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building a moving listening device

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:07 am
by Ringer
Hi all,

I have a player who's character is a metamorph. one of his tricks is he can produce a bugging device that is an extension of himself. This bugging device can move under its own power. He can see whatever the bug sees. The bug can be attacked and destroyed if spotted. We will hopefully be converting over from hero system, and i am trying to come up with a way to model this. I am currently leaning toward a summon effect. my questions are two-fold.

can points in stats be traded for powers. ideally, the bug would not more than B1 A2 M1, but would need size-3 and clinging at the minimum, as it is small and can walk up walls, etc.

How would i go about getting the info back to the character. Perhaps telepathy, linked to the summon, only to communicate with the bug?

thanks!

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 12:52 pm
by Protheuz
I would use Clairvoyance (present) Limitation: fragile device.

The representation would be the device (flying bug, small bot, nano spy, whatever) seeing information of the present.

This would mean you have to reach a minimum of 30 mind (40 if you want specifics about the target), so I would add to the device a boost mind effect.

It would look like (for example)

Spying Bot power (Limitation: fragile device) 3pts
30hits, 1 5 soak
Boost Mind 2 (for Clairvoyance) linked with Clairvoyance (present)

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 12:57 pm
by Baelor
I would suggest Duplication 1 or 2, with the situational Limitation that it cannot be used for combat. Thus you would have a mobile copy of the character that would have the same stats [important for making the perception rolls effectively]. You automatically know all that your clone knows. You would divide hit points between you, so it would work like a minion [with 50 Hits for level 1 in the power, or 20 hits for level 2].
Whatever powers the character has are also available to the duplicate, so it could metamorph or shrink if the main character can. If the main character cannot shrink, you could give buy a level or two of shrinking with the Limitation that only the duplicate can use it. You could even make it permanent by declaring it to be Size rather than Shrinking.

So, Duplication 1 [Limit: not usable in combat], + Shrinking 1 [Limit: Duplicate only] = 1 Point

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:31 pm
by Boost
Or, alternatively, Summoning Linked with Telepathy

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:30 am
by dugfromthearth
I think Protheuz is on the right track

I remember an old thread for another game where a player wanted the ability (from a comic) to mark people by touch with a magic symbol that only he could see and he could see at great distances, through people and stuff. He was looking at images and illusions and all sorts of things. Someone said - buy detect only works on people you've touched, the symbol is a special effect.

That's what you have hear by the sound of it. The ability to see and hear from a location other than the character, with the limitation that it is a bug that can be destroyed. The rest is special effect.

Buy the effect, not the special effetc.