The first of a few high-index (it turns out) items we dreamt up for our new game.
I think this first item is pretty handy: It’s a signet ring a psychologist can give to someone and it carries with it a Connection as long as the person is wearing it.
Connection Signet
High Index
+1 Will (stat advantage, 4pts)
Will can only be used to grant a Connection die; does not expand or reduce connection pool, doesn’t provide defense, etc. (categorical limitation, -1 pt.)
Ring must be worn to receive the Connection (trait limitation, -3 pts.)
PITAP of 1, mostly so it’s not free and therefore a really silly exploit
I call bullshit on that trait limit. That’s like getting points back on my gun with something like “Gun must be held in hands and trigger pulled to function, trait limit, -3 points.” Maybe if you need to sit in the mind-throne with the spinal connection plugged in, that’s a trait limit, but wearing a ring? Nah.
Well, yeah, I agree on that point. I guess what I was getting at was that the rings were supposed to be something of a liability for the psychologist: You had to wear them to get the benefit, but that also meant they could be stolen, given away, viewed (ah! you have one of so-and-so’s signets!), etc.
Still no? Because this started out as a throne type dealie, actually.
This is a neat item, except it’s missing one big, glaring item from its stats: the fact that it grants a Connection in the first place! That’s something very different from, and much bigger than, a simple +1D to Wil.
I’d suggest you need:
Enhancement (8 points): grants a Connection between the Psychologist who gives it and the recipient.
Trait Limitation (-3 points): Giver must have the Bright Mark or the Mule trait!
That’s the core of your item, right there. Then you need to decide key questions such as
is the signet obviously a psychological artifact or otherwise weird (Obstacle penalties to Inconspicuous for the wearer and/or Perception bonuses for someone looking at it)
can the signet be used against its giver by another Psychologist? (Categorical Limitation and/or Obstacles and Advantages)
does the wearer have to consent to the Connection, as per the normal rules? If not, you need to assess mighty PITAP and More-Powerful costs!
Actually I disagree: The Psychologist is granting the Connection; he’s just doing so from an enhanced Will (which has been restricted to only granting Connections; he doesn’t even get an improved defense off it).
If I had a straight Will-enhancing device, a Psychologist would get all the benefits of that increased Will, would he not? I.e. more possible connections, a higher defense if I haven’t handed out Connection dice. This is exactly that device, except with a special purpose.
Now…if I had created an artificial Psychologist, a mule AI so to speak, I think that would clearly be a device: enhancement (and “more powerful” and a “pain in the ass”).
Aaaah, I see. I was misreading this line: "It’s a signet ring a psychologist can give to someone and it carries with it a Connection as long as the person is wearing it. " The device doesn’t grant the Connection; it just boosts the Psychologist’s power so there’s no loss of a die from his/her pools to maintain it.
I don’t know, the Inconspicuous penalty works, but I think it’s a bit boring. What about “Distinctive: The object of the Connection can be identified with an Ob 2 Psychology test. The ring is identifiable as a signet to anyone familiar with psychotech.” That’s worth a point or two.
As far as the stolen limit, well, that’s built in to tech. It’s a physical object and can be stolen, destroyed, etc. If you burn it they have to spend a builder and you prolly get a versus test for it. This will be on your person most of the time, so it doesn’t need security automation like a vehicle or anything. It’s easier to steal than cybernetics, but harder than most anything else (and if you put psychotech cybernetics in your head, I am so gonna fork psychotech-wise into my psychic duels to fuck with it, or maybe even burn special psychotech jammy-explody-gear, so that has its own disadvantages).
The throne would have extra limits like Immobile and Total Sensory Overlay, and it would get extra points for those. You’d prolly want sec automation, though I imagine it’d be on the vehicle or location rather than the throne (Though a little of the old black mind-ice would be pretty vicious for preventing unauthorized use).
How about it reduces the will cost of establishing connections with the wearer to 0? That way, every psychologist will be offering you connections left and right =)
Okie dokie, excellent feedback from everyone! I think this is my final signet:
[ul]
[li]High Index[/li][li]+1 Will (stat advantage, 4 pts)[/li][li]Will can only be used to grant a Connection die; does not expand or reduce connection pool, doesn’t provide defense, etc. (categorical limitation, -1 pt.)[/li][li]Distinctive: The object of the Connection can be identified with an Ob 2 Psychology test. The ring is identifiable as a signet to anyone familiar with psychotech (fiat, -1 pt.)[/ul]TOTAL: 2 pts. [/li]
Not a bad little gizmo. So sad my low-index game can’t use them.
