Transform Self by Touch guide lines

[Scriptus]

I have often wondered how the transform self by touch modifier should work. I know the in game example is that Absorbing Man gets a toughness of 6 when he is shot, but now his muscles and bones are also made of steel. I think that should have some impact on his other stats. Here are a couple of guidelines that I am working through. Give me some feed back people; this rule is too open ended for me to think of everything.

Assuming you are starting with an other wise human character

For solids (Wood, hard plastic, rock, steel, rubber bands, diamond)it should:
-add its hardness level to strength.
-give the character a toughness of its hardness level.
-add 1/2 its hardness (rounded down) to durability. This is loosely based on Colossus. When he changes to bio-organic steel he adds 6 to his strength and 3 to his durability. I know this isn't transform self by touch but I think it works.
-possibly change agility and speed.
-possilby add an vulnerability (electricity, fire, etc...)

For liquids (water, acids, other chemicals) this is tougher.
-bump the durability up one level
-a little bit of toughness
-maybe some elements of stretching
-electrical conductivity
-a damage modifier if corrosive
-colateral damage for spash damage???

For energies (Electrical, magical, nuclear, magnetic)

-There shouldn't be an invulnerability to energy. Becoming steel doesn't make you invulnerable to steel. Becoming energy shouldn't make you invulnerable to energy.
-A durability increase is probably in order depending on the energy type. Probably +2 for electrical or other mundane energies. +3 or 4 for Nuclear energy. Magical, your guess is as good as mine. Probably depends on the type of magic +1 to +5.
-A damage modifier for anything that touches you if appropriate.
-Collateral damage or environmental if conductive or radioactive.
-Increased speed and/or agility.

That's all for now. What do you think? This might be best left to the GM and the player of a particular game. Has anyone ever played this power before?

[Neros]

Ive also been thinking about this power... Allot... Its suppose to be worth its cost, and 30 stones are worth allot...

But lets see at the book and the comics... in the book, it sais when used, you gain the proportions of the object you touch. According to what i know from the comics ive read about him, his size have been increased when touching something.
By that, i understand the some of the power like this (remember the line, gain the proportions): The size/mass/amount of the material touched affects the size of the person. This is what i belive affect the durability of the character (like Growth).

These are thoughts about what powers the material grant, ive then used my thoughts to reply to some of your rules... Just wait, in the end, we will have a merged version of both rules..... Unless Pirate Spice comes in and saves us all

For solids (Wood, hard plastic, rock, steel, rubber bands, diamond)it should:
- The hardness would possibly affect the strength of the character, but the amount of the material might aswell.
- I agree on the receiving a toughness equal to the material.
- I would maybe use this + the mentioned rule about size/mass.
- Some materials might decrease agility and speed...
- I would say both vulnrabilities AND invulnrabilities would be gained for some objects... If possible, both are gained... Or atleast some resistance or weakness to some elements. I can come with some exampels later when we have talked the subject to a puddle of lifeless clay.

For liquids (water, acids, other chemicals) this is tougher.
- Why increase durability? Here, i would just stick with the size/mass rule
- No toughness, but i would have them Physical invulnrability, but the character would be unable to make any normal physical attacks.
- Yea, abit of stretching sounds reasonable to reflect that you can move under doors, spread out, ect...
- electrical conductivity is also a logical thing
- If the element you change into is able to deal damage, that damage is the ONLY damage you will be able to do... In some occasions you could increase with maybe 1 or 2 stones, but no more.
- colateral damage sounds fine, if the character tries to splash someone, but as mentioned, it can only give damage if the material is harmfull.
- Also, the same thing about being invulnrable to the current element your in should applie.

For energies (Electrical, magical, nuclear, magnetic)
- here i would give them a invulnrability to the element. Ive seen Absorbering Man keep a fire going by touching it.
- Here, i dont see a reason for a increase in durability, unless again its a huge amount of it.
- Yes... Just like with liquids, if touched you give damage, but you wont be able to make any normal attacks at all.
- I would in a sense say no to collateral damage... hes not radiating the energy, he is made of it.
- The increase in speed and/or agility is a very reasonable rule.
- Liquids should also be vulnrable to heat/fire, since it makes it vapourize.

NOTE FROM ME: Ive been hoping to balance it out by removing the ability to make normal attacks. It can be explained because liquids and energy isent solid like solid materials, and is therefore harder to mave around in... Other characters who permantly are made of liquids or energies, have a much easier time doing so because they are better attuned to it.

If you dont agree on the invulnrabilities to physical damage for liquids or energy, then atleast give them some resistance to physical damage. I cant imagen kicking a being made of pure fire would give it any damage...

[Scriptus]

I know that it says that you can gain the height of something that you can touch. That is just one of those things that I can't wrap my head around. Sure it's the marvel universe but still. I guess that's how it's written though.

Anyway yeah I agree that the size should have some impact on durability.

Maybe we could nix the bump in durability from turning into liquid. I don't want to give a physical invulnerability though because I'm not sure that they can reassimilate the liquid that has been knocked out of them. (at least not into a new heart or lung). I'm much more in favor of giving them some resistance to physical attack.

I still think they should be able to make a physical attack though. It wouldn't affect their close combat AN. It might affect their ability bonus though.

Thanks for the reply Neros. You gave me a lot to think about.