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Summoning your friends...


Brandi

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Didn't see this in the FAQ, didn't see any old topic that really addressed it...

 

For no good reason this evening I was thinking of the Thundercats, a kind of childhood/preteen guilty pleasure of mine, and wondering how you'd write up the two specialty powers of the Sword of Omens.

 

The 'Sight Beyond Sight' seemed to be Clairsentience, or maybe a kind of large-scale Danger Sense, but it was the 'Thundercats Ho!' power that had me wondering...

 

Is it a Summon power when you're, in essence, summoning your teammates? Or would something like Mind Link actually model it better? (I do remember that the sword also broadcast a big Bat-signal-like image.)

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Guest Champsguy

Well, it could just be Images, with Indirect so that he could use it inside (I believe I've seen him use it indoors before). Or you could go with Mind Link, Visible. Since the other Thundercats always seem to see it (i.e., nobody is inside watching TV), that might be the one I'd go for.

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The "Thundercat Ho!" part of that power was a lot more than just a means of contacting the others. It was also the biggest plot device in the series. It was usually done at least once an episode, and it also triggered some sort of rallying effect for the Thundercats. Often the Thundercats, including Lion-O, would have already been captured, beaten, or in the process of achieving either state, and Lion-O would enact the chant. Once the chat was completed the Thundercats would escape or quickly handle their opponent and all rendevous.

 

I'd be tempted to make it some sort of Mind Scan, Indirect, IPE Aid effect for all the Thundercats.

 

Yes, Thundercats/GI Joe/Mask/Transformers I loved them all, and still enjoy my cartoons.

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The Sword of Omens was possibly the BIGGEST plot device of the 80s. Every time the writers wrote themselves into a corner, some new power of the Sword was revealed. I'd probably make it a large (very, VERY large) Variable Power Pool with the OAF'ed Control Cost, since the sword almost literally did whatever was needed when it was needed.

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Interesting, and you're right about the Sword tending to be a deus ex machina along the lines of the Wave Motion Cannon...

 

But going back to my original post, here's a broader question: is Summon *ever* a good choice for modeling a power that gets the attention of your allies?

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Summon doesn't really 'get their attention', at least not directly. Summon is the power that goes, to quote MK's Scorpion, "GET OVER HERE." Rather than getting their attention, it physically brings the victim/target of the Summon to the user.

 

I, personally, would be quite ... wary of letting someone Summon their teammates. To actually just 'get their attention', either a telepathic power or, if you want the Thundercat Signal, a gigantic Images. To actually bring 'em to you, I'd probably insist on a Teleport Useable As Attack (etc).

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Originally posted by CrosshairCollie

Summon doesn't really 'get their attention', at least not directly. Summon is the power that goes, to quote MK's Scorpion, "GET OVER HERE." Rather than getting their attention, it physically brings the victim/target of the Summon to the user.

 

Ah, but what if you apply the Limitations "Arrives under own power" and "Must inhabit locale"? Then it's more like an irresistable call.

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Originally posted by Brandi

Ah, but what if you apply the Limitations "Arrives under own power" and "Must inhabit locale"? Then it's more like an irresistable call.

 

Which would than beg the question, "could a Thundercat ignore the call"? Unfortunately, I don't remember enough of the series to say conclusively. What I do remember is, that the range of the "locale" was pretty big, since I remember Lion-O being on a planet and calling in Thundercats that were at least in Orbit, if not farther out. I don't remember them ever showing a situation of a Thundercat that would have ever been able to reach the situation hearing the call (for example if Lion-O and Panthro were in space with the only space ships that were available, they wouldn't show Wily Kit and Wily Kat responding to the call). I also don't remember any rogue Thundercats that would want to try and resist the call.

 

Having said that, I think Summons would be unnecessairly expensive way to do what could be done with a limited form of Mind Link.

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Guest Champsguy

It's been years, but I think I remember an episode where someone didn't respond to the call. It was one of those "Panthro must fix the Thundertank, while everyone else comes to Lion-O's aid" or something like that. One of the Thundercats was doing something important to the plot, and thus didn't respond to the call.

 

Be careful with the Sword of Omens, though. It will break if ever used against another Thundercat.

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The Rook often mentally lifts weights in just such a manner...

 

that being said i would probably ignore everything suggestible for limitations and do the following:

Teleport BOECV usable as attack SFX crosses intervening space and escapes all barriers, target may resist by making an EGO roll at +5 to EGO roll if an important thing is being done.

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