SMI

Spontaneous Mutation Inducers, SMI for short (also called Mutators, Mutes, Modifiers and Mods are one of the types of items you can get from the lottery. They will end up in your inventory and are tradeable without problems.

Azmuth has never been fond of these gadgetry additions to the Omnitrix, but has warmed up to it after seeing the fun that Ben had with it, so he stopped fighting it. At least, as long as it's not overtaking the primary purpose of the Omnitrix and remains a plaything for his little love project.

SMI are divided into different types. The type dictates the rules of applying SMI to it. All design tips listed below are mere suggestions, if you have other ideas, feel free to do those instead.

Simple SMI
These have no further restriction on them. Each simple SMI increases complexity of a transformation by 1.

Improver
Extremely basic SMI. As the name states, they Improve an alien. Each type of improver adds 10 points to the attribute it's associated with.

After applying it, you can, but don't have to, update the refsheet. Don't go overboard with changes after applying just one improver, keep it subtle. Most design hints and tipps listed under the

Strength
Lore: Modifies the muscular nature of an alien, increasing muscle fiber density and maximum wattage it can pack. Mechanics: Increases strength by 10. Design tips: This modification can, but doesn't have to, result in more bulging and/or defined muscles. If the alien doesn't have organic muscles, you are free to alter its arms and torse by adding things that represent the change in strength. An example would be hydraulic springs in mechanoid aliens.

Constitution
Lore: Increases the structural integrity and density of an alien, making it able to take more punishment. Mechanics: Increases constitution by 10. Design tips: There is no univeral way to convey increased constitution. For many aliens, a simple "make it broader" could be enough. For inorganic aliens, changing the material they're made of is a good way.

Defence
Lore: One of the more adaptive improvers, defence will analyse the alien and will grant it a way of protecting it that suits the already given physiology. Mechanics: Increases defence by 10. Design tips: Your alien might grow the skin tougher, add natural armor plating, grant it the ability to maintain a psychic shield around it or just coats it in organic armor. There is no difference in what you choose from a mechanical/stat point of view, since it is only for aesthetic purposes.

Dexterity
Lore: Increasing dexterity is part hightened hand eye-coordination, body awareness, more limber extremities and decreasing the rigifity of the body. At least one of those is usually done to the alien this is applied to. Mechanics: Increases dexterity by 10. Design tips: Again, there is no one smple way to show it properly, but a slimmer more athletic build would work for the broader ones.

Perception
Lore: The senses aren't limited to just the well known 5, closer to 21. Using that knowledge and the fact that there are a lot of minute ways the brain processes those senses to get a picture of the surrounding, this SMI introduces new ways to process senses that are usually underused by the alien to enhance its situational perception. Mechanics: Increases perception by 10. Design tips:Awareness of ones surrounding can be expressed in a myriad of ways: Additional or enlarged sensory organs, glowing eyes or antannae/whiskers as a few examples. But the concept of perception is, in itself is vague since you can't truly share sensory impressions.

Speed
Lore: Every creature uses something for propulsion. By enhanching this specific thing you have an easy way to increase speed. But, be warned that not every alien is equipped to handle high speeds and might have a hard time controlling it. Mechanics: Increases speed by 10. Design tips: If it has wings, make them bigger, add a jetpack or make it more aerodynamic. If it runs, give it wheels, longer legs or make the legs more muscular. Swimming with fins is the same as flying with wings, except the obvious substitution of aquatic terms.

Will
Lore: Force of will has to do with convictions, goals and overall mental stability. If the mind of the baseform is already willful, this SMI will rewire the mind of the alien in such a way to more resemble the baseform. It's different if the baseform is rather weakwilled or the transformation is already extremely willful. Since alterations at comperative high levels, would have a large impact on the personality, it will instead rewire the brain in a way that still works but is different to usual, in order to slow anything that affects the mind down. Mechanics: Increases will by 10. Design tips: A strong and durable mind is hard to depict in a physical drawing. Here, subtlty is the key. A more zen like look, calmer expressions and meditative poses might do it for you. Or, if you want to work more symbolic drawings, adding a glow around the head that makes it seem as if it were wearing a helmet could also work.

Intelligence
Lore: Increasing intelligence is nothing more than inserting nowledge into the brain. You can do that by, again, rewiring neurons in order to artificially insert memories of knowledge that the alien doesn't know by nature. But, this artifical insertion has its drawbacks. As an example, you could be able to recite the whole Odyssey by Homer in ancient greek, but you have no idea what it actually says since you only know the epos in ancient greek and don't speak one word of it. Mechanics: Increases intelligence by 10. Design tips: Making themself look more intelligent has been the goal of many people over time. The most cliche ways are adding glasses, clipboards and labcoats or by growing the cranium and enlarging the head, suggesting a bigger brain, often with veins on it.

Cunning
Lore: The way cunning is increased is a subject of great discussion. Some say it adds part of an especially cunning alien, others claim that it just randomizes your thoughts on occasion, giving you more ideas and yet others again are trying to convince everyone they don't actually do anything and it's the placebo effect. Whatever the case, it makes you have more ideas, not all good, but some unusual and unexpected, and that might just do it. Mechanics: Increases cunning by 10. Design tips: All notes on design tips are "make it look more cunning". Yeah, sorry, that's kinda it. Cunning is abstract and seperate from intelligence for a reason.

Shifter
Lore: Sometimes you want to trade one ability for another, and this is the realisation of this wish. The Shifter was designed to increase the capabilities of an alien at the cost of another. How exactly it works is not known, only that it's a component of the alternate evolver and it has a design dissimilar to any other SMI. Mechanics: Increases one stat by up to 20, after you decreased a different stat by up to 20. Design tips: Just combine the tip of the appropriate improver for the increased stat with the opposite of it for the decreased stat.

Complex SMI
Complex SMI alter the DNA of an alien to a degree that it can only be done once in that way. You can apply each complex SMI only once on an alien

Improver (Special)/Inserter
The special improver is, fittingly, a special case. While every other attribute is in itself representing of a property of an individual, the special attribute stands in for all non-generic properties of an alien, called abilities. These abilities can still be added to an alien using the Special Improver, also called Inserter (because "Special Improver Ability" is always a mouthfull). Unlike the other improvers, adding an Inserter to a transformation usually warrants a design upgrade.

Energy Beam
Lore: For some reason (PG rating) everything seems to shoot lasers, even guns. With that in mind, this gives the transformation the ability to generate concentrated energy beams from an appropriate opening. Mechanics: Allows the alien to use the energy beam move. Design tips: A clear indicator where the energy is shot from would work.

Sonic Boom
Lore: A shout, a clap or a stomp, all of them make noise and with this SMI the soundwaves are enhanced to actually inflict damage and disorient opoponents, since hearing is oftern linked to the sense of balance. Mechanics: Allows the alien to use the sonic boom move. Design tips: Add speakers or a megaphone looking thing to the design, or make the mouth bigger.

Electric Discharge
Lore: Electricity is powerful, a simple hit by a low amp high voltage shock can paralize the body and make muscles spasm. And a high amp shock can fry you dead easily. Generating electricity isn't even the main point of the SMI, it's being able to store electricity within, without suffering the same fate as your target. Mechanics: Allows the alien to use the electric discharge move. Design tips: Painting it yellow, giving it an electrical plug like tail or drawing lightning bolts on it are all valid ways to show it.

Mana Manipulation
Lore: Altering mana is something only few beings can do, since it needs alignment of your mind with the flow of life. Not even Celestialsapiens can do it without rewriting the fundamental nature of the universe. So, finding a way to inject a bit of Anodite into an alien was a good way to actually circumvent this limitation. Mechanics: Allows the alien to use mana manipulation to cast spells. Design tips: Adding a mystical touch to the alien makes it look more magical. Things like a robe, staff, pointy hat or wand are easy to recognize.

Energy Absorbtion
Lore: A universal energy absorption trait is beyond the scopes of simple one type of energy, like electricity. It incorporates all types of energy. Of course, that doesn't mean that you have to. Mechanics: Grants the alien the energy absorption ability. Design tips:

Morpher
Lore: Sometimes, you want to be special, to do that, you mess with the DNA to make your alien look more unique. Mechanics: This alters the looks of an alien without altering any stats. Purely aesthetic. Design Rules: The changes are limited only by the unmorphable traits an alien has, these will be added as they come to light. Moderators will judge whether your design is appropriate.

Ultimate SMI
These SMI are beyond just complex, each one of them alters the alien to such a degree that you can't use any other Ultimate SMI on it.

Evolver
Lore: Crafted by Chronosapien gadgeteers, based on Albedo's experimental addition to his attempt to recreate the Omnitrix this SMI applies an accelarated simulated evolution with harsher than usual environmental conditions to overcome for the alien for millions of years. This results in a more powerful version of the alien. The Evolver itself has been criticized for the virtual suffering it has caused, but it has been overssen by the Sifter ethics committee and been deemed acceptable, after applying conditions to the process. Mechanics: Increases all stats that didn't come from other SMI by 50% and upgrades known abilities and moves into evolved versions of itself. Design Rules: Similar to Morphers, the limitation is that the evolved form should resemble the original to a degree or expand on its theme. Have a look at the already extant evolved forms and let yourself be inspired. Just keep in mind, the evolved version should keep the spirit of the original only cranked up to 11.

Alternate Evolver
Lore: Sometimes evolution takes an unexpected left turn. That is what this SMI does, throws the alien into an unfimilar environment, simulates hardships and then gives you access to the reslut. Otherwise it's identical to the regular Evolver. Mechanics: Using it grants you 50% of the total point value of the alien to add to it. this can be done in any which way you want. After using it you have to input the stat and values you would like to add. Doesn't support evolving moves or adding specials as of now. Design Rules: Similar to Evolvers, the limitation is that the evolved form should resemble the original to a degree. But, since this is an alternate path you should also signify what the alternate path it took is exactly.

Corruptor
Lore: One of the more controversial SMI. While most plumbers are convinced that there is no inherent evil in the universe, they are reluctant to sign it when confronted with this thing. Rumors surrounding its origin are numerous but none that can hold up. Some say it's a bone fragment of a rogue Celestialsapien, others say it's crystalized time distortion and very few are convinced it's Taydenite from Netherverse. Wherever its origins lies, this SMI turns the alien it touches into a corrupted and twisted version of itself. Mechanics: Design Rules:

Fuser
Lore: Fusing aliens at first was a defect of the Omnitrix. Later after meeting Skurd Ben came up with the concept behind the Biomnitrix. This same concept is applied when using the Fuser, it takes a DNA sample and integrates it into an already existing transformation. The resulting transformation looks like a mix of both. Mechanics: When using the fuser, it adds another alien to the transformation, the total stat is the sum of all aliens within the transfotmation. You can fuse a maximum of 3 aliens into one transformation with only one of them being legendary. SMI are not applied to the transformation as a whole but to the a single alien within the fusion. Each alien increases the complexity just like it would if it was a new transformation. Design Rules: The transformation should be clearly composed out of both aliens. Especially defining characteristics like the four arms of a Tetramand, size of a To'kustar or that a Polymorph is mostly goop should be represented in it. You are free to experiment, but all designs have to be approved by moderators and if rejected, must give a reason and should give tips on how to fix the issues.