Robot Spellcaster Creation Help

[Killer Cyborg]

I think that Drew and I were hitting on the best official way to do things, or close to official: make the robot a magic object.
I'll see what I can come up with.

I can see that as being an option, but it falls outside the original project parameters. In this thread it has been pointed out that it would be easier to do a mage in power armor or acting as a transferred intelligence for the droid, or even enchanting the robot as an enchanted object or golem, and those might be options should the original parameters of the project not work.

Reviewing the original parameters:

I am in the process of trying to figure out robotics which would allow a robot to use magic.

There are no ways that are allowable by the current rules, except for possibly technowizardry, or for robotics that are so high-tech that the robot counts as a living being (machine person, etc.).

So if you're looking for a purely scientific way to do this, with NO magic being put into the equation, then you're looking at a Machine Person or something equivalent.

[Killer Cyborg]

Saying that robots cannot be considered living things borders on the idiotic and shows no basic understanding of the basics of living energy in the first place. There is a metaphysical principle that everything contains some living energy, whether it be the rocks and trees or the lightning in the atmosphere. Robots being electrical would have a kind of living energy all their own. Quite simply, the way it is written is wrong anyway, so what you are doing is furthering an imperfect ruleset.

There are all kinds of unusual new-age or philosophical beliefs, but they only affect the game world if the rulebooks specify.

I think the OP is looking for alternatives to the canon rules, so I was just trying to supply an alternative outlook and basis for changing the rules in a setting to fit an alternative reasoning of how magic works.

Huh.
Somehow, you came off as dismissing the NON-alternative outlook as "idiotic."
Probably because of your words, and how you used them.

[say652]

the conversion book earth warlock could transfer his/her intelligence into an unprogrammed robot. just give what ever spell caster you want to be a robot access to that particular 9th level earth warlock spell. (sorry no page number memorized this time)

[Stone Gargoyle]

Reviewing the original parameters:

I am in the process of trying to figure out robotics which would allow a robot to use magic.

There are no ways that are allowable by the current rules, except for possibly technowizardry, or for robotics that are so high-tech that the robot counts as a living being (machine person, etc.).

So if you're looking for a purely scientific way to do this, with NO magic being put into the equation, then you're looking at a Machine Person or something equivalent.

I am speaking of project parameters that were not exactly laid out, and for that I apologize. The project was inspired/led into by a project I did for the Hardware Unlimited 0.0.5 thread in the Heroes Unlimited section of the forum which was a Psionic Emulator for use by robots and bionics characters to mimic the effects of psionics used by a human but not actually be psionics. The parameters for this current project are the design and construction of robotic parts to allow a robot/android to emulate or project magic. I came into the project thinking I could do this by creating a PPE battery system, PPE projection system, PPE scanners/optics to find/locate sources of PPE and ley lines, and a spell database. So, yes, the robotics involved would be ultra-high tech and expensive. This thread was created to seek out a possible model to base the scanners off of, the SNARLS system from Rifts, which I had been told could detect PPE in targets. Since beginning this thread, it was mentioned that I could use Techno-Wizardry, but up until then I had been merely looking into high-tech robotics. I am still looking at probably having to do it with high-tech robotics since I have no access to books with instructions how to construct TW devices.

the conversion book earth warlock could transfer his/her intelligence into an unprogrammed robot. just give what ever spell caster you want to be a robot access to that particular 9th level earth warlock spell. (sorry no page number memorized this time)

I'll say this again: I am not looking to do a transferred intelligence option unless all other options have been played out.

[say652]

alien android and instead of homeworld bonus build it,and the magic hero power set. not quite a robot leylinewalker but still pretty good.

[Gryphon Chick]

Huh.
Somehow, you came off as dismissing the NON-alternative outlook as "idiotic."
Probably because of your words, and how you used them.

Fine, I apologize for being so argumentative and rude. Happy?

[Stone Gargoyle]

alien android and instead of homeworld bonus build it,and the magic hero power set. not quite a robot leylinewalker but still pretty good.

Not sure what you mean by "magic hero power set". I have laid out the project parameters now in a prior post, so if your response does not actually fit the parameters or fit what I am looking for, I am pretty much going to ignore it.

[say652]

alien android and instead of homeworld bonus build it,and the magic hero power set. not quite a robot leylinewalker but still pretty good.

Not sure what you mean by "magic hero power set". I have laid out the project parameters now in a prior post, so if your response does not actually fit the parameters or fit what I am looking for, I am pretty much going to ignore it.

out of the H.U. revised book the alien hero could be an android(97%-98%) on the alien appearance chart. that would for artistic licensce give you the robot appearance. skip past homeworld(earthlike no bonuses) step 4 determining powers 81%-90% alien mystic.in the obtaining magical abilities section 51%-75% mystic study aka spell casting. so this "alien template" would give you that steampunk clockwork mage you were looking for and be 100% legal.

[Stone Gargoyle]

alien android and instead of homeworld bonus build it,and the magic hero power set. not quite a robot leylinewalker but still pretty good.

Not sure what you mean by "magic hero power set". I have laid out the project parameters now in a prior post, so if your response does not actually fit the parameters or fit what I am looking for, I am pretty much going to ignore it.

out of the H.U. revised book the alien hero could be an android(97%-98%) on the alien appearance chart. that would for artistic licensce give you the robot appearance. skip past homeworld(earthlike no bonuses) step 4 determining powers 81%-90% alien mystic.in the obtaining magical abilities section 51%-75% mystic study aka spell casting. so this "alien template" would give you that steampunk clockwork mage you were looking for and be 100% legal.

It would, but what it would not do is design the robotics parts, which was the original point of the project. I like making up parts for stuff, not just coming up with a quick way of generating a character. I will give you props, though, for coming up with a decent solution that would work were I wanting the simple solution.

[Nightmask]

I haven't noticed mention of the fact that in Nightbane we see the Create Magic Scroll spell noting that some modern mages have been able to put scrolls onto floppy disks, so there is some precedence for imbuing spells at least in a one-shot fashion into computers (it goes on to mention some enterprising mages carrying entire laptops filled with spells, so for current technology that'd expand to include things like iPads and Blackberrys). Cyber-mages can also combine living organisms and machines to place spells into technology, although given it's a permanent investment of their PPE as long as the device exists it's not as likely they'd do something of that sort.

[Killer Cyborg]

The project was inspired/led into by a project I did for the Hardware Unlimited 0.0.5 thread in the Heroes Unlimited section of the forum which was a Psionic Emulator for use by robots and bionics characters to mimic the effects of psionics used by a human but not actually be psionics. The parameters for this current project are the design and construction of robotic parts to allow a robot/android to emulate or project magic. I came into the project thinking I could do this by creating a PPE battery system, PPE projection system, PPE scanners/optics to find/locate sources of PPE and ley lines, and a spell database. So, yes, the robotics involved would be ultra-high tech and expensive. This thread was created to seek out a possible model to base the scanners off of, the SNARLS system from Rifts, which I had been told could detect PPE in targets. Since beginning this thread, it was mentioned that I could use Techno-Wizardry, but up until then I had been merely looking into high-tech robotics. I am still looking at probably having to do it with high-tech robotics since I have no access to books with instructions how to construct TW devices.

I'll think it over, and see what I come up with.
But nothing springs to mind.

[Stone Gargoyle]

The project was inspired/led into by a project I did for the Hardware Unlimited 0.0.5 thread in the Heroes Unlimited section of the forum which was a Psionic Emulator for use by robots and bionics characters to mimic the effects of psionics used by a human but not actually be psionics. The parameters for this current project are the design and construction of robotic parts to allow a robot/android to emulate or project magic. I came into the project thinking I could do this by creating a PPE battery system, PPE projection system, PPE scanners/optics to find/locate sources of PPE and ley lines, and a spell database. So, yes, the robotics involved would be ultra-high tech and expensive. This thread was created to seek out a possible model to base the scanners off of, the SNARLS system from Rifts, which I had been told could detect PPE in targets. Since beginning this thread, it was mentioned that I could use Techno-Wizardry, but up until then I had been merely looking into high-tech robotics. I am still looking at probably having to do it with high-tech robotics since I have no access to books with instructions how to construct TW devices.

I'll think it over, and see what I come up with.
But nothing springs to mind.

Well, if I hadn't been getting so much feedback that was confusing me, I'd probably have had the things written up already. I basically know what I want, it has been trying to find something to compare what I write up to that has been the stopping point.

[Killer Cyborg]

The project was inspired/led into by a project I did for the Hardware Unlimited 0.0.5 thread in the Heroes Unlimited section of the forum which was a Psionic Emulator for use by robots and bionics characters to mimic the effects of psionics used by a human but not actually be psionics. The parameters for this current project are the design and construction of robotic parts to allow a robot/android to emulate or project magic. I came into the project thinking I could do this by creating a PPE battery system, PPE projection system, PPE scanners/optics to find/locate sources of PPE and ley lines, and a spell database. So, yes, the robotics involved would be ultra-high tech and expensive. This thread was created to seek out a possible model to base the scanners off of, the SNARLS system from Rifts, which I had been told could detect PPE in targets. Since beginning this thread, it was mentioned that I could use Techno-Wizardry, but up until then I had been merely looking into high-tech robotics. I am still looking at probably having to do it with high-tech robotics since I have no access to books with instructions how to construct TW devices.

I'll think it over, and see what I come up with.
But nothing springs to mind.

Well, if I hadn't been getting so much feedback that was confusing me, I'd probably have had the things written up already. I basically know what I want, it has been trying to find something to compare what I write up to that has been the stopping point.

Then it sounds like you're better off just ignoring all of us.

[Stone Gargoyle]

Then it sounds like you're better off just ignoring all of us.

Some of the feedback has been educational, though, and shown me ways of doing things that I might not have thought of on my own. Trying to do it with TW devices, though, that would have been cool to try, but not gonna happen without books I don't have. I will post what I create here when I am done if anyone is interested.

[eliakon]

Okay, TOTALLY of the top of my head here but some ideas. This is all unfleshed out, but I could probably crunch numbers if you like/need them
okay, first you need a 'robot spell caster' for that I will make a TW Nerual Inteligence. This is an advanced neural intelligence that has been enhanced. The primary spell will be...talisman (store/cast spells) with the secondarys being Scroll, Golem, and Transferal. This will create the mana-co processer that can perform magical programs.
now lets make the spells 'techie'....okay, a TW modification. Primary spell is Scroll, secondary is Transferal. The device is actually a complex machine code (though you could program it onto gemstone 'micro chips'....) each 'spell program' allows the casting of the programed spell, at the level of the programer.
Energy bank. A TW diamond/emerald energy bank, these moduals can be designed to fit the needs of the game
as for sensors, More TW, you can use the spell Enchant Weapon or Golem in the chain to help provide permenance to the effects....the moduals will be rare and expensive due to the permenant PPE/HP costs.... for a more horror game, reverse cybernetics come to mind (implanting living flesh removed from mages....)

[Stone Gargoyle]

Okay, TOTALLY of the top of my head here but some ideas. This is all unfleshed out, but I could probably crunch numbers if you like/need them
okay, first you need a 'robot spell caster' for that I will make a TW Nerual Inteligence. This is an advanced neural intelligence that has been enhanced. The primary spell will be...talisman (store/cast spells) with the secondarys being Scroll, Golem, and Transferal. This will create the mana-co processer that can perform magical programs.
now lets make the spells 'techie'....okay, a TW modification. Primary spell is Scroll, secondary is Transferal. The device is actually a complex machine code (though you could program it onto gemstone 'micro chips'....) each 'spell program' allows the casting of the programed spell, at the level of the programer.
Energy bank. A TW diamond/emerald energy bank, these moduals can be designed to fit the needs of the game
as for sensors, More TW, you can use the spell Enchant Weapon or Golem in the chain to help provide permenance to the effects....the moduals will be rare and expensive due to the permenant PPE/HP costs.... for a more horror game, reverse cybernetics come to mind (implanting living flesh removed from mages....)

I have been playing with the idea of creating a sort of organic AI to allow the android to have a living component, perhaps some neural tissue embedded with a robotic interface, so if that is close to what a Neural Intelligence is, I might be interested. As I said, though, no access to TW construction rules, so you would have to break it down for me. I am indeed needing a spell processor, so those spells would do to act as one if placed on the AI? I do like this, but it is a bit hard to comprehend without knowledge already of Techno-Wizardry. I can totally see human eyes with cybernetic augmentation being used for the PPE sensors. If you want to flesh it out more and put it into terms that are more reader-friendly for me I would appreciate it.

[say652]

ok have an idea, use a robotic A.I.and build a T.W. array around that to function as "spells" such as supernatural strength and speed, fly as the eagle etc also using the Amaki Gizmoteer gizmos to add in psionic abilities such as, pyrokinesis,super telekinesis etc. not quite a robot spell caster but buildable and with the right mix of T.W. devices and Gizmos just about any "spell" could be faked using these items adding in a few talimans for those spells that cant be made into T.W. devices. Using the H.U. android as the base for skills and the magic and psionic items for "spell"use.

[Stone Gargoyle]

Okay, I did a writeup of my ideas for the organic A.I. and other robotics that would be needed for a robotic spellcaster. Due to the nature of the robotics, they can only be used with the organic A.I. and are limited to use by a Type 4: Android (limit S.D.C. and A.R. increases accordingly).

Organic Advanced Artificial Intelligence is basically a cloned brain with an A.I. implanted which can be installed into the robot similar to the way a brain is added to the Brain Transplant Cyborg. The organic component is added solely for the purpose of having a living brain for the robot to allow it to have P.P.E. for the purpose of casting magic. The brain houses very little of the actual information being programmed into the robot and very little human intellect is present, though this is an integration of the biological and mechanical. The brain has 10 Hit Points and 3d6 P.P.E. points, with one or more P.P.E. batteries needing to be installed to gain more. Like the Advanced A.I. from the Heroes Unlimited Second Edition rulebook, this Advanced Artificial Intelligence can think in both objective and subjective terms, draw conclusions based on available data, formulate basic ideas, conjecture/speculate on future events or situations, and develop or extrapolate on theories based on analysis, past experience and speculation. Cost: $5.4 million (trillions of dollars and decades of research and development were spent on creating this A.I. The cost reflects the cost of cloning an organic brain, and of building and installing a robot version of this experimental artificial intelligence).

P.P.E. Battery: Up to six portal implants can be installed into the Organic Advanced Artificial Intelligence to allow it to accept P.P.E. batteries. The batteries themselves must be purchased separately and each battery must plug in to a portal to be used, adding to the character's total available P.P.E.. The batteries made for this system have 200 P.P.E. each and regenerate at a rate of 20 P.P.E. per hour, with each battery having a life of one year. Cost of System: P.P.E. battery ports cost $10,000 to install, with a maximum number of six which can be added to the system. Batteries must be purchased separately, with one 200 P.P.E. battery costing $200,000.

Spell Processor Computer: In order for a robot to cast spells, they must have this secondary A.I. added to the Organic Advanced Artificial Intelligence. This system allows the robot to coordinate hand gestures and vocal invocations, as well as containing all of the spells known by the robot in a special database. The Spell Processor Computer may be programmed with four spells from each of the spell levels 1-4 and a total of eight selected from spell levels 5-10 at level one. The system allows the robot to learn two new spells at each level starting at level two. This system gives the robot three spells per melee round and adds +2 to the robot's initiative for the purpose of magical combat. Cost: $2.4 million.

Magic Sensors: The robot must be outfitted with a series of sensors in order to be able to sense magic. This will allow the robot to sense and "feel" the presence of magic from an enchanted weapon or object, other powerful magic item, ley line nexus, greater demon, demigod, god, or mage of 8th level or greater, and similar. It will indicate whether a person, object or place is enchanted/under a magic spell, possesses vast P.P.E., is in the process of invoking magic, or if powerful magic is being used in the area. Range: 180 foot diameter. Duration: Automatic and constant. Cost: $400,000

Optics: Astral Sight: The robot is outfitted with special cameras/optics which sense a variety of input sources which are read by an internal computer and translated into imagery. This allows the robot to see the invisible, including astral beings, entities, Elementals, ghosts, objects, forces and creatures that can turn invisible or are naturally invisible. Even if the creature has no form per se, the robot will be able to discern the vaporous image or energy sphere that is the being. Range: 200 feet, line of sight. Cost: $500,000.

The following skill program is recommended for use by the robot spellcaster also:

Magic Program
Spell Translation (40%)
Demons and Monsters (92%)
Geomancy (86%)
Religion (86%)
Archaeology (80%)
Chemistry (70%)
Holistic Medicine (70%)
Select four language or literacy skills (82%)
Select four Secondary Skills (no bonuses)

Note: The robot spellcaster selects new skills and skills go up by 2% per level the same as for an Advanced Artificial Intelligence.

[taalismn]

Looks good. Not too shabby.

[say652]

Win !!

[Stone Gargoyle]

Looks good. Not too shabby.

Thanks. I figured the cost of being over $8 million to have the required parts to create the robot spellcaster would be plenty of a limiter by itself. If still considered a bit munchkin, the individual GM could put in additional limiters, such as not allowing a reinforced frame for the android or limiting the SDC and AR for the android by more than it is already limited.

[say652]

can i use one of these clockworkmages in my game or are they "patented" for your use only?

[Stone Gargoyle]

can i use one of these clockworkmages in my game or are they "patented" for your use only?

Feel free to use the material as you see fit. I wouldn't have posted it if it were not being made available for use by others.

[taalismn]

A question, though...because of the organic component in the sequence of casting events, does that make the Robot Spellcaster susceptible to certain magics and psionics that affect organics? Albeit it with some resistance to such attacks, like a full conversion cyborg?
Though, admittedly, if this were the case, I'd personally rule that the Robot Spellcaster would get greater bonuses to save than the cyborg, because in the latter case, the ultimate decision-maker is an organic intelligence resisting because of bionic reinforcement, whereas with the robot, it is resisting an attack made through what is essentially an ACCESSORY system, and the robotic intelligence can parse and resist the attack more efficently.

[Stone Gargoyle]

A question, though...because of the organic component in the sequence of casting events, does that make the Robot Spellcaster susceptible to certain magics and psionics that affect organics? Albeit it with some resistance to such attacks, like a full conversion cyborg?
Though, admittedly, if this were the case, I'd personally rule that the Robot Spellcaster would get greater bonuses to save than the cyborg, because in the latter case, the ultimate decision-maker is an organic intelligence resisting because of bionic reinforcement, whereas with the robot, it is resisting an attack made through what is essentially an ACCESSORY system, and the robotic intelligence can parse and resist the attack more efficently.

Yes, it would be susceptible to such things. I was not sure what the bonuses to save vs. magic should be, so that part was left out. I am going to make sure to figure that part out now that you mentioned it. Suggestions?

[Stone Gargoyle]

Okay, here is what I came up with for saves, spell strength and whatnot:

The Organic Advanced Artificial Intelligence is susceptible to psionics and magical attacks, but is +4 to save vs. magic and psionics, with an additional +1 to save vs. magic gained at levels 5, 10, and 15. At first level, the robot's spell strength is such that others need a 12 to resist its magic, +2 (14 or higher) at level 4, +1 at levels 8 (15 or higher) and 12 (16 or higher). The robot's additions to its organic brain makes it impervious to possession and unaffected by the psionic See Aura and Bio-Manipulation abilities. Likewise, the major super ability of Disruptive Touch will not affect the robot.

[say652]

would life sensing zombies be drawn to the vast ppe of the robot caster?

[Stone Gargoyle]

would life sensing zombies be drawn to the vast ppe of the robot caster?

PPE is not the same as Hit Points, which is what determine "life", and most the the "vast PPE" you speak of would be due to the PPE batteries, so I guess it would depend on what the zombies were being attracted by. If confronted by such zombies, if they were attracted to the batteries, the robot spellcaster could always remove the batteries and run, I suppose.

[taalismn]

would life sensing zombies be drawn to the vast ppe of the robot caster?

PPE is not the same as Hit Points, which is what determine "life", and most the the "vast PPE" you speak of would be due to the PPE batteries, so I guess it would depend on what the zombies were being attracted by. If confronted by such zombies, if they were attracted to the batteries, the robot spellcaster could always remove the batteries and run, I suppose.

Or use that PPE to bait the zombies into a trap. Especially if the robot spellcaster is a hundred ton nuclear-powered tank; it's not going to give up a subsystem or run from animated corpses; it's going to roll over them and nuke them into their constituent atoms. It's undead metal against the living dead!

[The Jack]

I like your idea for a spell casting robot quite a bit. A version of this is material is likely to show up in a future game.

It reminds me of one of my favorite NPCs of all time, an ancient robotic being known as the Archive:
Eons ago, the Archive was created to be an assistant and repository of knowledge for some powerful magic user, perhaps even a god. While its creator has been lost to the ages, the Archive lived on as a powerful sentient machine. Its venerable circuitry contains the knowledge of all Wards, Circles, Celestial Calligraphy and Tattoo Magic. Some speculate that all of these forms of magical writing share a common ancient ancestor, but if the Archive knows it isn't telling. It powers all of the writings with an unique and indestructible Vajra that is attuned only to the Archive.
This being contracted the players to follow rumors of a rare and lost circle magic, which was a very fun Indiana Jones-type archeological adventure.

[Stone Gargoyle]

would life sensing zombies be drawn to the vast ppe of the robot caster?

PPE is not the same as Hit Points, which is what determine "life", and most the the "vast PPE" you speak of would be due to the PPE batteries, so I guess it would depend on what the zombies were being attracted by. If confronted by such zombies, if they were attracted to the batteries, the robot spellcaster could always remove the batteries and run, I suppose.

Or use that PPE to bait the zombies into a trap. Especially if the robot spellcaster is a hundred ton nuclear-powered tank; it's not going to give up a subsystem or run from animated corpses; it's going to roll over them and nuke them into their constituent atoms. It's undead metal against the living dead!

True, it's not going to worry about being eaten, as the brain is fully encased in metal and not easy to snack on. More than likely it will just stand there while the zombies try to attack it and toast them.

[Stone Gargoyle]

Okay, TOTALLY of the top of my head here but some ideas. This is all unfleshed out, but I could probably crunch numbers if you like/need them
okay, first you need a 'robot spell caster' for that I will make a TW Nerual Inteligence. This is an advanced neural intelligence that has been enhanced. The primary spell will be...talisman (store/cast spells) with the secondarys being Scroll, Golem, and Transferal. This will create the mana-co processer that can perform magical programs.
now lets make the spells 'techie'....okay, a TW modification. Primary spell is Scroll, secondary is Transferal. The device is actually a complex machine code (though you could program it onto gemstone 'micro chips'....) each 'spell program' allows the casting of the programed spell, at the level of the programer.
Energy bank. A TW diamond/emerald energy bank, these moduals can be designed to fit the needs of the game
as for sensors, More TW, you can use the spell Enchant Weapon or Golem in the chain to help provide permenance to the effects....the moduals will be rare and expensive due to the permenant PPE/HP costs.... for a more horror game, reverse cybernetics come to mind (implanting living flesh removed from mages....)

I have been playing with the idea of creating a sort of organic AI to allow the android to have a living component, perhaps some neural tissue embedded with a robotic interface, so if that is close to what a Neural Intelligence is, I might be interested. As I said, though, no access to TW construction rules, so you would have to break it down for me. I am indeed needing a spell processor, so those spells would do to act as one if placed on the AI? I do like this, but it is a bit hard to comprehend without knowledge already of Techno-Wizardry. I can totally see human eyes with cybernetic augmentation being used for the PPE sensors. If you want to flesh it out more and put it into terms that are more reader-friendly for me I would appreciate it.

I have not heard back on this. I had hoped to see a TW version of the robot spellcaster as an alternative to what I wrote up.