Enhance Objects

Enhance objects [Major] by Iczer

‘Yeah…your phone looks cool and all, but it really doesn’t have all the feature of my vacuum cleaner. Oh excuse me… it’s ringing’

The character can Increase and enhance objects by touch, making them more efficient, more versatile, and even more smart, depending on need and creativity.

Investment points: The character has a type of ‘enhancement pool’ a number of points he can impart to other objects to enhance their capabilities. This Pool begins at 8 points +2 points.

Typical enhancements: Note that none of these changes are invisible. As the character invests his points, the item shrivels and changes to accommodate.

• Smarts: The item or device gains the ability to process information. The device does not become sentient, only smart enough to process data. It also gains no special ability to impart this data to others without points directed elsewhere. 1 point gives it the processing power of a microwave oven or digital watch. 4 gives it the processing power of a mobile phone. 8 gives it the processing capacity of a modern, home computer. And so on.
• Awareness: The device has sensory capabilities that allow it to gather information about itself and the world around it. 1 in awareness gives it the ability to use one normal sense, but it is considered impaired in that category. For human capability in that sense add another 1. for heightened senses in that category add a further 1. For a sense that humans don’t possess, simply apply 3. if the device has points allotted to communication, it can automatically converse with a single being.
• Communication: The device is given some sort of ability to relay information. Without the addition of smarts (see above) it can only relate what it is doing and what it can perceive. 1 in communication creates a display which must be read. 2 allows simple graphics and simple sound. 5 gives it the audio and visual capabilities of a modern games machine. For an extra 2 points, this information can relay via radio or telephone.
• Power: the device has the capability to produce more effort. A 1 in power can signify a 5% increase in power and performance, or can simply increase its mass by 5%. If added to a weapon, every 3 points of added power adds +1D6 to its base damage. For 4 points, the motive force of the device alters as well. An automobile may now be solar powered, while a gun could be made a laser, converting bullets into coherent beams.
• Agility: The device can operate on it’s own. Typically this is used to make a weapon more accurate adding +1 to strike and parry for every 3 points imbued into the device, or a vehicle more responsive, giving +10% to pilot checks for every 3 points invested. It can be used to program specific responses into the device as well, creating weapons that unjam themselves, and lights that come on with a clap. A pre programmed command requires 2 points to be invested. Complex commands require some sort of smarts and awareness. If a device does something, it has a relevant skill equal to 25% +5% per point invested +2% per level.
• Durability: a device enhanced with durability adds 5% to its SDC per point invested. Alternatively points may be spent to improve the item’s AR, 3 points for a +1 increase. This can be applied to body armour. It can also be applied to normal clothes as well. 2 points turns an ordinary suit of clothing into body armour with AR 9 and 20 SDC +5 per level. Points of durability may be used instead to increase its resistance to pressure and stress by 20% per point. 2 points into a beam that could support 5000lbs now supports 7000lbs. A metal pole that requires 20 supernatural strength to tear up now requires 28. And so on. Instead, fuel efficiency can be increased by 20% per point invested. In the case of weapons this can increase their ammunition supply.
• Cool: the device simply becomes better looking. Mechanically speaking, the device gains a charm/impress score based off its looks equal to 30% +10% per point invested. This can also be made to make one device look like a similar specimen (such as making a dodge look like a Porsche) for 2 points. Any addition of ‘cool’ cleans the device up, but specific flaws (rusty springs, discolorations, a squeak when the door opens) can be negated for 1 point per flaw.
• Velocity: The device operates faster. Vehicles gain 10% more speed per point invested in velocity. Machines that perform tasks rather than move perform those tasks 15% faster per point invested.

Investing an object: Invested objects must be touched for 15 seconds per investment point to be transferred. Any object can have points invested into it, as long as it is not already alive. (Trees and plants are the exception, but require an additional investment point). Investments remain until either reabsorbed or dispelled. Reabsorption requires 15 seconds per point and requires constant touch throughout to achieve, with points going back into his pool. Dispelling simply ‘uninvests’ the object up to 5 miles away per level, but the points recover into the pool at a rate of 1 every 2 hours. When an object has points invested into it, the character can decide for whom it will function. If someone handles it and are not designated as a potential user, then either it fails to function if it can, or otherwise bleeds away it's points.

[Green Jenny, a horticulturalist and a mutant, is 4th level and so possesses 16 investment points. Her favourite Oak tree on her farm is being primed as a home computer, it requires 1 point to invest a tree, and she sinks a further eight to make it as smart as a home computer. She invests the next three points into communication giving it the display capabilities equal to a decent monitor and speakers. She also sinks 3 points into awareness, so it can read digital media. Overall, the tree ‘grows a monitor like aperture, as well as speakers and a receptacle for placing CD’s.]