Combinist O.C.C. Background (formerly Amalgamist O.C.C.)

[GunSeraph06]

Ok, as promised, part of the write up for the Combinist O.C.C. (formerly known as the Amagamist O.C.C. on this forum). I will continue to write up the actual stats, more defined abilities when "combined", and others things over the next few days, and will post when I get a chance. Hopefully this will give the idea some substance and allow people to imagine the concept. Feedback definitely encouraged and will be appreciated!

Combinist O.C.C.

Although most, if not all, humans hate the machines and their determined, controlled eradication of the species, not all humans are born with the physical characteristics required to actively resist. There are those with the mental and spiritual capacity and desire to join the fight, but with severe physical limitations that render them liabilities rather than assets. The House Artemis Leader, encouraged by this willing spirit tasked his Librarians to genetically engineer a solution to place these brave souls in harm’s way for the cause.

House Librarians and Geneticists immediately looked at methods similar to creating Biotics to modify the genetically inferior using gene-splicing methods directly on the humans’ bodies themselves. Along with a similar mandate from House bureaucracy to create a flexible, adaptable combat design capable of fighting in, maneuvering in, and transitioning rapidly between multiple mediums (land, air, and sea) and requiring minimal support, House Artemis scientists researched and developed the Combinist gene-template.

With nods to the flexibility and capabilities of the Packmaster and its Gorehounds and the Swarm Lord and its Insects, the Great House minds determined that an entity with multiple fragments would be the best way to implement the House Leader’s directives. The first phase of developing a Combinist begins with genetically modifying the host, an extremely painful and time-consuming process not for the weak-willed or fainthearted. Once the host is modified, becoming a Mega-Damage being with four arms and a tail, the Geneticists moved to phase two; creating genetically-compatible beings capable of “combining” with the host for enhanced abilities that can also separate and act autonomously (with minimal mental guidance from the host) to support the host based on mission requirements. As the name implies, these beings, known as Mantigores, are able to bond with the host and “combine” their abilities to become even stronger than as individuals. Additionally, House Artemis scientists incorporated the somewhat time-consuming ability to move bio-enhancement weapons between host and Mantigore to better task-organize for specific requirements as needed.

The Mantigore itself is a marvel of current genetic engineering, able to fly or swim (via a smaller version of an Organic Thruster on each, 100 MPH flying, half underwater) as well as move on land. A Combinist Host begins with two Mantigores, and over time is able to accommodate up to six. While Mantigores are not as hardy or dangerous as an average Gorehound (only possessing 75 MDC), they do provide multiple, interesting improvements and abilities. In addition to the Organic Thruster (which, when combined with the host, provides flight capability to the host at speeds greater than those of an individual Mantigore), they possess a weapon known as a Gestalt Cannon and a special bio-energy conversion force field known as the Terminator Field.

On its own, the Gestalt Cannon is a short-ranged, bio-energy based weapon (1000 feet, 1D4x10 MD) the Mantigore uses as its primary ranged weapon. When two or more Mantigores are combined with the host, the host is able to fire a longer range, more powerful Gestalt Cannon, with the power and range increasing for each additional Mantigore combined! Additionally, the Gestalt Cannon can be fired from any place on the host’s body that a Mantigore is attached. A Mantigore cannot have multiple Gestalt Cannons, meaning the host cannot transfer one Mantigore’s Gestalt Cannon to another.

The Mantigore’s Terminator Field is essentially a bio-force field that converts damage to bio-energy that can be expelled in addition to a Gestalt Cannon’s normal damage. A single Mantigore’s Terminator Field has 100 MDC, and it can disburse up to 10% of its capacity per Gestalt Cannon shot (i.e., if the field has taken 50 MD, it can disburse 10 MD per Gestalt Cannon shot for a total of 1D4x10 + 10 MD). The Terminator Field does not regenerate damage; damage can only be discharged through the Gestalt Cannon or its physical attacks. When combined with the host, multiple Mantigore Terminator Fields combine to become even more powerful.

Finally, if the host directs, two or more Mantigores can combine to increase their abilities as if they were combined with the host. Up to three Mantigores can combine to become a more powerful version of the original.

Mantigores combined with the host or each other also increase the MDC, strength, and/or abilities of the host or larger Mantigore. Mantigores also provide differing abilities based upon which host body part they are attached to, allowing for even more flexibility and combinations. A host can have one Mantigore attached to its head (enhances sensory abilities), three to its upper torso (increases host MDC and flight speed), one per each of four arms (increase PS to Supernatural, adds damage to physical attacks), one per leg (increases running speed, host height, and vertical/horizontal jumping distance; allows for walking on walls and ceilings; host HAS to have one Mantigore per leg for a total of two), and two on lower torso (increases host MDC and adds additional tails).

[GunSeraph06]

Please give me feedback on this, I know people are looking at this thread, I'm hoping that people looking and not commenting isn't because they think it sucks.

Just want to know if I should continue working on this, or if people think its crap and that I shouldn't waste my time finishing it...

[Slight001]

Personally I'm neutral on this subject... I actually hate the base classes... I love the setting, but the base classes I find lacking... Not so much the pack master and a few of the support units... that said keep going. It's interesting, not quite my thing, but it is yours so that, in my opinion, is all that matters.

[Shark_Force]

i have a few thoughts.

1) does the terminator field actually prevent any damage at all, or does it just store it and let you fire it back at your enemies? if each one prevents up to 100 damage, that's a bit nuts (especially if it can be recharged by simply firing their main cannon).

2) my initial feeling is that the armament on each mantigore is a bit high, and when combined it's rather extreme. unless you're just not going to give much of anything else, i don't really feel like you can give them a scaling number of 1d4x10 weapons that have their own actions. and i'd much rather see less set-in-stone modifications, and more options. putting a powerful gun in each one limits how many options you can give this guy while still letting everyone else feel like they add anything to a fight (which is not necessarily a problem, so long as everyone has similar offensive power... but that's likely to mean you need to give everyone else lots of bio-E, and then this guy is annoyed because all he can do is fly and blast).

i'm also a bit iffy on every single module having an organic thruster. while i do think there should be an option for a module to have an organic thruster, i'd also like to see other options too, like one that is designed to dig out pit traps and as a result has huge clawed feet on powerful legs, or another designed for stealthy underwater action that is more like a seal.

of course, that's a lot more work =S

[The Galactus Kid]

I started to read this, but had to stop based on developing a similar concept and I wanted to avoid any accidental absorbption of concept.

[GunSeraph06]

Shark, the field does prevent damage, but the amount (same with Gestalt Cannon damage and all other numbers/values) is not set in stone and certainly up for change.

Slight, thanks for your comments, appreciate the time.

Galactus, by all means, please absorb! I'm not looking for credit, and my concept would probably never see publication in a Rifter or anything. If there is something you like about it, please, feel free to use, modify, or use for food for fresh thought.

That being said, maybe I should just leave the creativity to the professionals.

[Shark_Force]

leaving creativity to the professionals? why? because you didn't do a perfect job on your first try?

by that standard, i'm pretty sure we wouldn't *have* any professionals.

take my comments with a grain of salt. they're my opinion, not gospel truth. if you look at it yourself now and find yourself agreeing with my opinion, then you should probably consider tweaking it, but that's hardly a reason to abandon the concept entirely. Thomas Edison famously said "I failed my way to success" (meaning, he didn't succeed right off the bat, he succeeded by trying over and over - and failing many times along the way - until he finally succeeded at things).

your first effort may not be what you wanted it to be. that just means you need to make another try at it. alternately, it may be what you wanted it to be, and simply isn't what *i* wanted it to be. that's not a failure, that's just a difference of opinions

[Slight001]

What Shark Force said...
Plus...
IIRC, Thomas Edison said, after being asked about his numerous failures, "I didn't fail. I just found two thousand ways that didn't work."

[GunSeraph06]

You guys are right, I'll keep developing. If I polish it enough, do you think it could end up in a Rifter?

Galactus, are our two concepts different enough to merit me trying to publish as a separate O.C.C. concept in an upcoming Rifter, or are they too similar?

After thinking about it, I see this concept as kind of cyborg concept, with the House developing a genetically engineered superior body, and the prospective Combinist has their brain and spine removed from their defective, natural body and emplaced into the bio-engineered one. I see a possibility of potential psychosis/neurosis from the character having to give up some of their humanity in order to be able to protect their fellow humans (kind of similar to the Anti-Monster in Rifts South America 1).

Also, I think I will make the organic thruster, Gestalt Cannon, and Terminator Field as upgrade options instead of coming standard on each Mantigore. I was thinking of also having other book-standard options (i.e. Stealth Field, Radar, etc.) that are not as powerful as the book-original options but are cheaper in Bio-E specifically for Mantigores.

I want this concept to work, and I will continue to flesh it out; I apologize for my earlier negativity.

I think it could be cool if balanced correctly, and I will do so over the next few days/weeks.

Appreciate the feedback and comments, please keep them coming.

[BookWyrm]

I've read through this & I am very intrigued.

Since the Combinist's 'un-joined' form (after emerging form the Gene-Pool & has not been granted any Mantigores yet) has four arms, are they proportionately equal, or is the second set smaller than the first?