Fun with Shape Shifting

[Ailis]

Cubi being able to shape shift would open up some pretty useful (and way fun) possibilities...

The big butt saver I can think of is (if they can) grow a fake set of third wings.  Since there are rumors that extremely powerful Cubi have a third set, a weaker Cubi could try to bluff his/her way out of a fight by growing fake third wings.  An adventurer might panic upon seeing a "higher tier" Cubi and run.  Even if they didn't run, the split second of WTF could give an opening for the weak Cubi to exploit.   I think growing big wings on the ankles would be the best, as they would be visually distinct and easy to spot.

For good old fashioned piratical jokes have a practice session of sword/axe/other pointies practice.  When your opponent takes a big swing shrink your forearm so you just have a stump.  Start screaming and wave the "stump" about.     (This would be a prime way to feed if the Cubi ate panic.  Also would work well for those that feed off of hunger for revenge, as your buddy would be sure to get back at you for it.)

[Reese Tora]

interesting idea, but I don't think third tier would pan out as a good tactic very well... I'm under the impression that knowledge of 'cubi is not so mainstream as in shown in DMFA (which has a disproportionate number of 'cubi thanks to Dan, Abel, and Arryana)

I imagine that, were it a D&D skill check, general knowledge of 'cubi would be a DC 20 and tri-wing would be DC 30 (5 being common knowledge, 20 being something a specialist would know easily, and 30+ being something only a select few might know)
(yeah, yeah, I know, D&D =/= DMFA but that's the best anology I can think of for availability of knowledge)

Anyway, the point is, I don't think that the average adventurer would be fased by tri-wing, and the uncommon adventurer who did might well be powerful enough to be unconcerned or over-all knowledgable enough to see it for the ruse it is.

Now, turning into a more recognizable fierce monster, like a large dragon, would certainly have an effect.   But, I think most 'cubi just use transformation to disguise thier nature and appear as beings, or atleast one of the more harmless mythos.

[rabid_fox]

Surely somebody other than me is thinking about the dildo-shapeshift?

I need help.

[Kenji]

Surely somebody other than me is thinking about the dildo-shapeshift?

I need help.

Of a dedicated specialist.

If I could shapeshift, I'd turn into a kitty and make all the girls go "aawwww!". |3

[WhiteFox]

Could you, say, morph a hole in your head?

Cause it'd be awfully hard to stab someone if they kept making a hole where you put your sword.

If I could shape-shift, I'd take up belly dancing. Woo... wiggley.

Can Cubi shape-shift into a dragon? They have the right number of limbs and everything.

[127.0.0.2]

I don't think you'd come as far as actually hitting a Cubus if you tried to stab him.
I'd assume one of the following two scenarios will happen:
a) The Cubus is in a playful mood: You discover that you can't hit him with your knife, because he mind-tricked you in dancing polka instead.
b) The Cubus is not in a playful mood: You discover that you can't hit him because you don't have any limbs left.

[Kenji]

If cubi were -that- powerful, there'd be no need to hide.
Unless you're talking about the buttwinged ones. They could probably get to doing that. Sometimes. Unless fighting  a Belmont.

[Naldru]

I mentioned Dr. Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four) in another thread.  The joke was that Dr. Richards got his superhero name after an energetic evening with Mrs. Richards (the Invisible Girl).

[Ailis]

Dr. Richards:  Honey, I can stretch any part of my body up to 100x it's normal length.
Mrs. Richards:  Ooh, lemee see!

...

Mrs. Richards:  You seem pretty ...average...  in proportion...  ...  *begins to snicker*
Dr Richards:   

[Naldru]

And of course there were always the jokes about what Mrs. Richards could do with her invisible force fields and what happened if her costume became invisible before she did.

I hate to think what could be said about The Thing's thing.

******

And there was a recent episode where a shape-shifting Skrull was promised in an arranged marriage to one of the characters in the comic book.  When she mentions that it won't work out because she's really not interested in men, the Skrull changes into a woman and states that he never could understand human's preoccupation with sex.

[Alondro]

I like "The Venture Brothers" version, in which 3 of the Fantastic Four had versions of their powers that totally sucked:  The Thing had incredibly thick skin which hurt constantly and he was retarded, The Human Torch burst into agonizing flames whenever he was exposed to oxygen, and the only part of the Invisible Woman's body that became invisible was her skin... so you saw all the veins and stuff underneath.  Only Mr. Fantastic's powers worked well, and he was an egotistical jackass. 

That show did have some clever spoofs at times. 

Now, one thing that would be very useful as a cubi shapeshifter is to make a hollow faux body to do all the preliminary attacking, take some damage to it and make it seem to 'die'', then rise up and slaughter the gloating adventurer when he least expects it. 

Unless one of the adventurer group can sense magic well.  Then your real body will be discovered.  Tactics like this must be used only in certain situations where applicable.   

[WhiteFox]

"You have to admit, the Impossibles made a really convincing Fantastic Four!"

Heh. *Gently pats his box sets." Orpheus rocks.

Back to shape-shifting... I got one easier than the body double. A cubi could morph a sword or arrow sticking out of his chest halfway through the fight and fall over. While the hapless adventurer is wondering where the heck it came from, make an attack of opportunity.

As for the hole dodge I mentioned before... you could just stand there while they stab and slash away. Smirking. With your hands in your pockets. Wait until they get tired and just push em over.

I just thought of a good one... morph into a pool of water. When they step into you, sever ankles. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until terrified.

In terms of combat though... given the talents and abilities displayed, few Cubi seem to employ weapons for other than emphasis (Doctor's giant needle) or comedic effect (Misc. hammers). Abel seems to be the only one that we've seen use an actual weapon in combat, and that was to throw a dagger at Merlitz's staff. If I had to guess, it's probably just easier for a cubi to sharpen part of his body than to morph a whole sword. Besides, if you could polymorph a sword you can parry with, why not just make yourself sword proof? I guess this is why they do the whole tentacle combat thing. (TENTACLE COMBAT!!! Da-dun, da-dun da-dun da-dun-dun-dun...)

Actually... I have a question. Abel yanked Arry's dress off back at SAIA as an Obvious Distraction. Why didn't she just polymorph the appearance of clothes? Abel even said he could do as much when he was teaching Dan about shifting (And scarred Dan for life by not doing so).

[Danzig]

I have a question. Abel yanked Arry's dress off back at SAIA as an Obvious Distraction. Why didn't she just polymorph the appearance of clothes? Abel even said he could do as much when he was teaching Dan about shifting (And scarred Dan for life by not doing so).

Because this is a comic strip and that would have been boring.

[Jakon]

I have a question. Abel yanked Arry's dress off back at SAIA as an Obvious Distraction. Why didn't she just polymorph the appearance of clothes? Abel even said he could do as much when he was teaching Dan about shifting (And scarred Dan for life by not doing so).

Because this is a comic strip and that would have been boring.

Also because Abel had the element of surprise. Cubi powers take a certain amount of concentration to make work and it's difficult to concentrate when your clothes have just been unexpectedly ripped off.

[Reese Tora]

I have a question. Abel yanked Arry's dress off back at SAIA as an Obvious Distraction. Why didn't she just polymorph the appearance of clothes? Abel even said he could do as much when he was teaching Dan about shifting (And scarred Dan for life by not doing so).

Because this is a comic strip and that would have been boring.

because making textiles is hard

Plus, what Jakon said... Arry wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind to calmly think "I'm naked, I must cloth myself," methinks.

[WhiteFox]

Hm. True. I thought Abel was talking about magical fabrication, not shapeshifing, though.

Plus, Aary doesn't seem to be as good at shapeshifing as Abel.

Kay... here's another question. Can a Cubi hide their clan mark? Aary has had hers on her left shoulder No. Matter. What. Even when she shifted to look like Fa'Lina.

I can't find any refrence pics of Abel, though, and "Cid" always had his forearm covered. I can't find Fa'Lina's either.

(Off topic... is there any information/discussion regarding the fact that Cid looks a *LOT* like Edward?)

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

No, Cubi cannot hide their marks.

Abel's is in the middle of his back. It's the "tattoo" that his mother was annoyed to find on him at one point.

And yes, there -was- a discussion about Cid and Edward. I believe the consensus was "believe what you will, but there's really no proof either way. We'll have to wait and see."

[WhiteFox]

I knew where/what Abel's mark was, I just couldn't find any pics of him shape-shifted in a position to see if he still had his mark.

I just realized... we haven't seen Destania's mark, have we? That would tell us what Dan's mark looks like.

Also... What does Aaryanna's mark actually look like? A crescent? I can't tell with the Purple-on-gray colors.

Ooh... that gave me an idea. Cubi could hide their real clan mark (With, like, a shirt) and fake a different one on their forehead. I don't know what sort of difference your clan makes, but it might confuse a Cubi hunter enough to get an advantage.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Destania's mark is on the framed picture Dan keeps over his bed. You know, the one that Fa'Lina hit him with? Yeah, that one. Also, it's on Fi's forehead, now.

I believe Amber also mentioned where it was going to show up, when it does. I forget what she actually said, though.


Aaryanna's mark is a crescent moon, according to her profile. Sadly I can't find any useful pictures of it -right- now...


And the fake mark thing? Why? The only reason for hiding it is to look like a Being. Having a fake mark on your forehead is likely to let you pass for a different clan, but it still puts you in danger from Adventurers hunting down rogue Cubi...

[WhiteFox]

Well, it'd fool other Cubi if two clans were at odds. And a particular clan might be known for a fighting style (Dan recognized Abel's fight style as being like his mom.)

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Abels fighting style is dependant on training, not clan affiliation.

I dare say -everyone- who was taught by Destania would have elements of her fighting style to their actions. Abel hasn't really trained with anyone else, though, other than the last, what, 25 years or so. So, she'd be the biggest influence on his style. Assuming that he's taken -any- training, since she left - the position that Destania had at SAIA has been more or less empty until Aaryanna took it up.

[Reese Tora]

A Cubi can't change thier clan mark, but I see no reason they can't change the background.

In a previous thread, I suggested that a cubi could hide his mark by shape shifting teh rest of his fur or skin to match the color of it, or to shapeshift to have a pattern that disguises it.

Most 'cubi seem to wear clothing that hides thier mark, atleast when they are trying to pass as beings... Aniz/Cid's bracer, for instance.

--edit--

added "'t" where appropriate

[Kayriel]

Any particular reason why they are unable to change their Clan Marking? Is the Marking itself magical, or a product of skin-fur transition brought about by their magical activity?

[WhiteFox]

My point was that a particular fighting style or magical aptitude. You know, like a family martial art passed down through the ages.

As for why they can't change their mark... I guess it's their Achilles heel. All power comes with a hook, or a price. That's their hook.

Heck, It'd drive me nuts knowing that I could look any way I like EXCEPT FOR THAT DAMN SPOT.

[Kayriel]

I imagine it'd show up through any extra fur that they shapeshifted, as well. That WOULD be annoying...

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Any particular reason why they are unable to change their Clan Marking? Is the Marking itself magical, or a product of skin-fur transition brought about by their magical activity?

Magical, I understand.

FWIW, I expect that if one were to change the background to match the colour of the mark, the mark itself would change to make itself obvious. After all, after how many thousand years of attempts, just about any way of hiding it that anyone can come up with is almost certain to have been tried, and found lacking. At least, what, in the last x thousand years since SAIA has been up and running, anyway...

[Tapewolf]

Just wearing clothes over it seem to work, though.  Sucks if you have the mark on your cheek, of course, but if clothes work, a magical tattoo or makeup probably would as well.

Interestingly, the question was once raised as to what would happen if a limb containing the mark was amputated.  Amber's reply was something like "it would move to just before the cut", and it turns out that 'Cubi tend to regrow limbs anyway.

[Kayriel]

Well, when you can shapeshift extra limbs, anyway, I don't believe dismemberment is an issue as long as you keep your head. ... How far does their shapeshifting power GO, anyway? Does anyone know if they have total cellular control over their bodies, or is it just a mass-energy conversion? If the former, then I can see Cubi being damn impossible to kill, as a smart Cubi could instill physical regeneration in their form - or purposefully move vital organs out of the way of nasty attacks. If the latter, they shouldn't be able to create anything "more" than the base material of their natural body, nothing larger or with more matter than they themselves naturally possess.

This intrigues me, does anyone have a solid answer or good opinion?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

This intrigues me, does anyone have a solid answer or good opinion?

Amber? ;-]

[Tapewolf]

I can't find a definitive reference so the 'clan mark moves' may just have been my mind playing tricks.  However, here's a snipped about regeneration:

http://clockworkmansion.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=181

As for changing size, Aary managed to shrink to the size of a feral poodle, Abel gave himself boobs and the wing-tentacles can grow to fantastic lengths if you look at the Dan vs Aary strips.  This doesn't seem to come at the expense of mass elsewhere in the body so it's definitely magical in some way.