Done bun can't be undone

[Sidetrack]

This is an NPC and will stretch the rules but I want it justifiable as possible

 

One of the character's powers is to summon advanced alien engineers that have, related to slightly varying skillsets, Transform: devices or components into advanced alien devices or materials; (permanent, but cannot be repaired once broken, except by the alien.)

 

The character has paid for: 8x small VPPs of advanced devices for his own use, points of advanced tech installed in his base and vehicle, and a Wealth perk to represent financial gain, BUT he can still hand out these devices to others, and he has the potential to accumulate over time more wonderful tech powers than he has paid for.

 

What is your feel for the balance of Permanent devices that is irreparable once damaged. The devices themselves are very durable.

[Steve Long]

This isn't a rules question but a game balance/campaign management/GMing question, so I've moved it to the Discussion board -- that way lots of people, rather than just me, can offer their opinions, suggestions, and ideas.

[Scott Baker]

This sounds like a Focus. Make it Durable (doubles its defense, making it tough to damage) and Universal (so others can use it). The whole "only the alien engineer(s)" can fix it is just part of how you've defined that the focus can be repaired.

 

he has the potential to accumulate over time more wonderful tech powers than he has paid for.

 

If this is a super heroic game, I wouldn't let this character accumulate devices they hadn't paid for. Unless all of the characters have the same option, it sounds like you're enabling this particular character to overpower/overshadow the other characters. While it might seem to make sense from the character perspective, it doesn't, IMO, make dramatic sense for a game.

 

If that's a typo, and you meant, "tech powers that he has paid for," then it's just more of the same foci-based powers. And I'm fine with that.

[Sean Waters]

The problem here is the logical disconnect between the powers themselves and the description of how they work.

 

I mean, theoretically if I have the power to make machine guns out of dust, I can create a machine gun, hand it to a team mate and then create another until we all have one.  That makes sense but is an abuse, even if you try to buy it with useable by others and multiple units, you'll still, at some point, exceed what you are paying for.

 

This is the problem with Hero's claim that you can build anything: it is not true.  you can build anything you've got the points to pay for.

 

The trick is to reverse engineer the logic.  Can these devices be used by others?  If so a universal focus or Useable By Others is what you need to look at in the build.  How many can you produce, and why can't you just set up a production line of alien tech?  Well, you can, I suppose: you could buy millions of alien engineers all with one point cumulative transforms, which will be cheap, and too much of a universal solution.

 

There are many possible answers to that one, but I'd probably go with something like: The alien Technicians are from another dimension and, whilst the items they produce are robust they rapidly break down in this dimension unless.  That could explain why you can't just make loads of permanent stuff.

 

The one rule you always need to remember is that the GM gets a veto.  If the PC has created a character who can create autofactories (which the aliens are, essentially) that can produce anything and hang the point cost, well, er, no.

[wick]

Other characters can maybe use the"dust machine guns" for a session, but other characters would need to pay points if they use them permanently.