When robots are created, not all parts may be as high-quality as others or as strong. The power exerted by mechanical muscles may be greater than the metal bone they are attached to, or the friction generated by a body moving at full speed may be more than the internal cooling system can handle. In such cases an artificial limit must be put on the physical activities of the robotic body to keep it from accidentally destroying itself. As the body is generally pushed to those limits only during combat, a device known as a Combat Mode Limiter is often installed in robots to set this artificial limit. While it is active, the robot is physically limited, but it can be removed, though this is very dangerous. Robots with this Attribute have a Combat Mode Limiter.
A character with a Combat Mode Limiter’s Stats and Attributes are for his or her limited mode. A character can have someone else turn off his or her Combat Mode Limiter, but cannot turn it off alone. Turning it off requires a repair facility and an Electronics roll by the helper (add a +2 penalty if the target robot is unwilling). The helper can set the deactivation of the Combat Mode Limiter to occur when a specific password is spoken or a special program is run, though doing so adds +2 to his or her Electronics roll. The target robot can reactivate his or her Combat Mode Limiter as an action if desired, though deactivating it again requires help and a new Electronics roll, as above.
Having an inactive Combat Mode Limiter is extremely dangerous and damaging. For every ten seconds that the Combat Mode Limiter is deactivated, the robot takes 5 Health points of damage per level that cannot be avoided in any way. Such damage is internal and somewhat harder to repair as well (add a +2 to any Mechanics rolls made to repair this damage).
Any bonuses gained from this Attribute are additive if the robot already has the bonus Attributes (a robot with Combat Mode Limiter Level 1 who also has Speed Level 1 would have Speed increased to Level 2, for example).
Armitage had Mouse release her Combat Mode Limiter and tie it to a password for use against her copies in Dual-Matrix.
Level 1: The robot gains Jumping Level 1, Speed Level 1, Super-Strength Level 1, and +1 Body while the Combat Mode Limiter is turned off.
Level 2: The robot gains Extra Attacks Level 1, Jumping Level 1, Speed Level 2, Super-Strength Level 2, and +2 Body while the Combat Mode Limiter is turned off.
Level 3: The robot gains Extra Attacks Level 1, Jumping Level 2, Speed Level 3, Super-Strength Level 2, and +3 Body while the Combat Mode Limiter is turned off.
Level 4: The robot gains Extra Attacks Level 2, Jumping Level 2, Speed Level 4, Super-Strength Level 3, and +4 Body while the Combat Mode Limiter is turned off.
Level 5: The robot gains Extra Attacks Level 2, Jumping Level 3, Speed Level 5, Super-Strength Level 4, and +5 Body while the Combat Mode Limiter is turned off.
Level 6: The robot gains Extra Attacks Level 3, Jumping Level
3, Speed Level 6, Super-Strength Level 4, and +6 Body while the Combat
Mode Limiter is turned off.
Reproductive Capability
Cost: 1 point/Level
Relevant Stat: Body
Type: Technological
This Attribute allows a robot character to give birth to human children.
Most robots are made of composites and metals, with a synthetic flesh covering if necessary. Some, however, like the Third types, were created to nearly perfectly replicate human beings, though with a reinforced skeletal structure and computer brain. Such robots have all of the organs a human does, and they all function, so female robots have a womb and everything necessary to bear a child of their own. In Armitage III, this was the main reason for the development of the Thirds, and the secret that eluded Demitrio. (In theory, one could construct a male robot with a womb, although insemenation and birth would be anything but natural; such a robot would be limited to Level 1 of this attribute.)
Note that many Second-type robots are anatomically capable of sex--in fact, robotic sex dolls are quite popular--but not capable of giving birth to a child, as they lack a womb.
Level 1: The character is able to give birth to a surgically-implanted fertilized embryo, but does not produce eggs of its own.
Level 2: The character is anatomically equipped to become pregnant
through sexual intercourse and give birth.
Touch Control
Cost: 4 points/Level
Relevant Stat: Mind
Type: Technological
This Attribute allows the character to overcome the programming and take control of any electronic device he or she touches. Advanced robots such as Thirds or Assassinroids are most likely to have Touch Control, and even they usually either lack it or don’t know how to use it. This Attribute was used by Armitage on several occasions in both films, and by the data-form of Julian at the end of Dual-Matrix.
Touch Control requires the character employing it to touch his or her subject to initiate control. It counts as an attack, but, instead of an Attack dice roll, it requires a successful Mind Stat check. The character receives a modifier of -1 for every level he or she has. If the attack roll is successful, the target gets a defence roll, but, instead of using Defence Combat Value, the roll is made using a GM-assigned value derived from the following table:
Value Description
1-2 Basic electronics (civilian
vehicles, home computer systems, etc.)
3-4 Protected electronics
(military or corporate computer systems, robot guards, etc.)
5-6 Basic second-type robots
(flight attendants, waitresses, etc.)
7-8 Protected second-type
robots (soldiers, bodyguards, etc.)
9-10 Military mecha (tanks, aircraft,
etc.)
11-12 Third-type robots (Armitage, Julian, etc.)
The target gains a -1 bonus to the die roll for every level of ECM he or she has.
Once Touch Control has been established, it remains until the controller releases his or her hold or loses touch contact with the target. The touch requirement is extended to ten metres if the controller has more levels of Touch Control than the target has defensive value. A character may only use Touch Control against one target at a time.
Once a target has been controlled, the controller is free to make it do anything it is capable of, from attack to sending secret files to firing weapons. The controller has complete command of the target.
Level 1: The character possesses little Touch Control ability. Attempts to control are made with a -1 bonus.
Level 2: The character possesses moderate Touch Control ability. Attempts to control are made with a -2 bonus.
Level 3: The character possesses good Touch Control ability. Attempts to control are made with a -3 bonus.
Level 4: The character possesses great Touch Control ability. Attempts to control are made with a -4 bonus.
Level 5: The character possesses extreme Touch Control ability. Attempts to control are made with a -5 bonus.
Level 6: The character possesses amazing Touch Control ability.
Attempts to control are made with a -6 bonus.
confuse the input areas of robots, overloading the brain’s ability to process
it all. This make sensory input very confusing for the robot, and gives
a +1 penalty per level to any actions requiring the active use of any of
the five senses, such as seeing, hearing, judging distance, and even combat.
All robots within the range are affected, except the ECM user (if it is
a robot). Unlike standard ECM, the range never grows larger than local;
additional levels simply make the ECM more effective. (See ECM on p. 88-9,
Big
Eyes, Small Mouth- 2nd Edition).
Demitrio’s mecha had this Attribute, and gave Armitage quite a surprise
when it used it.
Eidetic Memory, sometimes known as photographic memory, is an ability possessed by few that allows the retention of an accurate, detailed visual image of a complex scene or pattern. Characters with Eidetic Memory can recall the exact wording of the entire page of a book years after it was read, or memorize a map after a glance. Note that this Attribute does not help the character understand what was memorized any better; it simply allows him or her to recite or reproduce it exactly.
Depending on the Level of Eidetic Memory taken, the time required to memorize something permanently varies.
Level 1: The character can memorize something after a minute of study.
Level 2: The character can memorize something after only a few seconds of study.