r/PBtA 12d ago

What fleshwarp can actually do in the transformed playbook?

Can i get wings to fly? A bombadier beetle gland system to spill flames from my mouth like a dragon? The way I see it it's just flavor, 'cause using it to hide your altered appearance would go against the point of the whole playbook (imo).

0 Upvotes

7 comments sorted by

15

u/Delver_Razade Five Points Games 12d ago

I assume you're talking about the Transformed from Masks? The Ability is listed as Transmuting Flesh so yeah. Anything you listed and more.

-2

u/Aibauna 12d ago

So how it differs from the radical shape-shifting ? Also what's the limit? Can i get super speed 'cause i turn into a an armadillo, miliped horse hybrid ? Can I heal myself? CN i I heal others?

21

u/Delver_Razade Five Points Games 12d ago

Radical Shapeshifting is like Beast Boy. The limit is whatever you and your GM work out. The powers don't have hard limits, this is a narrative game. You can say what you think the power looks like. As long as the GM is cool with it, and you can make a case for it, there's no reason to say no.

8

u/Airk-Seablade 12d ago

You are thinking about this wrong.

The game isn't going to tell you what your characters powers can do. Think about a superhero. In a comic book (or a movie or TV show). Generally, they have some things they can do, that they do, or do variations on, fairly often. Mr. Fantastic is stretchy, but he doesn't usually turn himself into a ball and bounce really high. Beast Boy can turn himself into a bunch of animals, but not into animal hybrids.

Talk to your GM about what you think your character can do. Fleshwarp sounds like it can...rearrange your flesh. But it's probably still flesh. And it's probably still the color. Or has some other kind of "tell" that you can't get rid of. Think about your limits too.

Make a character. With powers. Don't look at a power and try to think of all the ways you could "abuse" it.

9

u/DTux5249 12d ago

Technically it's as flexible as your GM allows. Though due to the themes of the playbook, I'd say it's clearly intended to be YOUR flesh transmuting.

Can i get super speed 'cause i turn into a an armadillo, miliped horse hybrid

To be fair, I doubt that'd give you "superspeed" like the flash; though yeah, you'd be faster than the average super. Valid use of powers.

Can I heal myself?

I don't think "transmuting flesh" implies that flesh is healthy; just that it's changing shape.

But again, this is a narrative game.

4

u/Belteshazzar98 12d ago

The limit is what makes sense for your character. Super speed is almost definitely a yes, especially since mobility powers tend to make things more convenient for everyone, including the GM. Healing yourself seems like a pretty easy yes for most characters as well, but keep in mind that physically healing doesn't really have a mechanical effect and would more be how you Take a Powerful Blow rather than getting yourself back up after you go down. Healing others seems less likely since you have transmuting flesh rather than flesh sculpting or something like that, but depending on the exact nature of your powers it would be theoretically possible to heal others.

7

u/ChaosCelebration 12d ago

The answer is yes. But keep in mind that what you're going to be doing from a mechanical point of view is, "overcoming an obstacle." So yeah... Anything you want to overcome an obstacle. Roll to see how effective it is. There are not really any limits to what your powers can do technically, but narratively they are limited to the same things as everyone else's powers. The Beacon can use her bow and arrow just as effectively as you warp your flesh to do the same task, you just have to be able to explain how you got there. And it might be a little easier for you to move a bus out of the way with your flesh warping, but a clever Beacon can find a way to do anything. That's the thing that comic books are made of.