Monster concept: technovore

[SolemnGolem]

Thanks for the input on the names. There was also a post that suggested using TL as a penalty to DR or the HT check - I like that and I think I'll work that in too.

Proteus: it would appear that this discussion is too vague for your tastes. Thank you for your input; we need not vex you any further.

[Proteus]

Originally Posted by SolemnGolem

It would appear that this discussion is too vague for your tastes. Thank you for your input; we need not vex you any further.

In other words, you want to work out the mechanics for an ability even though you haven't defined its nature or scope, and you'd rather ignore the issues than discuss them?

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Kuroshima

Again, what I used was a nature of the realm, so I didn't price it. I would not price it for a monster either, unless it was an Ally. I might use Static for it though, if I modeled it with advantages.

A shrewd policy, that might be applied to the OP's problem.

I used to advocate it often, but the idea seems to bother some. Maybe GURPS just attracts a lot of constructivists *rolleyesgrin*

[SolemnGolem]

So the Nature of the Realm concept is from the Supers sourcebook, then? I initially held off buying that because I wasn't sure I'd use it all that much (never really got into four-color comics as a kid), but if it's got things that could port into fantasy or movie-style games, maybe I should make an e23 purchase. Any pointers on this?

Static from Basic just interferes with things by stopping their function, right? I'd need to add in something else for the cartoon style explosion at the end when the devices fall apart?

[Kuroshima]

Originally Posted by SolemnGolem

So the Nature of the Realm concept is from the Supers sourcebook, then? I initially held off buying that because I wasn't sure I'd use it all that much (never really got into four-color comics as a kid), but if it's got things that could port into fantasy or movie-style games, maybe I should make an e23 purchase. Any pointers on this?

Static from Basic just interferes with things by stopping their function, right? I'd need to add in something else for the cartoon style explosion at the end when the devices fall apart?

No it was my own idea, partly influenced by Ars Magica Regios. I guess I also took inspiration from Thaumatology and Infinite worlds

[SolemnGolem]

Another update, to show my working.

Name: I'll go with "Technophthore" as the name of this creature. I like the tongue-twister.

Power-wise, I think I'll make this a two-part power. I'm not even attempting to price this, because it's intended for use as an NPC monster that the PCs will have to overcome. Anybody hoping to play as something with these powers is welcome to price them for me, though. :)

Passive aura: First, the Technophthore passively emits an aura that automatically deadens small technological artifacts around it. This is first modeled with Lifebane (tech), but affects only small crafted artifacts - so things like arrowheads or bullets or even nanoswarms will fall apart. The reaction penalty applies to any human (or other race) that uses anything equivalent to tools or better. The stealth penalty also would apply if in a highly built up place where technological stuff unraveling would attract attention - e.g. loose screws, staples, nails, chips, etc. all falling about as a comical trail of technological failure-entropy following it.

For bigger things, the creature has a passive Innate Attack that slowly lowers the HP of technological items. Its area effect is a 10m radius, and it does 1 point of HP damage per round. In my campaign, the creature does not actually "seek out" technical stuff to screw up, so even if the creature often moves through an area with technology in it, it usually wouldn't destroy them all in one pass. If it were to take a nap under something, like a CCTV camera, however, that would be a different matter...

Tech Resistance: It could get some arbitrary level of DR against something by tech level. 20/TL sounds like a decent starting point. Without getting into the philosophy or physics behind it, this is a GM's way of making the creature relatively hard to kill at a distance with advanced arms, but not entirely invulnerable. (It also feeds into the comedy/cartoon trope of PCs resorting to stuff that levels the surrounding area just to kill the Technophthore, in the best traditions of Wile E. Coyote and Daffy Duck.)

Active anti-tech power: The Technophthore can also use an Affliction that lowers HT of stuff around it, as well as doing actual HP damage to it. This is similar to a Malediction, creating an area effect of 10m radius, and it lowers HT by 1 per TL and HP damage equal to 1d per TL.

I haven't tested these numbers out so they may need some fine tuning, but that's a starting point for a write-up for now.

Just in case anybody is interested in the IMC stats of this creature, I'm basing it off of a Cat (B456) but it's missing most of the traits common to carnivores, and it's definitely not a Domestic Animal.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by SolemnGolem

For bigger things, the creature has a passive Innate Attack that slowly lowers the HP of technological items. Its area effect is a 10m radius, and it does 1 point of HP damage per round. In my campaign, the creature does not actually "seek out" technical stuff to screw up, so even if the creature often moves through an area with technology in it, it usually wouldn't destroy them all in one pass. If it were to take a nap under something, like a CCTV camera, however, that would be a different matter...

By 'round', you mean 'second'? That's pretty severe, and would make the presence of such a creature worse than a mere nuisance to high-tech users, as many common items would break down in short order from the accumulated damage. Is that what you're going for?

[SolemnGolem]

Hmm, it looks like I'm still stuck in DnD-think, where a "round" is more than a second.

I guess it would be something more akin to a pause of a few minutes to disassemble simple things, up to an hour for more sturdy mechanisms. What would the appropriate damage rate be for that?

(I am not very familiar with GURPS' rules for vehicles, machines, and innate objects beyond whatever is in Campaigns, which has a few nifty rules of thumb but not really an in-depth discussion.)

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by SolemnGolem

I guess it would be something more akin to a pause of a few minutes to disassemble simple things, up to an hour for more sturdy mechanisms. What would the appropriate damage rate be for that?

Something like an Exposure Innate Attack with a base Delay of a minute might do it, I guess, as far as the timescale is concerned.

[Atreyu_Hibiki]

Here's an alternative: Give the creature an Aura Affliction: Low TL. Give it the special effect of "machines malfunction when used" instead of "We don't know how to use them anymore". Done.