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Old 06-23-2020, 07:53 PM   #41
Sinzarious
 
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Default Re: DreadStormers (OOC)

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Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich View Post
Three things I note: you still have 4 quirks showing and the points for 5; aren't Careful and Overconfidence contradictory?; and Engineering has Mathematics (Applied) as a prerequisite.

I'll try to finish up my character soon.
Altered the Character Sheet above to reflect the changes (and to limit reposting it multiple times again) You are indeed correct. Thanks for catching that. Removed Careful because it didn't make sense, added The Requisite Math, and also added Physics as it makes sense if I am dealing with Fusion Reactors. Altered Point totals to reflect those changes.
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Old 06-24-2020, 07:22 AM   #42
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Default Re: DreadStormers (OOC)

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Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich View Post
Okay, here's a first draft, minus psi powers. Is artificial gravity common in this setting, or does the ship use spin gravity, or just have micro-gravity (from thrust)? I was considering having Daymar come from an asteroid colony (a Belter) and be an experienced spacer. He is in the Motive section of the ship, focused on the drives, but also can be involved in any EVA repairs from the outside of the ship. Would something like the Zero-G Worksuit (GURPS Ultratech, p. 183) be in use?

Artificial gravity is used in this setting, though its a bit clunky, and takes up a full deck on the ship. It can be sabotaged or damaged, or disabled by cutting off its power. Its looking like you'll both be zero-g competent, so that may be a way to get a nice edge.

Having the skills for both Zero-G and star-drive engines, he's a shoe-in for working on the Plasma Emitters. The ship's hull is covered in around 40 (I think, I'd have to consult the plans) high energy stations that fill hyperspace with ionized hydrogen to create a "hyperspace bubble". They also are necessary for the shields. They occasionally have problems, so a EVA guy on the motive crew is quite useful.




I hadn't thought about what suit such repairs would use. I was thinking about a normal vacc-suit, but the work-suit would work as well. Do you have a preference?


Playing a space-native "Belter" is fine.



I'm a little worried about the bloodlust disadvantage, especially in an undercover roll. How are you imagining it playing out?


Accessibility modifiers don't apply to disadvantages. If you want quirk-level overconfidence against normals, that's fine. Actually, Overconfidence doesn't require you to take unreasonable risks. It forbids you from displaying "an unreasonable degree of caution".


The background skills make me smile.


I haven't processed all your skills yet, but so far, so good.
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Old 06-24-2020, 07:31 AM   #43
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Default Re: DreadStormers (OOC)

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Originally Posted by Sinzarious View Post
So I still have points left, but I redid the Psionics to add up to strictly 100 points. I wanted to put this up to make sure everything is alright before I spend my last few points (most likely just in skills). Again, feel free to say what will work and what wont.


Spoiler:  
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sinzarious View Post
Altered the Character Sheet above to reflect the changes (and to limit reposting it multiple times again) You are indeed correct. Thanks for catching that. Removed Careful because it didn't make sense, added The Requisite Math, and also added Physics as it makes sense if I am dealing with Fusion Reactors. Altered Point totals to reflect those changes.

Engineer is for designing the reactors, not operating or fixing them. Though if you want to sabotauge it I suppose engineer would be useful. Not saying its bad, just making sure you know what you're buying.


Please mark your Alternate abilities as such.

Your PK shield is a touch low if you want to be stopping bullets... though it will stop any hand attack, and no amount will stop an energy beam, so it might be the right amount.



again, just advice, but short range TK is recommended unless you have a way to see through bulk-heads.


I haven't fully processed your skills yet, but other than the above, it looks good.

EDIT:
Both of you might want to look into talents. You're spending most of your points on attributes, and talents can be an awesome way to raise effective attributes.
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Last edited by ericthered; 06-24-2020 at 08:05 AM.
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Old 06-24-2020, 08:08 AM   #44
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Default Re: DreadStormers (OOC)

Marked the Alt Abilities. I took the Engineering because of the character really. He likes to know how things work, and are made, so if he was going to be a mechanic for fusion reactors, he would want to know how to alter it to make it better or at least re-design it so that it would function as desired. Also upped the PK shield by a few levels. Also added Disarm Technique defaulted to his Brawling Skill. Adjusted point totals as well. And added a perk I saw in the Psionic Powers book.


Spoiler:  


ericthered , I did take PK Talent. Were there other talents I should be looking at?

EDIT: I took TK Grab at more than the short range because of the character as well. I was thinking about areas such as hallways or 'inside- the bulkheads that might have areas longer than 20 meters, but I can alter the level in the upward direction, and maybe distribute some more points among the alternate abilities. I'll have to come back to it as I am doing various things today but I will look at it. Thank you.

Last edited by Sinzarious; 06-24-2020 at 08:21 AM.
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Old 06-24-2020, 03:40 PM   #45
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Default Re: DreadStormers (OOC)

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Originally Posted by ericthered View Post

I hadn't thought about what suit such repairs would use. I was thinking about a normal vacc-suit, but the work-suit would work as well. Do you have a preference?
I imagine EVA could involve both, the vacc suit for finer work, the work suit for larger components that could use the robot arms.

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Originally Posted by ericthered View Post

I'm a little worried about the bloodlust disadvantage, especially in an undercover roll. How are you imagining it playing out?

Accessibility modifiers don't apply to disadvantages. If you want quirk-level overconfidence against normals, that's fine. Actually, Overconfidence doesn't require you to take unreasonable risks. It forbids you from displaying "an unreasonable degree of caution".
For the Bloodlust, with a SC of 15, I figured it fits a soldier - when it comes to violence, he's been trained to focus on taking people out, but if there is a reason to not do so, he has a very good chance of being able to resist. If you'd prefer, I can swap it out. As for Overconfidence with the Accessibility, I took it from GURPS Psis p. 7; again, if you'd prefer I not use it, I can modify it.

I'll try to finish things off tonight. One other question, do we need to purchase gear?
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Old 06-24-2020, 06:34 PM   #46
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Default Re: DreadStormers (OOC)

Final character (hopefully): I tried to tie some more of my traits together, to make him a bit more "real". I dropped Bloodlust and Overconfidence and replaced them with Compulsive Gambling (SC 15) and Phantom Voices, the latter of which represents an unconscious, uncontrollable type of Telereceive that produces no useful information. I also added Battlesuit (for the Zero-G Work Suit) and G-Experience (0.19 G).

An old Belter woman taught him palmistry, which he picked up initially as an excuse to get skin-to-skin contact with people to use Mental Surgery, but he has come to believe it represents an unconscious use of ESP, and that he really can tell fortunes!

Having been in fairly long term undercover assignments, he has developed a taste and appreciation for Zorbani cinema, but is embarrassed by this and would deny it to another Spinward Republic or Jakorbi citizen.

"Space Shogi" is a type of 3-dimensional chess-type game popular among Belters, and he is something of a master of it.

His psychic powers are focused on mental manipulation, just Mental Surgery and Suggest (alternative abilities), both at level 5.

I did look at talents and an early build had quite a few for a more "Face"-like character, but with his broad skill base, DX and IQ are more useful. I do have 3D Spatial Sense (talent-like) and Born Spacer 1.

Spoiler:  
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Old 06-24-2020, 08:03 PM   #47
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Default Re: DreadStormers (OOC)

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Originally Posted by Sinzarious View Post

ericthered , I did take PK Talent. Were there other talents I should be looking at?
I'll know when I properly go through all of your skills (life had a few crazy bumps at the moment), but I forgot I'm used to playing with a house rule we're not using that makes talents a much better deal. Additionally, because its just the two of you, you're covering exceptional broad skill bases, which makes talents less applicable.


Quote:
EDIT: I took TK Grab at more than the short range because of the character as well. I was thinking about areas such as hallways or 'inside- the bulkheads that might have areas longer than 20 meters, but I can alter the level in the upward direction, and maybe distribute some more points among the alternate abilities. I'll have to come back to it as I am doing various things today but I will look at it. Thank you.
I don't have the entire deckplan for the ship where you can see it, but here is a plan for deck 10 .


The Light yellow is reactors, the teal boxes elevators, the red lines bulkheads, the grey boxes are hydrogen brick storage, the red/pink are the STL and FTL drives running through the ship (STL is on the right, the box around it is walkable), the green rooms are some of the officer's quarters, the big organge domes are laser housings, and the orange lines are torpedo housing. Each little square is five feet by five feet. Doors are not marked.



I hope that helps with getting a sense of what its like inside the ship.


Quote:
Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich View Post
I imagine EVA could involve both, the vacc suit for finer work, the work suit for larger components that could use the robot arms.
cool, we'll use that then.

Quote:
For the Bloodlust, with a SC of 15, I figured it fits a soldier - when it comes to violence, he's been trained to focus on taking people out, but if there is a reason to not do so, he has a very good chance of being able to resist. If you'd prefer, I can swap it out.
I suppose I can work with that.


Quote:
As for Overconfidence with the Accessibility, I took it from GURPS Psis p. 7; again, if you'd prefer I not use it, I can modify it.
I'm not very familiar with that book. Its unorthodox, but you can use it.


Quote:
One other question, do we need to purchase gear?
No. You are explicitly sent in with no gear.
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Old 06-24-2020, 08:04 PM   #48
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Default Re: DreadStormers (OOC)

Hopefully Final Character. Added some flavor skills. He is an amateur astronomer and enjoys staring at the stars and constellations, sometimes losing himself in them(dreamer). Loves to write poetry dealing with freedom and discovery. He used both his writing and the stars as a form of escapism when he was younger. He acts very humble, but deep down he has far too much faith in his own abilities. He detests being called 'Randy' as it was both of his older brothers nickname for him and they assaulted him with it to no end because they knew it upset them. He also had a very overbearing father, which caused him to have a problem with authority when he grew older and got him in his fair share of trouble. He is very noble to his friends and conducts himself befitting of an Honorable Soldier. He always had a problem sleeping when he was growing up because his older brothers would torture him to no end, and night time was when they would set up some pretty heinous pranks. Before his time in the military was a bit of a smuggler of various things and spent some time haggling in the port markets. He is also a partyman, and benefits from the 'No Hangover' Perk, and also manages and takes his hygiene fairly seriously (sanitized metabolism)

Spoiler:  


**NOTE** Let me know what needs to change (if anything.)

*EDIT* Might change the TK Grab to Shorter range, but I see that the reactor area is quite large and that is where I will be stationed. I would Like GnomesofZurich's opinion. Do you think it is a waste of points?

Last edited by Sinzarious; 06-24-2020 at 08:12 PM. Reason: EDIT
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Old 06-25-2020, 04:12 AM   #49
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Default Re: DreadStormers (OOC)

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Originally Posted by Sinzarious View Post

...also manages and takes his hygiene fairly seriously (sanitized metabolism)
Note that Sanitized Metabolism has the Exotic symbol next to it - it's more than taking hygiene seriously, it's kind of implausible for a human without some sort of genetic engineering. A Shtick perk like Sartorial Integrity (Your clothes never get torn or dirty – even after combat, swimming the Nile, etc.) is cinematic, but may be more appropriate.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sinzarious View Post

*EDIT* Might change the TK Grab to Shorter range, but I see that the reactor area is quite large and that is where I will be stationed. I would Like GnomesofZurich's opinion. Do you think it is a waste of points?
Thanks for asking. I'm having trouble getting that floor plan to load, but I'm going to agree with ericthered here. The difference in point cost means you can have a much more effective TK Grab with the Short range option. The great thing about the Psionic Powers framework, and other powers with skills, is the techniques and other power stunts you can pull off. There's nothing stopping you (other than GM permission) from taking a Long-Range technique on TK Grab - there's a net +60% to upgrade Increase Range x2 to Increased Range LOS, so it would be a -6 default.

Right now you have 42 points invested to get level 15. For the same points using the Short Ranged option, you could get level 23 [37] and Long-Range (TK Grab-2) [5]. Yes, it costs 2 FP to use, but you've bought up your FP presumably to power this kind of thing. This way you can use longer range when called for, recognizing that most uses are going to be within 20 yards. Or you could buy level 20 [32], and have 5 spare points for something else, such as PK Shield 6 [5] outside the alternative abilities framework. It would stack with your PK Shield, but being able to throw up a DR 6 Forcefield while using TK Grab, DR 12 on a power defense roll, would be handy.

This does raise a question for the GM: what are the main personal weapons in this setting? I've assumed beam weapons, but are projectile weapons in common use? This will determine the relative use of PK Shield.

Edit: I keep seeing or thinking of something else. You may want to optimize your levels of TK talent, skills, and techniques. Your 4 psi skills are all bought at the 2 point level, with techniques for each, some at low levels. For example, you have taken the Expansion and Suppression techniques on your PK Shield at the 2 point level. If you dropped those techniques and a level from another technique (say, Silencer), you could buy the 4th level of PK Talent and improve all your skills and other techniques by 1. Low level techniques are also often not worth it - are you better off knocking a level or two off default, or improving the base skill?

Here's an alternate set-up that uses the same points more effectively - all the base skills are at a better level, all the techniques are at least no worse, and some are better.

Spoiler:  


For the worst use of techniques, check out the Martial Artist template in GURPS Banestorm (if you have access to it): it calls for 19 points in techniques at the default+1 or +2 level. For the same points, you could raise both Judo and Karate by 2, meaning all those uses of skill are at the same or an improved level, and have 3 points leftover. It was written in the early days of 4E, so forgivable for that, but it is definitely a "what not to do".
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Old 06-25-2020, 04:04 PM   #50
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Default Re: DreadStormers (OOC)

Sinzarious, you haven't marked your flavor skills as such. I think I see at least some, but I'd like to be sure.


I don't think either of you have a way to deal with locks other than psi powers. You may want to pick up traps as well, which covers both setting and dealing with them. Neither of you has either driving or hiking, which you may want to consider: the ship is BIG.



Personal weapons in the setting are a mix of beam weapons and projectile weapons. On board ships, beam weapons (lasers) are preferred, precisely because of the threat of Dreadstormers.



Sanitized Metabolism is indeed exotic, and between me and you, is unlikely to do anything unless you literally get covered in sewage. And even then, I don't know. Cinematic traits are fine, and indeed encouraged.


I think Gnome's character is fine. I could use a little more information about the nature of the asteroids where he grew up, but its fine.
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