Creating Minions Without Spending Character Points (Directly) or otherwise Using Ally

[Minuteman37]

Ok so I'm helping a friend build a setting where a certain kind of magic exists that allows people to summon spirits and bind them to material objects (corpses, golems etc.) or bind them to their person and have control over them.

Now I'm not too keen on using allies for this process simply since the cost of an ally is relevant to your point total and besides this making the actual process of binding confusing wihtin setting (why can a 300 point accountant who binds as a hobby summon more powerful beings then a 100 point professional binder?) the PCs aren't going to be following a strict point total like in many normal GURPS games.

Any thoughts on a system for this that isn't terribly setting specific?

[Nereidalbel]

Can these minions be bought and sold? If so, stat them up via Metatronic Generators, and tell your players to invest in Wealth or Independent Income if they want to routinely bring minions along.

[sir_pudding]

Use basically any other magic system besides magical powers?

[Minuteman37]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

Can these minions be bought and sold? If so, stat them up via Metatronic Generators, and tell your players to invest in Wealth or Independent Income if they want to routinely bring minions along.

Yes the minions can be bought and sold. An issue I have with using Metatronics is that the larger the creation the less expensive it gets while that may make sense in the context of gadgets when we're talking about machines of war bigger is generally better... humm, I suppose packing more features into a smaller frame does still have appeal so I don't know....

Besides that though, this is a campaign that will last through the advancements of several TLs and it wouldn't make any sense for these bindings to get MORE expensive as time went on.... I'm just not sure how to tackle this.

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by Minuteman37

Yes the minions can be bought and sold. An issue I have with using Metatronics is that the larger the creation the less expensive it gets while that may make sense in the context of gadgets when we're talking about machines of war bigger is generally better... humm, I suppose packing more features into a smaller frame does still have appeal so I don't know....

Besides that though, this is a campaign that will last through the advancements of several TLs and it wouldn't make any sense for these bindings to get MORE expensive as time went on.... I'm just not sure how to tackle this.

Higher TL bindings get more expensive because they have better "bodies" to inhabit. Don't tell me you wouldn't be willing to pay more to have a spirit bonded to a tank than you would do a bronze statue of a horse. You're paying more, but, you get better speed, durability, carrying capacity, etc.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Minuteman37

Ok so I'm helping a friend build a setting where a certain kind of magic exists that allows people to summon spirits and bind them to material objects (corpses, golems etc.) or bind them to their person and have control over them.

Now I'm not too keen on using allies for this process simply since the cost of an ally is relevant to your point total and besides this making the actual process of binding confusing wihtin setting (why can a 300 point accountant who binds as a hobby summon more powerful beings then a 100 point professional binder?)

Well he probably can't since he'd be binding 25% spirits while the professional is binding 150% spirits. But there is another approach. Go skill-based. The power of the spirits you bind is a penalty on the skill.

[Minuteman37]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

Higher TL bindings get more expensive because they have better "bodies" to inhabit. Don't tell me you wouldn't be willing to pay more to have a spirit bonded to a tank than you would do a bronze statue of a horse. You're paying more, but, you get better speed, durability, carrying capacity, etc.

But those things also have an inherent cost associated with them Tank Price > Clay Golem price. Another thing to consider is the relevant point cost of items vs their bound spirits. Is the ghost of General Patton 300 points becouse he's a ghost of a competent General or 1,300 points becouse he's the above who also happens to be possessing an m1 abrams main battle tank?

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by Minuteman37

Yes the minions can be bought and sold. An issue I have with using Metatronics is that the larger the creation the less expensive it gets while that may make sense in the context of gadgets when we're talking about machines of war bigger is generally better... humm, I suppose packing more features into a smaller frame does still have appeal so I don't know....

Besides that though, this is a campaign that will last through the advancements of several TLs and it wouldn't make any sense for these bindings to get MORE expensive as time went on.... I'm just not sure how to tackle this.

How many can they summon? What limits how powerful they are? Another way to create 'minions' is to use TK with Compartmentalized Mind or Independent and the modifier (enhancement?) that your TK animates objects.

Actually, I don't know why I didn't think of the Golem spell. That completely allows you to just make minions, and with GM say, however you want. That's probably the simplest way, if obnoxious.

[Minuteman37]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

How many can they summon? What limits how powerful they are? Another way to create 'minions' is to use TK with Compartmentalized Mind or Independent and the modifier (enhancement?) that your TK animates objects.

Actually, I don't know why I didn't think of the Golem spell. That completely allows you to just make minions, and with GM say, however you want. That's probably the simplest way, if obnoxious.

The number of summons a binder can have is only dependent on the amount of relevant material, and the time available, modifed by his skill level of course.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Minuteman37

The number of summons a binder can have is only dependent on the amount of relevant material, and the time available, modifed by his skill level of course.

Once again, looks like a skill based effect.