Super Robot Creation Super robots are built almost exactly the same as normal supers. The only difference is that they have several advantages and disadvantages available only to them. Essentially, an organic super and a robot super are designed the same; the only real difference between them is the use of Energy instead of Fatigue (see below). Robots get no automatic advantages or disadvantages, unless they are bought using normal GURPS Supers rules. Inherent Advantages Obviously, all robots will be noticed to be immediately different. In the IST Ceres world background, most people view robots as unusual supers. Most robots, however, can't even hope to blend in with a crowd. Robots are about as varied as humans. The ``standard'' robot has Doesn't Eat or Drink (10 points), Doesn't Breathe (20 points), and Cannot Heal (-30 points), making a robot a 0-point character. Robots don't take any extra damage from lightning, surges, water, or any of the stereotypical "robot killing" attacks, unless they buy appropriate Vulnerabilities. Robot Attributes Robots use the same attributes as other supers -- ST, DX, HT, and IQ. Extra Hit Points are also common, although Extra Fatigue is not (see below). Like other Supers, Robots may use the Enhanced ST advantage, or the Robot ST advantage (see below). However, because robots tend to get their increased ST from their reinforced robotic design, not a metahuman gene, a robot's maximum ST is equal to five times its height. After 100 feet tall, maximum ST is limited to ten times its height. Energy Robots do not have Fatigue, but they do have Energy, an attribute that is used in the same way. Because Robots tend to have more endurance than their human counterpart, all robots have an Energy score equal to triple their ST. However, this advantage is made up with the fact that robots cannot regain energy without ``charging up.'' Regaining a point of Energy requires approximately 100 kilowatts! Recharging a robot's capacitors takes a half hour per 100 KW. So, on average, once a day a robot will have to "rest" for about five hours - the equivalent to sleep. Extra Energy, like Extra Fatigue, costs 3 points/level. The Robot Body There are three basic robot bodies to choose from - Body of Metal, Plastic, or Ceramic. Most other types of robot bodies will be variations of these; Body of Titanium would simply be a high level of Body of Metal. If a player comes up with a more creative one, the GM should examine it carefully. Obviously, all robot bodies are not switchable. Body of Metal 9 points/level Your body is composed of a hard metal. You get PD 1 for every 3 levels (maximum PD 6) and DR 1 per level. Damage from your punches and kicks is raised by +2, but your Move score is reduced by 20%. Sonic and vibratory attacks automatically bypass 25% of your DR. You are considered ferrous when affected by magnetism. Each level of Body of Metal increases your weight by 20%. Special Enhancement: Your body is non-ferrous. +10%. Special Enhancement: Your body's metal is amorphous rather than crystalline, and does not suffer any extra effect from sonic or vibratory attacks. +30%. Special Enhancement: Your body's metal is polished and laser- reflective. Your body DR is doubled against lasers, and your body PD is increased by 2. +30%. Special Enhancement: Your body is made of liquid metal. You can transform your body into anything roughly of the same size and mass, including parts of your body. You cannot use this to transform into any sort of machine, unless you buy it separately as a transformation. It takes 3 seconds to transform your shape, but all physical skills are at -8 while you are in liquid form. You cannot change your color (unless Chameleon is bought at the same level as your Body of Metal), and you will always appear obviously metallic, unless some sort of Illusion power is purchased. This advantage requires the Rerouteable Circuitry and Decentralized System advantages. +75 points. Body of Plastic 6 points/level Your body is made of a strong, ultra-tech, resilient plastic. You get PD 1 for every 4 levels (maximum PD 6), and DR 1 per level. Damage from your punches and kicks is raised by +1, but your Move score is reduced by 10%. Each level of Body of Plastic increases your weight by 10%. Body of Ceramic 7 points/level Your body is made of durable ceramic. You get PD 1 for every 3 levels (maximum PD 6), and DR 1 per level. Damage from your punches and kicks is raised by +1, but your Move score is reduced by 10%. Additionally, you are vulnerable to electrical attacks. Any electric attack will bypass 25% of your DR. Each level of Body of Ceramic increases your weight by 10%. Special Enhancement: Your body is specially structured so that you suffer no penalties from electrical attacks. +30% Robot Body Enhancements Robot bodies can be enhanced and changed a lot easier than organic ones. Most of these enhancements, however, are not obvious - you won't be able to tell a robot has a Decentralized System simply by looking! Changeable Exterior 5 points each This is a limited form of transformation. You can mechanically change into a different-looking robot, although without the Chameleon advantage, your basic color must be the same. Your mass must remain the same, and you cannot vary your height by more than 25%. All your powers will also be the same. Each level of this advantage allows you to transform into one additional robot. This applies for each form that you have, including actual transformations. For instance, if you were a robot that could transform into a car, you could change into two different-looking robots and two different-looking cars. Special Enhancement: You can vary your forms infinitely; you could change into basically any kind of robot you'd like. 30 points. Decentralized System 40 points Instead of having large vital processors located strategically throughout your body, all of your functions are handled my millions of microprocessors. Every internal function - your power containment, thought fields, et cetera - is replaced. For game purposes, you do not have vital organs, including the brain! However, you still have sensory parts - eyes, ears, et cetera. Special Enhancement: Your entire body is decentralized, meaning you can sense (see, hear, smell, et cetera) from any non-damaged bodily part. +75%. Detachable Limbs 5 points/limb You can detach your limbs without damaging yourself. This may come in handy if a limb gets stuck in a life-or-death situation, or maybe if you just don't trust the local mechanics and want to service your own limb yourself. Every detachable limb costs 5 character points. No tools are needed to remove the limb. It takes 1 minute to remove a hand or foot, or 1d minutes to remove anything larger. It takes the same amount of time to put a limb back on. Theoretically, your head could be made removable, but you need a Decentralized System or an alternate power source to survive this! If, somehow, you manage to lose your limb, then you're in trouble! Because every robot is unique, you must find a mechanic to create a custom limb to replace the one that was lost! Special Enhancement: You can remove your limbs quickly; it takes 1 second to take a hand or foot off, 1d seconds for anything larger. +50%. Special Enhancement: Your limb can shoot off explosively and act as a missile weapon! The attack does Thrust crushing damage. SS 12, Acc 1, 1/2Dmg: 1/2 ST, Max: ST. Frame Reinforcement 25 points This may be bought with any of the basic bodies. Your internal systems are reinforced with a hardened endoskeleton, adding 5 hit points. Your basic HT is unchanged, but you will have a split-HT score. Rerouteable Circuitry 60 points Your circuitry is made up of millions of optical superconductors, rather than standard wiring. Within seconds, you can reroute power and energy away from damaged or severed circuits to operable ones. You never suffer extra damage from cutting or impaling attacks, and you can recover from crippling or blinding injuries in a number of minutes equal to the points of damage the limb took. Note that the limb won't actually be healed; it will, however, function. Limbs that are totally severed or destroyed, however, cannot be rerouted to work again! Special Enhancement: You can reroute circuitry incredibly fast. Limbs become operable at a rate of 1 second per point of damage it took! +30%. Advantages Robots may use any of the advantages available to everybody else. Robots get absolutely no advantages "simply because they're robots." Sure, in today's world, computers don't forget things, but that doesn't mean robots don't either. Call it "memory overload" or whatever, that robot still needs to get the Eidetic Memory advantage. A few advantages will behave differently for robots. Doesn't Breathe See p. SU39 Most robots do not breathe, although many of the older models require an nitrogen-oxygen air mix to cool and revitalize their systems. Robots that do not want to breathe, however, must get this advantage. Doesn't Eat or Drink See p. SU39 Most robots do not eat or drink beyond their Energy requirements. Several older model robots need metallic supplements to keep their healing and energy absorption processes at their normal level. Therefore, robots that do not want to Eat or Drink, must still get this advantage. Doesn't Sleep See p. SU39 Robots do not have to sleep, but recharging Energy (see p.00) usually takes a half hour per point recharged. A robot that buys Doesn't Sleep can recharge energy at a rate of one point per minute, requiring virtually no rest at all. Immunity to Disease See p. B20 Robots don't have to worry about catching normal humanoid diseases. However, there are several computer viruses that will affect robots. Additionally, some microbes can invade a robot's system and cause disease-like symptoms. Immunity from Disease, however, will protect a robot from all of these effects. New Robot Advantages Most of these advantages are available only to robots, although the GM may wish to create non-robot versions for other supers. Hoverjets might be winged feet, for instance. Alternate Energy Source 10/25/40 points You can use electrical energy like other robots, but you can also strain energy from other materials. Getting Energy from common materials, such as water, earth, fire is a 40-point advantage. Less common materials - wood burning, coal, gasoline - is a 25-point advantage. Rare materials, such as antimatter, massive gamma rays, et cetera, is a 10-point advantage. How much material you need is up to the GM. Usually, one gallon of liquid, or 1 yard of a solid is enough for 1 Energy point. If you need more of the source to be charged, you may halve the cost of this advantage, but it has to be a lot more (e.g. 300 gallons of water, a lb of antimatter, a ton of dirt). Air Tanks 2 points/hour You have an internal supply of air (usually oxygen, but can also be any non-poisonous gas). You can use this air for yourself or for passengers inside of you. Whenever you take impaling damage that bypasses your DR, however, roll 3d. If you roll less than 8 (+1 for each additional hour of gas), your Air Tank is punctured, and you will lose an hour worth of air. Special Enhancement: You may pump the air outside of you, when needed. +50%. Cargo Spaces 2 points/level You have a special compartment to hold cargo - one cubic foot per level. The maximum number of levels you can have is equal to the square of your height divided by 10'. Round up. So, if you are 6' tall, you can have only one level. If you are 100' tall, you can have 100 cubic feet of cargo space. After level 10, each level buys 10 cubic feet of cargo space. So, 100 cubic feet costs 38 points. Whenever you are hit in combat, and the damage bypasses DR, half the damage will go to any cargo you are holding, the other half will go to you. If you have no cargo, or all of it was destroyed, full damage goes to you. Computer Interface 10 points You may interact with computers and transfer data back and forth. Each point of IQ gives you the capacity to store 100 mb of memory. Additional memory can be bought for 1 point per 100 mb. To interact with a computer, you need to physically connect with it via a standard jack. If you decide to hack with your Computer Interface (see GURPS Cyberpunk), you will half a Phase Length of 1,000, or 500 if you have IQ 15+. Interfacing directly with a computer gives you +4 to your effective skill level. Special Enhancement: You can connect to computers using electronic signals passed through the air. You may do this at a range equal to your IQ in yards (additional range may be purchased for 2 points/yard). +100%. Special Enhancement: You can interact with computers incredibly fast. You have a Phase Length of 200. +200%. For a Phase Length of 100, +500%. For a Phase Length of 10, +1000%. Special Enhancement: You can use any telephone line as a modem, and access any online computer system around the world. +50%. Data Manipulation 10 points Not only can you read raw data, but you can edit and change it without a computer terminal. You can create, run, or edit a program inside your head automatically. With a Computer Interface, you can copy your program onto an actual computer. You can scan any sort of disk right into your memory. With a successful Computer Programming roll, you can create a 1 mb program in a day (2 mb with Computer Programming 15+). Editing programs usually take less time, depending on the complexity of the changes. Using this advantage takes concentration - you can't fight and program a flight simulator at the same time! Special Enhancement: You have an extremely fast processor, and you can edit and create programs faster. +50% for each doubling of speed. Special Enhancement: You can program and edit without thinking! You essentially have a ``second brain'' which does it all for you. You don't have to concentrate on the program at all. +100%. Devouring 10 points/level You can eat and digest almost anything! Many times, this is paired with the Gluttony disadvantage. You can devour any ``non-hazardous'' material at a rate of 1-lb per minute per level. So, if you have level 5 of Devouring, you can eat 5 lbs of metal in a minute! If used as an attack, each level allows you to do 1d cutting damage in close combat. You may eat ST lbs of material before you are ``full.'' Special Enhancement: You eat incredibly fast! Each level of this enhancement halves your eating time! +25%. Special Enhancement: You have a voracious appetite. Each level of this enhancement allows you to double your eating capacity! +25%. Disguised Transformation 5 points You look like an ordinary robot that doesn't transform into anything. Even people with the Identify Transformation skill will be at -5 to notice that you are a transformer. Energy Saving System 15 points/level For each level purchased, you require 25% less energy to operate. You require only 2,500 watts less per Energy point for a recharge. At level four, you need no outside energy whatsoever, although you will still expend Energy using Extra Effort, et cetera. Fire Extinguisher 3 points/level You can extinguish fires; perhaps you have liquid nitrogen, chemical extinguishers, or just an internal water pump. Each level lets you extinguish 1 hex of fire in a second, with a DX roll. Robots are limited to one level per 250-lbs of body weight. Special Enhancement: You have a super-powerful fire extinguishing system. Each level allows you to extinguish seven hexes of fire in a second! +100%. Hoverjets 5 points/level A limited form of Flight, Hoverjets are used to keep a robot stationary in the air. The robot may stay at his current altitude for as many seconds as he has Hoverjet levels. When falling, Hoverjets will slow the fall. Subtract 2 yards from the effective distance for every level of Hoverjets the robot has. Incapacity Override 10 points This acts a ``cruise control'' for your body. If you are stunned or rendered unconscious, this program module takes over active control of your body. You can program it beforehand to do a single specific task when you are knocked out. Usual ones include fleeing, fighting, hitting the "eject" button, et cetera. The task has to be relatively straight-forward, though. You can't program it to "hide behind the nearest building, duck for seven seconds, throw a grenade at Destructobot, and then transform into a plane and retreat." Special Enhancement: You can program very specific and complicated tasks, like the one above. Still, once you are knocked out, you have no control of the program whatsoever. +100%. Special Enhancement: A part of your conscious mind is transferred to another memory center when you are knocked unconscious. The only thing this thinking part can do, however, is cancel a command, and then give yourself a very simple command - "flee," "fight," "stand still." This might come in handy when you realize that Destructobot terminates anybody who even points a grenade at him, even though he's immune from them... Machine Empathy 10 points You have a natural affinity for machines. You can usually tell, right away, if a machine is having problems, malfunctioning, or the like. Complicated or subtle problems (a computer virus, for instance) take an IQ roll. You get +3 to any skill which involves the use of machines, including Engineering, Computer Operations, Electronics, Computer Programming, Mechanic, and Electronics Operation. You don't like to see machines get destroyed or abused, and will try to prevent anyone from doing so. Because living robots are very different from machines, you only get +1 on any skill involving the repair or building of a living robot. Memory Storage 75 points All of your memories and experiences are backed up in a separate part of your body - you can specify what this part is and where it is located. The storage unit has 10 hit points, and takes damage only after the robot has died. Even after death, your memory storage unit will retain all your memories indefinitely. You won't be able to think, feel, or even recognize your own existence until your memory unit is placed into another robot body. When the unit is placed into another body, you retain your IQ and all your skills and mental advantages and disadvantages. Physical skills, however, will be based on your new body's DX. Special Enhancement: Your memory backup is transferrable! You could put this in an ordinary computer (it takes up 5 mb per IQ point, +1 mb per skill point), but often times it is passed down to another robot! Because no two robots think alike, the new robot can only access your skills and memories by concentrating for a turn and making an IQ roll. Subtract one for each point the memory unit's IQ is higher than the user robot's. The user robot can only use one skill from the Memory Storage at a time. +20%. Note that this is also an advantage for the user robot. It costs 25% the cost of the memory unit's character point total. Example: Ultron is mortally wounded by Darkshell, and his broken body floats in space for almost a year. His body is found by Camshaft, a young robot, who discovers that Ultron had a Transferrable Memory Storage. With the help of a medic robot, Camshaft installs the device. Camshaft has an IQ 12; Ultron had an IQ 16. In a few days, Camshaft is trapped by Darkshell in a vault. Camshaft concentrates on the Memory Storage and rolls against IQ-4 (the difference in IQ). He rolls successfully, and discovers that Ultron was trapped in the same vault, but escaped through a trap door in the floor! Because the Memory Device has a total of 150 of Ultron's character points, this is a 38-point advantage. Special Enhancement: Not only can you transfer your memories to another robot, but that new robot is able to use the Memory Storage device to hold both of your memories! So, a long chain of "ancestors" could be created, with each one's memories stored and being passed down! +20% for both the robot with the original storage device and the robot who currently holds the memories. Note that once more than one robot's memories are on the storage device, the memories cannot be transferred to a single robot body to bring one of the original robots ``back to life.'' Example: Camshaft dies and his memories would now be stored on the Memory Storage. Before he dies, he passes it down to Cytech. Cytech now has access to both Ultron and Camshaft's memories, skills, and experiences. Ultron had 150 points on the Memory Storage, Camshaft had 100, for a total of 250 points. 25% of this is 63 points, but this cost is increased by 20%, for a total of 76 points. Passenger Spaces 5 points each Some robots can actually hold people inside of them. For every full 10' in height the robot is, one human-sized passenger can fit inside of him. When the robot is hit, half the damage bypassing DR will hit the passengers, the other half will damage the robot. Good robots will use this to protect humans - evil ones will keep humans hostage inside of them. Transformed vehicle robots can hold four times as many passengers. Passengers can breathe inside the robot, but only if there is breathable air outside the robot. If the robot is planning on moving to a hostile environment, Oxygen Tanks (see below) can provide air to the passengers. Note: If a robot is in a vehicular form, he may hold double the standard number of passengers for his height. Rocket Boosters 15 points/level You are equipped with special rockets that allow you to shoot straight into the air! Each level of this ability allows you to fly 5 yards straight into the air. Every 5 yards of altitude takes 1 second to reach. It takes 1 turn of concentration to activate Rocket Boosters. If a robot that transforms into a plane or jet is equipped with Rocket Boosters, he can take off without a runway, as long as he has enough levels of Rocket Boosters to be fully in the air during the entire transformation (usually 3 levels). If an enemy attacks you on the turn that your Rocket Boosters go off, you defend at +2. Once you reach your maximum height, you had better have a good way to get down! Special Enhancement: You gain altitude incredibly fast. You will reach your maximum altitude in a single second, and defend at +5 if someone attacks you. +50%. Special Enhancement: You can launch at up to a 45-degree angle, so with big enough boosters, you can cross chasms or leap from building to building. +30%. Special Limitation: Everytime you use your Rocket Boosters, it drains your Energy. For each level used, you will lose 1 Energy. -20%. Solar Panel 2 points/level These large fins absorb energy from sunlight, and help to recharge a robot's Energy. Each full day in the sunlight recharges one Energy per Solar Panel level. So, at 10 levels, you can recharge 1 Energy per hour. On a cloudy day, Energy recharges half as fast. On a very cloudy day, Energy recharges a quarter as fast. A Solar Panel can be targeted at -3. It can be crippled like any other limb, and will not function if it takes more than HT/3 hits. Special Enhancement: Your solar panels are built into your exterior, so they cannot be targeted, although if you take more than HT damage, they will function at half their normal rate. +50%. Tool Chest 5 points Invaluable to any mechanically-inclined robot, this advantage includes several standard tools - screwdrivers, wrenches, drills, et cetera - that are stored inside the robot. Smaller tools are actually mounted as small servo-mechanisms - the robot's finger might become a screwdriver, or a small arm with a drill on it might appear from the robot's forearm. The GM's word is final on which tools the robot can and cannot have on him. Optionally, the Tool Chest can be composed of other types of tools - surgical, chemical laboratory tools, a set of lockpicks, et cetera. Each type of tool kit costs 5 points. Special Enhancement: You have a more advanced Tool Chest, containing more specialized tools. Small jigsaws, arcwielders, jacks, soldering irons, et cetera would be included in this deluxe Tool Chest. If used offensively, most of these tools can only be used in Close Combat, and do no more than 1d damage. +100%. Transformation Varies This advantage is completely covered in Chapter 00. Voice Manipulation 15/20 points Your vocal unit has a built in mimicry device. You can mimic others voices with a successful IQ roll. For 20 points, you can even imitate and vary external sounds - car fans, music, bird calls, et cetera. You can remember the same number of sounds or voices as half your IQ. Special Enhancement: You have massive storage capability and can memorize hundreds of sounds and voices. +100%. Weapon Mount 5 points/each You can mount a single weapon on your body. It cannot be dropped, although it can be targeted and broken. You may only mount weapons that weigh up to your No Encumberance level in your hands or feet; only the lightest weapons can be mounted in a finger. Weapons that weigh more that your No Encumberence level must be shoulder or back-mounted to be supported. Only trained mechanics can remove or service the weapon; any weapons located anywhere except for the arm or hand must be removed to be reloaded. Most mounted missile weapons give a +1 to hit. A separate specialization of a weapon skill is required to fire a weapon from a Weapon Mount, e.g. Beam Weapons (Mounted). Melee weapons can be mounted too, but usually these would have to replace a hand! Get the One-hand disadvantage along with the Weapon Mount. Special Enhancement: Your weapon is concealable and gets +5 to Holdout. Melee weapons will slide out from your forearm, eliminating the need for the One-Hand disadvantage. +100%. New Robot Disadvantages Most of the normal advantages are appropriate for super robots. Vulnerabilities to water and electricity are especially common, along with any of the mental disadvantages. Like advantages, robots do not get any ``automatic'' disadvantages. Cannot Heal -30 points You lack the ability to repair yourself naturally. A trained mechanic must ``fix'' you every time you're damaged. Most robots have this advantage; only a few have auto-repair systems. You also cannot combat computer viruses without outside assistance. You can resist them, but once you have one you're stuck with it until someone makes a Computer Programming (Robot) roll. This roll may be penalized depending on the difficulty of the virus. Cannot Swim -5 points You lack the buoyancy modules that most other robots have, which means that you cannot float on the water nor swim on its surface. You can, however, walk on the bottom of the body of water, provided that the current is not too strong. You can never get the Swimming skill, and instantly plunge to the bottom if you fall into a body of water. You will still drown Note: This can be bought as a 5-point advantage, which allows you to both swim and walk on the ocean floor. Emotionless -15 points Very few robots have this disadvantage, and the ones that do are usually feared assassins or the like. You feel no emotions whatsoever. You have no sense of humor (that disadvantage cannot be taken if you have Emotionless) and feel no happiness, fear, anger, sadness, or any other emotions. You only crack a smile if you think that it will help you. You are immune from Fright Checks and Reaction Rolls. Loud -5 points You are extremely loud; not when you talk, but when you walk, move, or adjust your position. This might be because of rusty gears, or just a heavy, unpadded and metallic step ("kat-ching! ka-chink! kat-ching!"). Everyone will notice you when you walk into a building or down the street. If you have a vehicle form, you sound like you lost a muffler. All uses of Stealth are at -5. Short Circuit Varies Parts of your body tend to short circuit at random times. This could be the result of old gears, misaligned circuits, or even an old war wound. Whenever the robot is in a strenuous situation, or whenever the limb is damaged, roll for the limb that has the problem. If a short circuit occurs, any use of that limb will be at a penalty to use for the entire day. If a Critical Failure is rolled, the limb may go wild, causing a lot of trouble for the robot! This, of course, will happen at the GM's discretion. The Short Circuit will repair itself automatically in 1d hours. The cost of this disadvantage depends on the limb it affects, how likely it is to short circuit, and how badly it is affected: Body Part: Whole body: -5 points Arm or Leg: -2 points Hand or Foot: -1 points Short Circuit Roll: 14 or less: Double cost. 11 or less: Normal cost. 8 or less: Half cost. Effect Minor Inconvenience (-1 to rolls): Half cost. Problematic (-3 to rolls): Normal cost. Major Inconvenience (-5 to rolls): Double cost. Crippling (Crippled): Triple cost. Robot Skills Robots use the same skills that humans do. A few of the skills will have specializations, such as Computer Programming (Robot), Engineering (Robot), et cetera. Anyone, robot or not, can use these skills. Identify Transformation (Mental/Easy) Defaults to IQ-4 You can tell, simply by looking and making a skill roll, what a robot can transform into. If a robot can transform into several things, you will be at -1 for each additional form. Robot Repair (Mental/Hard) Defaults to Mechanic-4, or Engineering-4 This is the skill to diagnose and repair living robots. To repair a robot, roll against your skill. For every two points by which you make your skill roll, the robot is repaired 1 HT. Each attempt takes an hour. A failure will do nothing to fix the robot, and a Critical Failure will do 1d damage to the robot! Anybody with any sort of mechanical background, even if it's just connecting two VCRs, will be able to ``bandage'' a robot for 1 point of healing with an IQ roll. It is possible for a robot to repair himself, but this is difficult. He rolls at a -3. If he has taken over HT damage, he rolls at -5. Anybody without appropriate tools rolls at an additional -3. Likewise, if the problem is tricky (say, a vital organ was hit), a penalty from -1 to -5 can be applied. Robot Powers Robots can use any of the powers available to normal supers. Many of these powers will have different ``special effects.'' For example, while a super might shoot a laser beam from her fists, a robot would have a shoulder- mounted cannon that would do the same thing. There are a few new powers available to robot supers. Again, though, GMs may allow normal supers to acquire these powers. Antimatter Missile (Ranged/Physical) LC: 9 You can shoot a small portion of antimatter at your enemies! This attack can only be Dodged. Each level does 1d damage. If you ever critically hit somebody with an antimatter missile, you will cause a chain reaction that destroys the first inanimate object it hits. So, if you fire one at Darkshell and roll a Critical Hit, you'll instantly destroy his prized battlesuit! Drain Energy (Ranged/Mental) LC: 3 You can drain Energy from robots, causing it to dissipate harmlessly. Each level allows you to drain 1 Energy per turn. Roll Power vs. Will to resist. Note that if you want to absorb the other robot's energy, use the Absorb Attribute power. Earthquake (Area/Physical) LC: 8 You can cause earthquakes! Everyone within your earthquake area must roll against their ST minus your Power. If they succeed, they manage to stand on their feet. If they fail, they are thrown in the air and fall to the ground. Each point by which they miss their roll indicates that they are thrown 1 yard in the air. If they roll a Critical Failure, they fall into the earth, take an additional 2d damage, and are trapped! If they are not rescued, they will eventually suffocate. Each level of power also lets you throw 1,000 lbs of inanimate matter 1 yard into the air. Energy Weapon (Special/Physical) LC: 4 You can conjure a melee weapon of pure energy. It automatically has a reach of 1, and does 1d crushing damage per level. The weapon can be anything you'd like - an axe, a flail, a sword, a tire iron, whatever. Energy weapons will do damage to any normal weapon that it touches, like a force sword. Only other energy weapons (super powered or not) can parry an Energy Weapon. If GURPS Martial Arts rules are being used, Energy Weapons can parry lasers, fireballs, and the like. However, the energy weapon will short out for 1d hours if the Power of the attacking missile is greater that the Energy Weapon's Power. Special Enhancement: Your weapon has a long reach. +50% per additional hex. Infection (Ranged/Mental) LC: 5 For robots, this allows you to infect another robot with a computer virus. The victim must roll a contest of HT versus your Power to resist. If the person resists, he will not catch the disease and is immune from your virus forever. If he fails the roll, one of his attributes (your choice when you create your character) will be reduced by half your Power. He will also take 1 point of damage per day, but this damage can never exceed your Power. Robots need a Computer Programmer to cure a virus. If this is used as a normal super power, humans can roll the original HT versus Power contest to recover; roll once per day. This HT roll's penalty is reduced by 1 every day. Neutralize Antimatter (Area/Mental) LC: 3 All antimatter within your area is neutralized and converted to normal matter. You won't take damage from antimatter as long as this is on. Release Energy (Area/Mental) LC: 8 This super power is available only to super robots. You can release your energy supply outward, damaging everybody within your area. This does 1d of damage per level. This, however, costs Energy; 1 point per level used. Transformations A staple of super robots is their ability to transform. Many transform into vehicles, some transform into bizarre robot-vehicle combinations, others may transform into metallic lions. Transformation is always an advantage, regardless of what you transform into. Transforming into a one-foot robotic slug may not be much of an advantage, but it's an advantage nonetheless. Like other advantages, a transformation costs character points. How many character points it costs depends largely on what you transform into. The first step of being able to transform is getting the Robot Transformation advantage: Robot Transformation 25 points Transformation into an entirely different entity (vehicle, starship, et cetera) always costs a flat 25 points. This is never lessened by the Transformation Modifiers (see below), or any other Enhancements or Limitations for that matter. This allows the robot to transform into one other type of creature or vehicle. If, for example, you wanted to transform into both a car and an airplane, you have to buy this advantage twice. It takes 3-seconds to transform from robot to vehicle, and vice versa. Increase this by 1 second for each level of Growth the robot has. To shorten this time, make a DX roll at -3 for each second you want to ``shave'' off. For example, if you wanted to transform in one second, it would be DX-6. No time at all would be DX-9. If you fail this roll, you have to start over again, and you've already wasted a second. If you critically fail, you are stunned! If you roll a natural 18, not only are you stunned, but you damaged yourself for 1d damage! The only Enhancements or Limitations you could use on this advantage would be Reduced Time and Increased Time, to change the basic transformation time. The Conception Now you have to decide what, exactly, you want to transform into. The Robot Transformation advantage covers mechanical transformations - hovercraft, cities, cars, jets, metallic dinosaurs, whatever. If you just want to transform into a different looking robot, or an entirely different robot, use either the Changeable Exterior advantage (see p.00) or the Multiple Forms advantage from GURPS Supers. Size Restrictions Obviously, a 6' robot can't realistically transform into a full-sized yacht. What a robot can transform into is limited only by his size. It gets tricky trying to figure out exact size limitations, so GMs have to use their judgement. Here are some basic size suggestions: Motorcycle, snowmobile: 6' to 10' Compact car: 15' Midsized car: 20' Luxury car: 25' Van: 30' Truck cab, bulldozer: 35' Helicopter, train engine, biplane: 40' Attack chopper, tank: 45' 10-wheeler, fire engine, jet fighter: 50' Tractor-trailer: 60' Cargo plane: 65' Nuclear submarine: 75' Space shuttle: 80' Battleship: 100' Aircraft Carrier: 200' Small Space Station: 300' Small building: 500' City: 1000'+ If the GM wants to run a really cinematic campaign, he can ignore all size restrictions. However, it is suggested that common sense be used when deciding just what a robot can turn into! Building the Transformation A robot's transformed mode is constructed using standard GURPS rules. All the normal Advantages and Disadvantages are open to the transformed mode. If, for instance, a robot wants to turn into a submarine, he should get several Air Tanks, Passenger and Cargo spaces, the Super Swimming Advantage, and several levels of DR and PD. All advantages from the robot body transfer over to the transformed body. For instance, if you have DR 15 as a robot, you will have DR 15 as a car, in addition to any other DR you get for the car. You won't necessarily will be able to use all your advantages or skills as a car. For instance, you couldn't use Clinging in car mode, nor Lockpicking, or Jumping for that matter. You must designate where, exactly, your powers go when you are transformed. If you are normally able to shoot lightning from your hand, you might be able to shoot it from your headlight when you're a motorcycle. But if someone's behind you, you couldn't fire at them... If you transform into a vehicle, you need a skill to be able to drive or pilot yourself. You get a +5 to this skill, because you actually are the vehicle! This +5 doesn't transfer over to any passenger that happens to be driving you. Additional transformation Advantages and Disadvantages are available on p.00. Transformation Modifiers Because transformations are inherently limited (see above), each transformation will receive a Limitation bonus. Once the total cost of the transformation is computed, apply the transformation modifier. The modifier depends largely on how limited the form is: A large and immobile complex, such as a building, space station, satellite, or city receives a -50% Limitation. This also applies to a very limited form of transportation -- aircraft carriers, battleships, space shuttles, trains that require tracks, submarines, et cetera. Most vehicles - trucks, cars, jets, aquajets, motorcycles -- receive a - 30% Limitation. Creatures - metallic lions, tigers, eagles, prairie dogs, dinosaurs -- receive a -10% bonus. The GM should use his judgement on the total Limitation bonus. Most transformations will fall into the -30% range. Vehicular Advantages These new advantages apply mostly for vehicles. Other important ones include DR, PD, Passenger and Cargo Spaces, and others that will vary on the type of vehicle. Players may use GURPS Vehicles as basic guidelines, but the player is free to make modifications to his own liking. Accessories and items from GURPS Vehicles may be bought and installed on you. Each item costs 1 character point per $5,000 it normally costs. The GM may rule some items inappropriate. Whenever and advantage covers a vehicle accessory, use the advantage. Of course, these accessories actually count as equipment, so if you want a spoiler and airdam, you'd better be able to carry them! Acceleration 5 points/level Every vehicle starts with an acceleration of 5 mph/second. Each increase of 5 mph costs 5 points. After three levels (acceleration 20 mph), each level of Acceleration will increase acceleration by 10 mph/second. Deceleration 5 points/level Every vehicle can decelerate up to 20% of its top speed in one second safely. Each 5 mph increase costs 5 points. Beyond level three, each level of Deceleration increases maximum deceleration by 10 mph. Handling 5 points/level Each level gives you (or anyone that drives you) a bonus of +.25 MR. Passenger Controls 15 points This allows a passenger to take control of the robot and pilot or drive him normally. This may come in useful when the robot is stunned or rendered unconscious. Speed 5 points/level This advantage is appropriate to ground vehicles. Each level allows a maximum speed of 10 mph. Flying vehicles should get the appropriate levels of Flight, Super Flight, and Hyperflight. You may push your top speed, using the rules for Extra Effort. Always roll against DX, though. Animal Advantages Robots that turn into animals are much less limited than their vehicular counterparts; they can use many of their physical skills, are able to directly participate in combat, and aren't as limited to the places they are able to travel. All animal robots do cutting damage based on their ST; see p.B140. All animals have two forms of attacks, usually a claw and a bite. For more attacks, horn impales, tail sweeps, et cetera, use the rules for Strikers in GURPS Supers. Animals do not need the Claws advantage. To change this type of damage, see Natural Attack, below. Especially appropriate advantages would be multiple limbs (see GURPS Supers), Catfall, Increased Speed, DR, PD, Peripheral Vision, Night Vision, as well as increased ST and DX. Increased Damage 2/5 points/level You do extra damage when you bite, claw, or use any one of your attacks. Each level adds +1 to your basic damage, for only one type of attack. For 5 points, all of your natural attack forms get the bonus. Natural Attack Varies By default, all animal forms do cutting damage. Crushing damage, which would include most hoofs, head butts, or blunt paws, is a -10 point disadvantage. Impaling damage, which would mostly include horns, would be a 15 point advantage. For half cost (either 8 points or -5 points), only one type of attack would be either crushing or impaling. Spikes 5/10 points One area of your body is covered with sharp spikes. Whenever you're in close combat with someone, he must make a DX roll or take 1d cutting damage from your spikes! For 10 points, your entire body is covered with spikes. The roll is DX-3, and the spikes do 1d+2 cutting damage. Special Enhancement: You can shoot your spikes! This is a Physical/Average skill. SS 12, Acc 1, 1/2Dmg: 10, Max: 20. It takes ten seconds to "reload" your spikes. +100%.