How do you build this

[torelin32]

I have a concept for a power and I am wondering on how to write it up. The power that I need help in creating is one that a player character, can have a focus say such as a sword, which has it's own personality and I use the computer or AI rules, but when the player character wants the sword and the player character will merge together adding what applicable stats for either of them and powers together for a temporary period of time.

 

I really would appreciate some help on writing this up.

 

 

Thanks in advance.

[Alibear]

Re: How do you build this

 

Multiform. Design man with sword as one form. When they merge and become manswordthing they change to form 2. Without you being more specific I can't either.

[Beast]

Re: How do you build this

 

buy all the sword stats and abilities as useable by others

[ghost-angel]

Re: How do you build this

 

I agree with Beast, buy the Swords INT, etc, with the Usable By Others Advantage.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: How do you build this

 

Without you being more specific I can't either.

 

QFT. All the ideas you've gotten are valid, but this is HERO. Without having a strong clue as to what you really want to build, we can't really help you build it. Your options include:

 

1) Multiform

 

2) OIHID (frex, "He-Man" could be a manswordthingy; he has a suite of powers that only activate when he's in "Heroic Identity." Generally used in precisely these situations)

 

3) The Sword is a "follower" or similar, and has abilities it can grant as UBO (Usable By Other, Only the Owner, Requires an Activation Roll, Continuing Charges, X charges for Y minutes).

 

Build a WHOLE separate power suite where the sword is only a special effect (such as a VPP or an EC or similar). You've got a vast array of options, but we need to understand the concept first.

 

Note: We don't need an explanation of 'what you want to do it and how to do it mechanically.' Mechanics, we got. What we need is something like:

 

"This is the sword of his father, and is passed down every third generation; the number three is a mystic number and has always held both power and portent. In this case, the sword can, for brief periods, tap into the tri-core of the characters being and blend man, world and magic into one, creating a new, powerful hero."

 

Or something like that. You follow? The powers follow the CONCEPT; the concept doesn't follow the powers.

[prestidigitator]

Re: How do you build this

 

Hmm. I'm not sure that being able to use a second Int Attribute through UBO would quite be the same as adding to your OWN Int. I suppose you could buy the sword a base Int then buy +X Int as a Power.... Splitting hairs perhaps, but it is a strange concept in any case IMO.

[Susano]

Re: How do you build this

 

Isn't this Duplication? Sword and man is base form, with sword and man being two Duplicates (and the base form vanishes when Duplication occurs).

[Alibear]

Re: How do you build this

 

6 answers and all different. The beauty of the Hero system in action.

[pinecone]

Re: How do you build this

 

Isn't this Duplication? Sword and man is base form' date=' with sword and man being two Duplicates (and the base form vanishes when Duplication occurs).[/quote']

 

I agree...some of the stuff is "Not when duplicated" and dups vary 100%....

[BNakagawa]

Re: How do you build this

 

Isn't this Duplication? Sword and man is base form' date=' with sword and man being two Duplicates (and the base form vanishes when Duplication occurs).[/quote']

 

It depends on if the sword + man form only works for this individual, or if the sword can confer its powers on a set of individuals, or anyone with a pulse.

[prestidigitator]

Re: How do you build this

 

Some powers built with a Focus. Some powers built without. Throw in Lockout. Done.

[Guest random]

Re: How do you build this

 

Multiform. Design man with sword as one form. When they merge and become manswordthing they change to form 2. Without you being more specific I can't either.

 

A riff on this idea -- multiform, as Alibear suggests.

 

Form A: merged manswordthing character

Form B: man character, who has Duplication; the Duplicate is the sword.

 

That way, the man and sword characters have distinct personalities and act independently of each other. When they merge, the Duplicate vanishes. See the interaction of Multiform and Duplication on 5ER page 155 -- this sounds like it might be exactly what you're looking for.

[SteveZilla]

Re: How do you build this

 

I'd go with Multiform. The key to making the Sword "merge" with the character is to only buy it in one of the two forms. As soon as the character changes forms, the sword disappears. Viola! It "merged" with the character to form the alternate form.

 

In the form that has the sword, buy it however works best. Follower, AI Computer, or just plain powers in an OAF.

[ghost-angel]

Re: How do you build this

 

It also depends on how independent of the Character he wants the weapon to be.

 

If it's a universal piece of magic equipment that anyone can pick up the sword is essentially it's own character and any person in the campaign world can merge with the sword.

 

Duplication and Multiform are inherently tied to the Character that bought them - meaning the sword works only for a specific person. If this is intended as a universal piece of magic then the Usable By Others Advantage on Powers that an AI purchased is probably the easier build.

 

So what we really need to know is - is this for one PC only, or can anyone gain access to the swords abilities?

[SteveZilla]

Re: How do you build this

 

Very good point, GA! I was presuming that this was for a non-heroic type of game.

 

If it's the Sword that is granting the "merge with sword to make a new form" ability to the character, put the Multiform power into a VPP in the Sword. The VPP will be limited in much the same way as seen for building Rogue from Marvel Comics, but worded that the form gains certain predefined abilities & disads, but the majority of the points is used to "clone" the abilities of the wielder.