Building Senses

[MuensterCheese]

My question to all of you Hero experts is this: how can I make the following character affordable for the player?

 

Scrap is a character that builds things from junk parts.  His player wishes to build a drone as an Automaton Follower.  Among other powers are 48 points of Enhanced Senses, which includes Powers like Nightvision, Infrared, and Detect Global Position (GPS).  This cost also includes selling back normal smell, taste, and touch.  I also purchased Modifiers like Telescopic.  I purchased Transmit for the Sight and Hearing Groups because the drone can stream the data to a Computer.

 

The Computer's special effect is a mask which acts in three roles: it masks the character's identity, can be taken away, and provides Powers to the character.  Any powers provided by the mask are bought with the OIAID and OIF Limitations.  The Computer mask itself also has the Enhanced Senses that the drone has because of its own camera and mic.  I also had to buy Normal Sight and Hearing for it.  But the Computer can also receive the senses of the drone because of Transmit.  I bought these for the Computer as Clairsentience with Mobile and Only Through The Senses of Others.  I purchased Enhanced Senses like Nightvision with the -1/2 Limitation: Only Through Clairsentience (pg. 179, par. 3).  I purchased Transmit for the Computer also since it can send its data to Scrap through a screen and speakers.  When Scrap wears the mask, he benefits from the Enhanced Senses from the mask, as well as those streamed from the drone.  I had to buy Clairsentience for Scrap, too, in the same way I did for the Computer.  The Automaton's and Computer's costs are, of course, divided by 5 for Scrap to purchase.

 

Scrap now has a group of senses from the drone and a group from the computer.  The computer has its own senses plus that of the drone.  The drone has its own senses.  My problem is that this character is coming in way over the allotted points for the campaign.  Enhanced Senses are essentially being bought four times for three different entities.  How can I make this cheaper, or have I done as good a job as I can, given the concept?

[dsatow]

What is the drone used for other than senses?

[MuensterCheese]

Scrap may want to give it an attack power, but currently it has none because he can't afford it.  The drone can be attacked, takes no STUN, flies, has Life Support, etc.  That said, I think I know where you're going with your question.  I've looked into the possibility of Physical Manifestation, but since Scrap wants it to push things open (like doors) and possibly Blast, I thought building an Automaton was the better choice.  But sitting here at the keyboard, perhaps I could build Blast as Physical Manifestation or Indirect or something.  Is that where you're headed?

[MuensterCheese]

I rebuilt that part of the character using Physical Manifestation for the Clairsentience, along with OIAID & OIF for the mask.  Then I added on the exact same set of Enhanced Senses using just OIAID and OIF.  It's now much more affordable.  I guess it's strange having OIF and PM on the same Power, but he can't use Clairsentience without the mask (a focus) which connects to the drone (the PM).

 

I do have a question about PM, though.  What does this phrase mean: "It has a DCV equal to the character’s base DCV (i.e., as calculated from DEX, with no other modifiers)."

 

What does that mean?

[dsatow]

2 hours ago, MuensterCheese said:

Scrap may want to give it an attack power, but currently it has none because he can't afford it.  The drone can be attacked, takes no STUN, flies, has Life Support, etc.  That said, I think I know where you're going with your question.  I've looked into the possibility of Physical Manifestation, but since Scrap wants it to push things open (like doors) and possibly Blast, I thought building an Automaton was the better choice.  But sitting here at the keyboard, perhaps I could build Blast as Physical Manifestation or Indirect or something.  Is that where you're headed?

 

Yup, if it was just a sense platform, a physical manifestation on clairvoyance might be the ticket.  As part of a special effect, the GM (at least I would, your GM may not) would allow it a 0 strength.

 

If the GM doesn't allow it, you can buy something like TK 1 STR indirect linked with the same limitations.

[dsatow]

52 minutes ago, MuensterCheese said:

I rebuilt that part of the character using Physical Manifestation for the Clairsentience, along with OIAID & OIF for the mask.  Then I added on the exact same set of Enhanced Senses using just OIAID and OIF.  It's now much more affordable.  I guess it's strange having OIF and PM on the same Power, but he can't use Clairsentience without the mask (a focus) which connects to the drone (the PM).

 

I do have a question about PM, though.  What does this phrase mean: "It has a DCV equal to the character’s base DCV (i.e., as calculated from DEX, with no other modifiers)."

 

What does that mean?

 

No levels, maneuvers, or the like.  Just your base DCV.

[dsatow]

You might be able to save points by removing Transmit for see/hearing and just buy HRRH on you and the computer.