Viability of a Techno-wizard in Heroes?

[Galroth]

How viable would this class be beside the current array of Supers? Converted to SDC I don't think it would be at a significant advantage or disadvantage. Low availability of spells to learn and adapt into devices would seem to serve as an easy GM brake to apply if the character were headed out of the power range of the party. What do you folks think?

[Damian Magecraft]

How viable would this class be beside the current array of Supers? Converted to SDC I don't think it would be at a significant advantage or disadvantage. Low availability of spells to learn and adapt into devices would seem to serve as an easy GM brake to apply if the character were headed out of the power range of the party. What do you folks think?

extremely Viable.

I have made a few for several of my settings...
One is strictly an arms dealer type for the magic set.
Another is the quintessential tinkerer... always building Magic devices to aid him in his crime fighting.
and these are but two examples of a variant of the Mystic Study class.

[Nightmask]

Should be as viable as anything else, just some tweaks to the education (pretty much roll as normal and remove one program to represent the minimal skills that are required for the class) and costs for TW materials particularly gems. Probably no reason to really restrict spell access, if you'd let a standard wizard have it no reason a TW shouldn't, since it requires an obvious object to function at full effectiveness which isn't any different than other classes making use of gear particularly gear-heavy sorts like Hardware characters.

[csyphrett]

It's good way to put some variety in the hero party. Materials would be cheaper and easier to get in the modern world.
CES

[drewkitty ~..~]

How viable would this class be beside the current array of Supers? Converted to SDC I don't think it would be at a significant advantage or disadvantage. Low availability of spells to learn and adapt into devices would seem to serve as an easy GM brake to apply if the character were headed out of the power range of the party. What do you folks think?

If you just use the spells in the SDC books, all the necessary conversions are already made.
Other then that, If you wanted to go fully HU. I would say roll for HU education as normal, with the TW OCC skills would replace two skill programs. In other words taking it out of OCC format, and putting it into HU power cat format.

The TW's would use the same spell acquisition table as Mystic studies.

To brake a TW would be by having to find natural gems and other stones, within the mix of cheap synthetic gems that they can't use.

[AlanGunhouse]

A TW would be like any hardware character for the most points. I discovered there are 2 problems with a similar character in a fast paced game though. 1) Learning new spells tends to be slow and 2) creating new items is both costly and time consuming.

[victor1966]

The problem of making new item can be handle with a few weeks between adventures . One thing i enjoy about playing tech o mages is that they have good understanding of both magic and tech . Their combat skills are weak but still useful as support fire .

It would nice to play in a heroes world . The Tech o mage could build a proper workshop with tools , heavy equipment and contacts with other magic users .

[znbrtn]

seems like a pretty good idea to me. they could be very flavorful in the HU setting.

[Galroth]

For anyone else that wants to try this, here is a website with gemstones listed with carats and prices.

http://www.gemselect.com/group/gemselect.php

[AlanGunhouse]

As you can see, getting the gems can add up in price fast.

[Galroth]

As you can see, getting the gems can add up in price fast.

One thing you may want to keep in mind with using this site is those gems are already cut and intended for jewelery. There is no requirement that I've been able to find that says TW's need to use cut gems or even jewelery grade gems. Naturally formed industrial diamond runs at the top end 10$ per carat according to the USGS. Not too expensive if your GM allows it.

[Galroth]

My problem would be the greatly reduced ambient PPE... Rifts spells should all be much more oomphy in execution, and TW is taking advantage of a world dripping in magic. If you feel that the conversions of spells takes this into account, then problem solved! If you don't, there will be extensive house rules....

Well yeah, spells doing about 1/100th the damage does seem to be enough of a downgrade. There is also a -10% to TW construction rolls for being done in a low-magic environment.

[Nightmask]

My problem would be the greatly reduced ambient PPE... Rifts spells should all be much more oomphy in execution, and TW is taking advantage of a world dripping in magic. If you feel that the conversions of spells takes this into account, then problem solved! If you don't, there will be extensive house rules....

Well yeah, spells doing about 1/100th the damage does seem to be enough of a downgrade. There is also a -10% to TW construction rolls for being done in a low-magic environment.

Shouldn't be a penalty applied to a native-born Techno-Wizard, for having grown up in the environment they're adapted to it.

[csyphrett]

The HU book doesn't give any penalities for spell making. It just says use magic skills from character class and substitute HU Skills.
CES

[Galroth]

My problem would be the greatly reduced ambient PPE... Rifts spells should all be much more oomphy in execution, and TW is taking advantage of a world dripping in magic. If you feel that the conversions of spells takes this into account, then problem solved! If you don't, there will be extensive house rules....

Well yeah, spells doing about 1/100th the damage does seem to be enough of a downgrade. There is also a -10% to TW construction rolls for being done in a low-magic environment.

Shouldn't be a penalty applied to a native-born Techno-Wizard, for having grown up in the environment they're adapted to it.

I agree, but you can negate it just by taking your time so I haven't tried to get my GM to house-rule that.

[csyphrett]

In the modern world your TW will not be able to tap into the ley lines for power to make their devices. I found in our games - the TW took longer to create items due to the lack of PPE.... Not sure what other people do... Sacrifice all the bums found drunk on the street for the PPE?????

Sure you have the parts, its the magic that is hard to get.

You don't need to tap into ley lines to make devices. You only need them to make devices that fly on them. Also HU has ley lines too. They are mentioned in several of the books. They are just weaker.
CES

[drewkitty ~..~]

TW's are like the Super Invention power cat for magic, instead being for super powers.

An "Idea" is a TW devise, much like a LL device, that taps into a hero's super power to power the device instead of a LL.

[AlanGunhouse]

TW's are like the Super Invention power cat for magic, instead being for super powers.

An "Idea" is a TW devise, much like a LL device, that taps into a hero's super power to power the device instead of a LL.

Probably would not work, but heroes tend to have more PPE than usual, they might be able to use the devices anyway.

[drewkitty ~..~]

TW's are like the Super Invention power cat for magic, instead being for super powers.

An "Idea" is a TW devise, much like a LL device, that taps into a hero's super power to power the device instead of a LL.

Probably would not work, but heroes tend to have more PPE than usual, they might be able to use the devices anyway.

I can see a Hero with some "junk" power going for it. Since they would not be able to use their power while using the device.

Never said anything about the Hero's PPE.

[AlanGunhouse]

PPE is what TW devices usually use for power

[drewkitty ~..~]

PPE is what TW devices usually use for power

Yes, usually that is the case. If you hadn't made an assumption, and read the words as I written them you would not have been confused.

However, I do think this idea would be more of a cyber-magic device then a TW device.