Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

[Michael Hopcroft]

In the very old days of The Fantasy Trip, I came up with the idea of the Exploding Prootwaddle. Now Prootwaddles were the single stupidest RPG fantasy race ever created -- literally. They were barely sentient mentally and had trouble communicating. The Exploding Prootwaddle is a Prootwaddle magically converted into a living bomb. When struck, it exploded like a keg of gunpowder. And because it was so stupid, it acted as though it had no clue it was a bomb. When the Prootwaddle exploded, it was utterly destroyed and the luckless guy who's struck the blow took the blast point-blank.

 

Of course, logically tripping over its shoelaces or having the door hit its backside on the way out of the room would have the same effect....

 

Nobody would want to play a Prootwaddle PC under normal circumstances, and especially not one prone to self-detonation at the slightest impact. So how do you build an NPC that will, under certain clearly defined circumstances, self-destruct -- possibly resulting in damage to people and things in their vicinity. How big a Limitation on an Explosion attack is having it automatically obliterate the user to the point that even resurrection magic or super-science can't save him? Especially if it's involuntary?

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

In the very old days of The Fantasy Trip, I came up with the idea of the Exploding Prootwaddle. Now Prootwaddles were the single stupidest RPG fantasy race ever created -- literally. They were barely sentient mentally and had trouble communicating. The Exploding Prootwaddle is a Prootwaddle magically converted into a living bomb. When struck, it exploded like a keg of gunpowder. And because it was so stupid, it acted as though it had no clue it was a bomb. When the Prootwaddle exploded, it was utterly destroyed and the luckless guy who's struck the blow took the blast point-blank.

 

Of course, logically tripping over its shoelaces or having the door hit its backside on the way out of the room would have the same effect....

 

Nobody would want to play a Prootwaddle PC under normal circumstances, and especially not one prone to self-detonation at the slightest impact. So how do you build an NPC that will, under certain clearly defined circumstances, self-destruct -- possibly resulting in damage to people and things in their vicinity. How big a Limitation on an Explosion attack is having it automatically obliterate the user to the point that even resurrection magic or super-science can't save him? Especially if it's involuntary?

 

Wow... the PC's are gonna hate this. I'm all for it!

 

The explosion power is easy -- use Trigger or Damage Shield to make Monsieur Prootwaddle (they sound French to me) go BOOM! As for the damage to the Prootwaddle, that sounds to me like an Extreme Side Effect, which always occurs: (Well, it'll occur once.) Prootwaddle takes full damage from power. If you want to be absolutely certain it's lethal to the Prootwaddle, give him a Vulnerability to this side effect for x2 Body. (He might also take x2 Stun, but that's kind of a moot point.) There won't be anything left after that, I'm pretty sure.

 

Alternately, just define the Side Effect as: Prootwaddle irrevocably dies from using this power, with the same limitation value. Then you won't have to roll for damage.

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

Or a Physical Complication: Dies if own Prootwaddle Explosion occurs, Uncommon, Total.

 

...For some reason, I'm thinking I've heard of them before.

[Folded]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

I'm thinking that finding oneself surrounded by Prootwaddles might be an unpleasantly relaxing experience (well, part of me would relax...).

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

I'm thinking that finding oneself surrounded by Prootwaddles might be an unpleasantly relaxing experience (well' date=' part of me would relax...).[/quote']

 

Grabs nearest Prootwaddle, sticks a gun against its head and says "Nobody move!"

[Peregrine]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

"I'll kill him! I'll kill the Prootwaddle!"

[SteveZilla]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

The Exploding Prootwaddle (i.e., the one that is actually in the process of detonation) could be a Multiform with all the points put into an explosive power, a Psychological Complcation "Immediately Uses Explosion Power", and a Physical Complication "Dies Upon Exploding"

 

The not-yet exploded Prootwaddle has, in addition to the Multiform, an Accidental Change that triggers the change (and thus the explosion).

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

The Exploding Prootwaddle (i.e., the one that is actually in the process of detonation) could be a Multiform with all the points put into an explosive power, a Psychological Complcation "Immediately Uses Explosion Power", and a Physical Complication "Dies Upon Exploding"

 

The not-yet exploded Prootwaddle has, in addition to the Multiform, an Accidental Change that triggers the change (and thus the explosion).

Why the multiform? Why not just have the Power be Triggered?

[Fireg0lem]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

Or a Physical Complication: Dies if own Prootwaddle Explosion occurs, Uncommon, Total.

 

...For some reason, I'm thinking I've heard of them before.

 

They sound a bit like Prinnys from Disgaea.

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

They sound a bit like Prinnys from Disgaea.

No, pretty sure I've heard about Prootwaddles before. Not sure where, though.

[SteveZilla]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

No' date=' pretty sure I've heard about Prootwaddles before. Not sure where, though.[/quote']

 

I believe they are from The Fantasy Trip.

[SteveZilla]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

Why the multiform? Why not just have the Power be Triggered?

 

That is also a viable alternateive. I was just trying to think of the cheesiest way to maximize the explosion. If it is part of the "regular build", its points take away from what is available to build the "rest of" the character. While a Multiform does that to, it has (iirc) a 5:1 reduction in cost to go along with it, not to mention being able to take all of the "non-explosive" CPs and put them into the explosion power.

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

I believe they are from The Fantasy Trip.

...I was thinking they were in his personal campaign, not in the book.

[SteveZilla]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

...I was thinking they were in his personal campaign' date=' not in the book.[/quote']

 

The exploding variety, yes. But the basic Prootwaddle is from the published game, I do believe.

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

The exploding variety' date=' yes. But the basic Prootwaddle is from the published game, I do believe.[/quote']

Ah. Much is explained.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

That is also a viable alternateive. I was just trying to think of the cheesiest way to maximize the explosion. If it is part of the "regular build"' date=' its points take away from what is available to build the "rest of" the character. While a Multiform does that to, it has (iirc) a 5:1 reduction in cost to go along with it, not to mention being able to take all of the "non-explosive" CPs and put them into the explosion power.[/quote']

Okay, that makes sense. I thought you were inadvertantly being overcomplicated when you were actually intentionally min-maxing. Thanks. That's one I never would of thought of.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

The exploding variety' date=' yes. But the basic Prootwaddle is from the published game, I do believe.[/quote']

 

Yep. I remember getting those books like it was yesterday. I even remember getting its precursors, the boxed mini-games Melee and Wizard, and playing them a lot.

 

I still can't think of a logical reason other than satire for Steve Jackson to have invented the Prootwaddle, as there aren't a lot of situations where having one show up in the dungeon would make much sense.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

I think the Prootwaddle was the only race you could qualify for if your rolls were sufficiently bad.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

That is also a viable alternateive. I was just trying to think of the cheesiest way to maximize the explosion. If it is part of the "regular build"' date=' its points take away from what is available to build the "rest of" the character. While a Multiform does that to, it has (iirc) a 5:1 reduction in cost to go along with it, not to mention being able to take all of the "non-explosive" CPs and put them into the explosion power.[/quote']

 

Why you need to give extra points for abilities to a Prootwaddle defies the imagination, though I can see doing it for an Exploding Orc.

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

Yep. I remember getting those books like it was yesterday. I even remember getting its precursors' date=' the boxed mini-games [i']Melee[/i] and Wizard, and playing them a lot.

 

I still can't think of a logical reason other than satire for Steve Jackson to have invented the Prootwaddle, as there aren't a lot of situations where having one show up in the dungeon would make much sense.

...Dungeons are supposed to make sense?

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

I was just trying to think of the cheesiest way to maximize the explosion.

 

Mission accomplished! It's like a whole case of cheez-whiz popping open and plastering the entire block with conveniently-packaged and processed DOOOOM!!!

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

Mission accomplished! It's like a whole case of cheez-whiz popping open and plastering the entire block with conveniently-packaged and processed DOOOOM!!!

...You need to come up with less funny stuff; the forums won't let me rep you.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

I'd probably consider the power to belong to whoever enchanted these things to explode, not the creatures themselves. After all, that's the person who is benefiting by it (or at least whose motivation is being fulfilled when they go pop). Considering that, I'd probably just make it a Transform that changed the creature into a walking breathing Triggered attack that has Area of Effect/Explosion or whatever. The fact that the things die is a consequence of the Transform turning them from a true creature into a living bomb. Reversal conditions might involve some kind of strange magical surgery, and almost certainly aren't worth the trouble.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

...You need to come up with less funny stuff; the forums won't let me rep you.

 

That's quite alright; people need to laugh more than they need to boost my rep.

[IndianaJoe3]

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction

 

Anyway, this discussion isn't completely meaningless. I've considered building hardpoints on fighter jets with Summon, and the bombs/missiles as the summoned beings. Naturally, they would be destroyed when they hit their target (like the prootwaddle).