11-18-2016, 11:08 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Nov 2016
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Inquiry In Regards to Robots
Ok, let's get right to it. I'm beginning my epic adventure in being a GM in GURPS. A friend of mine wants to play a robot, however he wants specifics. So let's look at those specifics:
-Electricity as a weapon (I.E. a shoulder cannon that fires arcs of electricity.) -Vibroblade (That's doable) -Seeing people's electrical currents in the human body through walls. -Powered by fusion Now considering these choices, and the fact that I'm not too familiar with GURPS on it's own, how do I proceed? Can this be done? If so how? If not, what can be done? |
11-18-2016, 11:30 PM | #2 | |
Join Date: Nov 2004
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Re: Inquiry In Regards to Robots
Quote:
-IA with cutting, impaling, armor divisor, melee, st-based -Probably Detect, with some limitations -Doesn't Eat or Drink, Doesn't Breathe, maybd Doesn't Sleep, probably Maintenance |
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11-18-2016, 11:37 PM | #3 |
Dog of Lysdexics
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Melbourne FL, Formerly Wellington NZ
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Re: Inquiry In Regards to Robots
First Make sure to Check out the Machine Meta Trained in Basic set.
Assuming you want these weapon built into his robot form. For Electrical Attack you problem want Innate Attack (Burn) with the Surge enhancement! (the Basic set is missing some of it's text, the full text can be found in Powers and Power-ups: Enhancements) the Vibroblade you want Innate Attack (Cut) with Melee Attack limitation, and the Armor Divisor enhancement the seeming though Walls is Penetrating Vision advantage with Accessibly (Biological lifeforms only -20%) and probably "Sense Based, Vission, Reversed) so that it's linked to your eyes. the Powered but fusion again look at the machine meta trains for Traits like Doens't Eat and Doesn't sleep and related advantages of a tireless machine |
11-19-2016, 02:21 AM | #4 |
Night Watchman
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Re: Inquiry In Regards to Robots
Meta-traits start on p262, and the Machine meta-trait is on p263.
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The Path of Cunning. Indexes: DFRPG Characters, Advantage of the Week, Disadvantage of the Week, Skill of the Week, Techniques. |
11-19-2016, 02:36 AM | #5 |
Join Date: Mar 2013
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Re: Inquiry In Regards to Robots
I'd suggest checking out some of the Transhuman Space stuff
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11-19-2016, 04:19 AM | #6 |
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Göttingen, Germany
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Re: Inquiry In Regards to Robots
Starting with the Machine Meta-Trait is definitely a good idea, you already invested 25 CP at that point. How much CP can you spend for the character? Buying a bunch of Innate Attacks and special machine Advantages won't be cheap...
The player should probably focus on some specific advantages, because the general idea to be a humanoid robot usually includes too many points, being very strong, very intelligent (with digital mind), having special robot weapons etc. And even more important: The player should point out what are the <weaknesses> of that char, being a powerful robot char usually means getting a lot of disadvantages to pay the bill for the cool features. Also that makes the char more interesting and fun to play, because these weaknesses are an important part of creating a team member, giving others the opportunity to fill out the gaps. E.g. one fun idea could be something like: No Fine Manipulators [-30] : The robot - as a combat system - is not designed for fine work like using human tools, repairing things etc., so it has only quite rough gripping devices to lift or hold something. Also 'Reprogrammable' is a classic robot disadvantage for example, giving you as the GM a plot hook to exploit that once in a while... ;) E.g. when the player accesses a network, database, other machines/devices, at some point there will be a virus infection, forcing a 'maintenance reboot' at a later time or so... ;) Last edited by OldSam; 11-19-2016 at 04:42 AM. |
11-19-2016, 08:15 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Re: Inquiry In Regards to Robots
Game mechanically, of course you can do any of those things. But there are larger questions that frame them.
How realistic is your campaign meant to be? Are you going for an accurate portrayal of technology as it really works, or a cartoonish or Golden Age supers effect where any handwavy rationale for an ability is okay if it sounds plausible, or something in between? The electric arc weapon, for example, probably isn't going to work in a "hard sf" physically realistic campaign, both because of the insanely high voltages needed to produce arcs of any length and because lightning is hard to aim. How high is the TL? At TL9, if fusion is available, it will take a power plant that can't be installed in anything short of a large ship. At TL12, you may be able to justify a tiny plant inside a humanoid body. What's the point budget for your campaign? On a typical 100 or 150 points, you won't be able to pay for a lot of innate attacks; just Doesn't Eat or Drink and Doesn't Breathe (the game mechanical equivalent of "fusion power plant") are 30 points. On a low-end superheroic 250 points, you can do a bit more. If all the PCs are built on 500 points, nothing you mentioned seems like a problem as far as cost is concerned.
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Bill Stoddard I don't think we're in Oz any more. |
11-19-2016, 01:12 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Feb 2014
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Re: Inquiry In Regards to Robots
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolaser
Aiming lightning is easy-peasy once you can create a conductive trail in the air. |
11-19-2016, 01:16 PM | #9 | |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Re: Inquiry In Regards to Robots
Quote:
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Bill Stoddard I don't think we're in Oz any more. |
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11-19-2016, 01:34 PM | #10 | ||
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: Inquiry In Regards to Robots
I'm going to answer in two ways - how to handle this with just Basic Set, and how to handle this with supplements.
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If you have Power Ups 4, Arcing Surge would be a good option (reduces DR of metallic armor to 1). Quite - Cutting Innate Attack with appropriate damage and Armor Divisor, with a similar Impaling Innate Attack as an Alternate Ability, would work well. My own preference, however, would be to build it as a Natural Weapon (Pyramid #3/65), which would be pretty straightforward. You could alternatively use Based on ST from Powers / Power Ups 4. Quote:
If you have Powers: Enhanced Senses, Detect with Precise, Analyzing, and Targeting could be nasty. EDIT: I should note that any ability that can detect electricity well enough to find people will be able to flawlessly trace electrical wiring within walls, machines, and so forth, and will also function as a compass, for Absolute Direction. Humans generate very, very little electricity - unless going with a rubber science setting (which is fine!), you might want to have some other explanation for the character's ability to see through walls. As noted, this will generally mean the character doesn't need to worry about food, water, etc. If nuclear dampening fields exist in your setting, the character would have a Weakness toward them. If you have Powers and nuclear dampening fields exist, consider having some of the character's traits (Advantages, some Attribute levels, etc) have the Nuclear Power Modifier, and you'll want to use the Power guidelines to build that (will probably be -5%, but higher is possible depending on your setting). This will give the character a small discount on his traits, in exchange for losing them if he ever gets stuck inside a nuclear dampening field. Last edited by Varyon; 11-19-2016 at 01:37 PM. |
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