Shape Changing Buildings and Vehicles

[Ndreare]

I am trying to make a vehicle/base that can change shape. 

The idea is the guy who makes it can shape ti and form it into anything he needs at the time.

The following is what I have so far. 

30 Summon 150 points
Slavishly Loyal +1
Variaty of Summons (any vehicle or base) +1/4
67 Points total cost. 

He will require about 5 minutes to build the vehicle or base, but the idea is to let him do virtually any vehicle or base.

My question is, would +1/4 be enough to cover any vehicle/base and with summons they normally only stick it out for a limited number of tasks. But what is a "Task" for a house?

[LoneWolf]

Summons is probably not the right game mechanic for this.

 

 

I would use either multiform or shapeshift to accomplish this.  If the form is just changing configuration, then shapeshift may be all you need.  Otherwise, I would go with multiform.  To keep it simple I would use the vehicle rules and not worry about the base.  A sufficiently large vehicle without movement is in effect a base. This would greatly simplify purchasing the power.  

 

If you do use summon any vehicle or base is going to be more than a +1/4 advantage.

[unclevlad]

Shapeshift wouldn't let you change the abilities, just the layout.  But yeah, multiform would work.  The base or vehicle buys it, not the character.

 

The only issue with thinking vehicles only, is that size is pricey for the vehicle...dirt cheap for a base.   But you don't need the Amicable, so going to 200 points for functionality (50 just for size)...you're still talking 3 floors with 2000 square feet per floor.  That's quite a bit of building, when you're suggesting it's temporary.  

 

The vehicle or base simply buys the Multiform...and nothing else.  The 'true form' is nothing but potential...or, to make things kinda interesting...the guy has a little gizmo he pulls out, which expands.  Some cool-looking toy...like a chunk of coral reef (but the color of steel) inside a pale amber-yellow globe.  The gizmo is the 'true form'.  Buy 8 or 16 forms;  16 feels like more than you'll ever define.  Or more.  The only other thing the 'base form' needs might be 5 or so levels of Shrinking, so it's portable.  (Base size for a vehicle is same as for a PC;  with 5 levels, the final size would be about 2.5 x 1 x 1 inches or thereabouts.  Mass is, what, about 1/3 of a gram.)  

 

For bases ONLY, another option, if you have APG 2, is to create an extradimensional space.  Might have to think about exactly how to combine that with the base rules, but...should be doable....

[Grailknight]

GM alarms going to DEFCON 4 just contemplating a player suggesting this. Building a 5 points/1 point Powerset using a 5 points/1 point can get really, really powerful really, really fast especially since the concept being purchased is definitely going to be built to change Powers with each configuration.

 

Not saying I'd outright reject it but I'd definitely make clear to the player that anything not a preapproved Multiform writeup would be rejected until next session after going thru the approval process. 

[SCUBA Hero]

VPP, only for Bases and Vehicles?

[unclevlad]

8 minutes ago, SCUBA Hero said:

VPP, only for Bases and Vehicles?

 

Thought about it, but HD warns against.  It'd be only with GM permission, and a GM might not want to open that door at all.  

 

Plus, this might be getting too cheap.  

VPP:  pool size 18;  control cost 40.  Common mods:  extra time (5 minutes, only to activate, char can take no other actions);  VPP only mod (bases/vehicles, -1) nets out at 24, according to HD.  This'd count as DEFCON 2.   Especially as Perks aren't normally allowed in a VPP.

[Grailknight]

6 hours ago, SCUBA Hero said:

VPP, only for Bases and Vehicles?

 

It starts out so innocent but you'll always arrive here

 

 

 

[LoneWolf]

As uncleavlad states you are not supposed to put perks in a VPP, so most GMs are not going to allow it.     

 

Another argument for the multiform is that everything has to be prewritten.  Allowing a PC to create something on the fly is something I am very reluctant to allow in a game I run.  Even if a player has a VPP I require them to write up any powers prior to the game.   This is mainly to make sure the VPP does not end up being a huge black hole of game time.   Too often I have seen a player with a VPP waste too much time trying to write up a power on the spot.   Requiring all powers to be written up in advance prevents this.  I don’t have a problem with changes to special effects, so the player can write up some generic powers and define the special effect on the fly.  For example, if they a spell that does a 12d6 blast I don’t mind them defining it as fire, or electricity or whatever special effect works.  But if they want to make it AP, they better have that written up.   If you have HD just create a separate character sheet with just the VPP in it with all the powers written up.   If you don’t have HD, use a spreadsheet or something similar.  
 

[LoneWolf]

The size on a vehicle also gives you STR which can be bought down.  If you buy down the   STR to 0 as well as the starting movement, you actually get back more point than you paid for the size.    This means you can have a base of infinite size and still get points back.  

[Ndreare]

For clairty sake. The character does not have a vehicle that changes forms or shapes. 

 

He creates a vehicle from nothing, then it ceases to exsist when he is done with it. 

 

 

On 6/27/2022 at 8:07 PM, unclevlad said:

But you don't need the Amicable, so going to 200 points for functionality (50 just for size)...you're still talking 3 floors with 2000 square feet per floor.

I am curious why he would not need the Amicable modifier? The rules under summon seem pretty clear that for a vehicle he is required to pay for slavishly loyal. 

 

 

18 hours ago, SCUBA Hero said:

VPP, only for Bases and Vehicles?

This might work, but I think since it is all for only one power it would feel like paying an extra tax for the control cost.

 

On 6/27/2022 at 8:18 PM, Grailknight said:

GM alarms going to DEFCON 4 just contemplating a player suggesting this. Building a 5 points/1 point Powerset using a 5 points/1 point can get really, really powerful really, really fast especially since the concept being purchased is definitely going to be built to change Powers with each configuration.

The rules for summon read as summoning the vehicles cost is divided by 5. Not paying for the perk divided by 5. So it would not be a 1/25 cost.


Okay, so here is another try at it, maybe any vehicle is a +1/2 modifier?

Techno Conjuration
Summon 150 points, Slavishly Loyal +1, Variaty of Summons (any vehicle) +1/2.
75 Points total cost.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Quote

He creates a vehicle from nothing, then it ceases to exsist when he is done with it

 

That could be as simple as just special effect, but if you need a power to do this, summon works.

[IndianaJoe3]

23 hours ago, Ndreare said:

For clairty sake. The character does not have a vehicle that changes forms or shapes. 

He creates a vehicle from nothing, then it ceases to exsist when he is done with it. 

 

This could be as simple as a multipower with different forms of movement.

[L. Marcus]

Or Flight, Usable As Running, Usable As Swimming, Variable Special Effect.