A player wants to make a character who mimics force powers with tech, playing a non force sensitive jedi wannabe. It's only for a few sessions so I'm OK withit. Any tech suggestions or should we go more narrative ?
Mimicking Force Powers
Depends on what they want to mimic I would think.
Depends on wether they want to shoot force lightning at everything or use convince everyone that they're right. (Force-like abilities?) Maybe introduce some complication, like people start thinking they're an actual F-sensitive, or an actual F-sensitive finds out the truth and goes all luddite on his tech.
Jedi Mind Trick... Nope, no real way to mimic that, except maybe against Droids by hacking them or something.
Levitating X-Wing... Well, there are Slave Circuits that allow you to operate a ship by remote. So you could "wave your hand" and have the fighter fly across the field. But that's assuming the ship were operational at the time.
Precognition to block blaster bolts... Nope, Mythbusters tested it. Got shot every time!
Force Lightning... Uh, maybe some kind of super capacitor? Though it's more likely to jump back on you than the other guy. Path of least resistance, and all that.
Force Choke... How about the Slave collars in SWTOR? Push a button, and it gives them a jolt. Only this one tightens and strangles them. Actually... you could use the jolt kinda like Lightning.
Nope, just not seeing to many ways to make Star Wars tech mimic Star Wars magic. That's kinda why it's magic instead of Han going "Oh come on. You're just using a jury rigged..."
Actually playing a similar theme in our campaign. My armorer focused on Mechanics and Lightsaber, and uses Tech to mske up for his weak point. He's talented with Sense and Influence, Which as far as I can tell are near impossible for Tech to emmulate.
Pieces I use. Magnetic Tether, on any and all weapons. You can find the attachment in Keeping the Peace.
Threat Monitor played up as a precognative ability.
Strength enhancing module, played up as the Enhance power.
And Silhouette zero Monotask/combat droids, disguised as Pieces of scrapmetal. Programmed with Bodyguard protocols. They float around in a Magneto inspired frenzy. Which, is usually taken as high level move.
I believe You can also invent a hand mounted repulsar. That could fit the bill as well.
Jedi Mind Trick... Nope, no real way to mimic that, except maybe against Droids by hacking them or something.
Hapan gun of command would yield similar results.
Levitating X-Wing... Well, there are Slave Circuits that allow you to operate a ship by remote. So you could "wave your hand" and have the fighter fly across the field. But that's assuming the ship were operational at the time.
Unless you had a repulsor gun or mini tractor beam... I mean no xwing tossing, but rocks and crates...
Precognition to block blaster bolts... Nope, Mythbusters tested it. Got shot every time!
A personal shield and a little deception would make it appear you blocked them though...
Force Lightning... Uh, maybe some kind of super capacitor? Though it's more likely to jump back on you than the other guy. Path of least resistance, and all that.
The tech book let's you build undefined energy weapons. No reason a Tesla arc couldn't classify.
Force Choke... How about the Slave collars in SWTOR? Push a button, and it gives them a jolt. Only this one tightens and strangles them. Actually... you could use the jolt kinda like Lightning.
As loathe as I am to reference it, the Jedi Prince series simulated force choke with ultrasonics specifically so a nonforcee could look like he was force choking people.
So I'm seeing lots of ways to make it happen. You'll have to hit the books and get creative, but the core concept is possible.
Well considering that almost no one in the galaxy knows much about the Force and those that do are probably Force Users themselves and will know right away if what they see is the Force, who exactly is the PC trying to fool? If it's just a bunch of muggles he can do sleight of hand and magic tricks and call it the Force and no one would be the wiser. Also even if you do come up with fake powers how would you adjudicate them? If it's a mechanical effect then by RAW you'd likely have to make a Mechanics or Computer or some other Skill check to get it to work right and you'd definitely need a Deception check to fool people pretty much every time you do anything. And keep in mind the a Skill check during Combat is an Action so the PC will have to spend an Action or more setting up the trick (Deception at least) then another Action to actually trigger it. You could hand wave all of this but then... uggg.
The real question to ask, is why? Seriously, other than an initial ha ha, why does the Player think this is a good story for a heroic PC? Honestly, it sounds to me like someone who really doesn't want to play SW.
Well considering that almost no one in the galaxy knows much about the Force and those that do are probably Force Users themselves and will know right away if what they see is the Force, who exactly is the PC trying to fool? If it's just a bunch of muggles he can do sleight of hand and magic tricks and call it the Force and no one would be the wiser. Also even if you do come up with fake powers how would you adjudicate them? If it's a mechanical effect then by RAW you'd likely have to make a Mechanics or Computer or some other Skill check to get it to work right and you'd definitely need a Deception check to fool people pretty much every time you do anything. And keep in mind the a Skill check during Combat is an Action so the PC will have to spend an Action or more setting up the trick (Deception at least) then another Action to actually trigger it. You could hand wave all of this but then... uggg.
The real question to ask, is why? Seriously, other than an initial ha ha, why does the Player think this is a good story for a heroic PC? Honestly, it sounds to me like someone who really doesn't want to play SW.
Agreed... it sounds like a silly gimmick that's going to take a lot more effort to make work mechanically, and for no real benefit.
There's another thread where they were talking about performing multiple "things" during your Turn, and whether rolling dice *must* count as your official Action. Such as wanting your movement across the room to be more than "I get closer" and instead going into detail about leaping over tables and diving behind the bar, before using your actual Action to shoot. The consensus seemed to be that you could call for a check to see if they trip and fall during all those stunts. But you'd basically ignore any of the special symbols like (Dis)advantages. You don't get all the extra perks from just moving, and then more extra perks from the actual action. And yet you still get to do flashy cinematic stuff without just saying "I run for cover behind the bar and shoot at him."
My twelve year old son wants to play a General Grevious style cyborg who uses tech to simulate many force powers (no deception involved here he wants the actual effects).
We figured a Grevious upgrade armor/body was being created but never deployed which he'll discover and inhabit (after a tragic accident). We're going to say the armor is designed to adapt to the skills and desires of the user, and via micro tractor fields, gravity manipulation, rapid energy transference, chemical emitters, hyperdrive powered processing, sensor enhancing technology, etc allows him to simulate just about every force power and lightsaber talent except for Foresee and Seek. We came up with high-tech solutions for just about all of them including Influence (transmitting suggestions on humanoid brain wave frequencies combined with Falleen derived pheromone emitters).
Of course the way the armor is utilized is by purchasing talents and force powers in exactly the normal way any force user would including "force dice". Conflict represents his reaction to his physical condition driving him crazy. So he even uses and applies Morality normally, it's just explained as a side effect of the technology. Must maintain game balance with the other players of course.
Naturally, being a twelve year old, no sooner did we figure all of this out then he decided he'd rather just be a force user in the normal way.
Edited by FinarinPanjoroGrievous doesn't "simulate Force powers" at all. He doesn't do Mind Tricks, or Move Objects. He's learned how to wield Lightsabers, and that's it. That just means he knows how to swing them around and hit people without cutting off his own arms. Otherwise he's just a Kaleesh warrior who elected to get most of his squishy bits replaced with cybernetics.
I don't think FinarinPanjoro was implying that Grievous mimicked Force powers. He was simply sharing how he handled the situation OP proposed, for his son.
To the OP,
Is the wanna-be non-Force Sensitive character a droid? Because there are several threads on "mimic Force w/ tech" threads, and that has been the common denominator.
In general: What is the fascination with mimicking the Force through tech? Are the rules for using Force abilities so difficult to learn that using gizmo equipment is an easier alternative? I totally get wanting to play something "unique", but evidently it's not as unique as some believe it to be.
Mind trick: First thing that comes to mind is a custom made cybernetic implant that shoots out pheromones, making subjects more willing to please the character. It may not be able to mimic the power exactly, but would really help in negotiations (I'd add a bunch of blue dice to negotiation). Droids of course would be immune, as would certain types of creatures.
Levitating X-Wing: Magnets. You might consider a hidden weapon that shoots magnetic bursts, or a concussion blaster of some sort, to throw around metallic objects like Force Throw and the like. It would be difficult to aim the flying debris (they only shoot away from the user), but might work.
Pulling objects closer would of course be a reverse-magnet or a vaccuum. It would take an athletics or coordination check to catch the object, you pull towards yourself.
Precognition to block blaster bolts: Cybernetic eye, that tells you where your opponent aims their gun. It would still be VERY difficult to deflect the bolt, but succeeding even once would probably make the opponent discard their blaster.
I'm thinking postponing your action to see where your opponent is shooting and then reacting to their attack by spending your own attack action to make a coordination check against them. Beating them with one or more successes allows you to block it. The implant might be usable only every third round, so it wouldn't be _too_ good an addition.
Force Lightning: Easy. Handheld stun gun, that shoots an arc of lightning. Just put it in your palm or disguise the thing as a glove! Use a stunning blaster system for it.
Force Choke: Allright, I admit, I've no idea how to pull this off exactly, without preparing for it by installing something on your opponent first. But there may be weapon profiles for this sort of attack somewhere (I haven't read all of the books yet).
I can see the appeal of playing a deceitful character like this. It would be awesome to play a character that idolizes (or hates) the jedi and wants to be like them. But having no Force ability, they need to resort to tech in order to achieve the results they've seen in holovids and news.
Actually were scrapping the idea, but basically a non force sensitive who reverse the idea of the jedi that he emulates them in hopes that no one forgets them...
In the short story Simple Tricks a con girl tries to get the people of an outer rim world to believe she is a Jedi. She used a repulser remote in a fruit rind, a rigged sabacc deck, a lightsaber hilt, and some "Jedi" robes. Made enough people believe she was a Jedi that she got a real Jedi to show up to meet her. It would be doable I think.
Use all the stuff right and I would be willing to give a player a bonus die in deception checks.
You know, it occurs to me that we're all overthinking this way too much. If you want a non Jedi who does all their Jedi gimmicks through technology, just build a force user per the RAW and call the jedi tricks "technology". Make it a narrative effect instead of coming up with weird cybernetics and uses of hardpoints on gizmos and whatnot.
Keep it simple, stupid!
You know, it occurs to me that we're all overthinking this way too much.
But that's what nerdforums are
FOR
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You know, it occurs to me that we're all overthinking this way too much. If you want a non Jedi who does all their Jedi gimmicks through technology, just build a force user per the RAW and call the jedi tricks "technology". Make it a narrative effect instead of coming up with weird cybernetics and uses of hardpoints on gizmos and whatnot.
I might go that route if I was running an NPC that did this kind of shtick.
But for a player character, I’d want some more meat behind that narrative. And I’d want the player to provide the majority of that.
If someone found a lost cache of Gree devices, they might recover the tech for a gauntlet-sized tractor/repulsor or gravity field generator that would allow them to fake telekinesis...
Edited by MaxKilljoyIn my current game, I have a player playing a droid who wanted to effectively have the force leap ability, but has no interest in any other powers. It seemed reasonable, so I allowed it to work as a leg cyber upgrade, in place of stat boosts. I just run it as if he has the Force Leap power with a FR 2, only usable for that. He can channel dark pips in the same way as force users (DP and strain), except conflict doesn't apply. Seemed appropriate, since he wanted that for style rather that rocket boots.
I'd try to find a way to factor in Conflict somehow. Maybe just as wear and tear, that needs to be mended eventually? Or maybe even turn it into some kind of Light / Dark alignment thing, reflecting their programmed personality. Like the more they use Dark points, the more they start to develop HK-47's opinions towards useless meatbags.
Otherwise you're just giving them a die to roll, that always gives them something beneficial.
In my current game, I have a player playing a droid who wanted to effectively have the force leap ability, but has no interest in any other powers. It seemed reasonable, so I allowed it to work as a leg cyber upgrade, in place of stat boosts. I just run it as if he has the Force Leap power with a FR 2, only usable for that. He can channel dark pips in the same way as force users (DP and strain), except conflict doesn't apply. Seemed appropriate, since he wanted that for style rather that rocket boots.
If you want "jumping style”, why not give him rocket boots and then have him make an Agility or Brawn check, and call it “jumping”?
Why does Force Leap need to come into this picture at all?
In my current game, I have a player playing a droid who wanted to effectively have the force leap ability, but has no interest in any other powers. It seemed reasonable, so I allowed it to work as a leg cyber upgrade, in place of stat boosts. I just run it as if he has the Force Leap power with a FR 2, only usable for that. He can channel dark pips in the same way as force users (DP and strain), except conflict doesn't apply. Seemed appropriate, since he wanted that for style rather that rocket boots.
If you want "jumping style”, why not give him rocket boots and then have him make an Agility or Brawn check, and call it “jumping”?
Why does Force Leap need to come into this picture at all?
Or repulsorlift boots.