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Old 12-26-2020, 12:57 PM   #1
Mark Skarr
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Default Duplication + Construct, some questions

Couldn't find an answer to this question, but my Google-Fu is always lacking.

So, in Powers, the enhancement Construct, for Duplication states:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Powers, pg 48
Your Dupes are material projections under your mental control.
So, a couple of questions:

#1, Does a character with Construct require Telecommunication to coordinate their dupes as indicated in
Quote:
Originally Posted by Characters, pg 51
Dupes have no special ability to coordinate with one another. For that, buy Telesend.
My thought is "No, that's covered by part of the +60% for the cost as Construct states that they are under your mental control."

#2, Since the Constructs are "under your mental control," does this mean that, in order to use one, you must make a concentrate action on your turn to have one take an action?
My thought is "Yes, get thee some levels of Compartmentalized Mind."
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Old 12-26-2020, 01:03 PM   #2
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Default Re: Duplication + Construct, some questions

Despite the wording of the enhancement I'd say no personally. Duplication + Construct is cheap and powerful enough already without having infinite wireless communication to your copies. Especially if Duplicationwithout construct doesn't give you said unlimited communication.

I think it could be read as "Mental Control" being: they are mentally disposed to always act in your interest, rather than literal control. And the fact that the player presumably RPs all the copies as usual for Duplication.
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Old 12-26-2020, 01:16 PM   #3
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Default Re: Duplication + Construct, some questions

I'd say giving commands to your duplicate required Telecommunication, though I second RedMattis and agree that they're disposed to act in "your" interest.

I wondered if you could use this combination as permanent Extra Life, if you played the Construct and the original version of the character stayed safe somewhere. If mental communication required an extra advantage, I think it'd be fair to say "yes, you can use this as Extra Life, but you don't have any memories from the Construct that died without also buying Telecommunication."

It's not clear to me whether merging a Construct back into the primary body copies their memories or not. Without the ability to "update" the primary body with the memories of the risk-taking duplicates somehow it feels much less useful.
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Old 12-26-2020, 01:17 PM   #4
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Default Re: Duplication + Construct, some questions

But, really, all it's giving you is "No Sympathetic Injury," which is +20%, and the ability to burn 10 FP to replace a construct.

And considering that, to the best of my understanding, it would take a concentrate action to have any of the constructs act, so Duplication 4, with no Compartmentalized Mind would just mean you have the "Create Cover" ability, only one can act at a time.

Basically, if it requires Compartmentalized Mind, it shouldn't require Telesend. If it requires Telesend, it shouldn't require Compartmentalized Mind. If it requires both, it should be, at most, +/-0%, as otherwise it vastly increases the cost, while lowering the utility.
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Old 12-26-2020, 01:19 PM   #5
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Default Re: Duplication + Construct, some questions

Quote:
Originally Posted by Crystalline_Entity View Post
I wondered if you could use this combination as permanent Extra Life, if you played the Construct and the original version of the character stayed safe somewhere. If mental communication required an extra advantage, I think it'd be fair to say "yes, you can use this as Extra Life, but you don't have any memories from the Construct that died without also buying Telecommunication."
No, you cannot do this.

Construct clearly states:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Powers, pg 43
But there’s only one “true you,” and if you die, all your Dupes die with you!
[ETA]
I misread what you said.

The short answer would be, yes, but, as GM, I wouldn't allow that course of action.

Last edited by Mark Skarr; 12-26-2020 at 01:21 PM. Reason: misread the post.
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Old 12-26-2020, 02:50 PM   #6
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Default Re: Duplication + Construct, some questions

My thought is no, the enhancement really is buying you Unkillable/Extra Life for your duplicates and that is it. All dupes are "you" and act in your interest, they are not allies and they are also under player control. Though you dont get coordination without some other ability such as Telesend (or just shouting to each other).
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Old 12-26-2020, 06:07 PM   #7
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Default Re: Duplication + Construct, some questions

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Skarr View Post
P43 if you die, all your Dupes die with you!
I'm kinda wondering how you'd reflect that mechanically: like do they all vanish as if you unsummoned them... or does it leave a bunch of corpses as if they all suffered heart attacks?

"Conjured" variation on "Summonable" allies makes me wonder about that too: Conjured might just be "I summon a random thing that already existed so it goes on continuing to live if I die" but it might also mean "I make things which cease to exist without me"

Best way I can figure is to borrow from Tulpa in Horror (H81) to reflect the latter: give your allies "Vulnerability: Any Attack by Me" and "Dependency: My Desire"

Of course, these are one of those things (kind of like Sense of Duty: Me) where what lowers point value of characters perhaps ought to increase point value of allies since it makes them a lot easier to manage if they have that kind of stuff, especially if they're Unwilling.

Last edited by Plane; 12-26-2020 at 06:13 PM.
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