RE: Calling all BattleTechies
09-02-2018, 04:46 AM (This post was last modified: 09-07-2018, 02:51 AM by classicdrogn.)
09-02-2018, 04:46 AM (This post was last modified: 09-07-2018, 02:51 AM by classicdrogn.)
Granted this is Mekton rather than BT and, uh, probably not relevant to the prospective story even so, but lots of board members here are tabletop gamers, so... While acknowledging that most probably don't have a solid grasp of the game to say whether it matches up with existing MZ+ psi powers, does this seem like a reasonable thing for general psi-fi purposes, given that the RAW Retrocognition uses the exact same time scale, and 5pp/level is the same as Teleportation? It's not something to use in combat as a rule, but very flavorful for your ancient mentor type, and useful but not hopefully overwhelming at just one or two skill ranks for a PC to keep them alive when wounded, trapped, or spaced until they can be rescued or treated.
e: Or as noted elsewhere, to save their sanity and consumables while making a long trip on autopilot or via tansfer orbit, or with a device to apply it to the entire vessel to turn any box with a rocket on one end into an interstellar slowboat, if the need is really that great. If they have the Levitation psi-skill as well, even the rocket is optional.
New Psi Power: Stasis (can be amplified by an Esper Lens)
Cost to activate: Varies (1-5 Psi Points per level)
Category: Body (resisted by BOD)
Description: The ability to slow the normal biological processes and supplement them with psychic energy to reduce or eliminate the need for food, water, and air, entering an ageless state of suspended animation. More critically, this also includes the ability to avoid physical degradation or going mad from isolation and boredom, and to safely recover from this state whether it ends normally or is interrupted.
Level Effects:
1: Effect lasts for 6 hours
2: Effect lasts for 1 day
3: Effect lasts for 1 week
4: Effect lasts for 1 month
5: Effect lasts for 1 year
6: Effect lasts for 3 years
7: Effect lasts for 10 years
8: Effect lasts for 33 years
9: Effect lasts for 100 years
10: Effect lasts for 1000 years
Range: Self only, or passengers inside a vehicle with an appropriately scaled ESPer Lens, or up to five other characters who are in contact with the device or the psychic using it for a 1/10 scale Lens.
Special Rules: As with other Psi powers that affect the esper themselves, the activation roll must be made against the user's own BODY score to see if they can correctly channel the energy and use it to control and augment their systems.
Level of Stasis:
* 1 PP/level: The user can survive indefinitely on one light meal (a sandwich or a bowl of rice, etc.) and one glass of water per time period Stasis is activated, and resists heatstroke or frostbite.
* 2 PP/level: The user can survive indefinitely on air alone while Stasis is activated, and is immune to environmental heat and cold (but not smoke inhalation or direct exposure to coals, or suffocation if frozen in a block of ice.)
* 3 PP/level: The user can survive even in vacuum and high levels of radiation, at the heart of a volcano or at the bottom of the deepest sea, even falling naked from orbit if they have a way to slow down before hitting the ground. Being tossed into a star might still be a bit tricky to come back from without at least a critical success on the activation check, though.
Level of Activity:
* Meditation: By default the user must stay still and concentrate entirely on using this power, and will be roused from it immediately if they stop or are interrupted. The only other Psionic Skill that may be used is Danger Sense, as it is automatic, or Chronoperception if that optional skill is also allowed. Over very long periods this may involve becoming encased in a cocoon of ectoplasm or silk, or a thin wooden or rocky shell. While being struck or attacked will normally end the effect, using it in conjunction with Resist Torture/Drugs will provide a bonus equal to the level Stasis was activated at.
* Light: For +1 PP/level the user retains enough awareness of the world around them to engage in conversation, listen to music, do paperwork, move at 1/2 their normal speed, or similar light activity, or use Mind and Will based Psionic Skills such as Astral Projection or Emotion Scan. Any physical or time-sensitive activity that requires a skill check suffers a penalty of the level Stasis was activated at x2, due to the distraction and dreamlike mental disconnection from events happening around the character. However, this acts as a bonus to the Resist Torture/Drugs skill.
* Moderate: For +2 PP/level the user can engage in everyday activities such as operating a vehicle, public speaking or performances, Athletics or performing repairs, or using any other Psionic Skills. Performing a non-Psionic combat action (including Parry or Dodge) or being struck will still end the Stasis effect (unless it's being used in conjunction with Resist Torture/Drugs as above) but the user can flee and make the normal, automatic Evasion checks freely. Physical or time-sensitive activities that require a skill check do so at a penalty equal to the level Stasis was activated at.
In all cases, the character will still heal naturally at the normal rate, and will not suffer from blood loss (though open wounds will continue to bleed until they heal enough) infection, or poisons.
Esper Lens: A mecha with an Esper Lens can extend the effect to itself and any other crew or passengers it carries. Battery powerplants will maintain a constant charge, Combustion powerplants, GES, Thrusters, and Boosterpacks will operate but consume no fuel, Tires and bearings will not wear out from use, etc. Even if operated by a different character than the psychic, engaging in non-Psionic combat actions such as firing weapons, violent maneuvers, or being hit by an enemy's attack will still force the effect to end unless the psychic passes a Stun/Shock roll vs. 10+Stasis level for EACH such action, and all characters affected by Stasis take the appropriate skill check penalty listed above. Activating Reactive Shields or intercepting an attack with them is fine though, as long as no damage carries through to the mecha itself. If the check is passed, the weapons won't even expend any ammunition or Turns In Use, but neither will one with a Charge Time ever be ready.
e: Or as noted elsewhere, to save their sanity and consumables while making a long trip on autopilot or via tansfer orbit, or with a device to apply it to the entire vessel to turn any box with a rocket on one end into an interstellar slowboat, if the need is really that great. If they have the Levitation psi-skill as well, even the rocket is optional.
New Psi Power: Stasis (can be amplified by an Esper Lens)
Cost to activate: Varies (1-5 Psi Points per level)
Category: Body (resisted by BOD)
Description: The ability to slow the normal biological processes and supplement them with psychic energy to reduce or eliminate the need for food, water, and air, entering an ageless state of suspended animation. More critically, this also includes the ability to avoid physical degradation or going mad from isolation and boredom, and to safely recover from this state whether it ends normally or is interrupted.
Level Effects:
1: Effect lasts for 6 hours
2: Effect lasts for 1 day
3: Effect lasts for 1 week
4: Effect lasts for 1 month
5: Effect lasts for 1 year
6: Effect lasts for 3 years
7: Effect lasts for 10 years
8: Effect lasts for 33 years
9: Effect lasts for 100 years
10: Effect lasts for 1000 years
Range: Self only, or passengers inside a vehicle with an appropriately scaled ESPer Lens, or up to five other characters who are in contact with the device or the psychic using it for a 1/10 scale Lens.
Special Rules: As with other Psi powers that affect the esper themselves, the activation roll must be made against the user's own BODY score to see if they can correctly channel the energy and use it to control and augment their systems.
Level of Stasis:
* 1 PP/level: The user can survive indefinitely on one light meal (a sandwich or a bowl of rice, etc.) and one glass of water per time period Stasis is activated, and resists heatstroke or frostbite.
* 2 PP/level: The user can survive indefinitely on air alone while Stasis is activated, and is immune to environmental heat and cold (but not smoke inhalation or direct exposure to coals, or suffocation if frozen in a block of ice.)
* 3 PP/level: The user can survive even in vacuum and high levels of radiation, at the heart of a volcano or at the bottom of the deepest sea, even falling naked from orbit if they have a way to slow down before hitting the ground. Being tossed into a star might still be a bit tricky to come back from without at least a critical success on the activation check, though.
Level of Activity:
* Meditation: By default the user must stay still and concentrate entirely on using this power, and will be roused from it immediately if they stop or are interrupted. The only other Psionic Skill that may be used is Danger Sense, as it is automatic, or Chronoperception if that optional skill is also allowed. Over very long periods this may involve becoming encased in a cocoon of ectoplasm or silk, or a thin wooden or rocky shell. While being struck or attacked will normally end the effect, using it in conjunction with Resist Torture/Drugs will provide a bonus equal to the level Stasis was activated at.
* Light: For +1 PP/level the user retains enough awareness of the world around them to engage in conversation, listen to music, do paperwork, move at 1/2 their normal speed, or similar light activity, or use Mind and Will based Psionic Skills such as Astral Projection or Emotion Scan. Any physical or time-sensitive activity that requires a skill check suffers a penalty of the level Stasis was activated at x2, due to the distraction and dreamlike mental disconnection from events happening around the character. However, this acts as a bonus to the Resist Torture/Drugs skill.
* Moderate: For +2 PP/level the user can engage in everyday activities such as operating a vehicle, public speaking or performances, Athletics or performing repairs, or using any other Psionic Skills. Performing a non-Psionic combat action (including Parry or Dodge) or being struck will still end the Stasis effect (unless it's being used in conjunction with Resist Torture/Drugs as above) but the user can flee and make the normal, automatic Evasion checks freely. Physical or time-sensitive activities that require a skill check do so at a penalty equal to the level Stasis was activated at.
In all cases, the character will still heal naturally at the normal rate, and will not suffer from blood loss (though open wounds will continue to bleed until they heal enough) infection, or poisons.
Esper Lens: A mecha with an Esper Lens can extend the effect to itself and any other crew or passengers it carries. Battery powerplants will maintain a constant charge, Combustion powerplants, GES, Thrusters, and Boosterpacks will operate but consume no fuel, Tires and bearings will not wear out from use, etc. Even if operated by a different character than the psychic, engaging in non-Psionic combat actions such as firing weapons, violent maneuvers, or being hit by an enemy's attack will still force the effect to end unless the psychic passes a Stun/Shock roll vs. 10+Stasis level for EACH such action, and all characters affected by Stasis take the appropriate skill check penalty listed above. Activating Reactive Shields or intercepting an attack with them is fine though, as long as no damage carries through to the mecha itself. If the check is passed, the weapons won't even expend any ammunition or Turns In Use, but neither will one with a Charge Time ever be ready.
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‎noli esse culus
‎noli esse culus