SummonMultiControl

[Kdansky]

I've got a power construct which I'm not so sure about (anymore).

 

Idea: It's a genie bottle, you know, you rub it and out comes some sort of blue ghost which does things at your command.

 

Easy, we just use a summon with correct modifiers, right?

 

But here it gets tricky. I wanted this summon to behave as follows: If you don't do anything as your action, you can give it a mental command (possibly needs an ego roll) and if you pass, it does whatever you wanted. If you fail, it just stands around stupidly. If you fail multiple times in a row (or very badly), you might even lose control completely and it does whatever it wants. If you act yourself, you cannot concentrate on giving orders, so it would just stand around and do nothing.

 

Should I do this as a multiform since technically only one character is active? Or with mind control?

 

Or does someone have a better concept altogether along similar lines? If I cannot find a good solution, I will probably just go with a normal summon.

[Sean Waters]

Re: SummonMultiControl

 

You could do it as a cosmic VPP with the concentration (0 DCV) limtiation and the genie as sfx, I suppose.

 

If you did use summon, the EGO roll mechanic is already kinda used, but you could add another EGO roll for each command (not just the initial tussle of wills - or you could make the genie amicable anyway) and again use a concentration limitation (only when giving new orders).

 

I personally don't feel the multiform fits the bill, but I'm willing to be persuaded

[Hyper-Man]

Re: SummonMultiControl

 

A lot depends on the how this is going to be used in game.

 

Is it something that a PC is paying points for?

Or, is it something that a PC finds during an adventure?

 

If it's the latter then I suggest building the Creature to be summoned with very specific Disadvantages that determine the details of why and how it is compelled to do by whomever 'frees it' from its 'bottle'.

 

Even if the PC is paying points for the ability your description seems to suggest a certain amount of No Conscious Control as well. This also seems to support creating the effect from the perspective of the 'genie' first.

[Kdansky]

Re: SummonMultiControl

 

Yep, PC finds it. Also, abilities of geenie must be rather strictly defined. For that reason I went with summon, since there is really a being being summoned. (pun intended)

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: SummonMultiControl

 

I wanted this summon to behave as follows: If you don't do anything as your action' date=' you can give it a mental command (possibly needs an ego roll) and if you pass, it does whatever you wanted. [b']If you fail, it just stands around stupidly.[/b] If you fail multiple times in a row (or very badly), you might even lose control completely and it does whatever it wants. If you act yourself, you cannot concentrate on giving orders, so it would just stand around and do nothing.

I think the bolded sections above are the key...

 

It's an Automaton.

The lamp has a Summon that summons an Automaton genie. The genie has a "computer" brain with one program: Carry out owner's last instruction. On the cost of the program, take the Limitations Requires an EGO Roll (yes, this will mean an EGO roll from the "owner" not the genie, but it's the owner who would be paying the points if someone bought this genie as a power) and Side Effects. The Side Effect is a Transform that works on changing the genie to a free-willed state instead of an Automaton.

 

So if you want the genie to do something, you make an EGO roll and invoke the program. It'll continue doing that task until it finishes or you give it a different task. If you fail the EGO roll, it doesn't carry out your instruction, plus the Side Effect kicks in and hits the genie with some Transform. If you fail enough times in a short enough period, it will finish Transforming the genie into a free-willed being, and you lose control of it. If you don't want the genie to do anything, simply don't invoke the program, and it will stand around doing nothing.