Steampunk - Magical Control of Steam-Bots

[Nedorus]

OK, I've finally decided. It is:

Originally Posted by Nedorus

Option 3
I haven't run the numbers yet. But the idea would be to grant the Steamjack the power to borrow / steal a skill (Imbuement skill) from the Warcaster and pay for it with the casters QP using a reverse version 'Drains Familiar' ability (DF5:20) called 'Drains Warcaster' which is really a very basic QP-Energy Reserve costing maybe 1 point each.
Aleksei built the Sorcery version of 'Steal Skill' on Telepathic Learning which is a modular ability from PSI16 throwing in a Power Theft +200% enhancement taken from the Neutralize trait. I really like that idea!

The ability now consists of several parts:

1. The Steamjack receives the Imbue trait (as per Power-Ups 1: Imbuements but with the Magical -10% modifier)
2. The Steamjack gets a 'Drains Warcaster' QP-Energy Reserve with a maximum number of QP per 10 minutes set by level. 1 point per level, max 4.
3. The steamjack gets a version of the Telepathic Learning trait (from Psionic Powers PSI16).

Telepathic Learning receives some rather drastic limitations to fit the world.

Borrow Imbuements 1
A Steamjack can tap into his Warcaster's knowledge to use his Imbuement Skills. This is a free action. using the skills follows the rules set forth in Power-Ups 1: Imbuements and Pyramid#3-4: Magic on the Battlefield.
The Steamjack can ONLY borrow skills his Warcaster knows, ONLY imbuement skills and the Warcaster must be within 10 meter (10 yards) of the Steamjack borrowing the skill.
The Steamjack can borrow skills worth up to a number of character points of 2^level of Borrow Imbuements (2, 4, 8). These can be split among more than one skill. Skills cannot be borrowed at a higher character point level than the Warcaster has in that skill.
The Steamjack can borrow and immediately use a skill e.g. as part of an Attack maneuver.

Statistics: Telepathic Learning 2 (Trait Limited: Imbuement Skills Only -10%; Accessibility: Skills from own Warcaster Only -50%; Magical -10%; Range Limit (10 meter) -50% (this is taken from Warp, the only modifier I could find that would limit something down from a mile to 10m); Reduced Time 2 +40%) [3]
Each further level adds 2 levels of Telepathic Learning and 1 level of Reduced Time for 9 and 23 points.

This ability is usable as a free action and thus can be used to get the skill and immediately use it to imbue a weapon, armor etc. as part of an Attack, Move and Attack or All Out Attack etc.

As a side, my Steamjacks do not have QP (I use that to power my Imbuements) of their own. That's where the 'Drains Warcaster' comes in. Basically the Warcaster now learns the skills and provides the energy (QP) while the Steamjack uses it in its attacks.

I was thinking of adding "Sense bases, reversed (Vision)" (or Hearing maybe) into the mix to mimic the Warcaster giving signals to the Steamjack to "power up and get mean" but since that wouldn't have made a difference to the point cost I decided against it...

Let me know what you think.