IYC: Magic and Technology mixing?

[CrosshairCollie]

Here's the scoop.

 

I'm thinking about the Mystic World Champions thing, and a friend of mine has put forth a character idea (actually, an old idea for a Marvel Adventure Game character pregen that he never got to use).

 

It's rather ... vague, but as I understand it, the character's laptop/notebook computer has somehow become his familiar. I'm not sure if it was supposed to have been designed that way, or if the intention was that having so much magical information (spellfiles?) stored on it somehow awakened the thing, or what. I'm also not sure what magical abilities the character has *without* the computer (which means the computer may be the character and the human is its follower!).

 

Somehow, though, I don't know if I'm entirely comfortable with this. I can't imagine Dr. Strange or Dr. Fate ever having anything that high-tech, even if it was magical in operation (though I'm certain they both know HOW to operate a computer). The idea of 'magitek' has always just kind of struck me as kind of weird, at least in the paradigm of Superheroes.

 

How much do magic and technology interact in your games? Are there cybermancers or anything of the sort?

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: IYC: Magic and Technology mixing?

 

One of my currently played characters, Ballistic, started life as a pretty standard supersuit, but about 75 XP into his life, I got bored. He became a supermage. Kept the Supersuit - it being his defenses, mobility and some enhances senses - his offence and utility is all magic.

 

The worlds first Supersuit supermage.

 

 

Another game, one of the players is playing a cyborg who has also been trained by mages, and has a small magic pool.

 

 

In a transworld fantasy game, the cyberpunk became the groups best mage.

 

 

 

So, no problmes mixing magic and tech there.

[csyphrett]

Re: IYC: Magic and Technology mixing?

 

I haven't had anything this specific come up but I have mixed some magic and science and science that acts like magic.

CES

[TheRavenIs]

Re: IYC: Magic and Technology mixing?

 

OK, old movie here, the C had a computer call excalebr8. It was a magic, semi-aware computer that was the power source of the guys magic. I did the C once for an old DC game once. Just make the computer a focus with a computer addition, then make the C have a magic skill to use. After he and the computer are together for a while, the computer's INT above human normal will transfer to the C and the magic become part of the C.

[McCoy]

Re: IYC: Magic and Technology mixing?

 

I took a concept from (IIRC) Mystic Masters. There is a continunum between "natural' things and "fabricated" ones. My campagine includes "ecomancers," that work with/draw power from nature and living things, and "technomancers," including Forge, a Dr, Doom homage who backs up his powered armor with a small magic VPP, and my PC Iron Will.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: IYC: Magic and Technology mixing?

 

Not sure entirely what you're asking, as far as mechanics as usual you'll have to refer to one of the experts (I'm not there yet). But, first things first.

 

Absolutely, there is nothing wrong, especially in HERO where you can build dang near anything, with the PC using a (sorry) PC as a combination Spellbook/Familiar. No different than a Decker having a semi-aware deck that both holds his programs and gives him access to the net itself. The laptop would likely (this makes sense to me) be built as a follower who aids the PC in his research, runs logistical possibilities and grasps the N-Physics of magick. No 'unawakened' computer could do this, which means it's not really a computer anymore; it's a magical construct that's adapted itself to life in a modern age, and hence appears as a computer.

 

Other thoughts:

 

Further research would (possibly) reveal that it rejects Microsoft programming, because it no longer runs on a normal operating system; it's simply communicating with its owner through the mechanics it knows best, like a language. It may write its own interface (similar to a cat - no two cats purr alike, although they're almost all furry, have whiskers, purr and walk on four legs - you look at it, it's a cat. No problem. You look at it, it's a computer with self-picking wallpaper. Odd, but fine.) and only communicate with its master.

 

Taking the computer away should nerf his VPP; IF the computer is the spell book, and the nature of his ability to research, that's a limitation. No laptop, no rememorization/changing of powers in the VPP, because he doesn't have his spells.

 

My Shadowrun and Werewolf games ran on similar principles. The laptop is inhabited by a spirit which is now the PC's familiar. Voila.

[Lethosos]

Re: IYC: Magic and Technology mixing?

 

If you really want to get nitpicky... think in terms of the medium involved. Is it independent? Does he have a Mind Control over it to do what he wills it? And so on...

[Enforcer84]

Re: IYC: Magic and Technology mixing?

 

I have built several Technomancers for my various campaigns. They tend to be rare, odd birds who simply have trouble fitting in to either "subculture" (Magic or Tech) and they tend to be quite powerful and/or versitile.