Robot Building
I
decided to base this on a mix of the
Ape-building rules for Terra Primate and the zombie-building rules for AFMBE.
This way, we have one chapter that's good for creating robot Cast Members
as well as adversaries. This system
replaces the basic Robot Quality found in the Buffy
the Vampire Slayer Core Book.
The
base Quality cost to play a robot is one point, conferring the following
advantages:
Photographic
Memory:
Quality found in
any Unisystem Core Book
Robots,
having computers for brains, remember everything they see and hear with perfect
digital clarity. (2 Points).
Negative Buoyancy
Modified
from Terra Primate
Other
than the "More Human than Human" variety, robots are heavy and more
importantly, dense. All robots with
inorganic bodies have this Drawback, as their bodies simply lack the buoyancy to
float or swim. This Quality is
generally worth half the usual points to a robot since they are in no danger of
drowning. A submerged robot is
normally just required to walk along the bottom of the body of water until they
reach shore. If the robot's
internal systems are not watertight, then this Drawback is worth the full value.
This Drawback can be bought off if the aim is to build a robot specifically for
water operations.
Human
Likeness
| More Human than Human: This robot has a fully organic body, driven by a robot brain. A surgeon couldn't tell the difference, unless they were operating on the brain. Physical Attribute bonuses are unaffected, although this body can heal at normal human rates. +3 to Cost. |
| Mostly Human: This robot is comprised of a metal endoskeleton with cloned living tissue grafted onto it. Though a medical examination would quickly reveal what they really are, casual examination would reveal nothing amiss; these robots will bleed and even sweat. Anything more than 10 points of Bullet or Slash/Stab damage, however, will cut through skin and muscle to show the metal underneath. Small wounds will heal provided they are cared for, but gross injuries such as losing all flesh to one side of the face will not. Additionally, anyone with Acute Senses (Hearing) will be able to hear the sound of the servos that drive the endoskeleton, even through the flesh. In some Machine Worlds where infiltration by such machines is a constant threat, dogs are often kept for that purpose. +1 to Cost |
| Not Quite Human: This type of robot is meant to look like a human, but not enough to fool anyone. Plastic or rubber skin and somewhat exaggerated features give them away. -1 to Cost. |
| Humanoid: These robots' bodies are built around the same shape as humans, with two arms, two legs, a torso, and a head, but the resemblance ends there. They may even have expressive faces, but cannot pass for human unless they are heavily disguised (for example, in floor-length robes and a burnoose). A wide range of aesthetic designs are available, but in this category they are all humanoid and human-sized. All of the base Robot Quality applies, but at -2 cost for the inability to pass for human. |
| Humanish: These robots are more or less humanoid, but with mild to moderate departures from the base humanoid form made to suit the unit's function. They may be notably larger or smaller than humans, have industrial tools in place of arms, or multiple human-like arms. Robots of this type may have treads or wheels in place of legs. -2 to Cost. |
| Not Remotely Human: These robots completely eschew the humanoid form in favor of functionality. The base Robot Quality no longer applies, as it assumes a robot is at least humanoid. |
New
Quality
Polymorphic Form
Variable Quality
This
robot is made, at least partially, of a dense swarm of nanobots, microscopic
robots which can reconfigure themselves to mimic the properties of anything the
robot can touch. This effect can be
disrupted through damage, which will reveal the robot for what it is, but it is
very difficult to do lasting damage to a polymorphic robot.
There are three versions of this Quality:
Faux Polymorph:
With Faux Polymorph, the robot doesn’t actually change shape, but it can
project a convincing solid-photon hologram over itself of any humanoid figure it
can visually scan. 5
Points.
Partial Polymorph:
This robot is built around a metal frame, but instead of a physical covering to
make it look human, it is covered in mimetic nanobots which are under the
guidance of the robot's central processor.
The advantage to this versus the fully polymorphic robot is that
modifications such as energy weapons can be built into the endoskeleton.
The robot is able to take the shape of any humanoid form it samples,
restricted only by the size of its endoskeleton.
Full Polymorph:
This robot is completely comprised of nanobots working in concert, any of which
are capable of assuming any of the functions for which the robot is intended.
This makes for an extremely versatile and powerful robot;
they can easily change their shape, including transforming their limbs into
solid metal weapons (doing up to 5xStrength Slash/Stab damage).
Unlike the partial polymorph, these robots can take non-humanoid shapes,
including inorganic ones, and can even spread their mass out to disguise
themselves as a section of floor or wall. They
can alter their size within certain limits by compacting the additional mass
into a dense core, or in the case of immobile objects, spreading the rest of the
mass across the surrounding ground. Recharge
requirements are meaningless to this kind of robot, although what actually keeps
them running is anybody's guess. Because
any of the nanites they are comprised of can assume any function of the robot
(including repairing damaged systems), they heal Life Points equal to their
Constitution every turn and divide all damage done to them by 5.
50 Points.
Artificial
Intelligence
| None to Speak Of: The robot has no AI of its own, but depends solely on remote control to be beamed commands from a central processor of some kind(or if the robot is big enough, it may require a pilot). If the central processor is disabled or communication is somehow jammed, the robot will immediately cease all activity. The central processor should be developed as a separate entity (a la the Brood Queen in AFMBE). -5 to Cost |
| Animal Intelligence: A robot with animal intelligence is usually employed in very simple tasks that don't require much brainpower but do require a modicum of problem-solving ability in order to run without supervision. These robots can even be trained within certain parameters, using a system of remote messages to "praise" or "punish" the robot's behavior. -10 to Cost |
| Just the Facts: An A.I. at this level can preside over gargantuan databanks, recite facts and figures all day long, and even extrapolate the likely outcome of a series of events. They can monitor and control every facet of the environment they are programmed to oversee, but they do not in any way act like humans. Aside from a blandly pleasant voice, the designers of these robots made no effort to humanize them at all. |
| Seems Intelligent Enough: This is the intelligence level included in the base Robot Quality. At this level, robots can mimic human emotion convincingly enough to instill sympathy, although they do not actually feel emotion. They can learn new behaviors and can hold vast data files that can be used to improvise solutions to any problems they might face, and many are smart enough to know when it is appropriate to use humor and sarcasm. This is the minimum Artificial Intelligence level that is suitable for Cast Members. +0 to Cost. |
| Just Like The Real Thing: At this level of AI, the robot can experience the full range of human emotions, and is capable of making moral choices, even if those choices run counter to their programming. This could also include the inverse of the "More Human Than Human" body type, the classic "Brain In A Jar:" a robot body with a human brain. +1 to Cost |
Additional
Traits
Photographic
Memory: Most
Robots will remember everything they see and hear with perfect digital clarity;
this is not included in the base Robot Quality and must be paid for as a
separate Quality. +2 to Cost
Mobility
| None to Speak Of: This robot cannot move under its own power. Perhaps it is a factory assembly line worker, bolted to the floor. Or it could be nothing more than a brain and a voice modulator which must be carried around; resort cities of the future might rent such robots to tourists as translators and tour guides. -10 to Cost |
| Awkward: One of the greatest challenges in the development of robotics was to design a robot that could mimic the range of human movement. Robots with this level of Mobility might be older models that predate such advances, or they may simply be low-end models. Either way, this robot moves at a slow pace and is barely able to negotiate a flight of stairs. -5 to Cost |
| Slow and Steady: This robot does not have any trouble navigating obstacles, but either its mass or the design of its endoskeleton prohibits hurried movement. It consistently moves at a normal human walking pace, regardless of urgency. -3 to Cost |
| Human-range: This is the base Robot Quality's level of movement. For all intents and purposes, it is equal to that of a human. They are subject to the same Endurance limits as a human of equal stats, due to the possibility of overheating. +0 to Cost |
| Wicked Fast: Wicked Fast robots are designed for speed. A humanoid robot can get all the way up to highway speeds on foot (maximum around 60 m/hour). Every X points spent on this Quality increases the Speed Attribute multiplier by X. Robots with wheels, treads, or other special movement abilities can exceed the normal 60 m/hour limit. |
Other mobility
options
| Wheels: Having wheels instead of legs increases speed, but with a slight reduction in maneuverability and some difficulty on certain types of terrain. Speed increases are bought separately. +1 to Cost. |
| Treads: They aren't much slower compared to tires, and with much greater mobility over different types of terrain. + 2 to Cost. |
| Casters: Casters give humanoid robots another movement option, in the form of wheels that can extend or retract from the soles of their feet and operate like roller skates. This will increase their Speed Attribute by 1.5 times (round down) when in use, but does not otherwise affect their maximum speed. +1 to Cost. |
| Hover: Modern technology has perfected the hovercraft that remains stable over all types of terrain, even water. A robot equipped with hover technology can glide at a maximum height of 6 feet. Maximum cargo capacity is determined by the robot's Endurance Attribute. If their maximum lift/carry is exceeded, they will not be able to remain airborne. + 2 to Cost |
Recharge
Requirement
| Broadcast Energy: Often used in conjunction with the "None to Speak Of" level of Artificial Intelligence, this option indicates that the robot does not produce any power of its own. Its energy is broadcast over the air via microwave transmissions. Instructions and power can be sent on the same beam. If the central transmitter is taken down, the robot will cease to function immediately. Robots are programmed to avoid places where the broadcast energy cannot reach them. -5 to cost. Some robots that depend on this method also have the capacity to use a battery cell of some kind, but pre-Robot Revolution manufacturers offer battery cells only as an option, enticing buyers to save money by not buying a battery cell, and instead paying a monthly fee for energy transmission. If this is the case, then the cost modifier is only -2. |
| Once/Day:
The robot can run for 16 continuous
hours before needing to connect to a household current to recharge.
This is the most popular choice for domestic robots, since this
leaves it plenty of time to recharge while its owners sleep.
+0 to Cost. |
| Once/Week:
With Sakana-Aka Corporation's
"Seventh Day" battery cell, the robot only needs to recharge
once a week. +1
to Cost |
| What, me
recharge?:
This lucky robot is outfitted with
Greenleaf Enterprises' "Heirloom" battery, powered by
"clean" radioactive isotopes with a half-life measured in
centuries. This robot will be
obsolete long before its battery runs out.
+3 to Cost |
| Solar Power:
These robots can continually recharge
its battery by using photovoltaic cells on its outer surface to collect
solar energy. They will only
need to connect to a power socket to recharge if they have been out of the
sun for a full 24 hours.+
2 to Cost |
| TransFusion:
NecTech originally developed the
precursor to this technology for a combination RoboPet™/garbage
disposal, then upped the ante with a robot who could power itself off the
garbage it ate. Sales went
through the roof, and this technology has been incorporated into numerous
different models. Industrial
models come in the popular Behemoth model: as big as an elephant, and with enough foot-pounds of strength in its serrated jaw to eat
just about anything. +0
to Cost |
Repair
Ability
Measures
a robot's ability to repair itself
| None: The robot is unable to repair itself at all (this is the standard included in the base Robot Quality). +0 to Cost. |
| Nominal: As long as the robot is still turned on, has at least one arm and the proper tools, it can make a Mechanics: Robot or Mr. Fix-It check to repair itself. (Use rules for medical healing of humans) +1 to Cost, plus they must have the applicable skill. |
| Miracle Plastic: The outer covering of some robots is made of a cutting-edge high-impact plastic, which is laced with tiny capsules containing this same polymer in liquid form. When the robot is scratched, dented, punctured, or cracked, these capsules break open, spilling the liquid. The liquid hardens on contact with the air, filling in the injury. These robots heal 1 Life Point per Constitution every minute. +3 to Cost. |
| Nanotech:
This
robot has an “immune system” of microscopic robots who mobilize to
repair any damage done to their host.
A robot with this system recovers 1 Life Point per Constitution
every turn. + 6 to Cost. |
Armor
Many
types of robots are fitted with armor. Armor
can be added as Quality points using the rules for Natural Armor from the Angel
Core Book.
Weapons
Loadout
Ranged
Weapons/Melee Weapons
A
Robot can be provided with wapons using the Supernatural Attack and Natural
Weapon Quality rules from the Angel Core
Book.
Skill
Sets
Medi
Bot: Medicine, Psychology, Entertainment (Joke telling)
Assassin
Bot: Kung Fu, Gun Fu, Driving, Influence, Crime, Piloting
Domestic
Bot: Childcare, Pet Care, Cooking, Cleaning, Driving
Industrial
Bot: general mechanical skills
Increased
Attributes
For
Robot Characters, Attributes are purchased as normal, and may also be increased
using the Enhanced Attribute rules from the Angel
Core Book.