[Powers] [Advice] Building an Unusual Gadgeteer

[Jachra]

I have a conception for an unusual gadgeteer (cape name Seshat, as she takes inspiration from the Egyptian goddess of writing). The idea is that she empowers things by writing on them - in essence, creating a program that animates, grants powers, and/or intelligence to the thing worked on. Likes to work in stone, clay, metal, crystal. Devices still generally need power sources, for which she creates a power converter. The theme is more alt-tech than magic.

I figure (Quick) Gadgeteer at minimum, and maybe a very broad Control ability with a limitation. Modular abilities comes to mind, but I'm not sure - it seems like Gadgeteer covers the granting.

I haven't looked into weird science to know if that's useful for this concept.

The campaign's point level hasn't been decided on yet, so there's a lot of potential flexibility here. I figure I'll buy at least a few items as "Gadgets" with enough budget (and a variable army of golems), but I'm mainly worried about the core concept.

[ericthered]

So you go up to a car, scribble on it for a bit, and then you have a car that drives itself?

This sounds a bit like allies, unless they don't have any natural allegiance to her.

[Jachra]

Mmm...
No, I think you're right in one way - that would basically be building a computer of sufficient complexity to have said car drive itself. That's Gadgeteer, rather than Control exactly.

[Donny Brook]

Maybe what you're doing is Afflicting a template that animates and controls the thing.

[Refplace]

Self Driving cars or other machines could be Allies with Possession and Permeation.

[Jachra]

Allies would imply a very hard limit to the scope and number that wouldn't be entirely appropriate for what I have in mind, however, and it's not the full extent of my intent. I'm talking about someone who gears up herself and her team full service - armor, computers, weapons, vehicles, etc.

Allies might be good for her golems, though.

Gear:
Phase I) A flowing garment of linen and faux leopard fur, with a gold-plated leopard mask that’s a blend of human and animal - it matches her features expressively, allowing her to smile, laugh, and even eat and make it seem as though her mask is alive. After developing Phase II, she mostly uses this one as a form of formal wear when she does at all. She carries a conventional taser.
Phase II) As she is exposed to combat, she develops a more survivable set of armor, adapting her original costume. A helmet that fits behind her regular mask, and an outfit that blends elements, with a golden fan across her chest and similarly armored shoulder guards, flexible portions made of golden scale, and flowing spotted linen over her lower torso, hips and thighs evoking leopard fur that partially covers white armor. The leggings are mostly white, but for the boots, which are black. Writing, mostly decorative (the actual defensive portions are inside where possible) glows at will. She plans to have built-in stun weapons and scanning features to her helmet.
Interlude) Having been accused of being a bit flashy, she develops set she uses for stealth operations, replacing most of the bright colors with matte black, evoking a carbon-fiber feel and the look of a human black panther, including her mask.
Phase III) The planned upgrade to Phase II is to take her gear and add greater functionality to it. Wings that unfold out from the back, exoskeleton support systems, more built-in weapons.

[ericthered]

Ok, so you really want to treat it like gear rather than advantages.

This is a choice you make, not one dictated to you by the game (though it might be dictated to you by your GM). Both ways of doing it are valid.

If you want to treat it like gear, you need to worry about money, having the appropriate tech level (or alternate tech level), and the parts to make the devices. So what parts are needed to use it, what are the approximate "for sale" values of your examples, and what tech level is this stuff?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Jachra

Allies would imply a very hard limit to the scope and number that wouldn't be entirely appropriate for what I have in mind, however, and it's not the full extent of my intent. I'm talking about someone who gears up herself and her team full service - armor, computers, weapons, vehicles, etc.

Allies might be good for her golems, though.

Golems and anything you want to animate.
Your not paying for the car, tank, or jet plane your paying for an Ally that can merge and possess it and be the driver or pilot.
I am not saying this instead of Gadgeteering, but it is a reasonable RAW way (used in Transhuman Space and a Pyramid article) to do part of what you asked about.

[Jachra]

I get you now. Yes, that has potential.

The rest of what she does would be a mix of gear/gadgeteer from the sounds of it.