TC Crafting (Core and Aberrant)

[Bioagent]

So can someone explain to me how the crafting system works in TC and how it applies/changes in Aberrant. I have read both multiple times and it does not seem to add up in my head.

Some points I would like explained are:
1) It states in Core that Inspired can have up to Wealth x 2 + Inspiration ranks in items, which can be Advanced or Inspired Tech. Are these items characters start with?

2) In Aberrant it states that Nova can have up to Wealth x 2 + Quantum in items, which can be Core-Tech or Nova-Tech. This seems like an error, because what Rank are these items? How are they built? Do characters start with these items?

3) Super Science devices have an increase innate Scale over normal items. I would assume this Scale does not apply when using the item directly, but does that extra Scale allow it to have more Tags? There is rule that states that the more Scale an item has, the more Tags it could potentially hold. Is this correct?

4) In Aberrant some example of Mega-Crafting doesn't seem to follow the laid out rules. The Telecommunicator is a Rank 1, non-Q Tech, item with only 1 enhancement. It grants the Telecommunication Mega-Edge. However, to provide that is needs to be at least a Rank 3 item, which means its Enhancement should be 2 because the Telecommuncations mega-Edge should be one and the Modular Tag should eat up another Edge slot, thus leaving an Enhancement of 2.

So, in short, help!

[Florin]

I already shared my thoughts with you on discord yesterday. I'm curious how other people answer.

[Mateus Luz]

My understanding of the intentions of the devs when creating the system is: Tech is everywhere and the characters have access to it almost freely, not only from what they can buy, but also other sources, even if regular people don’t have access to them at all. The characters are not regular people, they are special in all aspects including the things they have.

1) Yes, basically you can have lots of Advanced and Inspired tech, you don’t need to buy them, unless you need MOAR! Than you can use Artifact Edge and the enhanced edges related. Talents are not regular people, they know people, invent stuff, and work for resourceful societies, you may latter gain more, building, stealing or looting, but they are not for sale, they are customized high quality stuff and prototypes, not something you buy in the shops.

2) The idea is the same as 1, but applied to Novas, so you have items that the sum of ranks is 2x Wealth + Quantum. You can also buy Core and Novatech items with Artifact edge. BUT, all rank 6+ items are considered Q-Tech, so, no rank 6+ items.

3) That is how I understand. Actually that’s the only situation I think this scale applies other than very narrow situations when you compare technical aspects of the items.

4) True and all I can say is the tables of items, both in core and Aberrant, have issues on how to recreate.

[Bioagent]

My understanding of the intentions of the devs when creating the system is: Tech is everywhere and the characters have access to it almost freely, not only from what they can buy, but also other sources, even if regular people don’t have access to them at all. The characters are not regular people, they are special in all aspects including the things they have.

1) Yes, basically you can have lots of Advanced and Inspired tech, you don’t need to buy them, unless you need MOAR! Than you can use Artifact Edge and the enhanced edges related. Talents are not regular people, they know people, invent stuff, and work for resourceful societies, you may latter gain more, building, stealing or looting, but they are not for sale, they are customized high quality stuff and prototypes, not something you buy in the shops.

2) The idea is the same as 1, but applied to Novas, so you have items that the sum of ranks is 2x Wealth + Quantum. You can also buy Core and Novatech items with Artifact edge. BUT, all rank 6+ items are considered Q-Tech, so, no rank 6+ items.

3) That is how I understand. Actually that’s the only situation I think this scale applies other than very narrow situations when you compare technical aspects of the items.

4) True and all I can say is the tables of items, both in core and Aberrant, have issues on how to recreate.

#1 & 2, I assumed that was just a minor oversight in writing and Talents and Novas get their Wealth x 2+ Power Trait in RANKS rather than individual items.

For # 4, somebody pointed it out and it makes total sense. The name of the item is Telecommunicator Module, it is right there. Thus when I you looked at the rules for creating Q-Tech Modules, it works perfectly. So that was my bad!

Would you say that Super-Science items automatically gains the additional tags from their Technological Scale?

[econclark]

From Aberrant it is my understanding that you can trade one dot of edges for one dot of tags (or one dot of enhancement). Rank 1 and 2 items can have all their traits maxed out though. There would still be a maximum on the dots of edges that can be exchanged for tag bonuses or enhancements.

On a related note, I think that the telecommunication module should be Rank 2: 1+(2/2)=2 because there are 2 ranks in Edges and the base of 1...Maybe I am reading that wrong.

Finally, a related question, Mega-Attributes and Mega-Edges...Do they count as Quantum Abilities? They are listed under edges, in the construction table, so it makes me wonder. I am assuming that they fall under the Quantum Abilities, like Powers and Power Tags.

[Florin]

I think it's (1+1)/2=1 not 1+(2/2)=2.

I know I submitted an errata asking if Quantum Disruption affected M-A and M-E since it said it affected "Quantum Powers." They put in, "[...]Quantum Power, including Mega-Attributes and Mega-edges."

[econclark]

Thanks for the clarification I think it makes more sense that way. I haven't gotten to read the full final text yet (got it yesterday).

I do think that the rank Module is 1(base)+(1 telecommunication + 1 Module)/2 = Rank 2.
It could be that I am slightly misreading it and it is (1 base +1 telecommunication +1 Module)/2=Rank 1.5 which Rounds UP to Rank 2.

also on that table, for the bullet dodging shield Durability should be Toughness I believe.

[Florin]

I don't think you add the base. The text says the rank is equal to 1 + the dot rating of the Quantum ability, divided by 2. So, (1+1)/2.

[econclark]

The base is the 1
then you have telecommunication for 1
then you have Module (Mega-Edge) for 1
sum=3. divide by 2 and round up to get rank 2.

if the 1 is outside the parenthesis then it is just rank 2 no rounding....

[Florin]

You don't add one for the module. The calculation is only based on the quantum ability.

[econclark]

That would be nice, but why not, it says "1+dot rating of the Quantum ability". I assume that Power Tags (generally, but particularly for Modular count toward dot rating...)

On a related note...Can Nova/Core Tech have Modules? Particularly when considering shifting the paradigm, I am unsure of the answer.

[BrilliantRain]

I started looking over this too and I'm very confused about how Modular works.

As near as I can tell the Cybersuit only makes sense if Modular costs nothing, because it has 12 points worth of quantum edges and powers already. Granted, it costs 7 points to attune and 12 points to activate, so, if you want to be able to fly (2 quantum points) and fire the guns (2 points per shot) you need a minimum quantum of 3 or 4 if you want more than 2 shots, so... It's not really something you can have at chargen.

And...why does the Modular description on page 236 discuss buying quantum abilities with Modular? We don't spend xp to craft things so... I'm not sure why that's there.

Does Modular require spending points of your Quantum Edge capacity or your normal edge capacity? Because the latter would make the slots effectively free, which seems like a problem, but it's really the only way to explain the Cybersuit.

I ...really think this chapter needed further review, because I don't get this at all.

[BrilliantRain]

...Ok, after looking at this further, here's my interpretation

You build a main item. Let's say it's rank 5, which gives me 7 dots worth of powers to mess with. If I make it capable of accepting Modules, I give up one dot of powers per type of slot. So, I sacrifice 2 dots to get a Mega Attribute and a Mega Edge slot, and use the remaining dots to get 3 Mega Attributes and 2 Mega Edges, so those are how big my slots are.

To build a Module, I'll take Mega Dexterity 2 and Mega Endurance 1, add on Modular 2, for a total of Base 1+ Mega Att 3+ modular 2 all divided by 2, so it's a rank 3 Module and will fit in the size 3 slot.

Is that correct?

[econclark]

I believe that modules can have only one Power or Mega Attribute or Mega-Edge. Your proposed module would have to be 2 modules!

Furthermore you don't have to give up a Quantum Ability slot to make Q-Tech modular, but a regular Edge slot! So you can have the 7 dots of powers and give up some Edges.

It doesn't make sense to me to buy a module, but to craft one is perfectly fine. It seems like your calculation of the module rank is correct but remember that the module is not viable with two mega-attributes, so you will have to split it in 2.

Hope this helps.

[Florin]

The only reason I would purchase a power with the modular tag is if I didn't want to be able to lose it. As an ST, I am more than happy to eventually destroy or steal your tech if it was only gained through crafting. If you spend XP on it, worst case scenario I'll be giving you the XP back, but most likely you just won't ever lose access to it.

You'll notice in the Tank quick build character, if you choose the Battle Suit option, they spend XP on the powers and buy the modular tag on them. In my opinion, that Tank should never lose access to their powers for very long.