Dwarf and Aquatic Genetics included as Traits for Character Creation

[Washbasin]

These two mutations are rarely ever seen outside of Genetics (and in Dwarf's case, the rare miner mutation), and I find it somewhat of a waste. The spritework and coding was all nicely done, and now they're barely used as they're locked behind a job that rarely, if ever, puts them up for sale for the station. My idea is to make both of these genetic mutations traits, with possible stats below. Mutations at their base may need changing to fit with being available all the time.


Dwarf (Uncategorized - 0-1 point):

  - 10% Heat and Cold resistance, as it is currently. (Maybe add a touch of alcohol resistance?)

  - 10% Movement slowdown. (Does not stack with armor movement penalties.)

  - Possible tuning of footsteps to a noticeably lower sound to indicate heftier waddling.

In Conclusion: Dwarf is probably fine to make a trait right off, due to it's low impact already, but the aesthetic choice is nice and adds more permutations to character appearances. Slowdown is more for flavor and humor rather than balance.


Aquatic Genetics [AKA Squidperson] (Species - 1-2 points):

   - No swimming slowdown and water breathing, as it is currently.

   - Damaged by salt, with 0.75 BURN taken for each unit splashed on a Squidperson without protection. Decently common element and trivial to synthesize.

   - Immunity to Kuru from eating monkey and human brains. (Because Illithids are cool and why not?)

   - Possible weakness to stabbing attacks, much like Roachpersons blunt weakness. Soft skin, easy to cut, understandable.

   - Possible innate telepathy? (Might be too strong, but it's worth a shot.)

   - New skin colors other than just purple. (Blue, black, gold, red, etc. Maybe link it to hair/eye color like Saurian Genetics.)

In Conclusion: Aquatic Genetics is a lot more difficult to balance around regular play, as it can be an extremely strong trait on Oshan Laboratory, Manta, or any other aquatic maps. However, it is not much stronger than Anaerobic Respiration, and lack of heat resistance means it only delays the inevitable in the Trench, not to mention how this species would be vastly outweighed by it's weaknesses on ANY other map without water.


Finally; This is my proposal, I want dwarves and squidpeople to be more common. Truth be told I will debate at length about it, but ultimately so long as they become traits in the game, the final mechanisms of the traits doesn't matter to me too much. Even just adding them as-is to traits without any changes whatsoever would be cool.

The actual gene mutation for squidpeople is half of the recipe for anaerobic metabolism, which completely nullifies the need to breath air.

Making anaerobic twice as easy to obtain isn't a good idea; it'd remove half the danger from space, and the majority of danger from depressurised environments, toxic gases, smoke, and heart failures. This removes depth in gameplay created by these multiple dangers, and also limits the options of antagonists.

I don't think there's a need for dwarf to be its own mutantrace, it could surely work as a background trait or something, but a seperate race as you suggest would stop all the other mutantraces from becoming dwarves.

I could see squids getting their own trait, but there would have to be work put around reconfiguring how anaerobic is made. Then because anaerobic's recipe would change, whatever component gene takes the place of aquatic genetics would also have to have its stuff changed to be less common. Then possibly others. It is a big tunnel of changes, all for squids.

Maybe I am on a slippery slope here, and these changes would only be beneficial, but the potential for issues seems like something that hasn't been fully considered.

I think it's doable, but right now there isn't much need to do it, and changing it would cause problems.