1. doggiedude

    doggiedude Contributor Contributor

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    Looking for some ideas

    Discussion in 'Setting Development' started by doggiedude, Jul 26, 2016.

    If humans could transplant animal characteristics onto their bodies, what would be some interesting ones to choose?

    I've already used: wings, horns, scales, gills, & feathers.

    As a side note: Anyone know an interesting animal that lacks a gag reflex? The best one I found so far was the horse but it won't work for the situation.
     
  2. Spencer1990

    Spencer1990 Contributor Contributor

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    Eyes would be cool. Specifically the eyes of a bird.

    Amphibians take in oxygen through their skin. That could be interesting.

    Sonar, like the way bats/marine life communicate.

    Going with the bird thing, their built-in directional system consisting of using magnetic north and a substance in their brains to instinctually know which direction to go.

    Those are just what came to mind. Sorry if none of it is helpful.
     
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  3. Erik-the-Enchanter!

    Erik-the-Enchanter! Banned Contributor

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    Webbed fingers. A prehensile monkey tail. Lobster claws (lobsters are also immortal, FYI). Poison skin. Poison bite. Bat wings. Tusks. Claws. Fangs.

    I'm done. :p
     
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  4. Kinzvlle

    Kinzvlle At the bottom of a pit Contributor

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    Fur could be appealing if they live in a colder area. Being able to regenerate limbs like salamanders and such would be interesting. Any type of heightened senses, as well.
     
  5. doggiedude

    doggiedude Contributor Contributor

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    I guess I should have mentioned, the traits need to be things people can readily notice about someone. I like the tail thing. Not sure why I hadn't thought of it. Skin like an amphibian might be workable also.
    Fur ... yes I can do so much with interesting fur.
     
  6. Spencer1990

    Spencer1990 Contributor Contributor

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    Duckbills
    Cat ears (or something similar)
    Antlers
     
  7. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    A dog's sixth sense.
     
  8. DarkusTerror

    DarkusTerror Member

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    Goo-shooters (Velvet worm), long bristles on limbs (spiders and insects), chitin carapace (many arthropods), STONE EYES (trilobites).
     
  9. hirundine

    hirundine Contributor Contributor

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    The ability to change the colour of their skin (like a chameleon or cuttlefish) might be a good one.
     
  10. NobodySpecial

    NobodySpecial Contributor Contributor

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    That whole snake bite thing would come in handy. I could give you a top ten list of who I'd bite first.
     
  11. I.A. By the Barn

    I.A. By the Barn A very lost time traveller Contributor

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    Humm, strange I also have a concept like this.
    Tiger stripes, implanted fangs, forked tongue and heat pits.
    [​IMG]
    Those are heat pits shown^
     
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  12. zoupskim

    zoupskim Contributor Contributor

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    Bro... you know bout the heat pits too?
     
  13. Iain Aschendale

    Iain Aschendale Lying, dog-faced pony Marine Supporter Contributor

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    Shooting blood from your eyes like that weird desert lizard?
     
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  14. I.A. By the Barn

    I.A. By the Barn A very lost time traveller Contributor

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    Of course I do! Been on an animal course for two years, and reptiles are my favourite things!
     
  15. Vagrant Tale

    Vagrant Tale Active Member

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    I'd separate it into form and function characteristics. Some people just want it for the aesthetics, others want enhanced abilities. For the more dramatic the change, there'd also be a tradeoff.

    Some ideas:
    • A fashionista or model who takes horsehair as a characteristic, using it to enhance her beauty
    • An assassin who has the eyes of an eagle
    • A football player who takes on the characteristics of a bull; with horns and enhanced speed and strength
    • A man who takes the singing instincts of a bird, using beautiful songs to attract females
    • A thief who takes the characteristics of a monkey, allowing him to climb to insane heights and on pretty much anything while being totally silent
    • A skydiver who takes the characteristics of a flying squirrel
    • A government of a nation with extremely low birth rates imbues its citizens with the reproductive instincts of rabbits to fix the problem
    I'm in class right now so this is all I can think of right now! This is actually kind of fun :)
     
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  16. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    I dress fly - for my walks to shop corner.

    'Buzz buzz,' I say, 'shop-keeper, give me real Nigerian, a sweet guinness, and the green rizla. Walking back, wings thump on my back. I lift off, patrol beach ways a while, buzz between bikinis, licking ice-creams. People say I'm a nuisance fly.

    'Only ordinary,' I say, 'fly me.'
     
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  17. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    I'd like the ability to climb anything the way a monkey does and run really fast (but on two feet, not four ...I'm thinking ostrich :).)
     
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  18. Caveriver

    Caveriver Active Member

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    Prehensile nose, like a coatamundi
    Quills (being able to shoot quills is a myth. Quills are driven in by a whack of a tail, etc.)
    Head that rotates like a owl (also, nearly silent flight... unique digestion features, eyesight, etc)
    Kinkajous have feet that turn backwards, in order to run backwards along tree limbs.
    Laugh like a hyena (literally. If you do this, please do your research on how/when/why they "laugh". I promise, it's not what you think.) Also, hyena teeth/jaws (5th strongest bite).
    Stripes like a zebra.
    Rock climb like a mountain goat. (hooves...?)
    Horns/antlers of varying description (google Kudu. That's a cool one.)
    Hair like a variations of Tamarin and Marmoset monkey
    Tounge like a monotor lizard... pick your species
    Certain species of possum (not to be confused with Opossum) have uniquly formed hands/feet used to knock on tree bark, listening for grubs.

    (Was a zookeeper)
     
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  19. Mumble Bee

    Mumble Bee Keep writing. Contributor

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    You know that thing where dogs smell each others rear ends to learn more about each other?
    That deserves a chapter.
     
  20. Seraph751

    Seraph751 If I fell down the rabbit hole... Contributor

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    Talons
     
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  21. doggiedude

    doggiedude Contributor Contributor

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    I like talons ... or better yet. Someone with a single talon they can use to open up those pain in the ass plastic packages.
     
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  22. Seraph751

    Seraph751 If I fell down the rabbit hole... Contributor

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    Like a velociraptor?
     
  23. Seraph751

    Seraph751 If I fell down the rabbit hole... Contributor

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    Lungs for fire/ice capabilities
    Poisonous skin
    animal-like ears,
    eel's ability to produce electricity.
     
  24. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    I don't think rats can gag.

    Other than that, I don't have anything new.
     
  25. doggiedude

    doggiedude Contributor Contributor

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    Yea, I think I'm gonna need to skip the gag gag.
    I was going to mention a woman with a horse mane was only using it as a display to men that she lacked a gag reflex. Since I specifically mention that horses are extinct in my story I don't think it would make sense.
     

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