How to Build: True Duplication

[Tradewind]

Ok, so the rules for Duplication in the main book (all of my experience is with 5th Ed so I don't know if this has changed) are geared toward a Multipleman type character who creates hordes of duplicates to fling at an enemy, or a 3Peat type who keeps to a limited team of quality individuals.

 

What I want to build though is a character who creates perfect and identical copies of his relatively ordinary self in large quantities. Where I run into difficulties is I want these to be true copies and therefore not have to keep track of a 'base' character, with each duplicate making his own duplicates as needed.

 

Now note that I am not trying to make a mega powered character here, I don't want this ability to allow me to create more duplicates per turn or more duplicates total that I paid for originally but the rules just don't seem to support this idea.

 

The overall effect that I'm going for is a multiplier who can send his duplicates around the city on patrol and whenever one of them comes across a crime they would have the duplication power to deal with it. Is there a way within the rules that I can build this character (I generally play at 250 points)? If there isn't a way within the rules how would you house rule it, as an adder or a power advantage or in some other way?

 

This problem really vexes me because Hero System can let you do almost anything else, this is literally the first time I've come across a character concept that I just couldn't seem to make fit within the rules.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

So...your basic issue is that you want all the forms to be identical?

 

House Rule a +1/2 advantage that allows duplicates to duplicate. Then they will a) all be identical and all be able to duplicate. They are all effectively interchangeable, like Jamie Madrox.

 

 

Binary fission: Duplicates can also use the Duplication power to create Duplicates. The total maximum number of Duplicates is unchanged. (+1/2)

[Escafarc]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

That's how I've done it 6E. There is a sentence under Rapid Duplicatation that sort of implies this.

[pinecone]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

The only other way I've looked at is the Duplicates buy Duplication...(You buy it "twice") so the dup's have the power too...the math is head achey though....a custom mod sounds much more usefull....

[Fryguy]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

I built Jamie using exactly that. I gave him Duplication (0 Phase action) and 4d6 Absorption to Duplication with a 2d6 Aid to both Dup & Absorp. He's a fun PC to run but it can get pretty crazy when there are 40 or more of him running around the scene. I use an agent sheet to keep up with them. The base character has some Martial Arts, a little body Armor, and his stats. That's it. Our campaign allowed for 270 pt. PCs but you could shave it down to 250.

[Asperion]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

In 6ed there is an advantage called Altered Duplicate. Using this you can make the dup to be possibly completely different from the base. From your description I believe that you would prefer the +1/4 level that allows upto 25% point alteration (unless the GM rules otherwise ).

[Tradewind]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

The real effect that I'm looking for here, beyond the general idea I've described, is a Duplicator who simpily doesn't need to track which one was the 'Original', I just find that to be a headache and leads to exceedingly cautious play (at least with the original) which goes against my concept. I want to be able to throw some duplicates together and charge, not particularly caring how many and which ones die.

[dmjalund]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

The real effect that I'm looking for here' date=' beyond the general idea I've described, is a Duplicator who simpily doesn't need to track which one was the 'Original', I just find that to be a headache and leads to exceedingly cautious play (at least with the original) which goes against my concept. I want to be able to throw some duplicates together and charge, not particularly caring how many and which ones die.[/quote']Youd need some system for covering damage when recombining

[Tradewind]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

Damage when recombining is already covered in the rules so I'm not or worried about that. Conceptually (a desperate, vaguely suicidal father trying to save the world from his son) him being beat up through the averaging mechanic is fine by me, my issue is him having to go out of his way to keep a specific one of him alive. I fully intend to, with this character, dump the majority of my XP into doubling the number of duplicates I can potentially create until I get enough that it is functionally infinite, but no number of dups help when a single well placed killing attack can end all of them permanently.

 

Ooh, and yay, no longer a probationary member, I really hate having to decipher those scrambled words.

[Utech]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

It is also possible to have "duplication" simply be the sfx of a variety of powers, skills, contacts, etc. You still have to worry about the original character, so that's probably not the answer to your problem here. It does, however, let you have an infinite number of "duplicates".

[Tradewind]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

Yeah, I built this guy once before for a GM who simply house ruled it as a 20pt adder (the more I look at it though the more I think that a multiplier seems more reasonable) and he had a Teleportation ability called "Already There" which basically just gave the game master the excuses to have him wherever he was needed. Hadn't thought of the Contacts idea though, that's an interesting one.

[dmjalund]

Re: How to Build: True Duplication

 

Damage when recombining is already covered in the rules so I'm not or worried about that. Conceptually (a desperate, vaguely suicidal father trying to save the world from his son) him being beat up through the averaging mechanic is fine by me, my issue is him having to go out of his way to keep a specific one of him alive. I fully intend to, with this character, dump the majority of my XP into doubling the number of duplicates I can potentially create until I get enough that it is functionally infinite, but no number of dups help when a single well placed killing attack can end all of them permanently.

 

Ooh, and yay, no longer a probationary member, I really hate having to decipher those scrambled words.

IIRC the damage rules requires an original