How is the doppler impersonating Gerald able to use Signs at all?

[Gerald01]

How is the doppler impersonating Gerald able to use Signs at all?

During the witcher contract quest in Novigrad.
Geralt comments "you may look like a witcher but you can't fight as one" or somesuch. Yet he's able to cast signs?

Assuming taking the appearance of someone gives only a superficial resemblance, limited to the physical corporeal outward appeareance... this would make no sense.

For instance, turning into a WereCat (or whatever it is he was impersonating) meant his muscles, skeleton, changed to resemble its, so he could be able to perform similar actions (like clawmarks and jumps and such).

Surely though there are limits even with this, as otherwise the dopplers could turn into dragons and wreak havoc around?
Even if there is mass constraints involved (which doesn't seem to be the case as they double or triple theirs at will in both directions)

But in the case of a Witcher, he'd have no idea how to cast the Signs, as they do not simply stem from the physical mutation (and this is even assuming he's able to genetically replicate a witcher's body down to the mutation, somehow, which is not the case I assume).

Does it mean he'd be able to cast magic if he turned into a mage? What?

 

[CTPhipps]

That is ridiculous.

 

[Zyvik]

Yeah,it makes no sense.

 

[devivre]

Agreed it confused me as well and felt wrong...

 

[Frybread]

Well dopplers can only transform into someone or something that has relatively the same mass as their original form - so no transforming into a dragon or a mouse.

Also, I think dopplers literally become what they transformed into - so a doppler shifting into a witcher would physically become a witcher. And I thought the dopplers were able to copy some of the psyche of the target, so they would get the knowledge and training of witcher. I think some of this was explained when you encounter Dudu in the books.

 

[Gerald01]

Well dopplers can only transform into someone or something that has relatively the same mass as their original form - so no transforming into a dragon or a mouse.

Also, I think dopplers literally become what they transformed into - so a doppler shifting into a witcher would physically become a witcher. And I thought the dopplers were able to copy some of the psyche of the target, so they would get the knowledge and training of witcher. I think some of this was explained when you encounter Dudu in the books.

Ok I found this:
http://witcher.wikia.com/wiki/Dudu

Apparently Dudu (or dopplers in general) are able to nearly 100% become the person they're shifting into via some sort of magic.
It's not mimicry as I thought.

That begs the question why don't they exploit this ability in a coherent manner in the universe though.
They could be powerful entities, human (like Witchers or Mages) or inhuman (powerful creatures) all the time or at least when needed.
Instead of living at the edges of society like bums as shown in the game.

 

[Zbotz]

That begs the question why don't they exploit this ability in a coherent manner in the universe though.
They could be powerful entities, human (like Witchers or Mages) or inhuman (powerful creatures) all the time or at least when needed.
Instead of living at the edges of society like bums as shown in the game.

"It all comes down to a question of conscience."

“I'm you,” the doppler repeated. “You will never have the advantage over me. You can't defeat me, because I'm you!”
“You have no idea what it means to be me, mimic.”
Tellico lowered the arm that was holding his sword.
“I am you,” he repeated.
“No,” the witcher replied. “You know why? Because you're a nice little doppler. A doppler who could have killed Biberveldt and buried his body in the weeds, ensuring that he would never be unmasked, not even by the halfling's wife, the famous Gardénia Biberveldt. But you didn't kill him, Tellico, because that's not in your nature. You are indeed nothing but a nice little doppler whose friends nicknamed him Dudu. Whatever appearance you borrow, you always remain the same. You only know how to copy what is good in us, because the parts that are bad, you don't understand. That is what you are, doppler.”

“I'll tell you what I'll do now, witcher,” he said, laughing Dandelion's loud and rippling laugh. “I'll be on my way and lose myself in the crowd, where I'll discreetly transform into someone else, even a beggar. I'd rather be a beggar in Novigrad than a doppler in the barren wilderness.

As an inhabitant of Novigrad, I'll trade, weave wicker baskets, beg or steal. As part of your society, I'll do the ordinary things that people do in your society. Who knows, perhaps I'll be able to get married?”

 

[Gerald01]

@Zbotz Surely that's only valid for Dudu (him being a nice person is itself key to the plot in more than one way)? There ought to be good dopplers and bad ones.
For instance the one I was referring to attacks Geralt unprovoked (the reason G. gives for having to kill him also).
So I guess there maybe are very successfull undiscovered dopplers all round we do not know about.
According to Mengele's dialogue a few of them even tried scamming the Witch hunters (which I found silly), so there's lots in Novigrad alone.

Now my question was why don't they use their material capabilities instead of just scamming people or stealing bread at the market.
They can be as capable or as powerful as the best warrior or mage in the land, apparently, so it's baffling for that reason.

 

[LiarOnElmstreet]

Read the books.

 

[Gerald01]

Read the books.

 

[fishful]

I'd also like to point out that when you talk to Dudu about him transforming into Menge, he goes into great detail about how he didn't only assume his physical form but also his personality and that after sometime transformed he could feel the urge to torture mages. Which he probably disliked since the bestiary states Dopplers are kindhearted by nature.
But then he goes on to assume the form of Whoreson Junior, whom I thought was an even worse scumbag then Menge, and he doesn't seem to mind nor is he overcome by his personality. Unless his room is filled with dead prostitutes that we don't get to see.

 

[LiarOnElmstreet]

I'd also like to point out that when you talk to Dudu about him transforming into Menge, he goes into great detail about how he didn't only assume his physical form but also his personality and that after sometime transformed he could feel the urge to torture mages. Which he probably disliked since the bestiary states Dopplers are kindhearted by nature.
But then he goes on to assume the form of Whoreson Junior, whom I thought was an even worse scumbag then Menge, and he doesn't seem to mind nor is he overcome by his personality. Unless his room is filled with dead prostitutes that we don't get to see.

That left me wondering, too!

 

[CrunchyNapkin]

Yeah, that's a mystery. And you can notice that it affects their personallity when

Spoiler

Ciri and Geralt visit junior, even though I as Geralt killed him, Ciri tells me that he's alive and stuff, ends up being Dudu and when we entered the room he made like um, a filthy joke I think or something, and I almost ended up killing him, lol

 

[Hungry_Lion]

Ok I found this:
http://witcher.wikia.com/wiki/Dudu

Apparently Dudu (or dopplers in general) are able to nearly 100% become the person they're shifting into via some sort of magic.
It's not mimicry as I thought.

That begs the question why don't they exploit this ability in a coherent manner in the universe though.
They could be powerful entities, human (like Witchers or Mages) or inhuman (powerful creatures) all the time or at least when needed.
Instead of living at the edges of society like bums as shown in the game.

In many respects they do. For example Chapelle, the defense minister of Novagrad and the leader of the Eternal Flame guys was a doppler. He replaced the real Chapelle and used his new political power to ease up on non-humans in the city. You actually see him being burnt at the stake when you first enter Novagrad.

In the end though, the answer would be that Dopplers are good-natured and wish to live quiet lives.