Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

[CoreBrute]

I’ve been making plans recently for an urban fantasy game, combining various elements from books and other media, the main three being The Dresden Files, World of Darkness and Terry Pratchet’s Discworld (if this works I should be put in a mental hospital).

 

I have posted this in the Fantasy thread, but I am also aware how people here are really good at building doomsday machines, robots and stranger powers so I decided to hedge my bets.

 

I have however reached a problem with an NPC I’ve been building, a construct (similar to the Warforged of Ebberon if you know Dnd, otherwise call it a magic powered robot) which was designed for the United States Army by Government wizards. The Construct has the ability to swap weaponry built into it’s arms with other weapons it finds, anything from guns to crossbows.

 

However in the campaign, equipment is bought with resource points and in game money. So how would you build a power that lets you swap the weaponry for any weaponry you pick up that could fit into the slot (biggest it can hold is a double barreled shotgun)?

 

How many points would it cost? Would it be a VPP, and how would that work with the resource points? How to explain charges etc?

 

I would really appreciate some help and I would like to see the insight the superpower forums can brings to this problem.

 

 

 

Thank you in advance.

[Heroic Halfwit]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

Questions:

 

Why wouldn't the construct just pick up the found weapon and use it?

 

What is the variability of weapons that the construct could replicate? A mimic pool would be fairly costly and clunky. Personally, I think I'd go with an RKA with variable advantage, variable special effects. Maybe with a Limited power limitation "only to replicate the abilities of 'found' weapons."

 

What about ammunition? Does the Construct have to scrounge up and use whatever it can find? Does it produce its own?

 

Can it replicate energy and physical damage weapons? Autofire weapons?

 

If the Construct hasn't "found" a weapon yet, does it nevertheless have the ability to make an attack with this mimic ability?

 

 

For my two bits, unless the Construct gets some bonus out of this mimic ability, like extra concealment, resistance to disarms, extra ammunition or the like, I wouldn't sweat it. If it's functionally the same as another character picking it up and using it, it's just narrative license to me.

 

Cheers

[CoreBrute]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

I should have been more clear and will edit the above post as well.

 

By equipping the weapon, he can conceal the weapon in his armor (The magic would mess up any x-rays and he's made of metal so no metal detectors either).

 

His magic energy can be converted to extra amunition but this uses up END which is precious to Constructs. He can however load a gun with ammunition he's picked up without needing to use any hands.

 

He can only make the weapon fire ammo it can normally fire. He can't make a machine gun into a flame thrower and he can't make a paint ball gun shoot out shells.

 

If the weapon is destroyed (it's vulnerable when being fired) and he doesn't have a spare to equip he can't mimic the weapon. This is why he always leaves home well equipped in advance.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

How about a Naked Limitation buyoff?

 

25 Can Fuse Arms with any Available Weapon(s): Custom Power (30 Active Points); Restrainable (Arms can still be grabbed; -1/2)

[Notes: (x2 number of items) The character can remove the Focus Limitation from up to 2 weapons by fusing them to his arms. This build assumes that most weapons will be ~ 60 Active points. Any other Limitations like Charges or STR minimum still remain.] - END=0

 

This is also similar to what I did for Zatanna* and her Blood Magic.

 

*See JLA link in sig below.

[Clonus]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

I’ve been making plans recently for an urban fantasy game, combining various elements from books and other media, the main three being The Dresden Files, World of Darkness and Terry Pratchet’s Discworld (if this works I should be put in a mental hospital).

 

I have posted this in the Fantasy thread, but I am also aware how people here are really good at building doomsday machines, robots and stranger powers so I decided to hedge my bets.

 

I have however reached a problem with an NPC I’ve been building, a construct (similar to the Warforged of Ebberon if you know Dnd, otherwise call it a magic powered robot) which was designed for the United States Army by Government wizards. The Construct has the ability to swap weaponry built into it’s arms with other weapons it finds, anything from guns to crossbows.

 

However in the campaign, equipment is bought with resource points and in game money. So how would you build a power that lets you swap the weaponry for any weaponry you pick up that could fit into the slot (biggest it can hold is a double barreled shotgun)?

 

.

 

So you're saying it can pick up and use guns? Can't we all?

[DusterBoy]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

12 hours later there's another distortion in space-time and a tall, lean bad tempered-looking man in archaic armour appears, smoking a cigar.

 

"Where's the golem you people say you've encountered?" he growls.

 

(Yup, Cmdr Vimes is off his patch and in a bad mood. But the Patrician insisted that he was the only one capable of dealing with this. Nor did he enjoy the trip here, since the UU Wizards were involved.)

[Heroic Halfwit]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

Left Arm: Multipower (or whatever the equivalent is in 6e)

 

ultra slot: 3d6 RKA, Invisible Power Effects (invisible as to source), Variable Special Effects, Variable Advantage, End payable off Construct Power Reserve, Custom Power Advantage May use recovered charges, Limited Power: Damage Classes, Special Effects, and Advantages limited to those that mimic "found weapons."

 

ultra slot: whatever the default, "he always goes out prepared" is.

 

Right Arm: Multipower

 

ultra slot: 3d6 RKA, Invisible Power Effects (invisible as to source), Variable Special Effects, Variable Advantage, End payable off Construct Power Reserve, Custom Power Advantage May use recovered charges, Limited Power: Damage Classes, Special Effects, and Advantages limited to those that mimic "found weapons."

 

ultra slot: whatever the default, "he always goes out prepared" is.

 

"Construct Power Reserve"- End Reserve

 

The "vulnerability" while being fired is sort of meh. Even if the "weapon" is accessible in between phases, what's the DEF/Body? And as the power would "recover" as soon as the character found a new weapon to mimic, I'd not be inclined to say that it's a limitation at all.

 

A Mimic Pool might actually be better, depending on the level of Advantages needed to be able to mimic all the weapons that you want to mimic. This build would allow you to mimic almost anything from a .22 derringer to a .50 calibre machine gun or a flamethrower, but would cost at least 90 pts. per arm, unless you could find some meaningful disadvantages to put on it.

 

A Mimic Pool: 75 pts. Power Pool,

Control Cost: Cosmic (no skill roll, changes powers takes no time) +2, Limited power only to replicate weapons of opportunity, Limited Power limited to Active cost of powers mimicked.

 

You might have to get the GM to hand wave the invisible power effects though. Either way, it's a very expensive ability for what it is.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

I would say a VPP would be the easiest way to do all this, but I don't know that it would actually be worth the points in this instance so...

 

By equipping the weapon' date=' he can conceal the weapon in his armor (The magic would mess up any x-rays and he's made of metal so no metal detectors either).[/quote']

 

Sounds like a very high but limited Concealment Skill.

 

Since the weapons become a part of him, you may want to add some limited extra STR to prevent them from being easily disarmed.

 

Does he hold the weapons in his hand when they are in use or are they mounted in some way that leaves his hands free?

 

His magic energy can be converted to extra amunition but this uses up END which is precious to Constructs.

 

I believe we have done various kinds of create ammo powers as an Aid/Succor with Can Apply/Remove Adders. Basically, you use the points from Aid to buy off the Charges Advantage/Limitation. Probably not an entirely book legal route, though.

 

Alternately, you could literally crate ammo from nowhere with a Transform, which is probably the way I would go if he can create ammo for a gun and then give it to somone else.

 

He can however load a gun with ammunition he's picked up without needing to use any hands.

 

How?

 

Cause my inclination is a high Fast Draw roll, Only for Reloads and/or some Extra Limbs.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

How about a Naked Limitation buyoff?

 

25 Can Fuse Arms with any Available Weapon(s): Custom Power (30 Active Points); Restrainable (Arms can still be grabbed; -1/2)

[Notes: (x2 number of items) The character can remove the Focus Limitation from up to 2 weapons by fusing them to his arms. This build assumes that most weapons will be ~ 60 Active points. Any other Limitations like Charges or STR minimum still remain.] - END=0

 

This is also similar to what I did for Zatanna* and her Blood Magic.

 

*See JLA link in sig below.

 

From the FAQ:

http://www.herogames.com/rulesFAQ.htm?ruleset=&section=&keywords=limitation&dateString=

If a character buys off a Limitation on a Power through, for example, a Focus, how does that effect the Active Points of the power?

 

Here’s an example. Suppose a character buys an EB 12d6, No Range (-1/2). The power has 60 Active Points, 40 Real Points.

 

Now he buys MegaBands — armbands that allow him to project his EB as a Ranged attack. He buys off the No Range Limitation (20 points) on an OIF. This is a power with 20 Active Points, 13 Real Points.

 

What he now has is two separate powers, one with 60 Active Points, one with 20 Active Points. If for some reason he wanted to consider them a “unit” (for example, to put them in a Multipower slot), they’d have “80 Active Points” together, so to speak — but they’re really two distinct abilities, with distinct costs.

 

I'm not suggesting that the character should have to pay for the guns. The original post made it clear that "equipment is bought with resource points and in game money". I'm just suggesting that this character has the ability to turn certain types of equipment (hand held weapons) into personal powers. Other Limitations could certainly reduce the cost further (like Physical Manifestation). My example was just an attempt to illustrate the basic concept.

[Arkham]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

The easiest way to do this... Concealment 18-, Only for 'equipped' weapons. And an Aid to equipped weapon's Charges, costs END.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

The easiest way to do this... Concealment 18-' date=' Only for 'equipped' weapons. And an Aid to equipped weapon's Charges, costs END.[/quote']

 

Mechanically speaking, using this method the character would also need Fast Draw with 'equipped' weapons (assuming he doesn't already have it).

[Arkham]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

Mechanically speaking' date=' using this method the character would also need Fast Draw with 'equipped' weapons (assuming he doesn't already have it).[/quote']

 

Only if it doesn't take a moment to 'retract or extend' the weapon.

[JmOz]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

I dont agree with the aid for extra charges, that sounds more like having to buy it off (Limited buy off). probably would do it assuming 75 points in weapons removing a 2.5 lim (Makes it have no charges and a OIF instead of OAF)

 

sp about 55 points or so, have not done the math, but you get the idea

[CoreBrute]

Re: Magic powered robot with changeable weaponry

 

Thanks for all the help, and I think i have enough to create the character. I will probably post it in the Fantasy forums rather then here, because it's Urban Fantasy. But I will post a link on this thread to it if anyone is interested.