why is duplication cheaper than compartmentalized mind?

[B9anders]

At a glance, it seems to me that compartmentalized mind is just duplication (limited:mental only; non-switchable). Duplication gives all the benefits of compartmentalized mind, except for subtlety, yet compartmentalized mind costs 15 points more.

what am I missing? what does compartmentalized mind give that makes it such a potent trait compared to duplication?

[chimchim]

My guess would be the ability of the subject with two compartments ability to use a defensive and offensive mental ability at the same tiime.
yes the duplicates can do this but one will have defences and the other not (though they also have twice the hit points etc).

[the_matrix_walker]

It's not cheaper when you consider that for dupes to have gear, it's +100%

The actions of a compartmentalized mind are always coordinated, Dupes will have to talk to coordinate like anyone else once they are split.

Duplication takes a second of concentration to activate, CM is always at the ready (and in use).
Also, I think Duplication gets a bit of a price break from the extra hazards involved....

It's always obvious.

Two characters in Melee means you are providing two targets.

When a character has backups, I think many GM's would be more willing to let a dupe die than a full blown character. (This might be a little "meta" but II know I fudge for my players to keep them alive all the time...)

I'll ponder it more, but there are some good reasons to start with off the top of my head....

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

It's not cheaper when you consider that for dupes to have gear, it's +100%

AND you have to buy each item of gear as Signature Gear.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

The actions of a compartmentalized mind are always coordinated, Dupes will have to talk to coordinate like anyone else once they are split.

Yep. You can buy "Racial" telepathy for your dupes, but that adds more points

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Also, I think Duplication gets a bit of a price break from the extra hazards involved....

To clarify: nobody can shoot you in the Compartmentalized Mind, removing it. Anyone can shoot you in the Dupe, removing IT. And AOE attacks are real murder.

[B9anders]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

It's not cheaper when you consider that for dupes to have gear, it's +100%

Originally Posted by Bruno

AND you have to buy each item of gear as Signature Gear.

CM doesn't get gear either, so they seem pretty equal in that regard. CM enjoys two instances of all mental powers and traits. Duplication gets that and two instances of all powers and traits.

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Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

The actions of a compartmentalized mind are always coordinated, Dupes will have to talk to coordinate like anyone else once they are split.

Ok, so there is one benefit besides subtlety.

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Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Duplication takes a second of concentration to activate, CM is always at the ready (and in use).

This is simply a function of Duplication being switchable and CM lacking this feature. For an extra five points, CM can do the same.

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Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Two characters in Melee means you are providing two targets.

Originally Posted by Bruno

To clarify: nobody can shoot you in the Compartmentalized Mind, removing it. Anyone can shoot you in the Dupe, removing IT. And AOE attacks are real murder.

This is a feature of Duplication, not a drawback. I'd certainly prefer to have my enemies spreading the fire between me and my dupe than concentrating it on me and my comparmentalized mind.

[A gun-toting madman points his shotgun your way:]

[CM Scenario] "The enemy shot your body with CM. You're dead."

[Dupe scenario]"The enemy shot your duplicated body. It's dead. Your remaining dupe lives on though."

[the_matrix_walker]

That CM functions similarly enough in some situations to refer to it as mental duplication, but it is not a modified version. It also gives some resistance to mind control and doubles mental inefficiency for purely mental tasks (psychic, cyber, etc)

CM's usefulness is ubiquitous, Duplication is far less so. Especially if abilities must be kept secret.

[Saabre]

Originally Posted by B9anders

CM doesn't get gear either, so they seem pretty equal in that regard. CM enjoys two instances of all mental powers and traits. Duplication gets that and two instances of all powers and traits.

Not really, someone with 1 or more CM that has an item granting them Great Haste has all of his CM benefit from the haste as well. While someone with Duplication has to either spend points to make it Signature Gear as well as points to have their SG Duplicated as well or buy multiples of the item. In the case of the latter each duplicate would then have to spend the time to equip the items as well.

Another example is armor with CM you only need one instance of the armor while with Duplication you again have to either spend the extra points or buy multiple suits of armor (which can take a long time to put on).

Originally Posted by B9anders

[A gun-toting madman points his shotgun your way:]

[CM Scenario] "The enemy shot your body with CM. You're dead."

[Dupe scenario]"The enemy shot your duplicated body. It's dead. Your remaining dupe lives on though."

This is definitely an advantage of Duplication over CM.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by B9anders

Duplication gives all the benefits of compartmentalized mind, except for subtlety, yet compartmentalized mind costs 15 points more.

CM is/was based on ATR.

[Lamech]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

It's not cheaper when you consider that for dupes to have gear, it's +100%

Yeah, that's ten points of increased wealth. Its only important if you try to switch it. And only for the first few levels of dupe. And it only matters for gear that needs to be bought for each individual.

Duplication takes a second of concentration to activate, CM is always at the ready (and in use).

You can leave it on. In fact, always on is a -20% limitation. Soo... remove 7 points from the cost per level.

The actions of a compartmentalized mind are always coordinated, Dupes will have to talk to coordinate like anyone else once they are split.

This is a bit more costly. Telesend (30 points-limitation for only dupes+video) and mental rapport (5-10.) So maybe 40 points in total.

It's always obvious.

That's kind of annoying.

Two characters in Melee means you are providing two targets.

If they split fire that only helps. They could just focus fire and kill the CM character.

When a character has backups, I think many GM's would be more willing to let a dupe die than a full blown character. (This might be a little "meta" but II know I fudge for my players to keep them alive all the time...)

There's all ready a trait designed to make the GM more willing to kill characters. Cursed.

So after you pay a wealth tax, and a mental contact tax, (60 points for ten dupes) then you only need to pay 28 per dupe. So 88 at one, 116 at 2 and 144 at three. (At which point CM is more expensive.)

Duplicate is obvious, but CM doesn't provide extra physical actions. Its also more annoying to lug around sometimes. More logistical issues. There is also a weird thing where one of the advantages of CM (the contact between minds) doesn't normally follow a linear progression, but it needs too for compartmentalized mind. All in all its fairly reasonable.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by Lamech

Yeah, that's ten points of increased wealth. Its only important if you try to switch it. And only for the first few levels of dupe. And it only matters for gear that needs to be bought for each individual.

Wealth doesn't enter into it. Duplication enhanced to copy equipment only copies Signature Gear bought with points.

Originally Posted by Lamech

If they split fire that only helps. They could just focus fire and kill the CM character.

If you are alone that's true, but in a small group where it is somewhat random who gets attacks, you have twice the chances of being affected.