Question Mutations result in a spectrum of physical change?

Mutations result in a spectrum of physical change?

Like a pure Wizard looks totally baseline, ESPers have neurological changes, Gadgeteers get neuro and some hormone changes... Exemplars, Shifters, and Regen get maximum biological change from baseline?

Was this all spelled out somewhere and I forgot?

If I'm right or close to right, can I get a ranking of Mutation to Amount of Biological Change?

Malady wrote: Mutations result in a spectrum of physical change?

Like a pure Wizard looks totally baseline, ESPers have neurological changes, Gadgeteers get neuro and some hormone changes... Exemplars, Shifters, and Regen get maximum biological change from baseline?

Was this all spelled out somewhere and I forgot?

If I'm right or close to right, can I get a ranking of Mutation to Amount of Biological Change?

I don't think it is as locked in as you are thinking. Gadget, who is a Gadgeteer, looks like an anthromorphic squirrel.

I do vaguely remember someone commenting on certain things getting so far from baseline that they might not be really human anymore, but I think they were talking about cases like Tennyo and Carmilla.

Christmas Elves says that high level regen is just as inhuman as high level GSD, or something to that effect.


Gadget isn't a counter-example, because it's not her Gadgeteering that makes her an anthropomorphic squirrel, it's her GSD.


I'm not sure that I understand the question. Every mutation changes a specific attribute of the mutant to be non-baseline. If that attribute is physical, it's a physical change. If that attribute is mental, it's a mental change. If that attribute is magical, it's a magical change. Which is tautological, and thus not helpful.

Arcanist Lupus wrote: I'm not sure that I understand the question. Every mutation changes a specific attribute of the mutant to be non-baseline. If that attribute is physical, it's a physical change. If that attribute is mental, it's a mental change. If that attribute is magical, it's a magical change. Which is tautological, and thus not helpful.

I actually think you do sort of understand.

What I want is a spectrum of physical/biological variation from baseline, based on pure forms of each Power trait.

Like we know from Loophole that Gadgeteers get brain alterations, but it seems that that's all the Gadgeteer trait is, a special neurology.

But, a pure Wizard would be at the no-change part of the spectrum, as I assume would be the same as they were pre-mutation, except with different eye colors, as the Wizard Trait doesn't change anything biological, it changes the baseline Well, which isn't physical/biological....

Tennyo would be at the fully-non-human far end of my spectrum, as she literally isn't human. Although she does eat... Hmm... Okay, perhaps the Light-girl of the Pattern Theory lecture would fit the idea of fully-non-human physiology best...

What's with the eye-color changes? Is that like an Exemplar 0? Or due to new genetics from mutation? Or just leave that as 'a thing that just happens'... ... Or is that a super-spoiler??

power and appearance are not tied together.

both are from mutant gene complex activating, but the actual power is one part of the complex, the appearance is the other part.

The only real exceptions are mutants that become Sidhe, and the few like Razorback who became another type of Sidhe.

the exemplar trait is the basic trait for appearance and basic mental improvements ( memory etc. ) you do NOT get a GSD case if they are not an exemplar.

MATD where the mutant manifests a shell that changes their appearance can give a GSD type look, but it is also what gave Belle and Marty their "exemplar" looks. Jadis could have her appearance be shifted by her beast manifestation ( if her writer wants to add to her troubles ) but so far it apparently has not had any effect on it.

High level regen means they will heal astoundingly rapidly, and their body fluids are a biohazard. high level regen ( regen 4+ ) blood cannot be used in transfusions with others, it will cause "regen cloning" where the recipient winds up looking like the source of the blood, likely killing them from burnout. ( mentioned in one canon and one fanfic )

Dawnfyre wrote: power and appearance are not tied together.

both are from mutant gene complex activating, but the actual power is one part of the complex, the appearance is the other part.

The only real exceptions are mutants that become Sidhe, and the few like Razorback who became another type of Sidhe.

the exemplar trait is the basic trait for appearance and basic mental improvements ( memory etc. ) you do NOT get a GSD case if they are not an exemplar.

MATD where the mutant manifests a shell that changes their appearance can give a GSD type look, but it is also what gave Belle and Marty their "exemplar" looks. Jadis could have her appearance be shifted by her beast manifestation ( if her writer wants to add to her troubles ) but so far it apparently has not had any effect on it.

High level regen means they will heal astoundingly rapidly, and their body fluids are a biohazard. high level regen ( regen 4+ ) blood cannot be used in transfusions with others, it will cause "regen cloning" where the recipient winds up looking like the source of the blood, likely killing them from burnout. ( mentioned in one canon and one fanfic )

While you have some good points here, Dawnfyre, I have to point out that you're a bit mistaken on a couple of these points.

1) The assumption that power and appearance are disconnected just because they don't seem to always tie in together is a bit flawed. When a mutant manifests, it's not like rolling two separate dice, one for powerset and one for appearance. Both aspects are usually connected in some way, even if it doesn't seem like it or we don't understand how.

2) From the wiki page on Gross Structure Dystrophy (GSD):

Gross Structural Dystrophy (GSD) is when a person's body changes permanently, and not infrequently for the worse. As far as anyone can tell it isn't related to the Exemplar syndrome, but is genuinely a direct expression of their genetic code. Almost by definition, these powers or disabilities and or changes cannot be turned off.

So in fact, the opposite of what you said is true. If the mutant in question has physical changes caused by a BIT, this is NOT technically GSD. GSD is something entirely different from a BIT. The two are often confused, especially in informal conversation, but they are not the same. The same can often be said for other conditions like MATD and CTA (Chimeric Trait Acquisition).

3) Regarding MATD and the three specific characters you mentioned, MATD is limited to shells created by manifested matter (such as Beltane's ectoplasm based manifestations). Psi/PK based shells are generally known to be subject to it, which is why Jadis hasn't shown any sign of physical changes caused by her shell up to this point. Marty is an unusual case, in that her PK shell DOES cause her changes, but that's also why it's theorized that her shell is actually a mix of manifesting and PK, rather than just pure PK.

4) Minor note here, also from the wiki:

Regenerator blood above about level 3 is considered a biohazard.

Other than that you've got this point right.

*****
I hope this helped to clarify a few things.