Switching to Nova/Dwarf but staying as a human?

[Psilencer]

New player to Kheldians here.  I was wondering if there is a way to switch to Nova/Dwarf form and retain the "human" look of the character?

 

 

[Omega Force]

No.

[Psilencer]

Darn.  That's too bad.  Funny that a game with such a robust character creator essentially forces one to forego that creativity and play an ugly squid lest be gimped. 

[Doomrider]

1 hour ago, Psilencer said:

Darn.  That's too bad.  Funny that a game with such a robust character creator essentially forces one to forego that creativity and play an ugly squid lest be gimped. 

Fwiw, with enough time and experience you may find you hardly spend anytime in any one form, be it Nova or Dwarf so the visual impact on ones costume or aesthetic is perhaps less than one might imagine .
It can be a difference in methodology depending on who you ask really. Some people think of the forms as switching 'roles', others like myself see the forms just sd a means to use the powers they provide and as such, I only spend enough time in either form as is required to use the power the forms provide before dropping back into human form.

Some may consider that playstyle to seem cumbersome or like it's more work than they are willing to put in but it's only then when you really feel like a shapeshifter IMO.

Edited July 6, 2021 by Doomrider

[Xiddo]

 

6 minutes ago, Doomrider said:

Fwiw, with enough time and experience you may find you hardly spend anytime in any one form, be it Nova or Dwarf so the visual impact on ones costume or aesthetic is perhaps less than one might imagine .<snip >I only spend enough time in either form as is required to use the power the forms provide before dropping back into human form.

Completely agree with @Doomrider . I'm somewhat used to my PB looking no one way that it really doesn't feel like a problem? Inner light -> shift to squiddy, use 2 squid powers -> shift into dwarf and land in the middle of a mob to foot stomp 2 -> 2 human powers and repeat. I love how fluid it feels with the right binds. You dont miss much visually, tbh I find it the most stimulating. 
 

1 hour ago, Psilencer said:

Funny that a game with such a robust character creator essentially forces one to forego that creativity and play an ugly squid lest be gimped. 

I would possibly go as far as saying my PB is the toon I've been the most creative on. Because I want to make sure I look sweeeeet when I dont have tentacles or a large alien butt.

[kelika2]

7 hours ago, Psilencer said:

Funny that a game with such a robust character creator essentially forces one to forego that creativity and play an ugly squid lest be gimped. 

Same argument can be used as:

Why play a shapeshifter archetype if you dont wanna change forms

[Hardboiled Hero]

On 7/6/2021 at 6:00 PM, kelika2 said:

Same argument can be used as:

Why play a shapeshifter archetype if you dont wanna change forms

   Shapeshifting is not the only thing that sets Kheldian AT's apart. When I look at WS and PB in the character creator, I don't see "Shapeshifter AT".. that's not their listed role.  Their in game description says they eventually get 2 shapeshift forms, (A true "shapeshifter" would, by definition, start with some shapeshifting) it doesn't say anything about unique powers or abilities based on the form. (you have to read all the powers to see that part.).  you could make some other AT and still say the character was Kheldian, but the character would still play very differently from even a "human only" PB or WS.  Khaldians are different for other reasons beyond shapeshifting.

 

  Also, As shapeshifters, the fact that all of the Dwarves and Novas look basically identical is a little disappointing.  Or what if your Kheldian was meant to be off doing something else when other Kheldians came across the novas or dwarves?  Ultimately, those "shapeshift forms" are just costumes.. they're an aesthetic, so it makes sense that people will ask if they can be changed to suit the player's tastes.

 

  Still, whether it can be done (probably yes) and whether the homecoming team has the time, energy, and resources to do it, are two different questions.

[kelika2]

12 hours ago, Hardboiled Hero said:

I don't see "Shapeshifter AT".. that's not their listed role.

descriptions in this game were always off.  they shapeshift to unlock their real strength.  you can sit there and nut all you want but they are a shapeshifter AT.  no one calls VEATs the leadership AT, but we all know it.  No one calls brutes the tank AT, but they all do it.

Nova form = blaster level base damage

human form = sentinel level base damage

crab form = tanker level base damage

 

If you want vanity to consume you, i cant stop you.  but dont tell me that khelds are not the shapeshifter AT

[Orivon]

I play the exact same way as @Doomrider and @Xiddo.

 

I change forms constantly to get those other abilities. Take a lot of damage and human heal isn't up? Switch to Dwarf and use that heal then go back to Nova and do damage. Inner Light recharged? Drop down to human form and get buff then back to Nova to blast and use Ion Judgement for the extra damage modifier. There was a time, back on live, where the forms had a "cast time" and weren't instant. You also couldn't use forms with Light Form which forced you to be human during that time and be a whispy ball of light.