The Zoanoid

This is a write-up of the Zoinoid character class, for use in the Rifts and Nightspawn RPG's. The Zoanoid's are from the Japanese comic book and anime series called the Guyver. It is constantly under development. If anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate their input.

The Chronos Corporation, a pre-Rifts company, had discovered advanced alien technology. One of the experiments of the aliens was to create the ultimate soldier out of genetically altered humans. Chronos used this technology to give humans the ability to transform into powerful mutant soldiers. When killed, they turned into dust, leaving no bodies, human or monster, to be used as proof of what the Chronos Corporation was up to. Chronos also had a habit of kidnapping innocent victims and converting them into Zoanoids, then deleting their memories and placing them back into society. These sleeper Zoanoids would never know what happened to them unless a telepathic command triggered their transformation. Chronos tried to take over the world, had it not been for the coming of the Rifts, Chronos could have completed their goal. During the coming of the Rifts, Zoanoids fought against the inhuman creatures who were invading Earth, and died in great numbers. No one knows what happened to the Zoalords, the heads of the Chronos Corporation, but those few who knew of their existence say they abandoned Earth, no longer seeing it as a place worth controlling. Others say they are in hibernation or hiding, biding their time until Earth is ready for their return.

On Rifts Earth, the surviving Zoanoid genes have become diluted among the human population, but still express themselves from time to time.

Alignment: Any, but most commonly anarchist or evil.
Rifts O.C.C.: Any Men of Arms or Scholar and Adventurer O.C.C. that doesn't have psionic, magical or supernatural powers. Use the Nightspawn experience table
Attributes: I.Q.: 3D6, M.E.: 3D6, M.A.: 3D6, P.S.: 2D6+6, P.P.: 2D6+6, P.E.: 2D6+6, P.B.: 3D6, S.P.D.: 2D6+6 (Note: has the same range as normal humans, but tends to be physically fitter, even in human form.)
Hit points: P.E. plus 1D6 per level of experience in human form.
S.D.C.: 40 base in human form.
M.D.C.: Double total hit points and S.D.C. for M.D.C. in combat form, plus those from various bonuses.
P.P.E.: 1D4+1, the Zoanoid process burns off most available P.P.E.
Horror Factor: None in human form, 14 in combat form, 16 when transforming into combat form.
Weight: 300 to 2000 Lbs. in combat form, 125 - 250 in human form.
Size: 7-12 feet tall in combat form, 5-8 feet in human form.
Natural Abilities: In either form the Zoanoid is immune to magical transformation. All metamorphsis spells, magical tattoos, etc. automatically fail. In human form they have the ability to assume combat form, taking only one melee action to change. In combat form they gain a bonus of +10 to P.S. and P.E. and both are considered supernatural, +6 to P.P., and double normal human running speed. They have night vision, hawk-like vision, able to see a rabbit a mile away, and can leap forty feet high and fifty feet long. Bio-regenerates 2D6 per minute. Exceptional lung capacity allows the Zoanoid to hold it's breath for 1 melee round per P.E. The other abilities are different for each Zoanoid, roll of the following table.
Roll on the Zoanoid powers table four times, re-rolling and duplicates:
01-02 Blade Hands: Add 2D6 to hand to hand damage, but cannot use their hands for fine work.
03-04 Strikers: The Zoanoid has 1D4+2 tentacles or skinny clawed arms on it's body. These have a P.S. of 14, and do only 1D6 M.D.. Each arm can attack once per melee.
05-06 Sonar: The same as the Mutant Bat R.C.C. given in Rifts Lone Star.
07-08 Increased Sstength: Add 2D6 to P.S. in combat form.
09-10 Increased Agility: Add 1D6 to P.P. and +2 to init., roll, strike, parry and dodge.
11-12 Increased Endurance: Add 2D6 to P.E. and 40 to M.D.C.
13-14 Poison Spines The has Zoanoid 1D4x10 poison spines that he can shoot up to 50 feet away doing only 1D4 S.D.C. damage. Anyone poisoned by these spines must save us save vs. poison or loose 1 attack per melee for 1D4 minutes. The effects of these spines are accumulative, so multiple spines can reduce a target to no attacks per melee, paralyzing them temporally. Any number of spines can be fired at one target at one time. Spines take 24 hours to grow back.
15-16 Increased Running: Unusual legs or centaur like body provides for increased running speed. Add 2D4x10 to Spd. attribute.
17-18 Adhesion: Just like the minor super ability.
19-20 Thick Body Fat: Add and 2D4X25 M.D.C. and takes half damage from cold attacks, but the Zoanoid looses 3 to P.P. stat.
21-23 Plasma Breath or Bio-Laser Canon: Can fire a 2D4X10 M.D. blast, of plasma or bio-laser once every other melee round. Range: 1000 Ft.
24-25 Chameleon: Just like the magic spell, but the Zoanoid can activate it at will.
26-27 Bio-Glue: The Zoanoid can spit a bio-glue that has a similar effect as the Magic Net spell once per melee round.
28-29 Elongated Neck: The Zoanoid has a long flexible neck as long as his arm. He gets an additional attack per melee, which can be a head butt equal to a punch, or a horn or bite if he has such an attack.
30-31 Extra Pair Of Hands & Arms: The Zoanoid has two fully functional extra arms and partial human hands (Thumb and 1D4 fingers) immediately below their normal arms. The extra arms add two (2) additional actions/attacks per melee and a bonus of +2 to parry.
32-33 Increased Healing Factor: Bio-Regenerates 2D6 Per Melee, and can completely regrow lost limbs and organs in 24 hours.
34-35 Heat Resistance: Zoanoid takes no damage from heat and fire.
36-38 Heightened Sense Of Hearing: Same as the minor super ability.
39-40 Aquatic Adaptions: The Zoanoid is adapted for aquatic life. Can breath under water, and swim at double running speed, double normal swimming speed, whichever is faster. Can survive the pressure of the ocean depths up to 5 miles deep without ill effect.
41-42 Heightened Sense Of Smell: Same as the minor super ability.
43-44 Heightened Sense Of Taste: Same as the minor super ability.
45-46 Heightened Sense Of Touch: Same as the minor super ability.
47-49 Corrosive Enzyme: The blood and spit of the Zoanoid is a powerful acid. Also the hands, tail and teeth of the Zoanoid can emit this acid, adding 2D6 M.D. to hant to hand damage. Even more devastating it the fact that any hand to hand attack against the Zoanoid is effected by the same acid, which gushes out of any wound on his body, the larger the wound, the more acid. The attacker takes 2D6 plus half the damage inflicted by the attack he made. The Zoanoid can also spit the acid he generates with a 10 feet range.
50-51 Bio-Laser: Same as the minor super ability Energy Expulsion: Light.
52-53 Increased Size: The Zoanoid is extremely large. Double his height and M.D.C. after all other factors are considered. He also weighs 8 times as much.
54-55 Bio-Electrical Battery: Same as the major super power Control Elemental Force: Electricity
56-57 Flight: Winged: Same as the minor super ability.
58-59 Low Oxygen Use: This Zoanoid has a metabolism that naturally uses very little oxygen. Consumes one third as much oxygen as normal.
60-61 Leaping ability: The Zoanoid has exceptional leaping ability, able to leap P.S.x4 feet long or P.S.x3 feet high.
62-63 Chemical Bladder: The Zoanoid can hold 3D6 gallons of liquid in his body in a special bladder. This bladder is lined with a fatty tissue that is practically immune to corrosion and poison effects, and leads to an extendible tube somewhere on his body. By contracting special muscles, the Zoanoid can suck up or spray out chemicals. Against vampires a gallon of water does 2D6 damage. Range 20 feet. Note: Must empty the bladder to return to human form.
64-65 Extra Mini-Manipulators: The Zoanoid has an extra pair of small delicate looking arms with precise fingers n them. They only have half the normal P.S. attribute of the Zoanoid, but they operate at +5 to P.P. attribute, and are +10% to all skills requiring delicate movements, like lock picking.
66-67 Miss-shapen Face: The Zoanoid had facial features that are all out of place, giving him a frightening alien appearence. Add 2 to Horror Factor and to save vs. Horror Factor as well.
68-69 Oxygen Retention: The Zoanoid can build up a natural reserve of oxygen within his body, lasting the same number of minutes as the Zoanoid's P.E.x2. It takes an equal amount of time breathing normally to recharge this reserve.
70-71 Peripheral Vision: The Zoanoid has exceptionally large, bug-like eyes, giving him or her an all-round field of vision; 360 degrees. It is almost impossible to sneak up on them unless their attention is distracted. The character gets the Detect Concealment skill at +20%, is +2 to initiative, and +2 to parry and dodge.
72-73 Plastic Bones: This means that while the Zoanoids' bones are not literally plastic, they are very flexible. The Zoanoid can change their own structure, shape, appearance and even their apparent size by as much as 20%. They can crawl through tiny spaces one-quarter their normal size and can bend in the most extraordinary ways. They receive +20% on the disguise, escape artist and impersonation skills, and get +25 M.D.C.
74-76 Prehensile Tail: Adds one additional attack per melee and can carry ten times the Zoanoid's weight, Length of tail: 4D4 Feet.
77-78 Enhanced Vision: The Zoanoid possesses a number of related powers. He or she has perfect 20/20 vision, can see a greater range of colors (30% more than the average human), has ultraviolet, infrared, and polarized vision, and can see the invisible.
79-80 Energy Disruption: The Zoanoid can generate a bio-field that disrupts electrical equipment. Equal to the Energy Disruption spell but with a 10 foot range centered on the Zoanoid. Can be created at will.
81-82 Fur Armor: The Zoanoid has a coat of fur that is thick and coarse adding some physical protection in the way of 40 M.D.C. and is water repellent and helps to shield against radiation and cold (half damage).
83-84 Bio-Disruption Blaster: The Zoanoid can fire a bio-disruption blast once every other melee round that has an effect equal to a Life Drain spell, that can effect one target and has a 200 feet range.
85-86 Reflective Skin: The skin of the Zoanoid is metallic in appearence, and has a glossy finish. The Zoanoid takes only 75 percent the usual damage from laser and light based attacks.
87-88 Force Wave: The Zoanoid can build energy in it's body and release it in a wave of pure force. The effects of this power are equal to the Shock Wave spell in Federation of Magic, but can be done once per melee round. It takes all the melee actions of the Zoanoid to build up the energy and the wave is released on his last action. He can cancel the build up of energy at any time before his last action when it is released.
89-90 :
91-93 Increased Mass And Natural Body Armor: Add 50 M.D.C., +10 to P.S., Impervious to decompression sickness and the effect of zero gravity. Reduce speed by 2 points.
94-96 Flame Breath: Same as the minor super ability Energy Expulsion: Fire.
97-98 Bio-Missiles: The Zoanoid has one or two large growths on his upper body that are covered with odd crater-like holes. These are biological missle launchers. They fire self grown plasma mini-missiles. Total number of missiles is 4D6, and once fired, they take 24 hours to regrow in the launcher. Any number can be fired at will at any target.
99-00 Psychic: A recessive gene fluke causes the normally non-psionic Zoanoid to gain some minor psionic powers. They become minor psychics with either two minor or one major power. They also loose their vulnerability to psionics. Because they are difficult to control, Zoalords are usually very suspicious of psychic Zoanoids, and rarely reproduce more like them. I.S.P. is the same as for normal human psychics.
Combat: As per hand to hand skills and bonuses, plus 1 attack per melee in combat form
Damage: Normal in human form. See Supernatural Strength Table for damage in combat form.
Bonuses: +4 To Initiative, +5 Vs. Horror Factor, +2 Vs Magic
Psionics: None. In fact Zoanoids are vulnerable to psionics.
Magic: None, cannot learn magic.
Appearance: When in human form, they look completely normal. Roll on the following table for appearance in combat form
01-05 Amorphous Appearance: Little or no facial features, a slit or two for a nose, long, smooth featureless limbs, 1D4+1 fingers, and toes, generally non-human appearance. These Zoanoids may also have a large head, eyes, and pale complexion.
06-10 Humanoid Skeletal: Sunken eyes and cheeks, very thin, long limbs, thin waist, and bony hands and body. No body hair, but some may have hair on their heads, +2 to P.P., and +5 to Speed.
11-15 Humanoid Amphibian: Soft, smooth skin, webbed hands and feet, semi-aquatic. Bonuses: Can hold breath for 20 minutes, Swimming: 90%, Swimming Speed is six times greater the normal running speed.
16-20 Human Like: The Zoanoid in combat form looks almost human
21-25 Humanoid Pig: Husky build with a larger, wide pig nose and mouth, small eyes, and large ears. Can be smooth and pink with thin hair or coarse and boar-like. Bonuses: +1 to both P.E. and P.S., and a +15 to M.D.C.
26-30 Humanoid Atroxian: Tall, serpent-like Zoanoid with flat, wide head, round eyes, large mouth, prominent fangs (+2D4 M.D. To Bite), long, thin neck and limbs, and a slim, pliable body. 80% are double jointed. Able to slip out of handcuffs or bound ankles 65%, and 45% likelihood of escaping from bound limbs, straight jacket or prison cell with bars (can try to escape once per melee round/every 15 seconds). Bonuses: +1D6 To Speed, +10 M.D.C., +2 Save Vs. Poison And Drugs, Natural Thermal Imaging Sense (Range: 50 Ft.)
31-35 Humanoid Reptilian: Lizard-like features, leathery or scaly skin, little or no body hair, long clawed fingers. Bonuses: +30 M.D.C., +2 To P.P., and +1D4 To Damage From Claws.
36-40 Humanoid Canine: Dog-like features, muzzle, ears, body fur or extreme body hair, round dark eyes. Bonuses: +1D4 To P.S., and +2D4 To P.P., and +10 M.D.C.
41-45 Humanoid Avian: Bird-like features with large, round eyes clawed feet and hands, and feathers for hair. Only 10% have large wings, capable of flying. Most bird humanoids have no wings or they are small/stunted and incapable of flight. Bonuses: +1D6 Damage From Claws, Most (80%) have keen hearing and sight twice as good as humans.
46-50 Humanoid Mineral: Rocky or crystalline appearance. Bonuses: Natural Body Armor: +180 M.D.C.
51-55 Humanoid Feline: Cat-line features; bright oval eyes, fur covered body, pointy ears, and small fangs (+1D4 Damage from bite). Bonuses: +2 to P.P., and S.P.D., +10% to Climbing, +10 to M.D.C., and 50% will have retractable claws (+1D6 damage from claws)
56-60 Humanoid Ape: Resembles an ape (no tail); long arms, fur covered or extreme body hair. Bonuses: +1 to I.Q., and M.A., +1D6 to P.S., and +20M.D.C.
61-65 Humanoid Elephant: Large body, short limbs, thick, wrinkled skin, wide head with long nose, large ears, small eyes, and many have tusks (45% chance; inflict 1D8 damage). Bonuses: +1D4 To P.S., P.E., And S.P.D., +30 M.D.C., Add 4D6 Inches to height. Weighs twice as much as normal.
66-70 Humanoid Bison: Wide, low forehead, wide nose, huge shoulders, may have horns (45% Chance; 1D6 damage), and long hair or fur. Bonuses: +2 To P.S., And P.E., +20 M.D.C.
71-75 Humanoid Rhinoceros: Large, powerful body, thick skin, little or no hair, wide hands and feet, long, wide face with high ears, and a small mouth low on the face, May or may not have one or two horns (45% Chance) above the nose. If so, it does 2D4 (1-75%) or 2D6 (76-00%) damage. Bonuses: +1D4 to P.S., P.E., and S.P.D., and +40 M.D.C., add 1D4X10 Lbs. to weight.
76-80 Demonic Appearance: Large horns or spines (especially on the head, forearm, elbow, or shoulders), pointed teeth or large fangs (+2D8 damage), claws (1D6 damage), unusual skin color and texture (lumpy, scaly, slimy, etc.). A tail (only prehensile 33% of the time) or an extra pair of limbs (adds one attack per melee). Bonuses: +2 To P.S., +1 To Initiative, +2 to save Vs. Horror Factor, and + 20 M.D.C.
81-85 Vegetation: Composed of plant matter. Bonuses: +40 M.D.C. The plant Zoanoid does not register on heat or infrared sensors. Plant Zoanoids also heal twice as fast.
86-90 Humanoid Aquatic: Fish or mammal (dolphin, whale, seal, etc.), webbed feet and hands, smooth or scaly skin, blow-hole or gills, no body hair, dull gray to brightly colored. Bonuses: Swimming: 98%, Swimming Speed Is 2D4X10 Plus Running Speed, Can Hold Breath Underwater for 3D6 minutes (Indefinitely For Gills), can also breath out of water. Bonuses: +20 M.D.C.
91-95 Humanoid Crocodile: Tough lumpy skin, powerful built, long face with a long, wide mouth, little or no hair. Bonuses: +100 M.D.C., +2 Attacks, And +1 To Strike.
96-00 Insectoid: Large eyes, antennae, claw-like hands and feet, and exo-skeleton are common to the insectoid Zoanoids. Bonuses: +200 M.D.C.
Depth Tolerance in combat form:
01-10 500 Ft. ( 152 M)
11-20 1000 Ft. ( 305 M)
21-30 2000 Ft. ( 610 M)
31-50 4000 Ft. (1220 M)
51-70 1 Mile (1.6 Km)
71-80 2 Miles (3.2 Km)
81-90 3 Miles (4.8 Km)
91-00 5 miles (8 Km)
Odd Colors in combat form (roll twice):
01-10 Yellow
11-20 Green
21-30 Red
31-50 Gray
51-70 Blue
71-80 Black
81-90 Stark White
91-00 Metallic Silver
Vulnerabilities: Character is vulnerable to psionic attacks. This is by design, because the heads of the Chronos Corporation were powerful psionics. The character saves vs. psionics on a 17 or less, and gets no bonus to save vs. psionics from his M.E. This vulnerability is present in both human and combat form. Also returning to human form is not as easy as assuming combat form. It takes one full melee of concentration, and the Zoanoid must be healed of all damage to return to human form. (Note: I based this rule on the first episode of the Guyver anime where a Zoanoid was injured by a hand grenade and could not return to human form.)

Derzerb Hyper-Zoanoid notes: Chronos has also created a lesser number of Zoanoids who were both physically and mentally superior to others of their kind. These Zoanoids often acted as commanders of large Zoanoid groups, or as bodyguards for the Chronos elite. Hyper-Zoanoid characters are created like normal Zoanoids with the following modifications. Add 3 to all physical stats in human form, and mental stats become 2D6+6, increase all S.D.C. and S.D.C. bonuses by 50 percent, all powers do 50 percent more damage, and bonuses are 50 percent greater, and have double range. Horror Factor is increased by 2. Hyper-Zoanoids use the Dragon experience point table.

The Classic Zoanoids: Just in case you wish to play recreation of one of the Zoanoids from the Guyver series, I have provided the information for some of the more prominent ones here. Please forgive the spelling, I decided to spell the names in the way they are pronounced in the anime series english translation. Some of these do not have the full 6 powers listed, so players should choose the remaining powers.

Darzerb: Hyper-Zoanoid humanoid rhino with increased sstength and flame breath. Gray in color.
Elegan: Hyper-Zoanoid humanoid amphibian with strikers, heat resistance and bio-electric battery. Purple and white in color.
Gaster: Hyper-Zoanoid reptilian with bio-missiles. Red in color.
Gregole: Humanoid rhino with increased endurance. Green color.
Malmont: Humanoid skeletal. Grey and red color.
Ramotithe: Humanoid ape with the powers of sonar, increased agility, fur armor. Gray color.
Samarubu: Humanoid reptilian with bio-glue, leaping ability and peripheral vision. Green and yellow in color.
Thankrus: Hyper-Zoanoid insectoid with the powers of blade hands. White in color.
Vamore: Humanoid reptilian with the powers of sonar, bio-lasers. Red and black in color.
Zektore: Hyper-Zoanoid insectoid with bio-lasers, bio-laser cannon and flight: winged. Black and white in color.
Zerabuboth: Hyper-Zoanoid insectoid with bio-lasers and leaping ability. Red and black in color.

Nightspawn notes: On Nightspawn Earth the Chronos Corporation can be adapted into the story line with a few alterations. First their research is not based on the study of alien technology, but is an attempt to genetically engineer supernatural beings. They have secretly developed the technology to break down the genetic structure of such creatures as Werewolves, Nightspawn, and several Nightlands creatures. The Zoanoids are an attempt to recreate humans into supernatural soldiers.

While Chronos kept it's activities secret, they were not prepared for a rival in world domination. Luckily for Chronos they learned about the existence of the Nightlords before the Nightlords discovered them. Their plans to take the world by force were put on hold when the Zoalords learned what they were up against. They knew that a few thousand Zoanoids were no match for the millions of minions of the Nightlords. Chronos have just barely been successful in keeping the Nightlord's minions out of Chronos, through special blood screenings they are able to spot infiltrators, and arrange for ''accidents'' before these spies can report back. Chronos is firstly dedicated to keeping it's agenda a secret from the Nightlords, and secondly, it plans to increase it forces so that it can one day stand against the Nightlords.

While Zoanoids are physically powerful, and can have surprising powers, they lack magical abilities such as spell casting and Nightspawn talents. Of course as creatures of Earth, Zoanoids have Nightlands counterparts. The nemesis of many Zoanoids include Hounds, Hunters, Hound Masters, Doppleganger Warlords, and Asmedia.

To convert Zoanoids to Nightspawn rules, they become S.D.C. while in combat form. They do damage as per the supernatural sstength table in the Nightspawn rules book. All damage from powers is now S.D.C.

Created by Mathew R. Ignash, March, 2002 (mathewignash@comcast.net)

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