"Necessary Evil" OOC

[Insight]

Why? The power is normally 3pp/rank.
+1 for my general summon cost increase
-1 for need source
-1 for limited to machines

2pp/rank. What did I miss?

I don't have my book with me at present, but I was under the impression that it was 3pp/rank with your increase. Alternately, it's possible that I reduced the range and didn't put that in the power description above. I'll take a look when I get a chance.

EDIT: I've had a chance to look at UP again. I always build my 2nd ed powers based on effects. The Summon (Minion) effect is what "Machine Animation" (the Power) is based on. In the book, it is 2pp/rank. Now, Summon (Minion) summons minions - obviously - which pretty much go down in one hit. Additionally, you always summon the same minion. Not exactly what I had in mind for Cybermind. The effect description alludes to power modifiers that allow you to summon other types of minions, but sadly, those power modifiers do not appear in the book (that I can find). Comparing this to the constructed power, "Animate Objects", which is 3pp/rank, this enables you not only to animate/summon heroic constructs (ie, not minions), but also different types of objects. This seems incongruous with the +1/rank extra for Summon (Minion), which creates a heroic summoned creature. I'm not sure where the "different sorts of summons" power modifier went; it seems to be a free extra.

The "Machine Animation" power is essentially the "Animate Objects" power with the limitation that you can only animate machines, and is 2pp/rank. Both Animate Objects and Machine Animation are ranged powers, meaning the user can animate/summon things at a greater range. If we want to base Cybermind's power on Machine Animation and add the +1/rank from WD's GM fiat, it would increase to 3pp/rank. Could we apply a -1/rank flaw for Limited - Only objects within 30ft (or something to that effect) as well as a -1/rank flaw to make them minions (I would prefer them to be rather weak, to be honest)?

 

[Walking Dad]

Let's re-build the power completely from the effect:

Summon (Minion) effect is originally a touch range effect with a cost of 2pp/rank. I increased the cost of the effect by 1 to 3pp/rank in my re-balancing.

To avoid summoning always the exactly same 'creature', you have to take the Type extra (p 80). Machines actually sound more like a broad category, like animals, on first glance. But let's say the broad category is Objects and Machines are more like the bird sub-category. This increases the cost to 4pp/rank.

This is actually higher than the Animate Objects sample. They seem to have silently included a 'needs medium' limit. We do the same and reduce the cost to 3pp/rank.

(BTW, Animate Objects summons minions, too. It cites p 148 of the core, that declares them as minions.)

For 30 ft range, add the Extended Reach Feat (p 94) 5 times. (Summon is a touch range effect)

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Looks like it becomes even more expensive, if we start with the effect. Or did I miss anything?


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Based on the Animate Objects power, you start with 3pp/rank. Still based on Summon, I increase the cost to 4pp/rank. Limited (machines) reduces it back to 3pp/rank. 30 ft range makes it:

2pp/rank (reduced range to Touch) + 5pp (Extended Reach Feat 5)

BUT: The machines will always use the stats on p 136f. To make your own stat builds (like a dishwasher with a ranged attack fro throwing the dishes), you still need the Type (p 80) extra.

Also you can only summon/animate 1 machine at once, without the Progression power feat.

Edit: On second thought, the medium requirement is much ore bigger for being specific, like machines. I make it -2.

Reducing the cost to 2pp/rank (reduced range to Touch) + 5pp (Extended Reach Feat 5), but with the type extra, allowing you to have 'specialized' machines.

 

[Walking Dad]

I'm no tyrant and I like the character concept.

We could say the summoning animation takes the full power of your mutation, making you unable to use your other powers while 'summoning'.

Which way your other powers would be one big Container and Machine Animation an alternate power to it (making it a kind of an Array). This would enable you to have big, effective animated machine(s) for the cost of having no other powers while 'controlling' them.

 

[Jemal]

Changes to Siren:

Adding Limited(Familiarity/proximity), Area, and Selective to the Mental Communication portion of the Telepathy. It now looks like
Telepathy: Mind Reading 10, Mental Communication 10 (Limited(Familiarity/Proximity), Area, Selective) Dynamic *2/rank +1=21* - +2pp

Basically she can only communicate with people she knows or whom are currently present. I also added area/selective so she can talk to multiple people at once. It makes more sense and is less global.

As for the 3 extra pp, I'll add Precise X2 to the main power of my Psychic Array (TK Blast), making it 40, and spend the third to upgrade Emotion control to Dynamic, making the total power cost up from 44 to 47

 

[Walking Dad]

Jemal, jkason and VV, your changes are approved. Make the needed changes to the RG.

 

[Insight]

Based on the Animate Objects power, you start with 3pp/rank. Still based on Summon, I increase the cost to 4pp/rank. Limited (machines) reduces it back to 3pp/rank. 30 ft range makes it:

2pp/rank (reduced range to Touch) + 5pp (Extended Reach Feat 5)

BUT: The machines will always use the stats on p 136f. To make your own stat builds (like a dishwasher with a ranged attack fro throwing the dishes), you still need the Type (p 80) extra.

Not unless you are changing how Animate Objects works.

Create the object as a construct with (rank x 15) total power points or use one of the sample animated objects given in the following section.

That indicates to me that Cybermind can animate whatever machine he wants (in range) and I build it with a max of PL x 15 pp.

Edit: On second thought, the medium requirement is much ore bigger for being specific, like machines. I make it -2.

I'm not sure I need that flaw now. The range is only going to be 30ft with the extended range power feat and it's already limited to machines. Animate Objects doesn't seem to imply that you can actually "summon" objects, just animate existing ones.

Honestly, this power is horribly cocked up. There are "hidden" extras and flaws all over the place. It's very annoying. I'd prefer a simplified version. I'm going to post what I'm interpreting as how we should handle it (see my character post on prior page).

 

[Jemal]

RG Updated. Wish I could help with the Animate objects thing, not sure exactly what's going on there though..

 

[Walking Dad]

This is why I tried to rebuild it from the effect here:

Let's re-build the power completely from the effect:

Summon (Minion) effect is originally a touch range effect with a cost of 2pp/rank. I increased the cost of the effect by 1 to 3pp/rank in my re-balancing.

To avoid summoning always the exactly same 'creature', you have to take the Type extra (p 80). Machines actually sound more like a broad category, like animals, on first glance. But let's say the broad category is Objects and Machines are more like the bird sub-category. This increases the cost to 4pp/rank.

This is actually higher than the Animate Objects sample. They seem to have silently included a 'needs medium' limit. We do the same and reduce the cost to 3pp/rank.

(BTW, Animate Objects summons minions, too. It cites p 148 of the core, that declares them as minions.)

For 30 ft range, add the Extended Reach Feat (p 94) 5 times. (Summon is a touch range effect)

I will happily look at your interpretation.

BTW, IC post is up.

 

[Arkhandus]

Hey, sorry for being incommunicado for a few weeks. Lost my internet access 2 weeks ago and couldn't figure out what was causing the problem with my computer's connection. Finally back online now.

Gemini will have just teleported away with the powers he copied off of Sorceress, and gone back to The Zodiac. Didn't seem that he was going to be able to work together well with the new group and the kind of jobs that Dr. Destruction was sending them on. Not the kind of situation Gemini would want to stick around in.

I couldn't really find another one of my characters that would fit, short of a few heroes maybe. But not really the kinda characters I'd like to play in a campaign like this one. Not even sure Icebreaker or Shade would quite fit the PL and campaign; besides Icebreaker being redundant with Brick and Helis around. So I'll just bow out with Gemini's departure. The group should be fine anyway with Siren's return and Cybermind joining. Good luck!

 

[Walking Dad]

Thanks!

If you got another character idea, just PM me.

Good luck!