Opinions On Limitation Level For A "Cargo Only" T-Port

[clsage]

Here's the idea:

One shot teleportation units, to be utilized by a criminal gang. The
limitation is that they can only be used to transport items which are
"non-sentient". The criminals figure why lug a big pile of stuff away
from the crime site when they can place a one shot t-port unit onto
the pile of gold (or whatever) and blip it back to the hideout. The
gadgets themselves don't always work and either way they end up
as a pile of fused circuts and metal.

My take on it is: T-Port, 1 fixed location, OAF, 1 non-recoverable charge,
Activation roll (11- perhaps ??), only usable on items with 0 EGO....

All the other limitations are pretty self explanatory but I'm wondering
what the consencus of those here is on what the "no sentient t-port/
only on 0 EGO items" would be. At the moment I'm thinking -1/4 but
I'd appreciate comments/opinions/suggestions.

Thanks.

-Carl-

[Matt Frisbee]

You might try defining it as "non-sentient, immobile objects" or give it a 1 hex AE for piles of objects. You would probably have to define a trigger for the device if it is "Independent". As far as the "non-sentient, immobile objects" limitation goes, as a GM, I'd be willing to give it a -1/2 limitation. If the thing malfunctions, be sure to look at "side-effects" limitation, too. :)

Hope I've been some help!

Matt

[clsage]

You might try defining it as "non-sentient, immobile objects" or give it a 1 hex AE for piles of objects. You would probably have to define a trigger for the device if it is "Independent". As far as the "non-sentient, immobile objects" limitation goes, as a GM, I'd be willing to give it a -1/2 limitation. If the thing malfunctions, be sure to look at "side-effects" limitation, too. :)

Hope I've been some help!

Matt

Yeah, in the original post I forgot to include AE as part of the description
of the effect I'm working towards...

I'm not sure about the whole "side effects" issue. My original concept was/is
for a sort of "all or nothing" deal....But I'll give it some thought(s). I'll need
to look at the whole "triggering issue" as well....Thanks.

-Carl-

[transmetahuman]

You would probably have to define a trigger for the device if it is "Independent".
I don't think you do - any more than you need a Trigger (as opposed to a lower-case "trigger") on an Independant OAF gun, or fireball wand. It might be a nice option to have, though; maybe a radio or tv-remote style trigger built into some of em. But using them the way these guys plan to, a trigger is probably not too useful.

[Matt Frisbee]

I don't think you do - any more than you need a Trigger (as opposed to a lower-case "trigger") on an Independant OAF gun, or fireball wand. It might be a nice option to have, though; maybe a radio or tv-remote style trigger built into some of em. But using them the way these guys plan to, a trigger is probably not too useful.

Point taken. Still, the mechanics aside, this is a neat item, and I'm going to have to design something like it for my baddies group Rogue Legion...

Matt [Insert evil chuckle here] Frisbee

[concord]

As a GM I would not give any limitation for this build... it lets the villains accomplish their mission with very little that can be done to stop them...

So in my opinion, it is a limitation that does not limit...

I also think it is a little abusive... only one step short of the villains always teleporting away just as they are about to be defeated on the Frustrating the Players<TM> table... this build is something I would use once maybe twice but not something that would happen a lot...

[Matt Frisbee]

As a GM I would not give any limitation for this build... it lets the villains accomplish their mission with very little that can be done to stop them...

So in my opinion, it is a limitation that does not limit...

I also think it is a little abusive... only one step short of the villains always teleporting away just as they are about to be defeated on the Frustrating the Players<TM> table... this build is something I would use once maybe twice but not something that would happen a lot...

Also a valid point here. However, if the characters could figure out a way to determine where the loot is going, they could end-around the villains and catch them with their proverbial pants down when they try to pick up their ill-gotten gains...

Matt

[freakboy6117]

the nice thing is it only transports teh loot so the heros can still catch the villains but they dont know what happend to that loot. now a cave full of hightech treasure thats got to be a perfect oppertunity for an origin story.

[clsage]

<snippage>... this build is something I would use once maybe twice but not something that would happen a lot...

Yeah...That's the plot concept. Players capture goons who have no
real powers of their own, just tech goodies/etc from some mystery
patron. The items stolen and the tech goodies are mainly clue related.
Of course, should a player figure out how to drain their EGO to 0 and
then trigger one of the T-Port packs, it would get them into the "cave
of loot" and that much closer to finding out who the mastermind is.
Thus the limitation "only items with 0 EGO". I'd potentially just make
it a handwave, plot twist deal but knowing how characters can be when
they see unusual tech I figured I'd better have the write up handy, ya'
know ?:D

-Carl-

[ghost-angel]

As a GM I would not give any limitation for this build... it lets the villains accomplish their mission with very little that can be done to stop them...

So in my opinion, it is a limitation that does not limit...

I also think it is a little abusive... only one step short of the villains always teleporting away just as they are about to be defeated on the Frustrating the Players<TM> table... this build is something I would use once maybe twice but not something that would happen a lot...
The reason I would give it a Limitation is so it can't then be used to trap the Hero's (because it doesn't work on them and is therefore Limited by definition).

And also when the Heroes get their hands on one it can't be used to trap the villains in return.

-1/4 is probably good enough though, it's not too limited IMO, but it Limited at least a little bit.

[Outsider]

Not being able to use one's Teleportation to escape a situation seems like a bigger limitation than -1/4 to me. Probably -1/2 just for 'Others Only', mirroring the -1/2 allowed for 'Self Only' on beneficial powers normally UAA. Then adding on the fact that this Teleport UAA cant even be used to teleport one's enemies (a prime use for Teleport UAA), I'd say I'd bump it to -3/4 or even a full -1.

[Lucius]

A nice range of opinions.
Clever idea by the way.

I know it's a plot driven idea, but remember, we're supposed to "reason from effects." So why would a teleport device be unable to teleport a sentient being?

Well, one possibility that ties right into the "unreliable" angle is that it always scrambles the target at least a little on the molecular level. This doesn't have any bearing on sentience, as such, but means that any LIVING thing won't stay living if teleported - so perhaps there's a block against working with a living thing in the T-zone, as a safety measure to keep the users from getting killed. This would also mean that ANY device that is sufficiently complex at a fine enough level would be scrambled.

Another possibility is that it simply can't transport any target that is too complicated, because it's incapable of processing that much information. Thus a further limitation; it could perhaps teleport ONE small, complex device, as opposed to a hexful of, say, gold bullion. A large complex thing, or anything as complicated as a person of any size, is beyond its capacity.

If you have a reasonable special-effects explanation, that may help it go over with the players too.

Now, as for what it's worth as a limitation; I agree it's got to be more than -1/4. I think "self only" and "others only" limits are usually -1/2 and this is even more limiting than either I think. I might go as high as -1, but probably not much more than that.

Lucius Alexander

The palindromedary wants to try hiding a homing device in their next likely target....

[Matt Frisbee]

Without rehashing all the nitpicking that has gone on with Star Trek Transporters over the years -- perhaps the particular style of teleport is simply lethal to living tissue, or it accesses a pocket dimension that steals souls from sentient beings, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Anyway, fun concept and one worthy of playing out on my group...

Matt

[JmOz]

As a GM, I would disallow the power if it is tech F/X (But would recomend a -1/4 not vs organic)

I would also require UAA personaly...

[Karma]

This would also mean that ANY device that is sufficiently complex at a fine enough level would be scrambled.

Hence the 'One shot only' as the T-porter scrambles it's own circuitry during the trip. Nice Justification (I love it when you can come up with a valid reason that something happens, even in a Supers game, instead of 'it just does'. Saves the headaches that eventuate when the players start trying to use it)

Players: "Why don't we get hold of it and make a copy that doesn't self destruct/only work on simple inanimate objects?"

GM: "Because it's self destruction/inability to work on livingor complex objects is an inherant part of the process it uses to teleport, not a seperate component"

Players: Damn that's frustrating.

GM: Imagine how the inventor feels, he can transport stuff to him, but he can't teleport in to get it. Hence the hired mooks.

Players: And here we just thought you were attempting to stop us using it.

GM: Would I do that to you? *Evil grin*

[clsage]

Hence the 'One shot only' as the T-porter scrambles it's own circuitry during the trip. Nice Justification (I love it when you can come up with a valid reason that something happens, even in a Supers game, instead of 'it just does'. Saves the headaches that eventuate when the players start trying to use it)

Players: "Why don't we get hold of it and make a copy that doesn't self destruct/only work on simple inanimate objects?"

GM: "Because it's self destruction/inability to work on livingor complex objects is an inherant part of the process it uses to teleport, not a seperate component"

Players: Damn that's frustrating.

GM: Imagine how the inventor feels, he can transport stuff to him, but he can't teleport in to get it. Hence the hired mooks.

Players: And here we just thought you were attempting to stop us using it.

GM: Would I do that to you? *Evil grin*

I had actually forgotten to list that part of the reason for the "1 non-
recoverable charge" portion of the write up was due to the scarcity of
a primary component of the T-Port pack. But the discription you suggest
for play is pretty cool...:thumbup:

Just a little background on the scenario and part of why the "Only 0 EGO"
limitation:

Ubergenius who believes himself sent from the future (not certain yet
if that's reality or a delusion - see "12 Monkeys" for an example) has
hired another NPC called The Craftsman to build him some mooks
(The Craftsman is a genetic tinkerer, building specialty cannon fodder
for the super-villain community....And yes, I stole the idea from a
hunted that was used in a module published in Space Gamer Magazine
back in the 1980's. I'll give credit where it's due.:D ). He has struck a
deal that gets him his mooks (basically clones of Slash from the 5th Ed Cyberpunk
genre section) in advance of payment so long as some of his first crimes
get tech that The Craftsman needs to continue his business. Some of
the gear/etc doesn't lend itself to easy theft. So the Ubergenius uses his
"future knowledge" (or weird genius, depending) to cobble up the T-Port
packs, not planning to make much use of them beyond this first crime
spree. So he doesn't bother to spend the time dealing with quantum
entaglement issues and the like. He has other, bigger plans....

-Carl