[Powers] The Power of... Gadgeteering?

[dataweaver]

Maybe make the keystone ability be some sort of repair/sabotage ability? Everyone gets so caught up in the gadgeteer's ability to make new stuff and as features that they tend to forget that he's also good at patching up busted gear.

[Michael Thayne]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

Maybe make the keystone ability be some sort of repair/sabotage ability? Everyone gets so caught up in the gadgeteer's ability to make new stuff and as features that they tend to forget that he's also good at patching up busted gear.

It might make sense to make this an ability, but as an extension of the theme of Sorcery / Chi Sorcery, an improvisation-based ability probably makes the most sense.

[Michael Thayne]

More abilities on the general "Frickin' Lasers" model. Most need no explanation, though I got a bit creative for Tactical Suit:

Blaster

Statistics: Afflictions 1 (Advantages, Burning Strike, Penetrating Weapon (5), and Precise Gear +2, +1,540%; Based on Own IQ Roll, +20%; Cosmic, Duration is cumulative, +100%; Delay, Triggered, +50%; No Signature, +20%; Immediate Preparation Required, 2d-1 × 10 minutes, -45%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; Guns Only, -60%; Gadgeteering, -0%) [170].

Disintigrator

Statistics: Afflictions 1 (Advantages, Corrosive Strike, Penetrating Weapon (∞), and Precise Gear +3, +2,620%; Based on Own IQ Roll, +20%; Cosmic, Duration is cumulative, +100%; Delay, Triggered, +50%; No Signature, +20%; Immediate Preparation Required, 2d-1 × 10 minutes, -45%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; Guns Only, -60%; Gadgeteering, -0%) [268].

Gravity Beam

Statistics: Afflictions 1 (Advantages, Crushing Strike, Forceful Blow, Precise Gear +3, and Supreme Control (No Wounding), +1,000%; Based on Own IQ Roll, +20%; Cosmic, Duration is cumulative, +100%; Delay, Triggered, +50%; No Signature, +20%; Immediate Preparation Required, 2d-1 × 10 minutes, -45%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; Guns Only, -60%; Gadgeteering, -0%) [116].

Laser-Resistant Armor

This allows you to modify a suit of armor to provide double DR vs. burning damage.

Statistics: Afflictions 1 (Advantages, Fireproof Armor, +340%; Based on Own IQ Roll, +20%; Cosmic, Duration is cumulative, +100%; Delay, Triggered, +50%; No Signature, +20%; Immediate Preparation Required, 2d-1 × 10 minutes, -45%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; Flexible Armor Only, -40%; Gadgeteering, -0%) [40].

Tactical Suit

This lets you build a tacsuit that has the weight and DR of a flexible ballistic vest, but which covers your entire body.

Statistics: Afflictions 1 (Advantages, Expand Armor, +220%; Based on Own IQ Roll, +20%; Cosmic, Duration is cumulative, +100%; Delay, Triggered, +50%; No Signature, +20%; Immediate Preparation Required, 2d-1 × 10 minutes, -45%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; Flexible Armor Only, -40%; Gadgeteering, -0%) [40].

[Michael Thayne]

Something I'm considering, not confident of: I think it might make sense to use combination skills to bring down the cost of the weapon buffs. This requires adding additional levels of "Reduced FP Cost" under the hood, but prevents you from having to pay for the Imbue advantage multiple times, which is kind of silly.

For the laser, this means the basic "advantage" costs 17 points + 16 points for two levels of "precise attack". This is then multiplied by 2.4, for the two extra levels of Reduced FP Cost. This makes the advantage worth 80 points, and means the Frickin' Laser ability "only" needs a +800% version of the Advantages enhancement, and costs 96 points in total. Similarly, under this approach the Blaster ability should cost 115 points.

The Disintegrator ability, on the other hand, would become 10 points more expensive. For the Gravity Beam ability, it probably shouldn't be a single combination skill because the "no wounding" option can be flipped on or off independently, and by my math using one regular imbuement skill and one combination skill increases the cost by 2 points. So neither approach is entirely satisfactory to me, though I lean towards the "combination skill" approach, since putting a reasonable price on the ability to build frickin' lasers seems pretty important.

[Michael Thayne]

As I think more about abilities for creating space-opera spacecraft, I wonder if modifying large vehicles should take a size penalty, per the sidebar on Powers p. 40. On reflection, that might fall into the category of strongly recommended for game-balance purposes. Something like the Stardrive ability, which only works on large vehicles, might get Reliable +4.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Random thought: I wonder if you can combine changing the world from PU5 in here somehow.

[Michael Thayne]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Random thought: I wonder if you can combine changing the world from PU5 in here somehow.

Oh, that's a good idea, particularly for Allies and maybe Snatcher. I've been thinking of doing something with Snatcher, but haven't quite figured out the details yet.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

Oh, that's a good idea, particularly for Allies and maybe Snatcher. I've been thinking of doing something with Snatcher, but haven't quite figured out the details yet.

See, then you could adapt Enchant as "lab time" to create more permanent effects.

[Michael Thayne]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

See, then you could adapt Enchant as "lab time" to create more permanent effects.

That was the point of "Permanent Modification".

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

That was the point of "Permanent Modification".

Right you are. My eyes glazed over that for some reason. Again, really nifty idea.