Character Concept: Nanites and their host

[incrdbil]

I've been knocking about a few ideas for a character, and though I've got quite a few variant builds of him complete, I thought I'd see what others would do--esppecially if unprejudiced by seeing my current builds.

 

We're talking a standard 350 point character--12 DC limits, up to 75 active points, defenses from 20 to20, speed 4 to 6--the usual.

 

Conncept: Guy is accidentally injected with a colony of nanites. the nanites have a basic sentience. The nanites, among other functions must obey their hosts commands, protect their host, and serve his best interests..in that order of priority. They are not inherently malevolent, have a basic, rudimentary personality of their own. The nanites can reproduce, and produce energy supplementing the host body by vastly increasing the efficiency of the human body. This energy is used to poduce various superpowers--superstrength, heightened defenses, agility, enhanced senses, regneration, life support, even flight.

 

The nanites themselves can communicate with the host in his thoughts. They have learned quite a few skills, can share their enhanced memory, knowledge and processing abilities with the host. They dont replace or enhance intelligence, they have theiir own.

 

The nanites can take over control of the body if the host is no longer capable of conscious thought and is in danger. When he reaches a certain point of unconsciousness (not normal sleep) the nanites are running his body.

 

The nanites must recharge--after expending so much of their energy supercharging the body, they must spend time restoring themselves. A massive blood loss could reduce the nanite volume in his body to so low that he would remain powerless until the nanites replicated themselves back to a sufficient level. In theorey, somne nanite inhibitor could be introduced as well, stripping him of powers. .

 

They could also be subject to some form of mental attack as well, seperate from him, as theiy have their own sentience and will.

 

I'm just wanting to see the various, many creative repsonses, I don't expect fuly built characters--just an idea about a facet, your thoughts, theories, commentary.

[EverKnight]

Re: Character Concept: Nanites and their host

 

First thought is: how about a mutant flying energy projector with a force field, they're much easier to build.

 

If not then moving on to the subject at hand I would say that the nanites are really just a special effect of the powers the character has. They are not independent enough to be separate characters.

 

As far as operating the body when the character is unconscious, this is a tricky one. Effectively you are having the character turn into an automaton. I suppose you might be able to put together a Multiform power triggered to go off when unconscious that turns the character into an automaton. How legal this would be what problems is might cause I can't say at the moment as I don't have any books with me. For a simpler solution you could just buy up the STUN and define a point where the character is unconscious but the nanites are in charge. Eventually the nanites cannot cope and the body falls completely unconscious. You could have a psychological limitation that the character acts in a specific way when the nanites are in charge to represent the different attitude of the character.

 

I suppose the requirement to recharge could be represented by charges or and END reserve. The ways to affect the nanites would be based on the build of other powers defined to affect a nanite sfx.

 

Where you've said that the nanites are also subject to mental attack I would think that you could come up with some disadvantage that makes you vulnerable to mental powers versus the machine class of minds as well as human. The rest should be sfx and psychological limitations.

 

Hope this is the sort of thing you were looking for.

[Guest daeudi_454]

Re: Character Concept: Nanites and their host

 

we have had one of these in my group before... basically the Machinist from The Authority.... yeah- VPP, definittely VPP.

Any mental powers, heck, most powers, should be no range. But any of the mental powers apply, as do quite a few transforms.

[Stray Cat]

Re: Character Concept: Nanites and their host

 

Basically what EverKnight said.

 

The nanites are special effect. Purchase extra Stun that represents the nanites being in control of the physical form. If this extra Stun is only accountable while the character is unconscious, there may be a limitation that could apply. I'm not sure whether the Trigger advantage would be necessary. Greater HEROphiles than I will be able to answer those questions.

 

The psychic liability of the nanites could be represented with a physical limitation. The character could count as both human and machine (or alien) classes of mind.

 

The loss of power due to blood loss could be an accidental change or physical limitation too.