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Project Prometheus (Original Setting Superhero Quest)

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So I had a thought: we know that we can't use a currently living metahuman's DNA in Project Prometheus, and we know that we can't use a formula identical to one that we've already used. I wonder, why is it that DNA samples of deceased metahumans are fine to use, but samples that have already been used aren't safe to use? I mean, from a purely mechanical view, permanently removing used DNA samples from the available resources would have issues, so I'm fine with it, but I was wondering why things were the way they were set up on the narrative level.
 
ReaperofInterest said:
So I had a thought: we know that we can't use a currently living metahuman's DNA in Project Prometheus, and we know that we can't use a formula identical to one that we've already used. I wonder, why is it that DNA samples of deceased metahumans are fine to use, but samples that have already been used aren't safe to use?
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Two people can't connect to the Stage the same way, like two chargers can't be plugged into the same outlet at the same time.
 
StarSingerBlue said:
Two people can't connect to the Stage the same way, like two chargers can't be plugged into the same outlet at the same time.
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Fair enough. But that doesn't adequately explain why we can't use a DNA sample we got from a living person to me. Sure, there might be some similarities, but we'd by necessity be adding other things to the formula so that there wouldn't only be a single person's DNA.
 
ReaperofInterest said:
Fair enough. But that doesn't adequately explain why we can't use a DNA sample we got from a living person to me. Sure, there might be some similarities, but we'd by necessity be adding other things to the formula so that there wouldn't only be a single person's DNA.
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Getting partially lobotomized still probably hurts just as much as being fully lobotomized. That's how I see it.
 
From what I understand, using the DNA of multiple people results in the person tapping into all the component powers and then it forms a new one.

Since you're familiar with Worm, I'll use it's power system as an analogy. Imagine that only one person can use a Shard at a time. Giving someone else a connection to the Shard results in the confused Shard smooshing them together like a Case-22, only it kills them.

Mixing DNA is to establish a connection with multiple Shards simultaneously, which results in the Shards going "this isn't right" and ejecting the connected part, with the parts combining into a new Shard, like how Victoria Dallons "Waste" formed.

However, that initial connection does happen, and so the negative effects of multiple connections to the same Shard remain.
 
You're in essence taping to the stage using the previous DNA locations as "routes" to get to where you power is. If someone is still alive when you cross their route, you collide and get ontological resonance.
 
What if the reason Yara's rescue is going to be so fraught, is Key and Socialate Butterfly collaborating?

Key clearly regards people remembering her at all as some sort of existential threat, given that she mind wiped Wolong for a quick casual conversation.

What if Key supports Socialite Butterfly with the condition that Yara and Belle are killed, because she couldn't wipe them, and SB's desire for riches is easy enough to acquisce to?
 
... CONGRATS TO BITTERMAN FOR BEING THE OWN OF THIS MONTHS QUEST OF THE MONTH!!!!!!

Honestly you deserve it this quest is amazing.
 
ScorpioSting said:
What if the reason Yara's rescue is going to be so fraught, is Key and Socialate Butterfly collaborating?

Key clearly regards people remembering her at all as some sort of existential threat, given that she mind wiped Wolong for a quick casual conversation.

What if Key supports Socialite Butterfly with the condition that Yara and Belle are killed, because she couldn't wipe them, and SB's desire for riches is easy enough to acquisce to?
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We don't know if it was Key during PREVAIL.

Key seems very very secretive, too much to go to a very public event.
 
But there's a shared factor: Both Key in the Philosophers meeting and the woman who Wolong talks to, the dialogue is summarized, but not said. We're told what they say in broad strokes, but no actual quoted dialogue. That's too much of a solid link to be ignorable.
 
*Rubs head* So, I've been trying to fit Clairvoyance, Invisibility, Invincibility, Ally Empowerment and Mental Manipulation all in the same build in an attempt to create an anti-psychic build. Unfortunately, that is hard, especially if you want the tag multiple times. The cheapest build that has all of them is this:

Steadfast: Invulnerability (2)
Feth Fiada: Elemental Manipulation, Clairvoyance, Invisibility, Ally Empowerment, Mental Manipulation (6)

Ally Empowerment, Clairvoyance, Elemental Manipulation, Invisibility, Invulnerability, Mental Manipulation (8)
I don't really like this. It's Feth Fiada with a bit of extra potency and Invulnerability, and while the fact that her power has Clairvoyance blocking as part of it outright is a plus, it's not the focus of her power, that Elemental Manipulation. An additional issue is that Clairvoyance needs to have multiple for psychic powers to properly appear/be the focus.

So I'm going to change my approach, and this is possibly just the first in a series of posts that track my progress.

So let's create a summary of the options:
Clairvoyance: Mister Hunch(1*), iSpy(4*), Chatroom(4), Memoria(4), The Red Huntress(6*), Féth Fíada(6)
Ally Empowerment: Wild Speaker(3?), Fast Track(3), Chatroom(4*), Bulwark(4*), Solferina(4?), Nephthys(5), Féth Fíada(6)
Invulnerability: Steadfast(2*), Antaeus(3?), Frostbite(3), Golem(5), Lightstep(7), Man o' War(8), Zeno(9)
Invisibility: Miss Conception(3), iSpy(4), The Outsider(4), The Red Huntress(6), Féth Fíada(6)
Mental Manipulation: Eastwood(2*), Wild Speaker(3?), Solferina(4?), Nox Esurientem(6*), Féth Fíada(6)

Legend: * indicates I believe that this is the "central" keyword to/focus of their power. ? indicates I'm unsure if this is the central keyword. Meaning that if a power with * is included, I believe it would more heavily weigh the power towards it then one without, while an ? is a maybe.

For those who want a simple list:

Mister Hunch(1)
Eastwood(2)
Steadfast(2)
Antaeus(3)
Fast Track(3)
Frostbite(3)
Miss Conception(3)
Wild Speaker(3)
Bulwark(4)
Chatroom(4)
iSpy(4)
Memoria(4)
The Outsider(4)
Solferina(4)
Golem(5)
Nephthys(5)
Féth Fíada(6)
Nox Esurientem(6)
The Red Huntress(6)
Lightstep(7)
Man o' War(8)
Zeno(9)

That's 22 out of the 40 DNA samples we have.
That's a lot of options! However, if we take "must have 2x Clairvoyance" as a rule we can immediately drop Zeno, because as we can see from my handy list of cheapest combos(now in alphabetical order!), the minimum of Clairvoyance x2 is 5 points. That still leaves us with 21 samples to create combinations that add up to 13 to work with. I'm going to install two more rules: "combination must have at least 1 of Ally Empowerment" and "combination must have at least 1 of Invulnerability or Invisibility." This will help disqualify a bunch of combinations automatically. Wish me luck!
 
Hey, guys! Project Prometheus is Quest of the Month!

I'd show an image of it, but it turns out you can't directly upload images here.
 
StarSingerBlue said:
We're going to need those as well if we want Telekinesis.
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My focus is more "get a power that fucks with Clairvoyants" and/or "power that grants immunity to mental fuckery". Mona and Ellie have a huge vulnerability there, and while Ellie has a fancy outfit that makes her immune to such things if worn, Mona does not. Plus, unless we have Mona(and maybe Elle? Not sure she can detect it when in the suit) around, we can be spied upon outside of the Apiary, so by default we should assume we are.

tl:dr I'm focused on addressing our security flaws.

Getting Valkyrie 2.0 would be nice, though.
 
My guess for Telepathy would be Clairvoyance x2, Mental Manipulation, Energy Manipulation, Ally Empowerment.

So, for that, I'm seriously still thinking of Hunch (1) + Chatroom (4) + Wild Speaker (3) + Eastwood (2) + Miss Conception (3) for a 13 for Yara.
 
Its more liekly we can get. A powerful psychic than an anti psychic though it would atleast get us a hero to contend against pyschic attacks like how Valkyrie protected King when hia guilt was being multiplied to beat him.

Though considering how big of a deal it seems to be its likey a proper psychic is gonna go to our 4 or 5th T10.
 
Sidenote, given that Warpstar was put on the same level as Stitches during Perdition 3, what are the odds that they specialize in teleporting a brick inside your stomach and making your torso explode by that 'two objects in the same place' principle Nora compared her and Ellie's deal with? Or, conversely, teleporting people into the ground or inside of a wall and leaving them to rot.
 
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ScorpioSting said:
I mean, Noelle in Scissors mode fulfills that niche as well? Not to say having two of a power in the team is a bad deal, just noting.
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It's short ranged TK, to fit in with the short range theme of Scissors.

Honestly, I think I'll add "synergy clues" to the personal action rewards table. You're overlooking a really powerful one that you keep getting close to and it's killing me lol.

And thank you for the quest of the month pick!!!! I was wondering where all the new readers came from! Welcome!!!!
 
Gore17 said:
Clairvoyance, Invisibility, Invincibility, Ally Empowerment and Mental Manipulation
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Just curious, why both invisibility and invincibility as requirements? Is the hope to have a psychic protection that can conceal allies from sight and that is also invincible? Is psychic concealment desired in addition to psychic defense? Is it to hide people from the Philosophers and also be on a frontline against them?
Gore17 said:
it's not the focus of her power, that Elemental Manipulation. An additional issue is that Clairvoyance needs to have multiple for psychic powers to properly appear/be the focus.
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IIRC there was one post from Bitterman that said focusing on keywords is not the only way to build heroes. Arguably Feth Fiada's theme is more general than fog control, which is just a vehicle for concealing the space around her from intruders. Though I will say that for 2x Clairvoyance you could put in Chatroom which reinforces the idea of area ally enhancement and leaves enough room for Steadfast if necessary.

Bitterman said:
Honestly, I think I'll add "synergy clues" to the personal action rewards table. You're overlooking a really powerful one that you keep getting close to and it's killing me lol.
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What if we just ask Wolong to find the synergy that a mysterious voice tells us we are missing? :V
 
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