If you've read The Prefect or Elysium Fire by Alastair Reynolds you'll know that a Whip-Hound is the weapon issued to prefects in the golden age of the Glitter Band.
They are essentially a form of combat drone with a lot of funtions, do you think it would break game balance to include every function? What functions would you leave out if not?
For the uninitiated:
Example Whiphound Functions:
-- the whip retracts into a handle (think light-saber sized), not sure how long it can get although i think its probably around 30ft (citation needed)
-- much faster than a person, probably around 60ft move speed
-- Remote Control (like, "space station on the other side of the planet" remote as long as its on the same network)
-- Autonomous tracking
-- Suspect restraint (hold person in rpg terms)
-- Autonomous combat, configurable to various levels (basically anything you can describe in a short sentence: "catch/disarm that guy" to "kill anyone who enters this hallway")
-- Cutting edge can cut through any matter not designed to resist when powered up, about 90% of things can be cut through with no effort in the setting they come from
-- Grenade mode, destroys the whiphound as a last resort, purposefully not strong enough to punch holes in ships or space stations but can destroy most living things
-- Can be held as a one-handed sword, see the cutting edge point above
-- Possibly other functions I've forgotten
-- much faster than a person, probably around 60ft move speed
-- Remote Control (like, "space station on the other side of the planet" remote as long as its on the same network)
-- Autonomous tracking
-- Suspect restraint (hold person in rpg terms)
-- Autonomous combat, configurable to various levels (basically anything you can describe in a short sentence: "catch/disarm that guy" to "kill anyone who enters this hallway")
-- Cutting edge can cut through any matter not designed to resist when powered up, about 90% of things can be cut through with no effort in the setting they come from
-- Grenade mode, destroys the whiphound as a last resort, purposefully not strong enough to punch holes in ships or space stations but can destroy most living things
-- Can be held as a one-handed sword, see the cutting edge point above
-- Possibly other functions I've forgotten