SURGE (Sudden Recessive Genetic Expression)

SURGE brought about a new wave of recessive genetic expression in the metahuman population bringing all kinds of new features for characters. With serious social drawbacks rooted in already exisitng metahuman prejudices, these mutations nevertheless can make for some very different and interesting characters. While Year of the Comet provided a long list of features, I feel that it leaves out a number of recessive genetic traits found today. In the interests of greater diversity I present you with additions to the list in side by side comparison with the originals.

In game creation process SURGE Effects can be randomized or selected from a list. Selecting costs five (5) build points and you balance the positive and negative ratings of such effects and prevents random events like Goblinization into a Troll on a random roll, or becoming a cyclops. Take note that I have modified the costs and penalties of the standard SURGE Effects for my game. You are free to use those or the originals in Year of the Comet

Physical Genetic Expressions

Altered Ears (Feral-Ears)
Value: -1
This effect alters the ears significantly, sometimes modifying them to match those of an existing animal or metatype and sometimes to something completely different. The change is always different from the metatype the character belongs to.

Altered Eye Color
Value: 0
This isn't even worth any points with the prevelance of contacts, cyber & bio eyes.

Altered Skin Coloration
Value: 0
Even the most shocking zebra patterns aren't very shocking when the fellow next to you has only a single eye and a fist larger than your head.

Chronic Osteocuspus
Value: -10
One of the most hideous SURGE effects, a character struck with this effect goes through a period of agonizing pain as razor-sharp bony deposits erupt form the skeletal structure and puncture through the skin. In other words, the character sprouts bony spikes all over his body. Characters with this cannot wear armor or restrictive clothing because the protruding bone spurs make it too uncomfortable

Claws or Talons
Value: +2
Fingernails and toenails turned into hardened claws or talons that do (STR+1)L This effect destroys fingertip cyberwear, the body rejecting the cyber and growing the claws.

Critter Spook
Value: -1
Any animals within the vicinity of the character will react with fear and hostility (apply a +2 modifier to attempts to control, soothe or pacify them) If drawn into combat, the critters will go out of their way to attack this character first, before any other targets.

Cyclops
Value: -4
Like it sounds, over the painful process of several weeks, the characters eyes disolve and the eye sockets fuse with a single eye forming above the bridge of the nose.

Dermal Deposits
Value: +2
The character's skin acquires the tough bony plates native to trolls. These add +1 to Body for Damage resistance tests

Dual Natured
Value: -7/-5 (for Awakened)
The character is effectively 'there' in both astral and physical stated all the time with all the benefits and Vulnerable to the power of possession as well as astral attack. On the plus side, the dual natured person can now learn the skill Aura Reading.

Ectrodactyly
Value: -1
The fusing of multiple digits of hands or feet is known as Ectrodactyly. This is worth -1 for the feet, -2 for the hands and additional -1 if it occurs in both feet and hands. In the hands it causes a -2 TN penalty for any tasks involving digital manipulation. While the thumb remains seperate and able to grasp things, the loss of fingers reduces manual dexterity in addition to the social drawbacks. Also known as "hoof-foot".

Fangs
Value +1
Enlarged canines give the character a fang attack of (STR+1)L Damage and -1 Reach.

Feathers
Value: -1

Feline Eyes
Value: +2
The characters eyes take on feline characteristics like bioware cat's eyes (p. 64 M&M). The eyes are slit and provide natural low-light vision but appear to glow under low-light situations - just like a cats. This effect replaces whatever the character's previous vision was, natural, bioware or cyber.

Feral Features
Value: -2
The characters facial features have reverted to a more feral appearance in accordance with a particular animal. This causes no penalties in mechanics, but causes a -2 TN penalty when dealing with a person face to face.

Gigantism
Value: +2,+4,+6
Gigantism has several levels of expression. It can range from just a lengthening of just the arms, or just the legs alone, to increased height, to an all over increase in stature. Arms, Legs, or torso alone costs 2. Any combination of two sections of the body costs 4, and an overall increase in size costs 6. Longer arms give a +1 bonus to Reach. Longer legs increase the movement modifier by 1. A larger torso icnreases the body by 1. This Effect may not be taken by trolls or troll metatypes.

Gills
Value: +4
Amphibian style feathery gills express on the sides of the character's neck. The character is able to process oxygen both above and below water - however, the character must keep the gills moist at all times or risk infection and damage to their delicate membranes. In addition this restricts any kind of neckwear about them. Special clothing may be purchased for 50% more to safely surround the gills.

Goblinization
Value: +10
The character transforms via goblinization into a metahuman varient different than her original form. Human characters may only goblinize into an ork or troll while metahumans may only transform into a metavarient of their species.

High Frequency Hearing
Value: +2
The character's ears develope the ability to hear high frequency sounds above normal hearing. This effect replaces cyberear modificaitons

Horns
Value: +1,+2
The character becomes horny! All kidding aside the character can have anything from rams horns (like trolls) to dear antlers, devilish horns, or even jagged crests of bone. Smaller horns & bone crests cost +1, Larger Rams horns & goring unicorn or rhino horns cost +2. The character can attack using Unarmed Combat and -1 Reach for a penalty of (STR)M damage for the smaller horns and Reach 0 (STR+1)M damage for the larger versions.

Hyperdactyly
Value: -1
An excess of digits, hyperdactyly causes additional fingers or toes to grow. Primarily a social drawback, this has no effect on game mechanics.

Improved Scent
Value: +2
Character gains equivalent abilities to adept power Improved Scent

Improved Taste
Value: +2
Character gains equivalent abilities to adept power Improved Taste

Improved Touch
Value: +2
Character gains equivalent abilities to adept power Improved Touch.

Low Frequency Hearing
Value: +2
The character's ears develope the ability to hear Low frequency sounds above normal hearing. This effect replaces cyberear modificaitons

Long Tail
Value: +2
A tail 1-2 meters long grows from the base of the spine that may be either scaly, furred, feathered, or hairless. THe tail gives the same benefits as the balance tail, and moves independently of conscious thought in the same manner. This reduces TNs by -2 for balance, climbing, jumping, falling & Knockdown. If combined with balance augmentation earwear, the cumulative modifier is -3. Clothing needs to be adjusted for the tail, and certain sitting positions will be uncomfortable for long periods.

Marsupial Pouch
Value: +2
A pouch develops on the abdomen of the character similar to those of kangaroos and other marsupials. The pouch may carry items of concealability 6 or higher and adds +4 to the items concealment.

Natural Venom
Value: +2,+4,+6, or +8
The character's body begins to produce a natural toxin (which the character herself acquires a complete immunity to). The venom has a power equal to the character's unaugmented Body, a damage level of M and a speed of Immediate. A character can produce a maximum of (Essence) number of doses per day.The value of this effect is determined by the toxin's vector:
Ingestion Vector (2) the character's spit or mucus is toxic if ingested
Injection Vector (4) The character's spit or mucus is poisonous if injected into the bloodstream. A needle or dartgun may be used to apply the poisonous fluid.
Inhalation Vector (6): The character can emit a gaseous toxin that is poisonous if inhaled. the toxin can be delivered with an aerosol-like squirt
Contact Vector (8) The character produces a skin oil that is poisonous if absorbed through direct skin contact. THe venom may be used to coat weapons, and may also be delivered with a touch or spit attack.

Prehensile Tail
Value: +5
This tail functions as the long tail effect, but the tail is also under the conscious control of the character and may be used to manipulate objects as if it were an additional limb, with a +2 modifier to any tasks using it. The tail has an effective strength half that of the character's unaugmented strength (round down), but can hold the character's entire bodyweight if he chooses to hang from it and may be used to pull any object the character is capable of pulling.

Patagia
Value: -2
A flap of skin grows between the character's limbs and their torso making it difficult to wear normal armor or clothing. Specially designed armor and clothing must be purchased at a 50% increase in base cost.

Resistance to Disease
Value: +1,+3 or +5
Functions as the Resistance to Pathogens Edge. Each level provides 1 additional die for Body tests to resist disease.

Resistance to Poisons
Value: +1,+3 or +5
Functions as the Resistance to Toxins Edge. Each level provides 1 additional die for Body tests to resist Toxins.

Retractable Claws
Value: +3
Claws or talons that are retractable . They do (STR+1)L damage.

Satyr Legs
Value: +6
The cahracter's ankles lengthen and foot bones fuse to turn their legs into the hind legs of a quadruped's hind legs - similar to Kid Stealth Cyberlegs (p 37 M&M). Like those legs, they add 1 to the running multiplier, give +2 Power to running attacks and give an additional die for Athletics tests involving jumping.

Scales
Value: -1

Slow Healer
Value: -2
The character heals more slowly than normal. Apply a +2 modifier to all Healing Tests done by the character.

Third Eye
Value: -2
A third eye grows in the middle of the character's forehead. THis third eye incurs no vision penalties and the cahracter may still percieve depth with one eye closed. The eye is blatently visible when open, and when closed a Perception (4) Test reveals it to an onlooker.

Tusks
Value: -1
The character grows tusks from his jaw, similar to an ork or troll. This effect cannot be applied to orks or trolls

Unusual Hair
Value: -1
The character developes hair of unusual texture, amount or placement on the body.

Vestigial Tail
Value: -1
A short, stumpy tail grows from the user's lower back at the base of the spine. This tail provides no bonuses and the character will need to have clothing tailored to accommodate the tail.

Vestigial Wings
Value: -3
These flimsy tertiary limbs errupt and grow from the shoulder blades of the individual during SURGE causing the same kinds of pain as chronic osteocuspus. Victimized characters are incapacitated by the pain of this event, and require (body) weeks to recuperate. During this period, the character suffers a +4 modifier to all actions due to the pain. The wings are non functional but able to be consciously manipulated after acclimation. They prevent the character from comfortably leaning back in any chair, wearing any clothing or armor that covers the back. Specially designed armor and clothing must be purchased at a 50% increase in base cost.

The wings may be surgically removed, but they grow back over an agonizing two-week period during which the character will suffer a +2 modifier to all actions. This effect destroys any dermal sheathing on the back of a character.

Webbed Digits
Value: +1
Webbing grows between the individuals fingers and toes enabling a faster swimming speed. Add +1 to the swim modifier of the character.

Magical Genetic Expressions

Animal Telepathy
Value: +5
The character

Astral Hazing
Value: -5
A character inflicted with this unusual effect gradually corrupts the mana around her, creating a background count (making it harder to do magic) wherever she goes. If the character remains in a single location for over an hour, the locale will develop a background count of 1. Over time this count may increase to a value equal to the character's Essence/2. (Not applicable to the Awakened.)

Astral Sight
Value: +6
The characater becomes a limited Awakened with a Magic rating of 1 and the ability to percieve the astral plane and assense. (Astral Perception p. 171 SR3). The character can now learn the skills Aura Reading and Enchanting. This does not give the ability to astrally project or use any other magical skills.

Innate Spell
Value: Rating*2
This potent metamagical expression gives the character the ability to cast one spell at a specific rating and imbues the individual with a magic rating equal to that spell rating.

Withering Touch
Value: -1, -3, or -5
Something in the characters aura causes all living matter around him/her to wither and die. Plants seem most susceptible to this effect. At a -1 rating, this effect causes plants that are touched or closely approached to shrivel up, wither and turn brown but has no effect on any other living things. At -3, animals and plants are both affected. Plants die in a 1 meter radius about the character. Animals are spooked by the character (as per critter spook) but run or back away growling at the threat. At -5, this effect harms all living creatures touched by the character start to decompose and die. Flesh on animals or metahumans quickly loses vitality and the character's touch does 1 point of damage a turn. Plants die within a 5 meter radius of the character. Bacteria and microscopic organisms cannot approach the character without dying. The character finds it difficult to derive sustenance from solid foods as they can no longer digest them without the aid of helpful microbes normally found in the guts of metahumans.