Alter Physical Structure: Marionette

Alter Physical Structure: Marionette (Major) by Stone Gargoyle

The superbeing is changed upon transforming into a wooden marionette held by strings which are attached to a floating control mechanism which appears to be intersected boards.

1. Marionette Control Mechanism Mechanics: The control mechanism that forms contains the hero's senses which direct the body via the strings. Any shots or attacks aimed at the control mechanism will inflict damage directly to hit points. The Hit Points regenerate at a rate of 2d6 per 10 minutes. The mechanism has a Natural AR of 16 and floats 30 feet off the ground(see Flight: Hover below). Electricity, lasers and energy bolts do normal damage when the strike is over 13 and half damage if the roll is 12 or below. The hero is resistant to cold-based attacks but takes double damage from fire, plasma and magical fire. The control mechanism sees everything below, allowing the marionette to respond to attacks as if possessing Supervision: Circular Vision, giving the character an Automatic Dodge and +2 to a normal dodge in this form. Since the mechanism looks down from above, the marionette cannot be surprised from ground based attacks which approach from behind or are at close range. As a marionette, the hero does not need to breathe, eat or drink, and is immune to disease, poisons, toxins, and most gases.

2. Strings: The control mechanism controls the body via a series of strings (8+1d6 in number) which cannot be damaged by most physical attacks (punches, kicks and many melee weapon attacks will simply push the strings without break them) and are hard to see. Cutting strikes, fire and lasers can all damage the strings, and a critical hit, body slam or power punch to the marionette body will cause the strings to snap. Since the strings are hard to see, opponents are at a penalty of -6 to strike them. If able to grab their strings, an opponent can rip them using both hands, also. Treat strings as if having an SDC of 2 points per foot for this purpose. The weight allowance for the strings is the marionette body's weight, plus 100 lbs per level. It they are detached or cut, the control mechanism will attempt to reattach its strings, taking 1d4 melee rounds for strings to assert themselves again, and so the control mechanism will be prone to attack during this process (cannot move during this process and body will remain collapsed).

3. Flight: Hover: The control mechanism of the marionette holds it upright and so has to hover overhead, which it can do at a maximum height of 30 feet off the ground. It can lower itself to as low as a few inches off the ground if necessary, though the marionette must be held upright in order to fight effectively.

Flight Speed: 10mph, +5mph per level

Bonuses In Flight:

+10% to prowl skill

+2 to dodge when hovering or moving through the air

+2 damage for every 20mph of flight speed

Please note that this is the hero's primary form of movement when in marionette form.

4. Marionette Body Size and Mass: The marionette body is the same size as the hero's normal body, but weight is doubled due to becoming wood. The marionette gains +1d4 PS, which is considered Extraordinary for the purpose of lifting things.

5. Marionette Body Armor Rating and SDC: The marionette possesses all the vulnerabilities and immunities as the control mechanism. Its wooden body has a Natural AR of 12 and 300 SDC. Marionette SDC does not regenerate, so if an arm is broken, it stays broken until the body is depleted of SDC and is replaced, or until he transforms into his normal state. When the marionette's SDC is gone, the Control Mechanism will discard the marionette body and remain in this form until a new marionette body materializes after 5 minutes, simply appearing on the end of the strings, having full amount of SDC. The character can only generate his ME number in marionette bodies per day. The marionette body must be intact and attached to the strings in order to transform back to human form. Only one marionette body can be formed at one time (If the marionette body is detached from the strings but still has SDC, the hero cannot create another marionette body but instead must reattach to the detached body).

6. Marionette Body Appearance: The marionette's body has its appearance determined when the character is created, and can be swapped out for a different appearance when generating a new marionette body following one's destruction through loss of SDC, or when chosen upon the hero's transformation initially. The character has one secondary marionette appearance at level one and gains an additional appearance option at levels 3,6,9,12 and 15.

7. Marionette Mechanics and Limitations: The marionette body must be attached to the strings in order to move; with the control mechanism unable to attack or interact with others without the marionette body. The marionette form is incapable of speech (though writing is still possible).

8. Other Abilities and Bonuses:

+2 save vs. mind control and psionics

+1d4 ME

+1d6 PE