Manned Giant Robot

[Checkmate]

I want to create a character that is the pilot of a 12' tall robot. I want the pilot to be somewhat capable, as I envision him having to get out for some things. I realize this would be the perfect place to use a Vehicle, but I HATE doing that in Champions, so I'm looking for another way.

 

I was originally going to just use the OIHID, but I started thinking about that. What's the Physical lim of Huge worth when you can just jump out? Then I thought about doing OIF, it's worth more which made sense since the size of the Hero ID is more limiting, but I considered the Pilots skills. I wanted to give the Pilot Martial Arts, but the Robot couldn't use them, should I just limit the martial arts (and breakfall, and acrobatics etc.)?

 

Should I use Multiform? I typically use Multiform when the mind changes, this is just the body changing. I also want the Robot to exist while the Pilot isn't it, and multiform wouldn't accomplish this. I guess I could add duplication to the multiform, but I would hate to spend all those points on what is essentially a limitation (having the robot able to be messed with/taken when the pilot isn't in it, while providing no real benefit to the pilot).

 

Any one have any ideas that DO NOT include a Vehicle?

 

I guess the other question is, if I decide there's no other way but a vehicle, does anyone have one written up?

[ParagonAlpha]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

I had a player build this type of character and he did it as a OIF. It worked out well for him.

[Checkmate]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Did he limit the skills that were unusable in the robot, or just take the hit on it?

[ParagonAlpha]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

All the powers that were the robot were built with the OIF Limitation.

 

Everything without the LIM... granted he didn't have any Martial Arts skills. So that wasn't an issue.

 

It was basically a power armor type build but with Growth thrown in. (Actually with the new way they suggest to use and buy Growth it worked out pretty well.)

 

He was without the suit (through my design based on it being an OIF) about 1 in 3 adventures. He actually managed to save the day one session because the bad guy thought he was a giant robot and disabled it, but didn't take into consideration a pilot with tons of engineering and mechanical skills. Techie FTW.

[Kirby]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Any one have any ideas that DO NOT include a Vehicle?

 

I guess the other question is, if I decide there's no other way but a vehicle, does anyone have one written up?

So, no vehicle suggestions, just a vehicle write-up?

 

The limitation for HUGE doesn't have to be ALL the time, just some of the time. And it can be included with "HUGE: +1 PER, -1 DCV while in Giant Robot." And both limitations of OiHID or OIF sound OK. On the one hand, OiHID makes sense unless he hops out of it in battle or for enough photo ops that people know what the person inside the robot looks like (even if he's wearing orange spandex and a mask). OIF makes it sound more appropriate for "He's KO'd, open up that machine and pry our prisoner out."

 

"It'll take some time, boss."

 

"That's OK, he'll be out for a while."

 

As for build ups, I'd suggest the Ultimate Vehicle, which is the route I'd personally go, not that you want to hear that.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

I guess the other question is' date=' if I decide there's no other way but a vehicle, does anyone have one written up?[/quote']

 

If you do a Search for "mecha" in the Star HERO and Other Genres fora, you'll find lots of prebuilt examples.

[bubba smith]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

one example might be found in DARK CAMPIONS TAS namely pocketwatch and tick tock although those two were as i read the hudson city powers chapter of DCTAS NOT official characters

[Clonus]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Did he limit the skills that were unusable in the robot' date=' or just take the hit on it?[/quote']

 

Skills aren't always applicable. That's not a limitation on the skills. For example you can't pick a lock with drawn pistols in hand.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Why does the pilot have breakfall, acrobatics and martial arts and, more importantly, why can't the robot use them?

[Checkmate]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

The pilot has them, because I want him to be effective outside the robot. The robot can't because it's too big and bulky.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Limit the robot focus so that the character can't use those skills while piloting the robot.

 

Hmm....how were huge battlesuits built in earlier editions? There were at least three of them in Golden Age Champions, and another one in Red Doom....

[JmOz]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

What about building the suit as a bulky foci. The Bulky would represent the ease of hitting it

[Guest Major Tom]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

This 'bot's only 12' tall? This sounds more like a battlesuit than an actual giant

robot.

 

Most of the "manned giant robot" types in sci-fi are either 10 meters (30+ feet

tall) high or more (think BattleTech-type robots), or in the neighborhood

of 20+ meters high (think Gundam or similar-type robots).

 

 

Major Tom

[Querysphinx]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

You could do the "permanent" systems like size STR and armor with it with OIF -1/2.

Any externally mounted weapons could be OAF -1

Then you fill out the rest with Disadvantages.

Physical Lim: Suit is Large, Bulky, and Clumsy -x DCV when worn, cannot be conveniently moved w/o special equipment, cannot perform finess moves (Acrobatics/Breakfall/Stealth etc.) All The Time, Major Impediment.

[Kirby]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

This 'bot's only 12' tall? This sounds more like a battlesuit than an actual giant

robot.

Where do you live that 12' tall beings wouldn't be considered giants?

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

I apologize, Check. I'm completely lost here. This sounds like a textbook case for "vehicle." As a character, I spend the points to have the giant robot. I know it works because one of the PCs in my campaign did precisely this; worked out really well, oddly, right down to it being about 12' tall. So maybe I'm just missing the part where it's important it not be a vehicle? It exists outside the character, requires maintenance, and so on.

 

What am I missing?

[Checkmate]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Yeah, I guess he should be 20' tall, but the point is really moot. At 350 points when I trying to make the pilot AND the robot worthwhile, you really just make both worthless. Thanks everyone for the help.

[Kirby]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Yeah' date=' I guess he should be 20' tall, but the point is really moot. At 350 points when I trying to make the pilot AND the robot worthwhile, you really just make both worthless. Thanks everyone for the help.[/quote']Not really. Take a look at either Armadillo or Anklyosaur. They're both 350 point suits. Then just adjust whichever one looks like what you're going for to suit your need, if you want it a Focus or OiHID.

 

I've built Anklyosaur as a vehicle and that leaves plenty of points available for a skilled normal character.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Not really. Take a look at either Armadillo or Anklyosaur. They're both 350 point suits. Then just adjust whichever one looks like what you're going for to suit your need, if you want it a Focus or OiHID.

 

I've built Anklyosaur as a vehicle and that leaves plenty of points available for a skilled normal character.

 

Exactly. You can give him plenty of piloting skills, the odd super-skill, what have you. Trust me. Zane (the PC with his robot) built CRAZY robot on whatever I alloted him, and he loves that thing. It's a matter of campaign balance as well as anything else. Some people DO use Multiform, where the Multiform is "summoning" the vehicle, then it just takes "extra time for it to show up," and the vehicle itself being a thing you maintain is an SFX. So you can do that for a Supers game, whereas I would not allow it for something harder & grittier.

[Checkmate]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Exactly. You can give him plenty of piloting skills' date=' the odd super-skill, what have you. Trust me. Zane (the PC with his robot) built CRAZY robot on whatever I alloted him, and he loves that thing. It's a matter of campaign balance as well as anything else. Some people DO use Multiform, where the Multiform is "summoning" the vehicle, then it just takes "extra time for it to show up," and the vehicle itself being a thing you maintain is an SFX. So you can do that for a Supers game, whereas I would not allow it for something harder & grittier.[/quote']

Balance is the most important reason. I don't agree with anyone being able to buy the majority of their powers at 1/5th the cost, without any REAL disadvantages. I mean sure OAF is powers at half cost, but one good disarm and you're done. Vehicle, 1/2 the cost and you have to follow the vehicle rules, just doesn't add up in my mind.

 

The other part of it is that I'm not real familiar with the Vehicle rules and would spend a lot of time looking things up.

[Checkmate]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Not really. Take a look at either Armadillo or Anklyosaur. They're both 350 point suits. Then just adjust whichever one looks like what you're going for to suit your need' date=' if you want it a Focus or OiHID.[/quote']

Which is sort of my point. It took 350 points to make an effective suit, what's left for the pilot?

I've built Anklyosaur as a vehicle and that leaves plenty of points available for a skilled normal character.

It would be too effective with the vehicle rules. I mean for 70 points I have a character just as powerful as Anklyosaur, and still have a 280 point character. That just doesn't seem fair to me.

[Kirby]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Which is sort of my point. It took 350 points to make an effective suit' date=' what's left for the pilot?[/quote']I don't think you're opening up your imagination like you usually do. Customize it from there. Simply reducing his Grenade launcher from a 75pt MP to a 60pt MP frees up 19 points. Surely you can do something with that? You don't have to make a clone, simply use it as a foundation.

 

It would be too effective with the vehicle rules. I mean for 70 points I have a character just as powerful as Anklyosaur' date=' and still have a 280 point character. That just doesn't seem fair to me.[/quote']One of the suggestions/advice in TUV is that if you're building a vehicle that has a higher DEX, SPEED, STR, etc. than your character does, then have the character buy extra Dex, Speed, Str with a limitation "only while in [vehicle]. Additionally, the 350 build for 4 Speed Anklyosaur ended up costing 380 points (20 countered with Disads), costing 72, leaving 278. This doesn't include any skills for the person. You could spend 100 points on your own characteristics giving 178 for skills, money, perks, or simply buying multiple vehicles and maybe a base.

 

As a vehicle, it has its own rules (one being, once the vehicle takes Body, powers start to go away) which balance it out. And will your character be in the battle suit and have "instant access" to it when he's in the bank? Out on a date? Sleeping? Watching a movie in the theater?

[Bloodstone]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

The pilot has them' date=' because I want him to be effective outside the robot. The robot can't because it's too big and bulky.[/quote']

 

Than I'd recommend Multiform.

 

No use spending that many points on skills you won't use most of the time.

[Checkmate]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

I may revisit this. I'll have to take another look at the vehicle rules, and make the robot more like 15-20' so that it is more limiting and fits less places...Hmm has anyone ever written up a Veritech fighter?

[Guest Major Tom]

Re: Manned Giant Robot

 

Where do you live that 12' tall beings wouldn't be considered giants?

 

 

12' beings would be considered giants, yes; 12' robots, on the other

hand, are a tad on the runty side compared to most examples of 'giant' robots

in sci-fi and superhero literature.

 

 

 

Major Tom