Puppets

[Icel]

I got an idea inspired by the Naruto anime to build a character which have the power to control puppets and use them to fight. He isn't controling the puppets with strings or anything like that by with his energy.

Ok, so I have decide to give the character Summoning Power with him he summon his puppets. But the next move is more difficult.
I could build the puppets as Automaton- like golems and zobies- but automatons act on thier own, and I want the puppets to onlt do want thier master direct them to do.
A vehicle, on the other hand, also won't work because the puppets need human-like characteristics. They have ego & int 0 but have all the other characteristics.

The last thing I want to ask is, do I need to link my summoning to Mind Control so that the character could control her puppets actions?

[OddHat]

How about Selective AOE Telekinesis with a Physical Manifestation:Puppets. No need to use summon at all, and he directly controlls summoned puppets who have no will of their own.

Add a ranged "Puppet Control" Martial Art and he can do serious damage with them, as well as using them to block incoming HtH attacks.

[austenandrews]

How about Selective AOE Telekinesis with a Physical Manifestation:Puppets. No need to use summon at all, and he directly controlls summoned puppets who have no will of their own.

Add a ranged "Puppet Control" Martial Art and he can do serious damage with them, as well as using them to block incoming HtH attacks.

I apologize, I don't have my book with me so I have to ask, what's "Physical Manifestation?" Is that a 5ER thing?

[Blue]

5ER page 457 states automatons have no free will. I think they're still your best bet.

Or you could go the multipower route if you wanted to limit the actions they do and use "Puppets" as your special effect.
Power #1: "Swarm" (Entangle, SFX: Dozens of puppets grabbing the target)
Power #2: "Fetch" (Telekineses, SFX: Puppets seizing an object, which they could then bring back or throw)
Power #3: "Chorus" (Flash v. Audio or Change Environment, SFX: Puppets break out into a chorus of the Muppet Show theme, drowning out all other sound)
etc, etc...

[OddHat]

I apologize, I don't have my book with me so I have to ask, what's "Physical Manifestation?" Is that a 5ER thing?

It's in 5ER and the USPDB. Iceman's Ice Slides are a classic Physical Manifestation. The puppets would have Def and Body as if they were breakable foci, and a DCV of your Dex/3. Destroyng them would turn off your power, but you could just create a new puppet when your next phase rolled around. -1/4 limit.

[Icel]

Automations don't really operate on their own. They follow programs. Purchase the puppets as a summoned creature with the full loyalty and a program to follow the direction of the puppet master. Then give the puppet master mind link with puppets group. He can then command the puppets to do what he wants. You can even make the mind link visible so that the players can see the "waves" emanating from him to the puppets.

I like that idea the most.
Do I need to purchase the puppets as a follower perk?

[Dust Raven]

I like that idea the most.
Do I need to purchase the puppets as a follower perk?

If he can control any puppet or puppet-like thing at will and nearly instantly, he should buy Summon.

If he needs to take loads of time (days/weeks) to control a puppet and typically keeps the ones he's controlled for a long time, he should buy Followers.

If he does the Summon one, but has a few puppets he's had for years that are almot always around to assist him, he should buy those specific ones as Followers and use Summon for the rest.

Alternately, you can just buy a Multipower with a number of various Powers that simulate what the controlled puppets might do. Such as TK or Entangle for when they grab stuff. An EB for when theu hit stuff...

[prestidigitator]

My tendancy, too, would probably be to just make the puppets Special Effects of his powers, but I guess it would depend on the genre and feel of the game. If you went this way, though, I could see the SFX leading to a lot of interesting Modifiers, such as Indirect (the puppets can run about and approach a target from any direction), Incantations (yelling directions at the puppets), etc.