AlHazred Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 Hey, I've noticed that a lot of the characters who give quotes in the various books are eventually statted out as NPCs, which leads me to believe that the authors or artists had some concept that they started from. Which leads me to one of my favorites: Tajiri, Robo-Samurai, from Ninja Hero. What's this guy's story? Can we look forward to seeing him statted out? Anybody have any idea how they'd do this character? Mike, any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNakagawa Posted February 20, 2004 Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 Funny, I thought he was from Ultimate Martial Artist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted February 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 Well, what do you know, there's his pic on UMA page 113... I must have been on drugs... Anyway, I take it from the deafening response that no one has really thought much about the character. That's cool, I'll improvise... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted February 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2004 Alright, here's my version of this character. If he seems a little strange, and his background a little stilted, it's to fit him into a High Powered Heroic game (125+125) with a strange background. Tajiri Player: NPC Val Char Cost 15 STR 5 20 DEX 30 15 CON 10 10 BODY 0 13 INT 3 11 EGO 2 20 PRE 10 10 COM 0 5 PD 2 5 ED 2 5 SPD 20 6 REC 0 30 END 0 30 STUN 4 6" RUN00" SWIM-26" LEAP3Characteristics Cost: 89 Cost Power END 45 Robot Body: Life Support (Eating Character does not eat; Immunity All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing; Sleeping Character does not sleep) 5 Robot Body: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED) Powers Cost: 50 Cost Martial Arts Maneuver Kenjutsu, Naginatajutsu, Yarijutsu 4 1) Bind: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, Bind, 25 STR 4 2) Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort 4 3) Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 25 STR to Disarm roll 4 4) Evade: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort 4 5) Lightning Strike: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +0 DCV, Weapon +2 DC Strike 5 6) Slashing Strike: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, Weapon +4 DC Strike 4 7) Thrust: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, Weapon +2 DC Strike 2 Weapon Element: Polearms and Spears, Shaft Martial Arts Cost: 31 Cost Skill 6 +2 with Kenjutsu 3 Breakfall 13- 3 Bureaucratics 13- 5 Fast Draw 14- 3 High Society 13- 2 Gambling (Board Games) 12- 2 KS: History of the Fujiwara Clan 11- 2 KS: Kenjutsu 11- 2 KS: Mon 11- 2 KS: Naginatajutsu/Yarijutsu 11- 4 Language: Japanese (native; literate) 3 PS: Calligraphy 12- 3 PS: Samurai 12- 3 Tactics 12- 6 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms, Flamethrowers, Grenade Launchers Skills Cost: 49 Cost Talent 9 Ambidexterity (no Off Hand penalty) 3 Absolute Range Sense 3 Absolute Time Sense 3 Bump Of Direction 3 Lightning Calculator Talents Cost: 21 Cost Equipment END 17 Katana: HKA 1 1/2d6, Ranged (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OAF (-1), STR Minimum 12 (-1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4), Required Hands One-And-A-Half-Handed (-1/4) plus +1 with HTH Combat; OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-1/4) [Notes: M; Thr; Japan.] 9 Wakizashi: HKA 1d6 (1d6+1 w/STR), Ranged (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OAF (-1), STR Minimum 8 (-1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4) [Notes: S; Thr; Japan.] 18 Naginata: Multipower, 37-point reserve, all slots OAF (-1) [Notes: L; Japan.] 1u 1) Using Blade: HKA 1 1/2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OAF (-1), STR Minimum 15 (-3/4), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4) 1u 2) Using Shaft: HA +4d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OAF (-1), STR Minimum 15 (-3/4), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4) 2 Long Weapon: Stretching 1", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (7 Active Points); OAF (-1), Only To Cause Damage (-1/2), Always Direct (-1/4), No Noncombat Stretching (-1/4), No Velocity Damage (-1/4) Equipment costs shown above are for reference only, and are not included in Total Cost. Total Character Cost: 240 Val Disadvantages 10 Distinctive Features: Humanoid Robot (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 10 Distinctive Features: Style (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Large Group) 10 Hunted: local law enforcement 11- (As Pow, NCI, Watching) 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Of The Bushi (Common, Total) 20 Psychological Limitation: Protects The Innocent (Common, Total) 15 Susceptibility: to being immersed in water, 1d6 damage per Phase (Uncommon) 20 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN from Electrical Attacks (Common) 20 Vulnerability: 2 x BODY from Electrical Attacks (Common) Disadvantage Points: 125 Base Points: 125 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0 Background: Fujiwara Tajiri was born in Japan, in 1951. Brought up in a traditional household that traced descent from one of the original samurai families of Japan, Tajiri always thought he was meant to be a samurai. He carefully studied the ways of the samurai, immersed himself in the culture of the period, but it was to no avail. The age he dreamt of had passed him by. Tajiri keenly felt the pain of one who was born too late. Born into wealth and power during the rebuilding of a shattered country, Tajiri transformed his desires into dedication to his job. He gradually worked his way up the corporate ladder until he had a position of responsibility and power. His company, Fujiwara Electronics, gradually came to dominate the market in robotics and high-tech computers. Under his guidance, by the dawn of the 21st century, the company began to produce robots capable of greater and greater autonomy. By the time Tajiri turned ninety, in 2042, Fujiwara Robotics was manufacturing robots capable of exactly simulating the human range of motion. They performed admirably as household assistants, but the place where they excelled was on the battlefield. By the middle of the 21st century, most battles between superpowers were being fought by combat robots; human casualties had been drastically reduced. But with every advance, there are new factors to consider. With casualties at a minimum, politicians were eager to respond to any slights real or perceived against their countries. Minor squabbles grew into wars, battles lasted for months and spread far beyond agreed-upon borders. Human casualties began to rise again. Civilization began to break apart. The breakthrough came when Tajiri turned ninety-five. Fujiwara Robotics developed a process to "upload" a person's consciousness into the most advanced computer brains. The discovery could not have come at a better time for Tajiri; he had been bedridden for years, and felt the end coming. He convinced his technicians to upload his consciousness; the process being a one-way trip, his body died in the lab. After uploading his consciousness, the technicians installed his new computer brain into a specially-made humaniform robot. It was also one of the last robots to be produced before the War destroyed the facility. Tajiri came on-line amidst the devastation wrought by the battle robots. As he pondered his new life, he realized he had been granted an opportunity: he would become a modern samurai, dedicated to rebuilding Japan once again. Returning to the ruins of his home, he took up his dai-sho and donned his armor; from now on, he would be Tajiri, Robo-Samurai. Personality/Motivation: Duty. Honor. These are the twin pillars of Tajiri's philosophy. He has a duty to restore Japan from the destruction wrought by the War, and carrying out this duty will bring him honor. In Tajiri's world, robot armies constantly fight wars that have been programmed into them; with the established chains of command broken, the robots recognize no authority, and will only stop fighting when they have been destroyed. In their maneuvers, they frequently put lives and property at risk; Tajiri feels it is his duty to protect these people, so that they can rebuild. With a robotic single-mindedness combined with traditional samurai dedication, Tajiri fights across the wastelands of central Japan to put an end to the conflicts. Quote: "My soul was forged in the past. My katana is state of the art." Powers/Tactics: Tajiri's robotic body is much stronger, faster and more resistant to injury than his previous one was, even though, as robots go, it is a fairly primitive model. It is also more subject to electrical damage, which shorts out his circuits. In addition, his body is not watertight; if he is ever immersed in water, he will begin to short out in a shower of sparks. In combat, Tajiri carries a katana in one hand and wakizashi in the other. He fights defensively at first, until he can take the measure of his opponent. Then he wades in with a few quick attacks, trying to make short work of his foe. Description: Tajiri can pass for human only if seen in silhouette; his body is composed of high-tech polymers and space-age metal alloys. Although not the most advanced robot ever produced, his body was built with the full range of human senses to accomodate human uploads; the designers felt that anything less would threaten the sanity of the upload. He typically carries a katana and wakizashi, and wears stylized samurai armor constructed of modern materials. He wears a flag on his back bearing his family's Mon, and wears an elaborate kabuto (helmet) from which his smiling metal face gazes incongruously. His eyes glow green. Comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted February 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2004 I almost forgot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNakagawa Posted February 25, 2004 Report Share Posted February 25, 2004 I had originally conceptualized him as a cyborg with a human brain (and spinal cord and a certain amount of meat) more or less along the lines of many of the nearly complete borg conversions you find in Battle Angel Alita. This version is cool, too. Whether his consciousness is replicated in silicon or preserved with artificial life support, the core concept of a human warrior with an upgraded body is still pretty much the same. I'd also envisioned him at a higher power level, but I'm sure scaling would not be very difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted February 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2004 As I said, I'd adjusted him to the current power level on purpose. I'm working him over to what I would consider his "natural" power level, at which time I'll post a new version. I'd originally gone with the cyborg concept myself. The more I looked at the image, the more I was taken with the idea of the upload. I've never been very good at anime background concepts and thought I'd stretch my wings. Thanks for the feedback! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNakagawa Posted February 25, 2004 Report Share Posted February 25, 2004 The conceptual problem I have with consciousness uploads is that once you commit yourself to the proposal that human consciousness can be reduced to a data format, then you open yourself to numerous side effects, some potentially good, some potentially bad. Probably the worst of it is that you ought to be able to back yourself up periodically which allows you to consider suicidal actions more freely, assuming that you can replace your body... Anything that looks like creep and save reduces the potential for drama IMO. Also, there's piracy. Can you consider how disruptive bootleg copies of your mind could be? Might be fun, though. $0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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