No Mutation Without Representation! (OOC)

[Dr Archeville]

This is gonna be a two-part thing, because actions in part 2 will depend upon the results of part 1.

Part the First:

Free Action: Spend HP to nix fatigue (3 now)

Free Action: Maintain Force Field

Free Action: Maintain Tentacle-Brain on Combat Mode

Free Action: Maintain Gadgets/Obscure

Free Action: Knowledge check to figure out how the Giant Robot's "I'm damaged, detonate bomb" signals are getting out, and more importantly whether or not an Obscure effect (either the one Dok's got up now, or some tweaked version of it) will block it. Without his Enhanced Int or Gadgets aiding him, Taking 10 w/ Skill Mastery, that's a 27 on Knowledge (Physical Sciences) and a 31 on Knowledge (Technology).

[quotemyname]

Hmm, as I did not previously have a DC set for that type of roll, I'm going to handle this in the only fair way I know how. I'll have Malice do another techno battle with you.

Geez3r, please roll either Knowledge (Technology) or Computers. Either you know more about tech than Doc does, and thus found some obscure way to program the robot that he doesn't know about (Knowledge) or you were just able to Hack it better than he can (Computers).

Doc, if you wish to roll Computers, you may. Or you may take your Knowledge roll.

[Dr Archeville]

Computers skill check (1d20+21=35)

[angrydurf]

Since the IC hasn't progressed I'd like to Extra effort for a Surge.

Standard(Surge): Another punch at knieval DC 36 Attack Roll (1d20+10=27)

[quotemyname]

If Knievel gets hit by that he would have to roll a 31 on the die to save. So he would basically be down. I don't mind saying Fiating this away as I don't like first round KOs. However, I will put that Knievel takes the minimum damage from this attack. So he takes a bruised, and Phalanx gets yet another HP

Initiative and Status

Arrowhawk - 26 - Unharmed - HPx5

Jack - 22 - Bruised x2 - HPx5

Giant Robot - 22 - Bruised x1, Stunned @ 17

Sarah - 20 - Unharmed - HPx4

Phalanx - 17 - Unharmed - HPx7, Will be Fatigued at the start of next round unless he spends an HP.

Archeville - 13 - Unharmed - HPx3

Malice - 13 - Unharmed

Knievel 13 - Bruised x1

[Geez3r]

Malice has a +25 with either so it doesn't make a difference, but he gets a +3 due to Master Plan.

Counter Science! check DC 35 (1d20+28=31)

And to be fair, Malice already used a Fiat this round to reroll, so I won't do it again. See also: :argh:

[Dr Archeville]

That ties Dok's Know (Technology) check, but loses to Dok's Computer check.

So, does that mean the Obscure Dok's got up blocks the signals?

[quotemyname]

Doc can tell that it is hindering the transmission, but not fully blocking it. (As this was a major plot point, I'm not going to let you totally circumvent it )

Before hand, if he failed a save inflicted by any elemental damage at all something would blow up, and if he failed a save vs. normal damage by 5 or more, something would blow up. Now those are shifted down one step. He has to fail against elemental by 5 or more, and he has to fail against physical by 10 or more.

[Dr Archeville]

Now that brings up further questions -- would those checks allow Dok to know what would and would not trigger it to set the bombs off? Your last post said damage: what about non-Damage effects, like Paralyze or Stun or Snare or Drain? Or just tractor beaming it really high up into the air, or teleporting it into an underground cavern?

Heck, does he know what it'd take to deactivate the trigger mechanism(s)? Fiddle with something on or in Giant Robo, or on or in Malice's armor? McGyver the remote Knievel smashed back to working order?

Yes, these are lots of questions, but when Dok gets his brains on, he's smarter than everyone else in the room combined. It's what he does.

[quotemyname]

Okay, since you knowledge technology check was a tie, you'll get some of the info, but not all. The good news is that the rest is easily inferred especially by someone as smart as archeville given the circumstances.

You can take Knievel at face value and assume that everything he said was true and that he didn't leave anything out, (like how the villain always gives up his whole plan before he tries to kill you). Or you can use Sense motive on him.

Part of what Knievel said was that either of the controls they had would shut it down. If you believe him, and manage to get the smashed one working again (properly!!!) you can shut if off that way. Alternatively, one would assume that access to the controls in Malice's armor would give you the ability to shut it down.

IIRC, Knievel stated that tampering with the robot would result in explosions. If he didn't then I forgot to put that part in. Assume that's part of his speech.

Again, that's IF you believe Knievel.

If you suspect that he's leaving something out, or archeville wouldn't want to chance it, then I would recommend against things like teleportation.

So roll that sense motive, and we'll see how Doc feels about this.

This roll is only for Doc (so far). I doubt too many of the other characters would REALLY question how it works rather than just trying to beat the villains up. So that's my reasoning for not allowing the other character's rolls. Sound fair?

EDIT: I do have a DC in mind for this part already ;)

[Ecalsneerg]

This roll is only for Doc (so far). I doubt too many of the other characters would REALLY question how it works rather than just trying to beat the villains up. So that's my reasoning for not allowing the other character's rolls. Sound fair?

And yet it's up to us what your characters would or would not question. ;)

[quotemyname]

Arrowhawk in particular is too busy hating Knievel to care That's why I'm asking about it. If anyone has a reason why their character would really be questioning how the robot works, feel free to tell me about it.

[Dr Archeville]

On the one hand, Arrowhawk is (well, was) a scientist, and would think things through.

On the other hand, since Enemy (Captain Knievel, Malice; "Arrowhawk will drop anything to pursue them if he possibly can.") is one of Arrowhawk's Complications, his brainspace may be taken up entirely with deciding who to shoot in the face first.

(Dammit, I'm agreeing with Quote... )

[Ecalsneerg]

Did I ever get a HP for that? ;)

[quotemyname]

Since your hatred is now actually denying you the opportunity to further analyze the situation, when your turn comes around, if you pursue knievel instead of rolling a sense motive, you will earn your hero point.

So doc, you gonna make that roll?

[Dr Archeville]

Ah, right, yes.

Tentacle-Brains are on Combat Mode, so no Enhanced Wisdom.

Sense Motive vs. Captain Knievel (1d20+10=30) HA!

[quotemyname]

The DC I set was 28. I took his Intimidate with skill mastery, and added a -5 modifier. Basically an unusual application of intimidate to scare you all into backing off. (I was really just using his skills to ballpark what a good DC should be ). Since Doc beats that, he knows that Knievel really didn't have much else planned (Nor did I ) He's basically just divulged his entire plan in true super villain fashion. So in summary, it's just failing saves for the robot that sets off the bomb. But currently, even that is reduced because of Archeville's obscuring effect.

Man, that was a lot of ad-hoc GMing. But I think we're ready to move on. What's ol' archy gonna do?

[Dr Archeville]

This is gonna be a two-part thing, because actions in part 2 will depend upon the results of part 1.

Part the First:

Free Action: Spend HP to nix fatigue (3 now)

Free Action: Maintain Force Field

Free Action: Maintain Tentacle-Brain on Combat Mode

Free Action: Maintain Gadgets/Obscure

Free Action: Knowledge check to figure out how the Giant Robot's "I'm damaged, detonate bomb" signals are getting out, and more importantly whether or not an Obscure effect (either the one Dok's got up now, or some tweaked version of it) will block it. Without his Enhanced Int or Gadgets aiding him, Taking 10 w/ Skill Mastery, that's a 27 on Knowledge (Physical Sciences) and a 31 on Knowledge (Technology).

Part the Second:

Move Action: Draw smoke pellet (Obscure 2 [10ft radius, Visual Senses; Extras: Independent]) from Utility Labcoat.

Standard Action: Use smoke pellet, putting it as much in the center of Knievel, Malice and Giant Robo as possible.

Free Action: Extra Effort to SURGE.

Move Action: Reconfigure Gadget (which means the radio & etc. Obscure are gone)

Enhanced Skills 12 (Notice +6, Knowledge [Technology] +6)

Obscure 7 (radio, 500 feet; Extra: Selective Attack; Flaw: Range/Touch)

Super-Senses 5 (accurate analytical extended detect technology [radio])

(radio senses are acute, radius and ranged by default)

Reconfiguring Obscure so it just blocks the radio signals from Knievel, Malice and Giant Robo, and creating a Tech-Scanner.

Free Action: Scan the tech in the area, particularly the remote Knievel smashed and for similar bits in Malice's armor. Due to Mental Quickness, can Take 20 on a Notice check, getting 36.

IC post up soon-ish.

Will be fatigued at start of next round.

[quotemyname]

Doc... You're hurting my brain (which likely needs more coffee, but I digress).

The amount of things a PL15/250pp character can do is simply horrifying...

I know you drew that out incredibly impeccably, and I thank you for that, but would you mind explaining what you've just done? :P

[quotemyname]

Okay, Shaen helped me out in Chat.

(11:16:35) ShaenTheBrain: He maintains everything he had going on before, makes some Knowledge checks to figure out how to block the signal, drops a smoke bomb in the middle of the villains, and reconfigures the screwdriver to block their radio signals and give himself enough Super-Senses to analyze their signals and the devices creating them, so he can indeed stop the signal.

Fair enough, carry on.

[quotemyname]

Initiative and Status

Arrowhawk - 26 - Unharmed - HPx5

Jack - 22 - Bruised x2 - HPx5

Giant Robot - 22 - Bruised x1, Stunned @ 17

Sarah - 20 - Unharmed - HPx4

Phalanx - 17 - Unharmed - HPx7, Will be Fatigued at the start of next round unless he spends an HP.

Archeville - 13 - Unharmed - HPx3, Will be Fatigued at the start of next round unless he spends an HP.

Malice - 13 - Unharmed

Knievel 13 - Bruised x1

*Grumbles about important threads being anticlimactic*

Geez3r!

[Geez3r]

OK. Probably went over board with that. So before we continue, we need to discuss this.

First question: Does Malice actually have another bomb (or several) on him? Asked another way: is this a good idea or should we not go ahead with it and do something else instead?

Second question: If we do go ahead and have Malice blow more crap up, how the heck to we handle it mechanically? I expect lots of Fiats will come into play.

For the first time, I don't have a bloody clue. So I throw up my hands at this.

Oh, and I'll leave you with this.

[quotemyname]

So, I read the IC, and I asked myself, would Malice be the type of person that would hide the fact that he planted more bombs throughout the city from even Knievel? And I found myself undoubtedly answering that question: Yes, yes he would. Especially if he suspected that Knievel would give up his entire plan through sheer hubris, which he did.

So my answer to Geez3r's question is this: Run with it. That IC post was damn good and you know it. If you feel like there should be more bombs planted, then so be it. Hell, that's what Hero Points are for! And if he does not in fact have extra bombs hidden, that's one hell of a lie you just told.

So, Geez3r, I remind you that you're acting second seat GM here. Make a decision, as arbitrary as it may seem. The way I see it, you should pick from two options:

A] Moar bombs, and moar hero points

B] No bombs, and intimidate vs. sense motive

What do the rest of you say?

[angrydurf]

Well I'm not going to go into Malices head his brand of psychosis is Geez3rs baby so whatever he thinks makes sense is fine.

I do have a few things to say about the repercussions of that kind of choice.

We're looking at a moral event Horizon for Malice. This takes him from recurring pedagogue bad guy to dangerous psychotic to be eliminated with extreme prejudice if those bombs go off.

Second, I'm not here to get fiat-ed into letting the bad guys simply walk away Its not heroic and it doesn't fit the theme of the site.

Third that there would be a bluff not an intimidate.

[quotemyname]

Well I'm not going to go into Malices head his brand of psychosis is Geez3rs baby so whatever he thinks makes sense is fine.

I do have a few things to say about the repercussions of that kind of choice.

We're looking at a moral event Horizon for Malice. This takes him from recurring pedagogue bad guy to dangerous psychotic to be eliminated with extreme prejudice if those bombs go off.

I agree. I'm leaving the decision up to Geez3r. I'm sure it's not one he will make lightly.

Second, I'm not here to get fiat-ed into letting the bad guys simply walk away Its not heroic and it doesn't fit the theme of the site.

Don't worry, I can assure you that at least one of the bad guys will not be walking away from this fight if I have anything to say about it.

Third that there would be a bluff not an intimidate.

My bad. You're right. Though I would consider a circumstance bonus because that IC post was practically dripping with badassery :P