Alter Appearance Help

Can one use alter appearance to change the color of ones scales(give them a metallic sheen), change the color of ones eyes, and/or change spinal ridges. Basically what are the limitations?

I don’t think there’s any inherent limitations in the spell as to your questions…keep in mind:
1) You cannot impersonate a particular person
2) Whatever changes occur, the bonus/penalty are fixed

If you want to get creative and say the scales are given a metallic sheen as a positive effect, I don’t think there’s anything suggesting you can’t do that. If you say the scales are now Rainbow Colored with Pink Polka-Dots, that’s probably not within the spell’s effect.

Overall you’re either creating a more ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ appearance, and things like spinal ridge appearance, scale color, eye color/shape can all work towards either of those effects.

John

Also specifically, since it only makes “cosmetic changes” you cant hide Val eyes, or appear as another race (unless you could be confused for another race already)

Why couldn’t you hide Val eyes? Eye color is a cosmetic change (eg it changes the look but does not change any actual function).

Also specifically, since it only makes “cosmetic changes” you cant hide Val eyes, or appear as another race (unless you could be confused for another race already)

Why couldn’t you hide Val eyes? Eye color is a cosmetic change (eg it changes the look but does not change any actual function).

I think the point is the spell is not designed to ‘disguise’ your race. Since the eyes are a tell-tale sign of being Val, you could enhance or detract from them slightly but you’d still be obviously Val.

John

For most effects humans and Val’s/are treated as the same thing. I think a val could use this to disguise his eye color.
Just means people are going to take you for Silence Agents when you manifest your psi powers.

My 2 cents

Spell says you can’t emulate another race. I would say that you couldn’t hide a val’s eye color. Maybe shift it so one didn’t think you were psionic, but change it away from gray and clear, no.

As per being human vs being val, there is a huge difference in the campaign, how could one say there isn’t?

changing the color of one’s eyes is well within the power of the spell… heck, Awakened heroes are even better at it!

I agree that you could change your eye color. I don’t agree that most would consider you an agent of the Silence. That isn’t a widely known threat or at a minimum that capability isn’t well known. Although this discussion just gave me a great idea. Thanks!

With a sweep of his…

Hat

Well you may have me there.

Perhaps it would be better to say that if I sit down at a table and one of my PCs see a human using psionics my first thought is going to be the Silence. Maybe now I’ll also consider Alter Appearance. Either way its going to be a strong negative reaction since one of my PCs is an Altherian scholar and the other is a Nierite priest and I consider them both “in the know” about such things.

Still I think the mundane “rubes” are usually going to react badly to psionics coming from a “human” even if they just think its a wizard…given the fact that wizards are blamed for Causing the time of terror to this day.

Eric,

In terms of the “rubes” I’m not sure I follow the logic. If it’s not possible for the “rube” to distinguish between psionics and eldritch, then the fact that it’s a human caster is irrelevant and would trigger whatever reaction is appropriate for them not being “safe” such as a priest. If pretty much everyone can tell the difference between eldritch and psionic magic I don’t see them having the negative reaction to psionics or too closely associating that with “wizards” per se. Psionics are the gifts of the gods. Divine magic is channeling the gods will. It’s those “wizards” you need to be more concerned about.

Psionically active val are going to be fairly common to encounter and Alter Appearance is a a beginner level spell. Given that Ymmandragore has been known to harvest psionicists in the past, why would even people in the know’s first reaction be to go for the far more rare option (agent of silence) than the more common one (concealed val)? I agree that a concealed val would raise suspicions as the individual is obviously not what they seem. That deception could certainly put people’s guard up or cause a negative reaction.

In terms of PC reactions, I certainly don’t have a problem with whatever comes up. PCs are a more unique breed.

I’m happy to continue the discussion if you disagree. I may be putting too understanding of a spin on the average citizen of Onara and as a GM want to try and give the players the right feel for the world.

With a sweep of his…

Hat

There is one thing not discussed in this changing of the eye color and that is Bloodline Rank. Depending on the ruling on Bloodrank, one Val can always sense the power of another or can actively turn on the ability to sense another’s bloodrank so a val can always know another val.

Given that I don’t think this is in the rules anywhere and that we haven’t seen an official response to that thread, I don’t think this is something that really needs to be addressed (yet anyway).

I do agree that some of the rules imply that there is some way for val to determine bloodrank between them but nothing is actually ever given explicitly on if/how this is accomplished.