[BNW] Bargainer Totem: Animator

[Theo McGuckin <tsm@jlab.org>]

New totem idea:

Animator
The animator (some like to call themselves puppeteers) totem allows the
bargainer to animate toys and dolls to act of their (or rather his) own
free will. While the animator has the totem on he can control up to his
spirit die # in sizes worth of animates (i.e. your average Bargainer with
a spirit of 5d6 could control 5 size 1 animates at once, or 2 size 2 and 1
size 1, or a single size 5 animate).

Along with the totem the Bargainer must construct his animates. Generally
this only takes time and they can be as crude or artistic as he wants. The
totem gives the bargainer the knowledge necessary to construct his
animates, only simple tools are needed. It takes 1 day/size to build an
animate, but once built they require no maintenance, they can even repair
themselves as long as raw materials are provided.

Also Animators generally fall into two "schools" that have been dubbed
old-school and new-school. The olders use the classic marionette style,
the newers use modern materials (erector sets, legos, and modern toy
parts)

The animates only have life for as long as the bargainer keeps the totem
going. As soon as the totem is released all animates fall to the ground in
lifeless hunks. 

The animates have no will of there own and must be verbally instructed by
the animator. They can follow simple instructions and are not malicious in
following their orders (they don't have the will to try and twist the
Animator's words against him). Generally the player can give orders of up
to a dozen word length and the animate will follow those orders. Giving
orders takes an action, but the same order can be given to multiple
animates at once ("Get them my children!")

The animates can operate for up to an hour on their own, or until their
task is completed. After that they will attempt to find/return to the
animator (most animators give them a homebase to return).

Animates:
Animates have 2d6 base in all stats and the following skills:
Shooting 2
Fighting (type as appropriate) 3
Persuassion:Intimidation 2
Stealth 3
Lockpicking 2
Throwing 2
Climbing 2
Other skills that I can't think of 'cause I don't have my book with me 2-3

Powers:
All animates have the following powers:
Armor: 5
Undead: they ignore wound modifiers and don't make stun checks
Guns/weapons: all animates can have weapons attached to them. They
can have one gun (with no more than 6 bullets loaded per size category) or
upto two HtH weapons.
Ambidextrous: animates never have an arm/limb preference, however they are
not smart/coordinated enough to make more than one attack at a time.

Old-school/New-school:
Older's and newer's animates have one thing different besides their style:
Old-style animates have an intimidation of 4 (they're just creepier than
	walking erector sets)
New-style animates have armor of 5/2, they're generally made of tougher
	material

Powers:
Every animate can have one of the following powers (chosen at the time of 
builiding and NOT changeable):

Specilist - the animate was made with a specific task in mind, such as
shooting, for example. The animate can have one stat at 5d6 and one skill
at a level of 5 (within that stat).

Tough - the animate has been reinforced in some way, its base armor is now
10 (10/2 for new-style animates).

Jack of all trades - the animate is fairly generic and average at 
everything, raise all its stats to 3d6.

Flyer - the animate was built with wings, propellers, jet thrusters, etc. 
and can fly at a pace of 20

One-shot - the animate was designed to mimic a specific power package.
However it can only use the power package's abilities for one shot or one
round (as appropriate). After that it must rest (be inanimate) for 8 hours
before it can use it again. [Too powerful?]

Power-tool - the animate can have some type of powered tool/weapon
attached to it. Examples would be the drill-head in The Puppetmaster or a
grappling gun for a hand. This is a broad category and details should be
worked out between player and guide.

New Trick:
I know Bargainers don't really have totem specific tricks, but I like the
idea of this one so:

Animate on the Fly: with a easy(5) spirit roll the animator can animate a
single object of size 1, for each extra success the size can be increased
by 1. The animate cannot do anything it isn't designed to do (so an
Animator could make a Barbie doll run or attack someone, with a str. of
2d6, but if he animated a mailbox all it could do would be flap its
lids). All such animates have the base stats given above (including
being considered armor 5).
This is very taxing however and the Animator must maintain control of the
animate at all times. The Bargainer can perform no other actions while
using "Animate on the Fly".

Thoughts?

 Theo McGuckin -
	"Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a nerf ball"