Dancing Weapon

[Blue Jogger]

Here's my attempt at a Dancing Weapon creature. It comes in at less that a bear and considerably more dangerous.

 

OCV: 8, DCV: 7

 

Val Char Cost

23 STR 13

14 DEX 12

18 CON 16

12 BODY 4

5 INT -5

5 EGO -10

20 PRE 10

10 COM 0

 

8 PD 3

6 ED 2

3 SPD 6

10 REC 2

36 END 0

33 STUN 0

 

0" RUN -12

2" SWIM 0

0" LEAP -4

Characteristics Cost: 37

 

Cost Power

20 Animated Weapon: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1 (2 1/2d6 w/STR)

5 Animated Weapon: Damage Resistance (6 PD/4 ED)

11 Concealment 14-

3 +3 with any single attack with one specific weapon (self)

17 Animated Weapon: Flight 6", No Turn Mode (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (21 Active Points); Limit to six feet off the ground (-1/4)

10 Small Size: +2 with DCV

16 Life Support (Eating: Character does not eat; Self-Contained Breathing; Sleeping: Character does not sleep)

10 No Hit Location (10 Active Points)

Powers Cost: 92

 

Total Character Cost: 129

 

Pts. Disadvantage

20 Physical Limitation: No Arms or Legs (All the Time, Greatly Impairing)

15 Physical Limitation: Short (All the Time, Slightly Impairing)

Disadvantage Points: 35

[Panpiper]

Re: Dancing Weapon

 

This could work well with a summon perhaps?

[IndianaJoe3]

Re: Dancing Weapon

 

I would do a few things differently. First, I would not sell back the Running and then buy, "Flight, only near the ground". Floating in the air is just a special effect, in this case.

 

Second, I would build it as an Automaton. Add, "Takes no STUN" and, "Cannot be Stunned". Since it's an Automaton, it's immune to Presence Attacks so it doesn't need extra PRE. (Of course, it also has no EGO so you can't sell it back. It's a wash.) Selling its INT back to 0 and adding a Computer is a possibility, but I'd have to think about it.

 

I doubt it would have a full complement of senses. You could probably take PhysLims for, "No sense of smell/taste" and maybe Touch as well.

 

I'm not sure why you gave it Concealment - can it hide itself?

 

It will run out of END after about 3 turns of combat. I don't know if you want that or not.

[Matt Holck]

Re: Dancing Weapon

 

one could by the weapon as an uncontrolled continuous attack that must roll to hit each time

with the limitation physical manifestation

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Dancing Weapon

 

I choose not to do it as Automaton. It didn't feel right.

 

There's probably more disads I could put on it, but it doesn't make the Summon any cheaper.

 

It doesn't hide so much as play dead. Simulate Death didn't quite fit though since it's a weapon.

 

I probably should make the Attack and STR 0 END or 1/2 END. Or maybe just double the END. If you can hold out for six turns, then the sword should take some Recoveries.

 

 

 

And Matt's probably right, it's probably cheaper to just trash it and model it with Continuous, Uncontrolled attack.

[Beast]

Re: Dancing Weapon

 

what about this

 

27 active pts Dancing Bastard Sword: RKA 2d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Constant (+1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (2m Radius; +1/2), Mobile (12m per Phase; +1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (82 Active Points); OIF (-1/2), Restrainable (-1/2), No Range (-1/2)

 

area of effect needed to make it mobile so you can have it move away from you and attack

non-selective means it still has to hit the person not the area but it can engage those in it's area

no range you cannot just throw it far and watch it buzz a group

OIF it takes a turn to get it under new control

Restrainable once grabbed it will stop doing damage so the owner will need to rescue it some times

being a focus it will have a +2 dcv compared to the owner

but the owner will need to control it

you could put uncontrolled on it so the owner can use other attacks once the dancing sword is set into motion

using reduced end or it could have it's own end reserve to limit how long it can function

 

here is the uncontrolled version

 

33 active pts Dancing Bastard Sword: RKA 2d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Constant (+1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (2m Radius; +1/2), Mobile (12m per Phase; +1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (82 Active Points); OIF (-1/2), Restrainable (-1/2), No Range (-1/2)

 

the uncontrolled version has a def of 8 and 8 body

the controlled version has a def of 7 and 7 body

or you could take the the oif off and make it a spell

[Matt Holck]

Re: Dancing Weapon

 

I thought non-selective met the player had to roll to hit everyone in the area, friend or foe.

I am unfamiliar with mobility advantage but it looks interesting.

 

 

I choose not to do it as Automaton. It didn't feel right.

 

And Matt's probably right, it's probably cheaper to just trash it and model it with Continuous, Uncontrolled attack.

 

Maybe

but I know deep down that you want the character to have a relationship with the sword.

 

There's probably more disads I could put on it, but it doesn't make the Summon any cheaper.

 

Perhaps, allow disadvantages beyond the base cost to be at half value for summons.

On that thought...

if disadvantages are only worth half listed value on character write ups,

there would be no need to set maximum limits on how many disadvantages a character can buy.

*burp*

[AlHazred]

Re: Dancing Weapon

 

The two common ways to do this are as a character and as an attack. Which one you use depends a lot on how you want the item to "feel" -- a Summoned Dancing Blade is differently-used in practice, though more complex to run.

 

Summon:

What powers and disads you give to the creature depends on the GM's campaign rules. For example, if he uses Bleeding rules, the Dancing Weapon should have the Does Not Bleed Automaton power. I would probably give him Takes No Stun as well, but this depends on how the weapon acts in combat; if it sometimes needs to "shake off" a particularly potent attack, then it's got STUN, otherwise not.

 

I wouldn't give it any points for lacking certain senses, though it does get the disads. The intent is to Summon a combat creature, and no one's going to Summon a Dancing Weapon to hunt down a fugitive. In any case, Summon is based on the total cost anyway so it's not going to affect the Summon's cost.

 

It needs more DCV bonus for small size (unless it's a Great Weapon) and I'd give it more Life Support, namely the Immunities. You could maybe get away without the Longevity, but Diseases/Poisons/Vacuum/High Pressure/Cold and probably Heat are not really issues for a weapon.

 

I agree that the "flight" of the weapon is just a special effect of its Ground Movement if it's limited to six feet off the ground.

 

Continuous Attack:

As a Continuous Uncontrolled attack power, it's much simpler to run. The character makes a roll to hit the target every Phase, for as long as there's END to power it. You don't need Area Effect on it; this would require some specialized Advantage, maybe called "Shifting Target" or something. It gets either Restrainable or OIF, not both. In this case, I'd go with Restrainable, unless the Focus represents some item the caster has to hold in order to get the thing to continue fighting. Then it's probably IAF, but would qualify for both Limitations.

[AlHazred]

Re: Dancing Weapon

 

Actually, I'll have to check the rules. I may be incorrect on the Shifting Target thing. If you buy a Continuous Attack it stays around between Phases and I believe it can be used to attack targets other than your first; I'm just not sure about the Uncontrolled.