Help: How would you build Mother Fealty's Crown?

[GoldenAge]

Along the lines of the Crowns of Krim, there exists another crown in my Epic City, Champions 6e game. Like the Crowns of Krim it imbues upon its wearer many powers... That's no problem. 

 

However, it has another ability that has me a bit confused...

In any state, upon the brow of its new owner or simply sitting on a shelf, the crown is constantly trying to possess an army of followers. In a radius (that is reduced by range) the crown creates a... field(?) of possession. Over time, those within its range for extended periods (especially at close proximity) become slaves of the crown, bent on its protection and finding it a perfect user. It's very similar to Tolkien's One Ring.
Once possessed, the victim is totally under the power of the crown. They also display a crown of their own, though it is only a psychic projection that will disappear if the victim is released from the crown's control.

I've looked at Transformation, Mind Control and a few other things but can't come up with a good build...

How would you build Mother Fealty's Crown???

[Hermit]

Sounds like a Spirit Transformation to me but it's been awhile since I've played with the power 

[Jhamin]

I agree with Hermit.  An area of effect (possibly megascale depending on how bad you want this to be), probably invisible, transform (normal person to slave of the crown).  The image of the crown on them is a special effect of the transform, although it might be a distinctive feature if you really care.

The number of dice in the transform would depend on how long you want it to take to enslave everyone.  Technically the Crown doesn't have a speed score so it can't actually ever use the power unless it was on someone's head, but I'd probably handwave that unless you want to really complicate the crown's writup by making it a full character.

[GoldenAge]

How about this?
 

Empress Fealty's Crown:  Major Transform - Her Little Kings 3d6 (Free into Enslaved, Healed back by Magic or Prolonged separation from the Empress Fealty's Crown [1 year]), Area Of Effect (6m Radius Explosion; +1/4), Difficult To Dispel (x2 Active Points; +1/4), Constant (+1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to Hearing, Smell, Touch, effects of Power are Inobvious to other characters; +3/4) (82 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2), All Or Nothing (-1/2)

 

[Jhamin]

15 minutes ago, GoldenAge said:

How about this?
 

Empress Fealty's Crown:  Major Transform - Her Little Kings 3d6 (Free into Enslaved, Healed back by Magic or Prolonged separation from the Empress Fealty's Crown [1 year]), Area Of Effect (6m Radius Explosion; +1/4), Difficult To Dispel (x2 Active Points; +1/4), Constant (+1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to Hearing, Smell, Touch, effects of Power are Inobvious to other characters; +3/4) (82 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2), All Or Nothing (-1/2)

 

This seems pretty legit.

OAF seems iffy as it is doing this just sitting on a shelf so it doesn't need an owner to do this and there doesn't seem to be a way to "disarm" the crown (unless you can pull a glowing gem out of it or something).  Otherwise pretty solid!

[GoldenAge]

Well, I want it to be able to be worn as well. Seemed like an easy solution.
Actually, it makes sense even if its just sitting there. To clear the AoE all you need to do is grab it and throw it 7m.

 

 

[Jhamin]

But if someone wears it that just makes them the center of the explosion.  Taking the crown off of them doesn't stop the effect, it just changes the center of it and I'm assuming wouldn't free anyone who is enslaved.  Really, a foci should be removable and removing it stops it from working (generally)

Although once again, if this is a story power more than a villain power I'd hand wave it.

[GoldenAge]

True, but I'm not worried about point totals and Focus is the best way to describe the crown and include its other granted powers that are all bought Unified Power (I forgot to add it to the Transform).

To be sure, I could probably hand wave the entire thing. But, fortunately or unfortunately, my players are quite advanced gamers and may come up with a way to utilize the crown. Better safe than sorry. Story of my GM life. 😅

 

[steriaca]

3 hours ago, GoldenAge said:

True, but I'm not worried about point totals and Focus is the best way to describe the crown and include its other granted powers that are all bought Unified Power (I forgot to add it to the Transform).

To be sure, I could probably hand wave the entire thing. But, fortunately or unfortunately, my players are quite advanced gamers and may come up with a way to utilize the crown. Better safe than sorry. Story of my GM life. 😅

 

Sounds like the crown is it's own character and should be written up as one. It can't move and can probably only communicate mentally with victims (mind link with victims, Telepathy only with victims of the transformation, own INT, EGO, SPD, PD, ED...).

 

I was tempted to do The Mask Of Archmago. It was basically a computer with a decent VVP which it usually buys with Usable By Others. Anyone can wear it and use it's powers freely, until the wearer turns from fulfilling the various obligations when it becomes invisible and teleports to somewhere else to ensnare a new mind into service. 

[archer]

7 hours ago, GoldenAge said:

How about this?
 

Empress Fealty's Crown:  Major Transform - Her Little Kings 3d6 (Free into Enslaved, Healed back by Magic or Prolonged separation from the Empress Fealty's Crown [1 year]), Area Of Effect (6m Radius Explosion; +1/4), Difficult To Dispel (x2 Active Points; +1/4), Constant (+1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to Hearing, Smell, Touch, effects of Power are Inobvious to other characters; +3/4) (82 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2), All Or Nothing (-1/2)

 

 

A question.

 

On the "Free to Enslaved" thing, are you meaning "from however they started out to enslaved" or do you mean "this power only affects people who are operating under their own free will"?

 

Because the second option would make a person who is under someone else's Mind Control power not affected by this Transform power. And it would also keep the Crown from repeatedly affecting the same person unless they completely recovered from the original Transform first.

 

Not to say that's a bad option. It could set up some interesting scenarios where some Mind Control villain is trying to take over the city at the same time as the Crown arrives. (Look everyone! The Manchurian Candidate will save us all!)

 

Or a mentalist hero (if he figures it out) could use his Mind Control to protect someone from the Crown until he can get them out of range of the Crown's effect.