Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Ley Line walkers, Juicers, Coalition Troops, Samas, Tolkeen, & The Federation Of Magic. Come together here to discuss all things Rifts®.

Moderators: Immortals, Supreme Beings, Old Ones

User avatar
Dragon Mage
Explorer
Posts: 151
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:37 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario CANADA

Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Dragon Mage »

I just had an idea for a Transferred Intelligence NPC who is a technowizard. I would like to have the NPC be able to still work magic. So I was thinking if the neural housing unit was made out of Gantrium do you think it would allow a Transferred Intelligence to cast spells? It wouldn't give the normal boost of two times to the spells. But would allow for spells at normal strength.

Another path might be to make the neural housing unit was made out of "Living Steel" it might also be possible. Can anyone remember some page reference's to "Living Steel"? I know they are there but I can't remember where they are.

Thanks,
Robert.
User avatar
Orin J.
Adventurer
Posts: 678
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 1:00 pm
Location: a west coast

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Orin J. »

your problem is no living organic body, no PPE. no PPE no wizard. the housing isn't the issue there.
User avatar
Bill
Megaversal® Ambassador
Posts: 1567
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 2:25 pm
Location: Reno, Nevada

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Bill »

Handwave it. Published NPCs that have pulled off similar stuff, like Denwyn Ironheart (CW6: Final Siege), only explain it as "somehow" and don't go into specifics.
User avatar
The Beast
Demon Lord Extraordinaire
Posts: 5956
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 3:28 pm
Comment: You probably think this comment is about you, don't you?
Location: Apocrypha

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by The Beast »

Orin J. wrote:your problem is no living organic body, no PPE. no PPE no wizard. the housing isn't the issue there.


SB1r states that transferred intelligences retain PPE, though not enough to be a spell caster. It doesn't list a die roll for it though, so I'm guessing that it's the same amount as a 'borg.

Dragon Mage wrote:I just had an idea for a Transferred Intelligence NPC who is a technowizard. I would like to have the NPC be able to still work magic. So I was thinking if the neural housing unit was made out of Gantrium do you think it would allow a Transferred Intelligence to cast spells? It wouldn't give the normal boost of two times to the spells. But would allow for spells at normal strength.

Another path might be to make the neural housing unit was made out of "Living Steel" it might also be possible. Can anyone remember some page reference's to "Living Steel"? I know they are there but I can't remember where they are.

Thanks,
Robert.


I think you're thinking of the brain transplant version of the Robot Soldier OCC from WB5. This has your brain in a containment chamber of some kind like the Mechanoids (or Cain in Robocop 2). The transferred intelligent version of the Bot OCC is more like your "soul" was downloaded into a robot.
User avatar
ShadowLogan
Palladin
Posts: 7401
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2006 10:50 am
Location: WI

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by ShadowLogan »

The Beast wrote:I think you're thinking of the brain transplant version of the Robot Soldier OCC from WB5. This has your brain in a containment chamber of some kind like the Mechanoids (or Cain in Robocop 2). The transferred intelligent version of the Bot OCC is more like your "soul" was downloaded into a robot.

Heroes Unlimited 2E pg193-4 uses some what different wording that SB1o, but calls it a containment unit (or containment control, or something close to this it tends to drift a bit).

Dragon Mage wrote:I just had an idea for a Transferred Intelligence NPC who is a technowizard. I would like to have the NPC be able to still work magic. So I was thinking if the neural housing unit was made out of Gantrium do you think it would allow a Transferred Intelligence to cast spells? It wouldn't give the normal boost of two times to the spells. But would allow for spells at normal strength.

Another path might be to make the neural housing unit was made out of "Living Steel" it might also be possible. Can anyone remember some page reference's to "Living Steel"? I know they are there but I can't remember where they are.

Thanks,
Robert.

Given the Robot RCC in SB1 (original or revised) allows for TW power plants powered by PPE the TI-TW should still be able to cast spells via focus or device (TW). You would need to work out how much PPE is going to be stored in the power plant (which offers years of use) and how to manage it.

I wouldn't worry about the material of the containment housing, I'd focus more on the spell chain for the TW to create it. Then again a housing with gems might be a fluke alignment that allows increased performance (it works for psychics with IIRC a type of quartz in DB2) or some other "mutation" event (like with Archie-3 given he has Psionics). Given Casters can cast after transfer into a Golem (SoT6: Final Siege pg104, albeit at a penalty) and the TI is a TW and one of their abilities allows them to channel casting through an appropriate machine without penalty (normally spell casting has penalties for TW)... The main issue as I see it isn't can they cast spells (they retain the knowledge) its more of a how to fuel those spells that doesn't involve a lot of work.

Living Steel reference in SoT6 pg110.
User avatar
Killer Cyborg
Priest
Posts: 27954
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2001 2:01 am
Comment: "Your Eloquence with a sledge hammer is a beautiful thing..." -Zer0 Kay
Location: In the ocean, punching oncoming waves
Contact:

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Killer Cyborg »

ShadowLogan wrote:Given the Robot RCC in SB1 (original or revised) allows for TW power plants powered by PPE the TI-TW should still be able to cast spells via focus or device (TW). You would need to work out how much PPE is going to be stored in the power plant (which offers years of use) and how to manage it.


Yeah... I'd go with "COULD POSSIBLY still be able to cast spells depending on GM's call, even though the letter of the law doesn't allow for it."
It's a viable but non-canon option, albeit one that I DO endorse.
Annual Best Poster of the Year Awards (2012)

"That rifle on the wall of the laborer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." -George Orwell

Check out my Author Page on Amazon!
User avatar
Dragon Mage
Explorer
Posts: 151
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:37 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario CANADA

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Dragon Mage »

Okay thanks for the advise everyone.

CW06 page 110 also has Salkind the TW Cyborg. I could use that as a reference point with the Robot R.C.C./O.C.C. and then just wing it....

Robert.
User avatar
Killer Cyborg
Priest
Posts: 27954
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2001 2:01 am
Comment: "Your Eloquence with a sledge hammer is a beautiful thing..." -Zer0 Kay
Location: In the ocean, punching oncoming waves
Contact:

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Killer Cyborg »

Dragon Mage wrote:Okay thanks for the advise everyone.

CW06 page 110 also has Salkind the TW Cyborg. I could use that as a reference point with the Robot R.C.C./O.C.C. and then just wing it....

Robert.


For fun, IF you want to go with a TW robot who can cast spells, you might want to go with TW versions of any robotic features he has.
So instead of a forearm Ion Beam, he/she might have a forearm lighting blaster.
Instead of a hover system, he might have a Fly As The Eagle system.
And so forth.
Annual Best Poster of the Year Awards (2012)

"That rifle on the wall of the laborer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." -George Orwell

Check out my Author Page on Amazon!
User avatar
Daniel Stoker
Knight
Posts: 4833
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2000 1:01 am
Comment: Non Impediti Ratione Cogitationis
Location: Jewdica

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Daniel Stoker »

If you want to mostly keep it 'street legal' you can make him an Alien from Heroes Unlimited with the "Humanoid but Artificial Life Form/Robot" and then use one of the magic using set of powers from there.


Daniel Stoker
Judaism - More Old School than either Christianity or Islam.
User avatar
The Beast
Demon Lord Extraordinaire
Posts: 5956
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 3:28 pm
Comment: You probably think this comment is about you, don't you?
Location: Apocrypha

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by The Beast »

Or you can make him be an aBm Mechanoid Runner. They're allowed to take the Ley Line Walker OCC.
User avatar
Dragon Mage
Explorer
Posts: 151
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:37 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario CANADA

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Dragon Mage »

Daniel Stoker wrote:If you want to mostly keep it 'street legal' you can make him an Alien from Heroes Unlimited with the "Humanoid but Artificial Life Form/Robot" and then use one of the magic using set of powers from there.


Daniel Stoker


LOL! Thanks I can cheat now!

Rob.
User avatar
Dragon Mage
Explorer
Posts: 151
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:37 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario CANADA

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Dragon Mage »

The Beast wrote:Or you can make him be an aBm Mechanoid Runner. They're allowed to take the Ley Line Walker OCC.


Yes I know. The idea was for the robot to pass as a human. It would be a little hard to do that as a aBm Runner.

Rob.
User avatar
Dragon Mage
Explorer
Posts: 151
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:37 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario CANADA

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Dragon Mage »

I think you're thinking of the brain transplant version of the Robot Soldier OCC from WB5. This has your brain in a containment chamber of some kind like the Mechanoids (or Cain in Robocop 2). The transferred intelligent version of the Bot OCC is more like your "soul" was downloaded into a robot.

I am thinking of using this and the rules under HU aliens and that should cover it...

Rob.
User avatar
Killer Cyborg
Priest
Posts: 27954
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2001 2:01 am
Comment: "Your Eloquence with a sledge hammer is a beautiful thing..." -Zer0 Kay
Location: In the ocean, punching oncoming waves
Contact:

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Killer Cyborg »

Dragon Mage wrote:
The Beast wrote:Or you can make him be an aBm Mechanoid Runner. They're allowed to take the Ley Line Walker OCC.


Yes I know. The idea was for the robot to pass as a human. It would be a little hard to do that as a aBm Runner.

Rob.


Hat.
Beard.
Glasses.
Instant disguise!

:-D
Annual Best Poster of the Year Awards (2012)

"That rifle on the wall of the laborer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." -George Orwell

Check out my Author Page on Amazon!
Curbludgeon
Hero
Posts: 1183
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2018 7:08 am
Comment: They/Them

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Curbludgeon »

There's an "optional" article in Rifter 84 involving varieties of TW Golem and Robots which might prove worth a peek. There are rewritten versions of spells like Transference of Essence and Intellect, which could itself be accessed via scrolls and the like. Soulmancy/Demon Magic also gives a couple of ways to put a consciousness capable of casting spells into another body while still letting them choose an O.C.C..
User avatar
Dragon Mage
Explorer
Posts: 151
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:37 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario CANADA

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Dragon Mage »

Curbludgeon wrote:There's an "optional" article in Rifter 84 involving varieties of TW Golem and Robots which might prove worth a peek. There are rewritten versions of spells like Transference of Essence and Intellect, which could itself be accessed via scrolls and the like. Soulmancy/Demon Magic also gives a couple of ways to put a consciousness capable of casting spells into another body while still letting them choose an O.C.C..


I dont have access to that Rifter. Ill keep it in mind.

Peace,
Rob.
User avatar
Daniel Stoker
Knight
Posts: 4833
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2000 1:01 am
Comment: Non Impediti Ratione Cogitationis
Location: Jewdica

Re: Transferred Intelligence and spellcasters?

Unread post by Daniel Stoker »

Dragon Mage wrote:LOL! Thanks I can cheat now!

Rob.


Always glad to help! ;)


Daniel Stoker
Judaism - More Old School than either Christianity or Islam.
Post Reply

Return to “Rifts®”