The GURPS Meta-Tech Hype Thread

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by whswhs

I'm interested in Cthulhutech, Materials, and Necromantic, which seem to be original and without parallels in other material. And I'm curious about the +3.5 for Cosmic: I'm accustomed to treating the Cosmic PM as +50%, not as +350%. If anyone can shed light on how their BCMs were derived, it would be appreciated.

I believe Cthulhutech gets its -0.4 BCM from that Fright Check rule, which sounds like something out of Horror but I don't recognize it. However, the fact Corrupting -20% can replace it (and is -0.2 BCM if combined with it) implies to me that there's another -20% in there somewhere.

Necromantic is straightforward - the only drawback it comes with by default is a Reaction Penalty (a hefty one, at -4), but this is explicitly treated as a Feature on account of being readily concealed. Personally, I'd be inclined to have an option where it's only concealed when not in use, such that you'll always get worse reactions while actively using the item; that should be around -0.2 BCM, as a general -4 to Reaction Rolls is worth [-20] (although you could lessen that if there are notable groups that don't react poorly, or even react more positively, using the guidelines from Reputation; if Necromancers and Undead together count as a large group, that's a x2/3 multiplier to leave them out, for [-13] - and if they also react to someone using Necromantic items at +2, that would be worth [5], making the above [-8], which would round to -0.1 BCM). The others are optional, at -0.1 BCM - -10% as Limitations - each, with the exception of the -0.8 BCM - -80% - for requiring the sacrifice of a soul.

The Cosmic Origin has No Roll Required +300% baked into it, as well as using standard Extra Effort rules rather than the harsher ones for MTD's. Personally, I'd also have them ignore the harsher rules for Critical Failures (for those cases where a roll is required, like making attacks).

EDIT: I missed that you asked about Materials as well. Yeah, I think that has too many parts for me to figure out an "Under The Hood" for either.