Power RelaySource Pathfinder #85: Fires of Creation pg. 60
Slot none; Weight 50 lbs.
Capacity 10; Usage specialDescriptionA power relay is a valuable device that allows the long-distance transmission of energy from a nearby generator to a device that can make use of it. Every power generatorTG has a built-in power transmitter that allows for the transmission of power to a nearby power receiverTG, but an external power relay is required to send this energy beyond the generator’s limitations. A power relay consumes 10 charges when it is activated (this is a full-round action), after which it automatically links to the closest generator within 1,000 feet that has an available yield. This distance is halved for every 5 feet of metal or 20 feet of solid stone between the generator and the power relay. (The power relay in “Fires of Creation” is just barely in range of the engineering deck reactor as a result.)
The power relay consumes 1 charge of the generator’s available yield per hour to maintain its own power supplies, and can be programmed to transmit any remaining charges of available yield to any object capable of receiving broadcast power, to a maximum distance of 150 miles. This distance is halved for every 5 feet of metal or 20 feet of solid stone between the generator and the power relay. (As a result, Hellion has had to use a receiver array in Scrapwall, since the object he intends to charge is underground and farther than 75 miles away).
Power transmitted by this device is lost unless the device is programmed to transmit to a specific target capable of accepting a charge in range. Before a power relay can transmit, it must be linked to the target of its transmission to establish the transmission protocols. This consumes 10 charges and takes 1 minute to complete. Once completed, the distance between the power relay and the target of its transmissions can vary up to its maximum range. A small screen on the side of the power relay provides constant updates on the link, including bearings, distances, and the nature of the object to which it is linked. In the case of the power relay in this volume’s adventure, that bearing and distance leads directly to Scrapwall—further information about this can be found in the next adventure, “Lords of Rust.”
This device essentially functions as a power generator that provides an hourly yield of charges to its target. For example, if a power relay that provided a yield of 40 charges was linked to a laser pistol, that laser pistol could be fired 40 times per hour without needing an additional charge.
Power relays can only function a limited number of times before their delicate internal mechanisms burn out. Each time a power relay is used to initiate a new energy transfer, there’s a cumulative 2% chance it burns out and becomes useless. Once a new transfer begins, a power relay can maintain that link between the generator and its target indefinitely (as long as there’s always an available yield of at least 1 charge from the generator to keep itself powered). The power relay in this adventure has been used several times—the chance of burning out on its next activation is already at 50%.
Note that a power relay has built-in signal boosters, and thus the range of its transmissions cannot be further increased through the use of additional signal boostersTG.
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