[Urgent] Simulacrum questions

[the Jester]

Sorry to hijack your thread, Iron_Chef....

As to all your questions, here's how I run it.

A simulacrum has 50-60% of the knowledge of the originator. I take this to mean it has a 50% chance to know a given thing its originator knows; I doubt a 10th-level character knows half the stuff a 20th level character knows (he probably knows somewhat more, given previous life experiences). As far as personality goes, I figure it's got a lot in common with the creature it's made from, but it's a sort of warped pale copy. A sim of a lawful good transmuter who's well-known for his generosity is naturally impelled to be about half as generous, for example, or an egotistical arch-wizard's sim will have about half the arrogance and confidence of the originator.

I believe a sim is aware that it's a sim- it's often smart enough to realize there are holes in its memory, etc. It's not a construct, it's a shadow, and therefore not subject to the repair spells and the like. I actually started a thread about that not too long ago and that seemed to be the consensus. It doesn't have the cold subtype, so no extra damage from fire

I have to disagree with the idea that it can't spend xp; it can't gain xp, but I'd say it has xp commensurate with its level, and it can spend them until it's about to lose a level from doing so. (You can't spend so many that you'd actually lose one, though.)

While on its own time, a sim will tend to try to fulfill whatever ambitions it's got that weren't explicitly forbidden by the caster, who can control it verbally or through any other means at his disposal (sending, etc).

The creator can't implant false memories and personality fragments without taking further steps such as modify memory.

Finally, a sim of an evil person might plot to overthrow its originator but wouldn't be able to act directly against him under normal circumstances- it's under his control. But it could try to take actions it wasn't explicitly forbidden in order to undermine him. Watch out for literalist interpetations of commands!

Hope this helps...

Oh, yeah, one more thing- there's a link to the story hour I was mentioning in my sig; it's all developing in the 'To War Against Felenga' story.

 

[Iron_Chef]

Thanks for the replies!!! These are the kind of thoughtful and well-researched answers I was looking for last night (but wasn't getting, lol, until Dan showed up at 3 am). Sorry if I got a bit testy over it. Thanks again, Dan and Jester (didn't see your link in the sig as I rarely read sigs).

 

[MerakSpielman]

People have already beaten down my opinion, but I thought I'd post it anyway. Feel free to tear it apart again.

IMC, I have ruled that because the Simulacrum spell does not specifically state that the Sim gains the levels and class ablilities of the original, it doesn't. It gains only knowledge, not skills or abilities.

This is how I describe what the abilities of the Simulacrum are. Say the original was to write an autobiography and be very very detailed. Now say you read the book and remember only half of it. This information is the only knowledge in the "brain" of the Simulacrum. It can no more cast spells than you can after reading a fantasy book, but it might know all about spells and magic and what they do.

I have Simulacrums have a watered-down version of the personality of the original. It only responds to situations with half the emotional level you would expect from the original.

Now, you will all say, if the Simulacrum possesses none of the class/magic/combat abilities of the original, then what good is it? Now that's a very good question. I'm glad you asked that.

My group is full of really really devious players. The above interpretation is what they assumed when they first read the Simulacrum spell. They still chortled at the wide expanse of things they were going to do once they got high enough level to cast it. They rubbed their hands with glee. They couldn't believe that the designers could possibly have put such an overpowered spell anywhere in the book at any spell level.

Their plan goes something like this. Say you have a high-level functionary of the local government. Somebody who's seen a lot and has power but never honestly has to do anything that requires real experience or skill beyond biographical knowledge. Say, the city mayor. Kidnap him and put a Simulacrum in his place. There will be only a handful of people who really know the mayor well and will notice the change (everybody else is trained to simply obey him). They can be dealt with, either with more Sims or with convenient "accidents." Or they could be called away for a week on business and when they return the mayor is a changed man. He will describe something horrible and traumatic (as per orders) and become more reclusive and withdrawn. People will explain away such things by mundane means before thinking that he has been replaced by magic. A few Geas and Modify Memory spells in the right quarters and you're all set.

Slowly take over the ruling class. Every toady who doesn't need to do anything but talk in his daily life is a target, i.e., most of the officials in the government. Do this with a few people who command troops and you have yourself an army. If you're clever enough, you could take over the whole kingdom in an invisible coup.

Luckily for me the campaign ended before it got to that point.

(and a little clause so I can claim I'm not hijacking....)
I think my personal interpretation of your answers should be clear from reading the interpretation of the spell I use.

We now return to the other 99.9% of the gaming community who interpret it differently from myself.

 

[Iron_Chef]

The PHB doesn't clarify what 50% of the knowledge means. Does it mean it has half the skill ranks in ALL the original's skills, or a 50% chance of having full ranks in EACH skill?

 

[Iron_Chef]

bump

 

[Iron_Chef]

With the vampire thing, I bet it would create a duplicate of the subject *before* he became a vampire if I obtained genetic samples of the subject prior to his becoming a vampire... All I gotta do is go rummage around his house, right? Then use Commune or something to find out if I've got the right subject's genetic sample. People are alway leaving bits of themselves behind, like hair or nail clippings...