Mad scientist, Or the SR version of Tony Stark Options

[Pollux710]

Is it viable to make a logic adept or wared thinker that can really make things like armor and weapons from scratch. Of course according to all the rules in arsenal and augmentation such a thing is possible, but would it be feasible in an actual game? Making milspec prototype armor at home, running because you're bored or you really want to save the planet.

[Maelstrome]

depends on the gm. ive done it. and i was also a mage. in the end i made lots of cool toys for the team.

edit, for more details.

my character had high mental stats and the majority of my skills where engineering and crafting related. i made weapons and armor for most of the team and also enchanted choice bits of gear.

[Karoline]

Don't forget that access to a good workshop of some kind is also important. While Stark may be smart and all, he needed access to high grade materials and a full facility to make a proper suit. Same with Batman. He has access to all kinds of cool gizmos, but he only gets them by virtue of having access to materials and facilities.

[Dahrken]

And both have access to *huge* amounts of money they can tap nearly at will...

IMHO it's like when having a house built : you can have it good, fast or cheap, pick two. If you save money, it will take time or perform poorly.

[Yerameyahu]

The rules barely support making anything from scratch, actually. Even then, it's mostly jury-rigs, not 'milspec prototypes'.

[KarmaInferno]

Yeah, Arsenal has rules for modifying existing gear.

It does not really have rules for making stuff from scratch.



-k

[Xahn Borealis]

Don't forget that access to a good workshop of some kind is also important. While Stark may be smart and all, he needed access to high grade materials and a full facility to make a proper suit.

Lifestyle: 50 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) (A CAVE)
Gear: 25 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) (A box of SCRAPS)

[Karoline]

Lifestyle: 50 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) (A CAVE)
Gear: 25 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) (A box of SCRAPS)

He was actually given access to halfway decent equipment and materials, since the captors wanted him to build an entire missile system for them. And I'm sure you'll recall that the first version wasn't much more than really thick, bulky armor.

[Zyerne]

If we're talking the movie, he specificallqy requested two sets of quality tools as part of the agreement.

Giving him access to flamethrower fuel was a mistake though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Karoline]

If we're talking the movie, he specificallqy requested two sets of quality tools as part of the agreement.

Giving him access to flamethrower fuel was a mistake though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I'm fairly sure it was hard to deny him the components to make it while he was building explosives for them.

[Neraph]

The rules barely support making anything from scratch, actually. Even then, it's mostly jury-rigs, not 'milspec prototypes'.

Yup. Most of the rules in Arsenal for actual building refer to the BBB, and those rules are basically "here's a short list of modifiers, and then it's 1/2 cost and time determined by the GM." Kinda like the Operation Limit for vehicles - "it's 6 hours unless it isn't."

[Tanegar]

Oh, sweet Cthulhu. Now I have a burning urge to make a pixie who drives a human-sized mecha. Damn you, Dumpshock. Damn you.

[KarmaInferno]

Oh, sweet Cthulhu. Now I have a burning urge to make a pixie who drives a human-sized mecha. Damn you, Dumpshock. Damn you.

If you ever play Shadowrun Missions at DragonCon, Origins or conventions in the NE USA, you might meet a character like that.

Don't judge me! I'm living the dream!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)



-k

[Yerameyahu]

It's still incredible a Missions GM allowed that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Tanegar]

OMFG. Pixie possession mage with a magical mecha.

1) Equip an Otomo walker drone with a pixie-sized waldo suit: the pixie pilot makes walking motions with his legs to make the drone walk, punching motions with his arms to make the walker throw a punch, etc. Basically a pixie-scale AMP suit (the mecha from Avatar).

2) Make the Otomo a prepared homunculus vessel. Possibly prohibitively expensive, time-consuming, labor-intensive, or some combination thereof.

3) In normal operation, control the drone like an AMP suit. When astrally projecting, or focusing on other tasks, summon a spirit to possess the drone and protect the pixie.

Am I insane? Quite possibly.

[Toptomcat]

Oddly, there's much more in-system support for theoretical thaumaturgists who invent their own spells and foci than there is for inventors who make other stuff from scratch- so if your concept can still fit within those lines, 'mad magical scientist' may be a perfectly viable character.

[KarmaInferno]

It's still incredible a Missions GM allowed that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

It follows the rules.

That's all that matters in those types of campaigns.

I will say having GM'd "living" campaigns for more than a decade, you learn to just roll with whatever character concepts show up, as long as they follow the rules as allowed by that campaign. You kinda have to put your personal feelings and hangups aside and just run the game as written.




-k

[Yerameyahu]

I mean, we've talked about this before. It *sorta* follows the rules, enough that it's okay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I blame the rules. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)