Animal traits for Unisystem by Majin Gojira

Some of these (such as armor and flight) are expansions of existing qualities.

Aggressive (2 point Drawback)

Some animals are extremely aggressive. Differing from the Terra Primate drawback, this animal, when
confronted with a Fight or Flight reaction, will almost always choose fight, even when its brain should
tell it to run. Wolverines are an example of this kind of animal. If this animal is not happy or scared it
lets the world know and tells the world to keep clear.

Amphibious (1 to 3 point quality)

Amphibious animals are able to breathe both air and water. The one-point version allows them only to
breathe air for a short time (one hour per level of constitution before returning to the water). The two
point version allows them to breath air and water freely, as long as the water is fresh. The three point
version allows them to breath in salt water as well. Gills are sensitive organs and allow chemicals to
enter the body more readily than other organs.

Anti-Freeze Blood (3 point quality)

Anti-Freeze blood allows animals normally chilled to the core by their surroundings to be semi-active.
Glacial and arctic fish, as well as high-mountain arthropods have this quality. Animals that also have
the Hibernation quality can be frozen solid in their hibernation states and survive thawing out. Toads,
Frogs and Weta are examples of this.

Armor (1 point per level)

Many animals are gifted with skin that is resistant to abrasions and even the claws of over animals.
These levels vary from animal to animal and manifest in different ways. Some soft-bodied animals
have a form of armor that grants 2 points of natural armor against blunt attacks, but not sharp ones.
This costs 1 point. Below are a list of armor types and their maximums. If the armor only covers a
limiter area of the body, the value drops by 1 point in total. If the animal can retract into their armor
(like a turtle), it adds 1 point to the total cost of the armor.
Skin: Skin is the simplest form of armor, and cannot go above 3 levels.
Scales: All animals with scales, even the simplest ones, have an armor value of at least 1. Scales fold
over or line up with each other to form a protection against the elements and predators. The
maximum armor value for simple scales is 5.
Scutes: Scutes are advanced scales that are Keratin surrounding boney stud. Crocodiles have this type
of armor. This armor value ranged from 4 to 8.
Boney Scutes: The thickest form of scutes are those of extremely armored crocodiles (usually the
smaller species), Komodo dragons and some prehistoric animals such as early armored dinosaurs.
Boney scutes provide an armor value ranging from 6 to 10.
Boney Dots: Some animals do not have scale-covered scutes, but little beads of bone imbedded in
their skin. This armor can be as effective as chainmail, but without the loss of strength to bullets.
These dots provides an armor value of 8 to 15.
Bone Plates: Boney Plates are the thickest form of armor available in the natural world. Turtles,
Ankylosaurs and Glyptodons have this type of armor. It ranges between 10 and 20, but can go above.

Battery Teeth (1 point quality)

Battery teeth are the ultimate system to devour food. Teeth are constantly being lost and replace.
This can be a hassle, but think of the money made from the tooth fairy. Many modern mammals do
not have this quality, and die after their second set of teeth is worn out.
Stailness Steel Stomach (4 point quality)
Animals with this quality can eat food that is not only spoiled but rotted partly through, fungused and
maggoted with ease. It may not taste good, but it wont kill the bearer of this quality.

Cold Blooded (7 point drawback)

Most animals are cold blooded. Today, only mammals and birds are warm blooded. Cold blooded
animals are also known as exothermic. This means that unlike mammals and birds, which are
endothermic, exothermic animals, rely on the surrounding temperature to determine their activity
level. At sunrise, it takes time for the animal to warm up. This time is based on the size of the animal.
From a cold start, all cold blooded animals need (Size (Degrees (Celsius) above ideal temperature))
minutes, with an additional -1 minute if the animal moves into the sun. Once this time is passed, they
are treated as having fully recovered their endurance points from 0. The presence of sunlight can also
allow the animal to warm up even before the proper temperature is reached (up to 10 degrees
cooler).
In low temperatures, Endurance is lost at a rate of (Size-10) endurance points per minute until the
new maximum is reached. If it is 10 degrees below their ideal, the endurance loss stops at the normal
total. At 20 degrees below their ideal, it is reduced to a maximum of the normal total.
In these lowered states, a cold blooded animal receives a -2 to all actions for every 10 degrees below
ideal.
Another problem of being exothermic is having no method to cool down without running to the shade
or the water. For every 5 C over their normal maximum that their body temperature rises, they
receive a -2 to all mental actions. At 10 C above their ideal, cold-bloods start to take damage at a rate
of d4 (2) Life points per minute. Though some animals, such as turtles, have their own cool-down
spots built on them (their shells).
Resistance (Cold) adds 1 degree to the creatures running coolness time (most reptiles run at the same
temperature as humans ideally).
All cold blooded animals have a low metabolism. They need only to eat a meal once a week on
average, with digestion times varying on temperature (5 hours at ideal, doubling to 10 hours at -10
degrees ideal, and 20 hours at -20 degrees ideal). Animals with the Low Metabolism quality on top of
cold bloodedness need only eat once per month.

Color Blind (1 point Drawback)

Many animals do not see in color. Dogs and Cats, for instance. This represents their color detriment.
Many animals that are color blind have good night vision to compensate.

Defensive Odor (5 point quality)

Some animals are equipped with this foul defense systems, though it only has (constitution) shots +1
per additional level, those exposed to the noxious chemical require a difficult constitution test to resist
be driven off/discouraged or nauseated and incapacitated.

Defensive Slime (5 point quality)

Creatures with this ability can generate defensive slime from their bodies (such as slugs and Hagfish).
This slime can entangle whatever grapples or holds the creature, and, if attempting to consume the
creature, choke them. By spending 1 essence point, it creates a basic slime. Slime is resisted with a
simple dexterity (or constitution if choking already, Directors discretion), with a -1 penalty per
additional essence spent to extract onself from it. The slime is foul tasting (difficult constitution test
with -1 per essence spent or spit-out/reviled) and sticky. An animal will need to spit it out and wipe it
off as best they can to extract themselves, this takes 10 (1 per SL) minutes on average.
Defensive Spines (1 point per level quality)
Defensive spines are bought per natural weapons, but the damage done is multiplied by the attackers
strength instead of the defender. Attacking with such a weapon imposes a -2 penalty to the task. For
an extra point, these can be used like Porqupine quills, hairs that are strong, hollow, and easily break
of in the attacker, hindering the wounds recovery and dealing an additional point of damage. The
damage is altered by the size difference between animals, however (damage is modified by (Size of
Defensive Spine User) (Size of Attacker)).

Defensive Spray (3 point per level quality)

Animals with this quality can spray noxious chemicals at attackers. This corrosive substance stings and
burns, dealing 1 damage per turn and can temporarily blind attackers with the foul-smelling
substance. The animal can fire this weapon once per constitution level a day. Each level adds either 1
point of damage to the corrosive or an extra shot. The sprayed animal resists being driven off with a
difficult constitution test at -2 against a difficult constitution test from the defender with a +1 bonus
per level of this quality

Electro-magnetic sensor (3 point quality)

Within 50 yards/meters per level of perception, the animal can detect the pulses of movement as well
as electrical fields. Strong fields can be painful to experience and drive the animal away, but acts as a
true sixth sense. The animal need only make a simple perception test to notice movement within its
range. Each success level allows to narrow the location down by 60 degrees, as this sense is 360
degree range from the animal.

Electrical Generation (2 point quality)

Creates d6 (3) points of damage (electrical) to a target for each essence point spent, but they must
touch the subject. Hitting a target at range costs 1 extra essence point per (1/2 size average). Such a
jolt can create pain in animals with a Electro-magnetic sensor, a perception and constitution test is
made with a -1 penalty per essence spent.

Elongated Running Legs (3 point quality, prerequisite: Quadruped)

Some animals can only reach their top speed when running on their hind legs. Many lizards today
adapted to run quickly have this quality. It increases running speed (spring) by 50% of the normal
speed. This can only be maintained for 2 x Constitution turns.

Eyelid-less (2 point quality)

Creatures like this have no eyes. Their eyes are usually covered by a hard scale or lense to protect
them from damage. These can be cleaned like glass in a sense, by stroking feelers or even a tongue.
The animals cannot blink or wink, and must turn away to stop looking at something. On the plus side,
their eyes have an armor bonus of 1, and cannot be easily blinded by sand, grit or salt.

Exoskeleton (1 point drawback)

Exoskeletons are complex pieces of hardware. They provide a natural armor of 1 or more, but they
operate in a unique way. Underneath the exoskeleton, the animal has to pump in and pull out blood to
move its limbs. This method of movement is liquid intensive and water-tight. If their armor is split,
they usually can seal of a section of their body to prevent liquids from spilling out. If a wound is
garnered on a body part that cannot be sealed off immediately takes another point of damage a
minute later as it bleeds vital fluids for 1 minute per die of the wound inflicted (IE: d4 garners 1
minute of bleeding, d6 garners 2 minutes of bleeding, d8 garners 3 minutes of bleeding, etc.). the
Bleeding eventually deals 1d4(2) damage per minute. Exoskeletons can regrow lost limbs only during
a molting. This counts as a form of limited regeneration. Life points remain lowered until the limb is
recovered. Exoskeletons also limit the maximum size of an animal, as they do not have active lung
systems; they need oxygen rich air to maintain sizes over 3.
False Eye Spots (3 point quality)
False eye spots are a defense mechanism used to confuse animals into either fear, thought of being
spotted or to attacking the easily replaced portion of the body. An animal seeing these spots, or
humans seeing it for the first time, must make a difficult intelligence test at -2 or be affected in one of
the above mentioned ways (directors discretion). These spots usually remain hidden, but constantly
out spots may be purchased at 2 points.

Flight (Winged)
This gives the animal wings and allows it to fly at its regular speed (though it counts as Very Difficult
work). However, there are modifiers for this. If the animal is capable of gliding on its wings for short
distances, the quality increases in cost by one point (to 4), and the endurance loss is treated as
Difficult Work. This effect also covers animals with built-in rubber-band muscles to increase the
number of wing beats per minute as well as allowing the user to hover in place. This costs 5 points,
though such wings cannot be used to glide. Each level beyond the first adds +10 to speed. If the
wings are non-collapsible (such as in the dragonfly), the cost is reduced by 1.

Full Reverse (1 point quality)

The animal is built so that it can move backwards far faster than it can forwards, doubling its effective
speed for a turn, costing 3 endurance point per attempt.

Gizzard (1 to 2 point quality)

Gizzards are simple mechanisms used before chewing teeth to grind up hard foods. This requires that
the animal seek out hard stones to swallow. If these cannot be found, they can be replaced with shell,
pointy wood, and even metal, though the former two can wear down. This allows the animal to easily
continue living without fear of wearing down its teeth. The two-point version can be used to crack
shells and nuts with ease.

Gliding Flaps (2 point quality)

These flaps allow an animal to glide certain distance related to the height leapt from. The distance
leapt in a long jump is increased by 3x the height of the jump.

Gorger (1 point quality)

The animal can eat the equivalent of three meals at one sitting and hold the food in its gut,
undigested, until it is needed.

High/Low Metabolism
As the ability ascribed in "Conspiracy X"
An animals size plays a larger role in their overall endurance and metabolism. Taking this quality twice
doubles all the alterations in the original quality. Cold Blooded animals with low metabolisms for
instance, need only eat once every month on average. A cold blooded animal with 2 levels of the
quality need only eat every three months (but eats a lot when it does).

Hibernation (1 point per level quality)

This allows an animal to enter an ultra-energy conserving state. This state lasts 1 month per level of
the quality. Cold Blooded animals, and those with a low metabolism can hibernate twice as long as
their warm blooded counterpartslasting in hibernative states for over a year or more.

Independently Functioning Eyes (3 point quality)

Some animals have eyes that can point one eye in a direction and another eye in a second direction.
This grants a creature up to 200 degree vision, and grants a +1 bonus to all perception + notice tasks
using eyesight (does not stack with acute vision). It also eliminates the targeting penalty.
Infra-red sensor (3 point quality)
Some animals (pit vipers, for instance) have infra-red sensors for spotting warm blooded prey. The
range of the sensor is 10 x (Perception) yards.

Jump (1 point per level)

Animals size 7 or greater cannot jump.
Formula: (Size Maximum in feet) x 5 (convert to Yards) for Broad Jump
(Size) x 2 (in inches) for High Jump.

Lactic Acid Resistance (2 point quality)

Animals with this quality can ignore the effects of endurance loss until it literally kills them. They mark
of endurance points as normal, but take no ill effects from the loss until after the animal calms down.
After which, it takes 1 life point of damage for every 3 endurance lost.

Lateral Line (2 point Quality)

Allows the detection of those nearby the user if they are in water, by detecting the vibrations they
make in water. This acts as a second sensory array, allowing acknowledgement of other, rapid-moving
things within (Base Size) circumference. This allows them to avoid being snuck-up upon with a simple
perception test (or Perception and Notice, whichever is higher). This is resisted by a dexterity and
stealth task by the attacker.

Lesser Natural Toughness (1 point)

Some invertebrates have some mild armoring to protect them from abrasion. This provides an armor
value of 2 against bashing attacks.

Light Spots (6 point drawback)

Light spots are simple eyes that allow an animal only to notice differences in light intensity. While
these may be subtle enough to allow the animal to function, they are colorblind and cannot see many
details.

Limb Drop (2 point quality)

Certain animals have a specially built in parts that are meant to fall off. Each limb or appendage
capable of doing this costs 1 point beyond the first. Dropping a limb or tail costs the user of their life
points. This can, per the directors discretion, allow the user to automatically escape a grapple.

Marsupial (3 point drawback)

Marsupials have the Low Intelect drawback in addition to their odd reproductive behavior forcing the
development of climbing limbs above all else.

Musk Generation (1 point quality)

The animal can generate Musk, or body scent. It allows them to easily mark territory, attract mates
and deter rivals.

Natural Insulation (2 or 3 points per level)

This quality acts as Resistance: Heat Loss from Exposure, bust since such resistances take the form of
layers of fat more often than not, the animal an armor value of 1 that doubles against bashing
damage. It adds +5 degrees C to the base temperature the animal can stand before cold effects begin
to take hold, but lowers the temperature it threatens to overheat at by 5 C. This quality maxes out at
10 levels. It cannot be bought by most humans and humanoids. If an extra point is spent per level,
the animal may have summer and winter coats, allowing it to survive in warmer climates with greater
ease.
Natural Weapon: (0-6 point quality)
Animals have claws, teeth and horns to defend themselves and catch their prey. Depending on the
size and lethality of the implement in question, the damage varies.
Claws tend to deal between d4 and d6 damage. Jaws and horns deal anywhere from Strength to d8
damage. Tail clubs usually carry a minimum of d6, and can range to a d8, but usually deal bash
damage. Other implements are more variable, but few natural weapons deal greater damage than a
d8.
The damage dealt is usually slashing. Bashing damage reduces the cost of the implement by 1 point.
An armor piercing weapon adds 1 to the cost of the weapon, as does making the weapon retractable
like a cats claws. Some weapons are used in such a way that they are even more potent than normal.
For every +1 bonus tranged to strength for rolling the damage, add 1 point to the cost of the weapon
(IE: Claws that deal d6 x Strength +1 damage cost 3 points). The maximum altered strength bonus is
+2.

Nictating Membrane (1 point quality)

Land animals are not equipped to see things underwater, this adaptation allows a land animal to place
a protective plate against its eye and see clearly underwater. Normally, seeing in water adds a -1 to
any task (baring visibility). Fine details cannot be seen without this quality.

Night Vision (2 point quality)

Animals with good night vision generally do not see as well in color, but can see well in the dark,
almost as if it were day (the animal only has difficulty seeing in total darkness).

Oviparous (Variable Drawback)

Not all animals give birth to live young. Most animals lay eggs. Though the phrase Oviparous generally
necessitates the presence of a specific organ, called an Ovipositor, this drawback applied to any egg
laying species. Eggs come in 3 basic varieties. Insects lay eggs either singularly or in egg cases. These
types of eggs are a 1 point drawback. Fish and amphibians lay jelly-encased eggs in clutches that
have to remain in water to develop. These eggs are very sensitive, and are worth 3 drawback points.
Reptiles lay leathery-shelled eggs for the most part. These softer eggs are a 2 point drawback. Birds
and some reptiles lay harder shelled eggs. These can take a blow or two without deforming, and are a
1 point drawback.

Prehensile Appendage (Trunk or Tail) (3 point quality)

The animal has a grasping appendage outside of their hands or feet. Usually a tail or trunk. This can
manipulate small things with ease.

Quadruped (5 point Drawback)

Quadrupeds lose the ability to use their hands, but gain an added stability to their gate. Most animals
are at least quadrupeds. This drawback covers all animals with low-to-the-ground postures and
without dexterous hands. It removes the use of hands, but increases the amount of weight able to be
carried (lift easily over head) by 50% and adds a +2 bonus to resist being knocked over.

Regeneration (1 Point quality)

Only allows for the recovery of Constitution life points per hour. This can restore lost limbs in simple
organisms.

Resistance (Salt)
This quality allows for an animal to resist excessive amounts of salt (normally a difficult constitution
test). Salt, in too large of a quantity, can be poisonous to organisms. Some animals with Resistance
(salt) cannot survive in fresh water. These animals can literally burst from taking in to much clean
H2O and burst. Such a drawback is a -5 drawback, and is most commonly found in salt water
exclusive animals.
Saline Ejection Mechanism (2 point quality)
Creature born with a method of releasing excess salt. Can use it in an attack once a day with a simple
dexterity test. Targeting the face can induce a strong flinch, but the range equal only to the animals
size.

Scent Tracking (3 point quality)

Allows for an animal to track a scent of where an animal has been for 200 yards per perception level.
Sources such as musk, blood, urine and scat can also be located, each acting as its own scent source,
adding at least 200 yards to a trail. Creatures with scent tracking often have elongated noses.

Size
Size Rating: Nomenclature (Height or body length) (to hit bonus to human sized) (basic Life Point
Formula, increases and decreases also reflected in Endurance calculation)

Size 12: Titanic (450-900) (-4) ((Strength + Constitution) x 8 +10)

Size 11: Gargantuan (220-440) (-4) (((Strength + Constitution) x 7 +10))
Size 10: Colossal (110-210) (-4) ((Strength + Constitution) x 7 +10)
Size 9: Monstrous (50-100) (-4) ((Strength + Constitution) x 6 +10)
Size 8: Vast (15-40) (-3) ((Strength + Constitution) x 6 +10)
Size 7: Huge (11-14) (-2) ((Strength + Constitution) x 5 +10)
Size 6: Large (7-10): (-1) ((Strength + Constitution) x 5 +10)
Size 5: Human (5-6ft) (0) ((Strength + Constitution) x 4 +10)
Size 4: Small (3-5) (+1) (((Strength + Constitution) x 3 +10))
Size 3: Petitie (1-2ft) (+2) (((Strength + Constitution) x 2 +10))
Size 2: Tiny (6 inches) (+3) (((Strength + Constitution) + 5))
Size 1: Minute (less than 5 inches) (+4) ((Strenght+Constitution))

The damage and targeting modifiers are only viable in comparison to humans. Stats will be done in
accordance with base creature as zero (d4). Damage between the size variants is increases in the
damage rolled by +1 per size differential until +4.
Jumping and Metabolism are also altered by size. Smaller animals have a higher metabolism than
larger ones, each size below 5 grants a +1 bonus to initiative, but requires that they add an 3 times in
addition to the previous step (3 meals at 5, 6 meals at 4, 9 meals at 3, 12 meals at 2 and 15 meals at
1). The reverse is true for large animals. Size 6 animals need only eat once a day (but eat a lot), Size
7 once every 2-3 days, size 8 only once every 4-5 days, size 9 every week, size 10 every two weeks,
size 11 every month, and size twelve every two months.
It also adds 6 endurance points per level to the creatures endurance pool (which also increases its
multiplier as life points does).
Size also effects targeting, small animals have an easier time hitting bigger animals (+1 per
difference), and big animals, unless hitting with an weapon that is very large (directors discretion, it is
suggested to modify it based on the dice size), have a -1 per size difference to hit a smaller animal. If
the large animal throws its entire weight into the attack, however (IE: charges), this is negated.
Size also helps determine how much damage is taken from falling. Increasing it in large animals (Size
6 animals add +1 to the damage, Size 7 +2 to the damage, etc). Small animals are less affected by
gravity. Size 4 animals take d6 (3) damage per 2 yards fallen. Size 3 animals take damage every 3
yards fallen, size 2 every 4 yards fallen and size 1 animals take damage every 5 yards fallen.
Size level costs 2 points per level quality per distance from 5.
Specialized Diet (2 or 3 point drawback)
The animal in question only eats either a few select things or subsides almost completely on a single
plant or animal. Such animals are prone to extinction and can have trouble surviving tumultuous
times.

Swamp/Snow Adaptation (1 to 3 point quality)

The animal in question has big, broad feet. These feet allow it to walk unhindered on certain terrain.
Each level lets it be treated as an animal 1 size category smaller than it actually is to resist sinking in
mud or snow or breaking ice. Polar bears and Lilly-pad walkers are examples of this, Polar Bears
having the 1 point version and Lilly-pad Walkers having the 3 point version.

Warning Coloration (1 point quality)

Whether real or not, the animal advertises (through black and yellow stripes, bright red spots or other
bright coloration) that the animals body contains a poison or is venomous (poisoned flesh uses the
same stats and rules as the venom quality, but costing only a signle point). Some animals do not have
poisons but claim to be poisonous or dangerous anyway, these are batsian mimics. Either way, having
the coloration costs only 1 point, largely because many animals that do not have parental intervention
early in life have to learn the hard way.

Whiskers/Antennae (2 or 3 point quality).

Whiskers are extra-sensory organs, and extensions of the sense of touch, allowing a mammal to judge
distances from the face with supreme ease. This can help determine if a tunnel is wide enough for
them to enter, what something feels like a short distance (1/5th body size) from the face, and so on.
Antennae are similar structures with a similar function, but they can move and occasionally act in
conjunction with other senses. This extra sense must be chosen at the time of creature construction.
Whiskers cost 2 points, antennae cost 3 points.

Wide Range Vision (2 point quality)

Most herbivores and prey species have eyes placed for maximum scanning range. This allows them
almost 200 degree vision, but places a -1 on all targeting tasks because they cannot focus their sight.
Being able to see in such a wide range and still being able to target without penalty costs 3 points.