal instincts remain, and they show a strong tendency to remain in the wild. Few venture into the cities, and when they do it is usually (though not always) for one of two reasons: curiosity, or food.

A shapeshifter's intellect, however, is not limited to that of an animal. They have the ability to think, reason and learn just as a person does. Shapeshifters also have human feelings, emotions, and sometimes motivations, but their main instincts are centered around survival. Most of them, in fact, are predators by nature. Sometimes it can be an intense inner struggle between reason and instincts for a shapeshifter, and this sometimes negatively influences their dealings with humans. A player whose character is a shapeshifter must always keep in mind that their character is not human, and doesn't always think or act like one.

There are no known instances of cyberware or bioware being successfully implanted in a shapeshifter. Most often, the shapeshifter's body regenerates too quickly for the surgery to even be close to completed. Even when magic is used to suppress the shapeshifter's regeneration power, as soon as the spell is dropped to allow the shapeshifter to heal from the surgery, their body begins to reject the implantation. Often this rejection is characterized by painful tumors forming around the cyberware or bioware, which ceases to function. The tumors can be removed and do not return once the cyberware has been removed. Some scientists theorize that specially cultured bioware, especially designed for the shapeshifter's metabolism, might not be rejected. Other scientists, however, have stated that even if the augmentation was accepted by the shapeshifter, it would not transform when the subject assumes his alternate form.

Player characters who are shapeshifters follow the normal creation rules, with the following exceptions:

• Being a shapeshifter always requires that the "A" Priority be put into Race, even if the More Metahumans option is being used. The Priority chosen for Attributes determines the character's stats while in human form. Their animal form stats are calculated differently, as explained below.
  
  The player may not allocate more than 6 points to any attribute. However, a shapeshifter character receives a +1 bonus to Quickness, +2 to Strength and +2 to Body. Their running multiplier is a 4. They also receive an extra +1d6 for initiative (this bonus is not cumulative with spells or physical adept powers.)
  
  
• When in animal form, a shapeshifters stats can be determined by consulting the critter table on p. 233 of the main Shadowrun rules. For animals not listed in that table, the GM should make up appropriate values, using the given animals as a guide.
  
  The character receives the base physical stats of their animal, modified by their human form attribute minus three. Their "racial" maximum for their physical attributes is the stat given for the animal, times 1.5. Their mental attributes in animal form are the same as their human form values, and their racial maximum is a 6. In addition, the character receives +1d6 to the listed initiative dice (so a tiger shapeshifter would roll 4d6 for initiative.) This bonus is not cumulative with spells or phys-ad powers.
  
  
• The character automatically suffers from a severe allergy and vulnerability to silver, without gaining any benefit from the "Allergy" rules. In addition, they may not take any other allergies.
  
  
• A shapeshifter can be a full magician or an adept, if they put the appropriate priority into magic (as if they were a metahuman). However, all physical adept shapeshifters uses whichever attribute rating (human or animal form) is higher when determining the cost for improved attribute powers (including Improved Reaction.) All physical adept powers and spellcasting abilities can be used in either animal or human form, unless it's logically not possible
  
  For example, a wolf shapeshifter attempting to use Killing Hands while in animal form is simply out of luck, since it requires a barehanded attack. The same can be said of any other shapeshifter in animal form attempting to make use of their extra Firearms dice.
  
  Initiative bonuses due to spells or physical adept powers are not cumulative with any extra dice inherent in the character's animal form (so a tiger shapeshifter with a +3 dice initiative spell does not get to roll 7D6 for initiative!)
  
  
• A shapeshifter's starting Essence is an 8. However, they may NOT have cyberware implanted. Bioware may be allowed at the GM's discretion, but this is not advised and would involve a hefty cost increase even if permitted.
  
  
• All shapeshifters are dual-natured creatures, as explained on p. 148 of the Shadowrun rules. They see both the astral and physical world simultaneously, but are vulnerable to attacks from astral space.
  
  If a shapeshifter is a full magician (as chosen by his Priorities), or an adept capable of projection, he uses his physical stats for Strength, Body and Quickness while astrally projecting. However, his Initiative should be recalculated as per the normal rules on p. 147 of the main Shadowrun rulebook. Yes, shapeshifters with natural armor receive this armor in astral space as well.
  
  
• To change between human and animal form (or vice versa), the character must spend a complex action. At the end of ten phases, the transformation is complete. Note that the size differential between human and animal form for most shapeshifters creates unusual difficulties when things like clothing, armor, belts, and even backpacks are concerned. A shapeshifter's animal form is no bigger than the normal animal (in other words, a rat shapeshifter is, well, rat-sized). Sometimes the size of their animal slightly alters their size in human form (a bear shapeshifter, even in human form, will be a big, hairy fellow.)
  
  
• All shapeshifters possess the Regeneration power. In order to prevent the game from being completely unbalanced, the GM should use the following system for all uses of this power.
  
  Regeneration:
  
  This power happens at the end of each combat turn. The character rolls his current Essence against a target number of 4. Each success eliminates one box of physical damage, including boxes of damage overflow. Regeneration also allows the character to grow back severed limbs, with a base time of 10 minus their human form Body attribute, in days.

  Regeneration can be suppressed if the character's nervous system is affected (this can happen through magic or brain death, which includes lopping off a shapeshifter's head.) If Regeneration is being suppressed by any means, and the character's damage exceeds his Body overflow (determined by his human form Body attribute), he must roll 1d6 per turn, and on a roll of 1 he has died. Otherwise, they use the normal human healing rules for as long as the regeneration is being suppressed.

  If a character takes a wound from a substance that is his vulnerability, the target number to heal the damage is a 6, instead of a 4.

GHOUL CHARACTERS

The goblinization that changes a person into a ghoul is nearly identical to the process which leads to the expression into orks and trolls. The notable exception is that the ghoul goblinization is able to target metahumans as well as humans. Ghoul offspring have a chance of being born as normal humans, though most of them are either born ghouls or goblinize around puberty. There have been unconfirmed reports of some ghouls being able to reproduce by infecting other (meta)humans, similar to the way beings with HMHVV pass along their condition. Most scientists dismiss this theory out of hand, citing the example that it's impossible for a troll to "infect" someone and cause them to goblinize, so why should a ghoul be any different? Still, the rumors persist. Ghouls who are born as such or who goblinize at a young age tend to show less aggression and higher mental capacity than those suffering from goblinization trauma.

The source of much of the hatred for ghouls comes from their preference for eating human corpses. However, they are only required to eat meat that has begun to decompose, and are not restricted to humans. Most ghouls who remain functional members of the community hide their condition through a combination of perfumes, plastic surgery (to alleviate their skin condition) and cybereyes (to hide their telltale milky-white, pupilless eyes.)

All ghouls suffer from a form of blindness. However, they have the advantage of being dual-natured. This allows them to still be able to see astrally, even though their physical vision is nearly non-existent. Due to this, ghouls are unable to see colors, and also fine details in non-living objects. This precludes them from making effective use out of most technological devices. Many of the more socially adapted ghouls use cybereyes to overcome this problem, providing they can find a street doc willing to implant cyberware in a ghoul.

With the ghoul community growing, and with sympathy for their plight increasing on the part of Joe and Jane Public, the ghoul could be a workable player character if the GM allows it. The following rules apply when creating a ghoul character:

• If the More Metahumans option is being allowed, a metahuman ghoul must put Priority A into Race, and a human ghoul must put priority C into race. If the GM is not allowing the More Metahumans option, a character must put Priority A into Race, and GM must choose whether to allow him to be a metahuman ghoul.
  
  
• The ghoul's racial modifiers are equal to the race they goblinized from, with an additional +1 to Body, +1 to Strength, -2 to Intelligence, -1 to Essence (and Magic Rating) and +1 to their Running Multiplier. These modifiers are in addition to any modifiers which arise if the ghoul was a metahuman.
  
  
• A ghoul character is nearly blind in the physical world, and thus adds a +6 target number to all tests which require a measure of physical vision (keep in mind that a ghoul is capable of astral perception due to being a dual-natured creature.) As a compensation, however, they have enhanced hearing and smell, which effectively gives them -2 to the difficulty of Perception tests involving those senses.
  
  
• Ghouls are able to become adepts and full magicians under the normal rules. Note that they receive a -1 to their Essence, and thus their Magic Rating. Also remember that ghouls are dual-natured, and already have a form of astral perception. A ghoul magician who is astrally projecting uses his physical stats in astral space, but Initiative should be calculated as per the normal rules, on p. 147 of the main Shadowrun rulebook.
  
  
• A ghoul character automatically receives a Moderate Allergy to sunlight, without receiving any benefit for it. He may take an additional allergy under the normal rules if he was a metahuman before goblinizing into a ghoul.

VAMPIRE CHARACTERS

While not a metahuman species in and of themselves, vampires have an important place in the Shadowrun world. Vampires in Shadowrun are not the undead creatures out of myth. In fact, they are merely victims of a strain of HMHVV (Human-Metahuman-Vampiric-Virus). They require living blood and life energy (commonly referred to as Essence) in order to survive. Many vampires prefer to feed off magicians, though it is uncertain whether this is because they find the Essence of magicians more satisfying (due to its interaction with astral space and inherent power) or whether it's a simple matter that magicians usually have more Essence than mundanes with some amount of cyberware.

It is strongly recommended that a GM dissuade players from choosing to be vampires, but there is always the chance that it will occur at some point during a campaign or that a GM will for some reason allow a vampire as a player character.

• If the More Metahuman option is being used, a player must allocate Priority C to race to become a human vampire, and Priority A to race to become a metahuman vampire. If that option is not allowed, the player must allocate Priority A to Race, and may only be a metahuman vampire with at the GM's discretion.
  
  
• Vampires receive no special attribute modifiers due to their condition other than an additional +1d6 for initiative. This initiative bonus is not cumulative with any other bonus, be it from magic, cyberware or physical adept powers. A vampire character also adds his current Essence rating to his Strength attribute and receives natural Thermographic Vision. He also receives improved smell and hearing, lowering the target numbers on all related Perception tests by 2.
  
  
• A vampire character suffers from all the weaknesses listed on p. 231 of the main Shadowrun rules, including the Essence Loss and the Severe allergy to sunlight. They do not receive any bonus points for this allergy, but may choose other allergies if they are metahumans, as per the normal rules.
  
  
• Vampires may not have any cyberware or bioware implanted after the time of infection, due to their quick rate of regeneration and their tendency to reject any cyberware similar to shapeshifters (see the section on p. XXX). Any cyberware that the character has at the time he becomes a vampire continues to function, but will not be increased by any of the character's vampiric powers (so a character with Muscle Replacement 4 will not receive a bonus to Strength due to his Essence, and a character with cybereyes will not receive the natural thermographic vision. Perhaps most importantly, a character with wired reflexes or other initiative-modifying cyberware will not receive the additional +1d6 from being a vampire.) All of a character's bioware ceases to function once the HMHVV infection has taken hold. It is broken down by the regeneration process and absorbed back into the character's bloodstream.
  
  
• The maximum Essence a vampire can store is equal to twice his Essence minus twice any Essence loss due to cyberware. Individuals with an Essence of zero or less usually do not become vampires. If one does, however, he will die within a month regardless of how much Essence he drains (since his maximum Essence is 2x0 = 0). Such a person becomes a monster, with the sole purpose of draining Essence, and their hunger is never satiated.
  
  
• Vampire characters may be magicians or physical adepts if they put the appropriate Priority into Magic. When a vampire physical adept loses Essence, his magic rating goes down as well. However, when they drain Essence, it goes up again.
  
  For a physical adept, this loss causes him to lose the function of some of his powers until his Essence is increased again. Yes, a physical adept can have as many as 12 Magic Points in powers if he is a vampire (although once chosen, these powers cannot be changed even when they are temporarily lost due to a low Essence.) Every point of Essence lost translates into a point of magical ability lost. This points come from the character's most expensive power first. When that power is reduced to zero, the next point comes from the next highest power, and so on. If a power is not worth a full point, then continue taking away powers until a full point is obtained. Once an adept loses any portion of his power, it no longer functions at all.
  
  Example: Kat is a physical adept vampire. Her maximum Essence (and Magic Rating) is a 12. She has the following powers: Increased Reflexes 2 (4 points), Astral Perception (2 points), Sixth Sense (3 points), +1 Die to Projectile Weapons (.5 points) and +1 Die to Unarmed Combat (.5 points). Her current Essence is a 12. However, time passes and she doesn't feed, so she loses a point of Essence, and Magic Rating along with it. This causes her to lose a point from her most expensive power (Increased Reflexes). She now loses all of her extra initiative dice. More time passes, and she loses 4 more points of Essence. Three of those come once more from her Increased Reflexes, but the 4th point must come from another power.. this time Sixth Sense.) If Kat continued to lose Essence, she would continue to lose more and more of her phys-ad powers.
  
  
• Vampire characters possess the power of regeneration. To avoid unbalancing the game, the GM should use the rules for the power given in the Shapeshifter section.