New race: Alien Nanite Swarm

[Tribe of One]

Alien Nanite Swarm
A techno-organic hivemind composed of thousands of tiny, self-replicating machines bound by a malleable, electromagnetic field, the Alien Nanite Swarm's origins are shrouded in mystery. Is it a member of some alien race? A servitor that has evolved by accident or design to self-awareness? Whatever the case, the swarm's innate understanding of electronic machines make it an adept mechanic and operator capable of hijacking systems and interfacing directly with vehicles, weapons and armor, which it can "wear" as a body of sorts. Otherwise, the swarm may mold itself into a vaguely humanoid shape, allowing it to manipulate objects and communicate via carefully-tuned harmonic vibration.

• Racial Abilities and Complications
• Cyber-Resistant: Although capable of upgrading itself (through Advancements), a nanite swarm is incapable of using traditional cybernetics.
• Dependency: Electricity The swarm must spend an hour per day interfacing with a source of electricity to recharge itself; failure to do so inflicts one level of Fatigue per day until Incapacitation; the following day, the swarm dies.
• Distinctive D-Bee Floating clouds of D-bee space dust that control machines are the stuff of nightmares within the Coalition. A swarm suffers a -4 Charisma with CS citizens.
• Fragile Bonds The electromagnetic field that holds the swarm together is not as strong as bone and muscle and is susceptible to disruption. The swarm suffers -1 Toughness and is -4 to resist electricity-based powers (electrical attacks do +4 damage). In addition, the swarm makes all Strength rolls (including damage) at a -1 penalty.
• Inquisitive Interloper A stranger in a strange land, the nanite swarm is hard-wired to learn all it can about its new surroundings. It has the Curious Hindrance.
• Machine Mind The swarm functions as an advanced computer and has an innate ability to interface with electronics and machines. The swarm gains the benefits of the Core Electronics Package cybernetic upgrade (without suffering Strain) and begins with d6 Knowledge: Computers, d6 Knowledge: Cybernetics and d6 Knowledge: Engineering.
• Mobile Swarm The swarm can create an electromagnetic field to organize itself into a humanoid shape or other form as needed, allowing it to walk upright and manipulate objects like most other races. In addition, the swarm can compress to Size -3 (Strength and Toughness are unchanged) at will, allowing it to slip under doors or into other tight spaces that are not environmentally-sealed.
• Restricted Path Nanite swarms are incapable of using magic or psionics and may never gain any Arcane Background Edge.
• Self-Replicating The swarm constantly recycles and replaces damaged nanites, allowing it to regenerate quickly. It may make a natural Healing roll once per day. Whenever the swarm suffers a permanent injury, it may make a natural healing roll once recovered from the Incapacitation which caused the injury; if successful, the injury heals after 1d6 days.
• Techno-Organic Construct The swarm doesn't breathe, has no vital organs (and so is immune to the extra damage from a Called Shot) and is immune to poison and disease. The swarms bio-metal components heal as normal (but see "Self-Replicating") and it must consume organic material to survive.

Electromagnetic Mobility [Racial Edge]
Requirements: Novice, Nanite Swarm
You've learned how to ride the Earth's electromagnetic waves by aligning your field with them; you can now Fly at a speed equal to your Pace.

[Pender Lumkiss]

Looks fun.

[Ndreare]

I like this race, approve this race, and want to see one of these made.

However as a note the Strength Costs Double restrictions are not legal is Savage Rifts as the setting has a distinct race creation template. So you will need fiat from individual GM's to go with it. The new equivalent is the -2 to Strength rolls limitation.

For the record i am still approving because I believe that many races are better represented by the double cost and Attribute maximums. But wanted to be clear about the rules.

Point Breakdown

• Fragile Bonds The electromagnetic field that holds the swarm together is not as strong as bone and muscle and is susceptible to disruption. The swarm suffers -1 Toughness and is -4 to resist electricity-based powers (electrical attacks do +4 damage). At character creation, points in Strength cost double, and the swarm must spend two Advances to increase Strength after that. [-1 (Frail), -1 (Environmental Weakness: Electricity) and -3 (really bad Strength)]

As a note, I heard through the grape vine that when SW Core Rules and Fantasy Companion are updated the old race rules will all be replaced with the Science Fiction Companion ones.

[Tribe of One]

Yeah, I don't have an issue with using the -2 to Strength rolls instead of the limit on increases. It's kind of six of one, half a dozen of the other.

I'm thinking about using this for the Sidekick of a MARS character I'm working on. The main character has the Nano-Repair cyber, so the idea is he was bleeding out somewhere and this swarm bonded with him/fixed him, but some stayed behind. So now they're buds, and wackiness ensues!

The Sidekick's goal will be to obtain a "body" -- a suit of either the Gladius or T-11 exoskeleton armor retrapped as an android/robot body the swarm "wears." If I scratch together the EP to do it as a Signature Item, the "armor" will have Attractive and Very Attractive, a la Cherry 2000.

[Ndreare]

As a note I do prefer the double cost method and feel it better represents both fiction and balance.

I just wanted you to be aware.

[Ndreare]

If I scratch together the EP to do it as a Signature Item, the "armor" will have Attractive and Very Attractive, a la Cherry 2000.

Awesome

[Tribe of One]

And the main character will definitely be named Dave.

"Look Dave, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over. I know I've made some very poor decisions recently, but I can give you my complete assurance that my work will be back to normal. I've still got the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in the mission. And I want to help you."

[Freemage]

I prefer the -2 Attribute roll, simply for reasons of actually balancing against existing races with the Bad Attribute penalty.

I'll also note that this race is very much above and beyond the standard races, which typically cap out around 12 points of positive abilities, with 10 points of negatives.

You overvalued Slow: it's -1, not -2.

With that, it's currently a -17/+20 Race. To correct for the Slow, I'd suggest ditching the +1 No Sleep ability, which is 'neat but not necessary'.

Honestly, I'd be tempted to say ditch the Clueless and Curious Hindrances (I don't think they HAVE to be either of those things--it would vary by the individual swarm's programming), and then make some of their abilities Racial Edges to balance it out:

Improved Morphic Form (Racial, Novice, Nanite Swarm): Your control of the shape of your nanite cloud is now so extreme you can slip through very tiny openings (1/4" or more) without disrupting your control field.

Electromagnetic Wave (Racial, Novice, Nanite Swarm): You've learned how to ride the Earth's electromagnetic waves by aligning your field with them; you can now Fly at a speed equal to your Pace.

[Tribe of One]

Hmm, I must have been looking at the Lame Hindrance, which does exactly the same thing as the Slow racial drawback, but is worth -2 while Slow is only -1 (because )

I actually see Clueless and Curious as pretty central to the race -- they start out with little in the way of stored knowledge, but a programmed drive to fill their memory banks with new experiences. Squeeze especially, and to a lesser extent Flight are pretty iconic, to me, as well, so not sure I'd want to have to burn Edges on something that all swarms would be capable of ... But I see your point about bringing down the overall number of points. The Not-Quite-Construct is the biggest thing boosting that overall points.

What about:


Point Breakdown

• Racial Abilities and Complications
• Cyber-Resistant: Although capable of upgrading itself (through Advancements), a nanite swarm is incapable of using traditional cybernetics. [-1]
• Dependency: Electricity The swarm must spend an hour per day interfacing with a source of electricity to recharge itself; failure to do so inflicts one level of Fatigue per day until Incapacitation; the following day, the swarm dies. [-2]
• Distinctive D-Bee Floating clouds of D-bee space dust that control machines are the stuff of nightmares within the Coalition. A swarm suffers a -4 Charisma with CS citizens. [-2]
• Fragile Bonds The electromagnetic field that holds the swarm together is not as strong as bone and muscle and is susceptible to disruption. The swarm suffers -1 Toughness and is -4 to resist electricity-based powers (electrical attacks do +4 damage). In addition, the swarm makes all Strength rolls (including damage) at a -1 penalty. [-1 (Frail), -1 (Environmental Weakness: Electricity) and -2 (bad Strength)]
• Inquisitive Interloper A stranger in a strange land, the nanite swarm is hard-wired to learn all it can about its new surroundings. It has the Curious Hindrance. [-2]
• Machine Mind The swarm functions as an advanced computer and has an innate ability to interface with electronics and machines. The swarm gains the benefits of the Core Electronics Package cybernetic upgrade (without suffering Strain) and begins with d6 Knowledge: Computers, d6 Knowledge: Cybernetics and d6 Knowledge: Engineering. [+2 for Core Electronics Package (roughly Upgrade Edge, one of the weakest options so balances no Strain), +1, +1 and +1]
• Mobile Swarm The swarm can create an electromagnetic field to organize itself into a humanoid shape or other form as needed, allowing it to walk upright and manipulate objects like most other races. In addition, the swarm can compress to Size -3 (Strength and Toughness are unchanged) at will, allowing it to slip under doors or into other tight spaces that are not environmentally-sealed. [+2 for Squeezing -- a stripped down version of Altered Form + Viscous from SPC2]
• Restricted Path Nanite swarms are incapable of using magic or psionics and may never gain any Arcane Background Edge. [-1 and -1]
• Self-Replicating The swarm constantly recycles and replaces damaged nanites, allowing it to regenerate quickly. It may make a natural Healing roll once per day. Whenever the swarm suffers a permanent injury, it may make a natural healing roll once recovered from the Incapacitation which caused the injury; if successful, the injury heals after 1d6 days. [+3 for Regeneration and Permanent injury recovery]
• Techno-Organic Construct The swarm doesn't breathe, has no vital organs (and so is immune to the extra damage from a Called Shot) and is immune to poison and disease. The swarms bio-metal components heal as normal (but see "Self-Replicating") and it must consume organic material to survive.[+2 Doesn't breath; +1 no vital organs; +1 immune disease, +1 immune poison]

That gets rid of the bonus vs. Shaken and reduced sleep, and we can make Flight a racial Edge. Ditch Slow, drop the Strength penalty to a -1, and ditch Clueless, to make it 15/-13.

Updated the OP to reflect the revisions.

[Freemage]

I like it! Changing my vote to Approved.

[High Command]

I voted approved after the changes. Because I vote on proposals.

Good race. I assume since it's a construct that Heal and the like have no effect, unless it has a repair trapping. Since it can't use PPE or ISP, that still leaves one AB open - Weird Science. That leaves open some interesting options. Also the SuperTech AB I need to stat out (once we're done with Enchanting) should be a fun one for them as well.

[Tribe of One]

It's actually not full Construct, so Healing works on it like normal. It's "bio-mechanical" and incorporates biological material into its nanite bodies, somehow. You just feed it and it goes to work recycling old or damaged nanites onto new ones. Doesn't have the full range of Construct abilities and immunities, either.

[Ndreare]

Good race. I assume since it's a construct that Heal and the like have no effect, unless it has a repair trapping. Since it can't use PPE or ISP, that still leaves one AB open - Weird Science. That leaves open some interesting options. Also the SuperTech AB I need to stat out (once we're done with Enchanting) should be a fun one for them as well.

The restricted path would stop it from getting Weird Science

[High Command]

The one in TLPG lists PPE and ISP, not blanket no AB

Restricted Path (2): For reasons of biology or spiritual makeup, the species is unable to pursue certain paths open to others. Each time this is chosen, the race either cannot access PPE or ISP. The selection means the race cannot take any Arcane Background which uses that type of Power Points or an Iconic Framework which includes such an Arcane Background. Races that start with an Arcane Background automatically cannot choose another, and this does not count as a Negative Racial Ability.

[Ndreare]

But Clint has said all AB other than Psionics use PPE based on page 108 and 109. He even included AB Super Powers

[High Command]

Weird Science does not use PPE - that is why they can't use TW items.

[Ndreare]

Weird Science does not use PPE - that is why they can't use TW items.

I see the misunderstanding.

Weird Science still uses PPE, but all the PPE is bound in the Weird Scientist inventions. This leaves the Weird Scientist without access to his own PPE, so he cannot use TW devices. (Which by the way is a stupid niche of the game I would completely ignore.)

[Tribe of One]

Yeah, since I was using Restricted Path for both PPE and ISP I included language banning "all Arcane Backgrounds." I guess Weird Science could still work ... maybe. But I kind of hate RAW Weird Science, so it's not a major concern.