Building a Ruyi Jingu Bang with Advantages

[Ronin Roukyou]

I have a player in an upcoming supers campaign who would like to play a character who is essentially Sun Wukong, the monkey king from the old Chinese story Journey to the West. The issue I am faced with is exactly how we would simulate the Ruyi Jingu Bang, or as Dragon Ball called it, the Power Pole. One of Sun Wukong's artifactsl, pretty much his quintessential artifact. The way I figured on going about this was to create it as an innate attack with gadget limitations.
The predominant issue it's ability to grow in size, I considered doing it as simply as the increased range modifier with the selectivity modifier, or as complicated as attempting to customize the Growth advantage for gadgets. Neither of which felt right. Point costs aren't really an issue, she's reserved an large, and probably unnecessary, amount of points to make sure that she could have this ability.
So, basically, if anyone has suggestions on how to accomplish this ability that would be amazing. The character sounds interesting and she is very interested in playing it, so I'd like her to be able to play it as accurate as she can. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Refplace]

Well the key to figuring out a GURPS power is not what it looks like but waht does it actually do?
I saw the movie but am unable to remember anything about the staff growing.
If it can extend reach buy stretching, probably with reflexive and reduced time so it can stretch quickly and act like a block. Buy this with force extension so the PC does not take damage if the limb is hit.
Probably also enhanced defense parry.
If the staff can do things as if it were controlled even when not in contact then think about Extra Arm with Independent Body parts.
If buy Extra Arm go with long arm for the damage bonus.
Extra Striking ST is common for many weapons.

[Agramer]

Originally Posted by Ronin Roukyou

I have a player in an upcoming supers campaign who would like to play a character who is essentially Sun Wukong, the monkey king from the old Chinese story Journey to the West. The issue I am faced with is exactly how we would simulate the Ruyi Jingu Bang, or as Dragon Ball called it, the Power Pole. One of Sun Wukong's artifactsl, pretty much his quintessential artifact. The way I figured on going about this was to create it as an innate attack with gadget limitations.
The predominant issue it's ability to grow in size, I considered doing it as simply as the increased range modifier with the selectivity modifier, or as complicated as attempting to customize the Growth advantage for gadgets. Neither of which felt right. Point costs aren't really an issue, she's reserved an large, and probably unnecessary, amount of points to make sure that she could have this ability.
So, basically, if anyone has suggestions on how to accomplish this ability that would be amazing. The character sounds interesting and she is very interested in playing it, so I'd like her to be able to play it as accurate as she can. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

If you just want weapon to change reach at will than use GURPS Power ups 1,
Specifically Telescoping Weapon Imbuement.

[Gorkamorka]

Ruyi Jingu Bang is more then just a weapon with alternative reach. If my sons books on the monkey king are correct then it can be ANY size the owner wants. From a toothpick you can hide in your pocket to a pole that stands on the bottom of the sea and reaches to the sky.

Add to that the fact that it can not be broken (The monkey king broke all the weapons he tried before finding it) and it gives you some sort of martial bonuses and you start to get closer to what it is in the stories. It´s probably more like a Mary Sue of weapons.

[Bruno]

Open ended abilities with no limitations are notoriously difficult to price in GURPS - I think the Superman solutions are probably overkill for "a pole that can be any lenght" but "unlimited amounts of Stretching that don't even take Extra Effort rolls" is like "invulnerability to fire" - aka "Unlimited amounts of DR vs Fire" and probably has the same general solution.

IE pick how long is the "practical limit" and only charge for that, possibly plus an extra buffer for "wiggle room", and then note it as limitless.

Reaching "to the moon" isn't something that's likely to come up, much like in most games enduring the heat of the sun isn't a regular requirement. The practical limit might be "across the Pacific ocean" or "across all of China" (which obviously assumes either a bendy pole or a flat Earth) - but the practical limit is likely something more modest like "from here to the horizon".

This is, of course, assuming your player wants a literal Ruyi Jingu Bang and isn't playing with tight point limits, instead of being happy with "something like it, but much more affordable".

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Bruno

IE pick how long is the "practical limit" and only charge for that, possibly plus an extra buffer for "wiggle room", and then note it as limitless.

Or use the GURPS Supers solution: Buy the high level for routine use, and then buy Ultrapower for special situations. Possibly with a big Energy Reserve only for use with that one power.

Bill Stoddard

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by Ronin Roukyou

The predominant issue it's ability to grow in size, I considered doing it as simply as the increased range modifier with the selectivity modifier, or as complicated as attempting to customize the Growth advantage for gadgets. Neither of which felt right. Point costs aren't really an issue, she's reserved an large, and probably unnecessary, amount of points to make sure that she could have this ability.

Sounds like a candidate for the Jet enhancement, actually.