Author Topic: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread  (Read 66553 times)

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #140 on: August 28, 2014, 11:09:02 PM »
Given that you already have more modules than there are soulmelds in MoI, I'm a little concerned about there being too many options if you're looking at tripling the current number of modules. 

Also, yeah, Percy has a few different sets of soulmelds running around.

I am not tripling the number of modules. OH GOD NO I AM NOT NO WAY NO HOW! What I meant was that each module has multiple effects between the basic ability and the socket attachments, so with the ~100 modules I've gone through 300+ distinct effects' worth of abilities.

Edit: Side note, about how many soulmelds are there in MoI, anyways?

Pshaw, steal effects from Percy. I'm sure he won't mind.

What makes you think I haven't? We're largely drawing from the same sources, so there's a hell of a lot of overlap already, even before cross-pollination.
« Last Edit: August 28, 2014, 11:29:46 PM by Garryl »

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #141 on: August 29, 2014, 10:14:30 AM »
Given that you already have more modules than there are soulmelds in MoI, I'm a little concerned about there being too many options if you're looking at tripling the current number of modules. 

Also, yeah, Percy has a few different sets of soulmelds running around.

I am not tripling the number of modules. OH GOD NO I AM NOT NO WAY NO HOW! What I meant was that each module has multiple effects between the basic ability and the socket attachments, so with the ~100 modules I've gone through 300+ distinct effects' worth of abilities.

Edit: Side note, about how many soulmelds are there in MoI, anyways?

Ohhhh, I thought you were talking about independent modules.

MoI soulmelds: by my count there are 89 but I was just counting from the table of contents so I might be off by a couple.  That also doesn't count whatever handful are splattered about in other books.

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #142 on: August 29, 2014, 10:17:11 PM »
MoI soulmelds: by my count there are 89 but I was just counting from the table of contents so I might be off by a couple.  That also doesn't count whatever handful are splattered about in other books.

There are 5 more online psionics-related soulmelds (about half of which are essentially reskins of existing melds) and 5 draconic melds in Dragon Magic. I think there are also some in Dragon magazine, but I'm not counting those. So 99 printed soulmelds, then. Excellent.

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #143 on: September 02, 2014, 01:45:58 AM »
I got back to town late, so I don't feel like putting things up tonight. Instead, I'll post the results of today's attempt to provide some meaningful healing with cybernetics, the Energy Transfer module (rewritten) and the Restoration Matrix module (new).



Energy Transfer
Descriptor: None
Classes: Cyberneticist, Energy Warrior
Prerequisites: None
Sockets: Arms, Utility
Saving Throw: None

This module allows you to transfer your bio-energy to others. As a standard action, you can designate a willing ally within 30 feet. You can transfer your hit points to the subject, and the subject's nonlethal damage to you. For every hit point transferred to the subject, she heals one hit point and you lose one hit point. Likewise, for every point of nonlethal damage transferred from the subject, she heals one point of nonlethal damage and you gain one point of nonlethal damage. This is not damage, so damage reduction, resistances, immunities, and other abilities do not influence the damage transferred. You can even use this to restore the hit points of undead, constructs, and other nonliving creatures, although this module lacks the power to revive dead or destroyed creatures. Regeneration does not convert lost hit points into nonlethal damage, although it can recover nonlethal damage that you transfer to yourself.

If you have any temporary hit points when you use this ability, you can choose to lose temporary hit points in place of some or all of the hit points you lose or nonlethal damage you gain. For each temporary hit point you lose, you lose one fewer hit point or gain one fewer point of nonlethal damage. The subject still regains the full amount of hit points and removes the full amount of nonlethal damage.

Each time you use this ability, you can transfer at total of up to 10 plus your activator level in hit points and points of nonlethal damage between yourself and the subject. You cannot transfer sufficient hit points to the subject or nonlethal damage to yourself to cause your hit points to become less than 1 or to cause your nonlethal damage to become greater than or equal to your hit points. Similarly, you cannot transfer more hit points than is necessary to heal all hit points the subject is missing, nor transfer more nonlethal damage than is necessary to remove all nonlethal damage the subject has.

If you are immune to nonlethal damage, you cannot transfer nonlethal damage to yourself.

If you expend 1 point of energy while using this ability, instead of transferring hit points and nonlethal damage, the subject simply heals that many hit points and points of nonlethal damage; you neither lose hit points nor gain nonlethal damage. Since you are not transferring hit points or damage, the healing provided is not limited by your health and abilities.

The link provided by this module only works one way. You cannot transfer the subjects hit points to you, nor your own nonlethal damage to the subject.

Energy: Each point of energy allocated to this module increases the maximum amount of damage transferred by 5 points and the range of the effect by 10 feet.

Socket (arms)
You can siphon energy from creatures you injure. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee or ranged attack, you can also choose to cause one negative level to that creature, which lasts for up to 1 hour. If you do, you gain one point of temporary energy and 5 temporary hit points, which last for up to 1 minute. If you use this effect multiple times, the temporary hit points stack, but the temporary energy does not. You can use this effect no more than once per round per point of energy allocated to this module. This is a form of energy drain.

Socket (utility)
You can also transfer some of the ability damage that your ally is suffering to yourself with this module's effect. For every point of ability damage transferred from the subject, she heals one point of ability damage to a single ability score of your choice and you gain one point of ability damage to the same ability score.

Each time you use this module's effect, for each ability score, you can transfer up to 1 point of ability damage per point of energy allocated to this module between yourself and the subject. You cannot transfer sufficient ability damage to reduce you to to less than 1 in a given ability score, nor sufficient to cause your hit points to become less than 1 or to cause your nonlethal damage to become greater than or equal to your hit points. Similarly, you cannot transfer more ability damage than is necessary to remove all ability damage the subject has to any given ability score.

If you have a nonability or are immune to ability damage to a given ability score, you cannot transfer damage to that ability score to yourself.

If you expend energy while using this ability, instead of transferring ability damage, the subject simply heals that many points of ability damage; you do not gain ability damage. Since you are not transferring ability damage, the healing provided is not limited by your health and abilities.



Restoration Matrix
Descriptor: None
Classes: Cyberneticist
Prerequisites: None
Sockets: Arms, Core, Utility
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)

While this module is active, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus on all Heal checks, and you can heal wounds with a touch.

As a standard action, you can touch a living creature. The subject is stabilized. If it has any caltrop wounds, bleeding wounds, or other wounds that are specially healed by cure spells or magical healing, they are also cured. The subject is also healed a number of hit points equal to your activator level, but this healing cannot raise its hit points to greater than half its maximum hit points. The full normal amount of nonlethal damage is still healed even if only some of the healing can be applied. This healing functions as a conjuration (healing) effect, although unlike cure spells it does not function through positive energy and does not deal damage to undead. An unwilling subject is allowed a Will save to negate the effect.

Energy: Each point of energy allocated to this module improves the bonus on Heal checks by 2 and increases the amount of healing provided by 5.

Socket (arms)
This module's effect can target up to 1 creature per activator level instead of applying by touch. All such creatures must be within 30 feet of you.

Socket (core)
The amount of healing provided by this module's effect is doubled. Additionally, the effect also immediately ends any and all of the following adverse conditions affecting the subject: ability damage, blinded, confused, dazed, dazzled, deafened, diseased, exhausted, fatigued, feebleminded, insanity, nauseated, sickened, stunned, and poisoned. Any other effect that can be removed or influenced by a heal spell or similarly powerful magical healing is also affected by this module's effect. It does not, however, remove negative levels, restore permanently drained levels, or restore permanently drained ability score points.

Socket (utility)
The healing provided by this module's effect is no longer limited to half of the subject's maximum hit points. If you expend 1 point of energy, it also removes 1 negative level, cures all ability damage to a single ability score, or restores 1d4 points of ability ability drain to a single ability score.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #144 on: September 02, 2014, 10:30:42 AM »
Energy transfer seems very complicated.  I know that a lot of that is to limit abuse, and I'm not really sure how to uncomplicate it.

I like Restoration Matrix.

Slightly off topic: I was looking at the Activate Module feat and it says "This does not count against your limited number of active modules."  Spending a feat to always be able to have a module active on top of your normal class modules seems a little strong, but that is in comparison to Incarnum which doesn't allow anything like that IIRC.

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #145 on: September 02, 2014, 11:10:36 AM »
Activate Module works in the same way that Shape Soulmeld gives you an extra soulmeld over the ones granted by your class or to let you shape a soulmeld at all if you aren't a meldshaper. Or, at least, the way I've always seen it played.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #146 on: September 02, 2014, 11:36:22 AM »
Activate Module works in the same way that Shape Soulmeld gives you an extra soulmeld over the ones granted by your class or to let you shape a soulmeld at all if you aren't a meldshaper. Or, at least, the way I've always seen it played.

Shape Soulmeld adds it to your list of soulmelds, it still follows all restrictions about how many soulmelds you can have.  If a level 1 Incarnate has Shape Soulmeld (whatever), he can still only shape 2 soulmelds total even if one of them is the whatever soulmeld.

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #147 on: September 02, 2014, 11:45:29 AM »
Activate Module works in the same way that Shape Soulmeld gives you an extra soulmeld over the ones granted by your class or to let you shape a soulmeld at all if you aren't a meldshaper. Or, at least, the way I've always seen it played.

Shape Soulmeld adds it to your list of soulmelds, it still follows all restrictions about how many soulmelds you can have.  If a level 1 Incarnate has Shape Soulmeld (whatever), he can still only shape 2 soulmelds total even if one of them is the whatever soulmeld.

Having an extra module feels about worth a feat. You're still spending your other resources (energy, socket attachments) if you want more than just the basic effect, most of which are right around what a feat can (or should) give you.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #148 on: September 02, 2014, 12:11:34 PM »
Activate Module works in the same way that Shape Soulmeld gives you an extra soulmeld over the ones granted by your class or to let you shape a soulmeld at all if you aren't a meldshaper. Or, at least, the way I've always seen it played.

Shape Soulmeld adds it to your list of soulmelds, it still follows all restrictions about how many soulmelds you can have.  If a level 1 Incarnate has Shape Soulmeld (whatever), he can still only shape 2 soulmelds total even if one of them is the whatever soulmeld.

Having an extra module feels about worth a feat. You're still spending your other resources (energy, socket attachments) if you want more than just the basic effect, most of which are right around what a feat can (or should) give you.

Fair enough.  I'm not arguing it, just wanted to make sure that you knew you were diverging from the "source material".

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #149 on: September 02, 2014, 02:16:11 PM »
Here's a re-rewrite of the Energy Transfer module, this time more closely based on the original (itself based on the Empathic Transfer power). This should be a lot simpler, I hope.

Energy Transfer
Descriptor: None
Classes: Cyberneticist, Energy Warrior
Prerequisites: None
Sockets: Arms, Utility
Saving Throw: None

This module allows you to transfer your bio-energy to others. As a standard action, you can designate a willing creature within 30 feet. You can transfer your hit points to the subject. You can heal damage up to 10 points plus your activator level. The subject regains the chosen number of hit points, and you lose hit points equal to half that amount. You cannot heal damage that would reduce you to less than 1 hit point. This is not damage, so abilities you may have such as damage damage reduction and regeneration do not lessen or change this hit point loss. Likewise, even if you have immunity to the type of damage the target originally took, the transfer occurs normally and causes hit point loss to you. Like all magical healing, the subject heals an equal amount of nonlethal damage as lethal damage, although you do not gain nonlethal damage or lose additional hit points as a result of curing nonlethal damage.

This healing does not use positive or negative energy. Creatures of all types are affected equally. You can even use this to restore the hit points of undead, constructs, and other nonliving creatures, although this module lacks the power to revive dead or destroyed creatures.

You may expend 1 point of energy while using this ability. If you do, instead of transferring hit points, the subject simply heals that many hit points; you do not lose hit points.

Energy: Each point of energy allocated to this module increases the maximum amount of hit points transferred or healed by 10 points and the range of the effect by 10 feet.

Socket (arms)
You can siphon energy from creatures you injure. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee or ranged attack, you can also choose to cause one negative level to that creature, which lasts for up to 1 hour. If you do, you gain one point of temporary energy and 5 temporary hit points, which last for up to 1 minute. If you use this effect multiple times, the temporary hit points stack, but the temporary energy does not. You can use this effect no more than once per round per point of energy allocated to this module. This is a form of energy drain. Creatures slain due to excessive negative levels from this effect do not rise as wights.

Socket (utility)
When you heal an ally with this module, you can also transfer up to 1 point of ability damage per point of energy allocated to this module from the target to yourself. You cannot transfer damage that would reduce you to less than 1 hit point or to less than 1 in a given ability score. As with hit point damage, you gain the same amount of ability damage transferred this way. If expend energy while using this ability, instead of transferring ability damage, the subject simply heals the ability damage; you do not gain the ability damage.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #150 on: September 02, 2014, 02:41:45 PM »
I like that a lot better, having it just plain heal nonlethal damage instead of transferring got rid of a couple of paragraphs and it looks a lot more cleaned up (and simpler).

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #151 on: September 05, 2014, 10:16:41 PM »
September 5, 2014
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After a week, we can has update!

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #152 on: October 05, 2014, 02:46:36 AM »
Not dead! Just back in university and starting my masters thesis program. I caught a bit of a second wind (is it still a second wind when it's your eighth one?), and finished the Autoturret Construction Kit module, which also resulted in me making a set of "turret" creatures. I'll post the actual material (along with a few other changes) when it's not so late at night.

Edit: All uploaded.

October 5, 2014
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« Last Edit: October 05, 2014, 12:54:04 PM by Garryl »

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #153 on: October 05, 2014, 08:43:28 PM »
Turrets look interesting.

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #154 on: October 05, 2014, 11:39:30 PM »
I'm thinking about some or all of the following, although I doubt I'll have the patience to stat them all out.

- Turret Turret: Uses Autoturret Construction Kit to deploy hover turrets.
- Demolition Turret: Deploys Widow Mines similar to how the Autoturret Construction Kit deploys Autoturrets. Also attacks with Missile Launcher.
- Ambush Turret: Hides until enemies are near, then pops up to attack. Always has cover if emplaced. Maybe a template instead of a specific creature?
- Big Bertha: Colossal structure of heavy weapons. Railguns, pulse cannons, nanorifles, Storm Rifles, Mercury Bows, Dragonfire Rifles, heavy bolters, and so forth, complete with special ammunition. Multiweapon fighting line of feats to attack with them all.
- Spotter Turret: Intelligent. No weapons, but has improved senses and various abilities to allow other turrets to better attack. Can obtain a target lock, and grants bonuses to other turrets attacking that target.
- Repair Turret: Energy Transfer module lets it repair other turrets and allies.
- Shield Turret: Guardian Shield module creates a fortified area.
- Energy Turret (template): Can be applied to any module with an Energy Emitter socket effect. Creates a turret with that module active as an integrated module attached to the Energy Emitter socket and with the Energy Beam ability. See Plasma Turret for the basic concept. AL is variable, with HD, size, Str, Wis, energy pool, effective Energy Warrior level, CR, and so forth dependent on it, similar to a Living Spell.
- Grapple Turret: Use Grapple Lasso w/ Arms and/or Hands attachments (probably both). Uses greater reach to disable nearby foes with trip, disarm, and grapple (via Improved Grab from the Hands attachment).



Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #155 on: October 17, 2014, 09:28:38 PM »
October 17, 2014
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I'm about largely through making the Energy Turret template, which is based on MM3's Living Spell template, for converting modules into turrets. Those with energy emitter attachments, anyways. It just needs construction costs for the turrets and some samples creatures.

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Offline Amechra

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #156 on: October 18, 2014, 06:46:15 AM »
I just checked, and I couldn't find any Modules with an Energy Emitter Socket attachment that improved your base land speed. Just thought I'd mention.
"There is happiness for those who accept their fate, there is glory for those that defy it."

"Now that everyone's so happy, this is probably a good time to tell you I ate your parents."

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #157 on: October 18, 2014, 11:34:20 AM »
There aren't. But there might be in the future.

Offline Garryl

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #158 on: October 30, 2014, 12:41:06 AM »
October 30, 2014
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Updates! About half of the things on the list are fixes and quality tweaks. The other half (which is actually about 98% of the effort) is new stuff, a couple of modules and a bunch of grafts.

I have one or two more grafts planned, but there's already over a dozen. It's mostly just to round out the skin graft section, which has only the one option at present.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread
« Reply #159 on: October 30, 2014, 09:57:24 AM »
I approve of the changes, and it's probably better that there's no ability to gain actions from modules.

I was going to make a six-million dollar man joke but couldn't find a suitable youtube clip...

How did I miss that you had grafts?  I like them, leg portal is interesting (but not in a bad way, bag of holding in a leg would totally be a thing).

Twilight reactor is neat.

Screaming cannon is kind of awesome, I like that there's an anti-undead weapon module.