Digest Archives Vol 1 Issue 37
Desmarais, John
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 1998 10:28 PM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #37
champ-l-digest Wednesday, November 11 1998 Volume 01 : Number 037
In this issue:
Character Advancement
Re: Character Advancement
Re: Character Advancement
New PBEM Starting
Re: Character Advancement
Re: Negative Sight
Re: Shrinking Question
Re: Character Advancement
Re: Negative Sight
Re: Negative Sight
Funky AID stuff
Re: Character Advancement
Re: Funky AID stuff
RE: Character Advancement
Re: Character help, Arclight
mob attacks - 'More brains!'
Re: Funky AID stuff
Re: Funky AID stuff
Re: Character Advancement
Re: Funky AID stuff
Re: Funky AID stuff
Re: Funky AID stuff
Re: Funky AID stuff
Re: mob attacks - 'More brains!'
Re: mob attacks - 'More brains!'
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 21:06:01 -0600 (CST)
From: Brats Incorporated <brat-inc@avalon.net>
Subject: Character Advancement
I'm curious how other GM's handle characters acquiring new powers,
skills, and talents in there game?
So far, I've had it going so that my gamers either have to start
trying to use the skill and learn it the hard way or find someone who knows
it and be taught it. As far as skills go.
Powers have me thrown though. Any thoughts ???
Visit us at http://www.avalon.net/~brat-inc/ ....
"In the words of Socrates... I drank what?" ... Real Genius
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 22:47:16 -0500
From: "C. Badger" <wbandsis@westco.net>
Subject: Re: Character Advancement
At 21:06 11/10/98 -0600, Brats Incorporated wrote:
>
> I'm curious how other GM's handle characters acquiring new powers,
>skills, and talents in there game?
> So far, I've had it going so that my gamers either have to start
>trying to use the skill and learn it the hard way or find someone who knows
>it and be taught it. As far as skills go.
> Powers have me thrown though. Any thoughts ???
Well if it's a power that fits easily into their original concept maybe it's
something they could have done originally but now have to improve and
practice on it possibily not buying it at full strngth or have limited use
or number of uses per day at first. Since it's like an unpracticed skill at
first and needs to be developed.
If it's not something that fits into their original conecpt and it's not
something they can build or create then you have to do some kind of
radiation accident or other that changes the chracter to add the new power.
- -*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-
C. Badger
"My shoes are too tight, and I've forgotten how to dance."
Londo
Babylon 5
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 14:10:27 +1000
From: "Lockie" <jonesl@cqnet.com.au>
Subject: Re: Character Advancement
it depends on the special effect. . a mutant can undergo further, um,
mutations, a tech-super can build exrta equipment, a martial artist can
train or rech some level of advanced awareness, ect. what sfx are involved?
- -----Original Message-----
From: Brats Incorporated <brat-inc@avalon.net>
To: champ-l@sysabend.org <champ-l@sysabend.org>
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 1998 2:02 PM
Subject: Character Advancement
>
> I'm curious how other GM's handle characters acquiring new powers,
>skills, and talents in there game?
> So far, I've had it going so that my gamers either have to start
>trying to use the skill and learn it the hard way or find someone who knows
>it and be taught it. As far as skills go.
> Powers have me thrown though. Any thoughts ???
>
>Visit us at http://www.avalon.net/~brat-inc/ ....
> "In the words of Socrates... I drank what?" ... Real Genius
>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 08:49:34 -0500
From: "Lisa Hartjes" <beren@unforgettable.com>
Subject: New PBEM Starting
Hi!
I'm looking for three players for a new pbem game I'm starting.
"Applications" will be accepted until Saturday.
It will be a Swashbuckler Hero game, set in in the world of Kolrath. For
information about the world, and how to get involved in the game, please go
to http://roswell.fortunecity.com/danken/79/kolrath.htm and read the
information there.
NOTE: The game will have DAILY moves, so make sure you'll be able to keep up
with the pace before you submit a character concept.
Lisa Hartjes
beren@unforgettable.com
http://roswell.fortunecity.com/daniken/79
ICQ: Berengiere (9062561)
"Evil is only victorious when Good chooses not to win."
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 08:54:59 -0600 (CST)
From: Curt Hicks <exucurt@exu.ericsson.se>
Subject: Re: Character Advancement
> At 21:06 11/10/98 -0600, Brats Incorporated wrote:
> >
> > I'm curious how other GM's handle characters acquiring new powers,
> >skills, and talents in there game?
> > So far, I've had it going so that my gamers either have to start
> >trying to use the skill and learn it the hard way or find someone who knows
> >it and be taught it. As far as skills go.
> > Powers have me thrown though. Any thoughts ???
>
From: "C. Badger" <wbandsis@westco.net>
> Well if it's a power that fits easily into their original concept maybe it's
> something they could have done originally but now have to improve and
> practice on it possibily not buying it at full strngth or have limited use
> or number of uses per day at first. Since it's like an unpracticed skill at
> first and needs to be developed.
>
>
This is what I did when a character added a new slot in her multipower.
Rather than suddenly developing the 'fiery arrows from heaven' power at
a full 50 active points, I asked her to play it as if it had an activation
roll and increased endurance for the first 5 times she used the power, then
increased endurance, then the power normally. I explained *why* I was asking
her to do that as well.
I assume we're talking about superhero campaigns.
Curt
------------------------------
Date: 11 Nov 1998 11:07:08 -0500
From: Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@peorth.gweep.net>
Subject: Re: Negative Sight
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"N" == Nuncheon <jeffj@io.com> writes:
N> Right...you just seemed to forget that it was still /darkness/. The way
N> you suggested treating it meant 'this is the same stuff, we call it
N> darkness over here instead of light'.
Then it does *NOT* act like light. It acts like something else.
Which is it? Does darkness in his universe act like light in ours, or not?
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 07:26:33 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Shrinking Question
At 03:34 PM 11/10/98 -0500, Michael Surbrook wrote:
>How would one buy STR (and other characteristics) that go down as one uses
>Shrinking? The character I'm working on has both Growth and Shrinking and
>the stats are supposed to be proportional to size.
>
>Any suggestions?
Two possibilities come to mind.
One is to buy negative STR that's Linked to Shrinking. That's a rather
messy solution, though, since the STR lost is worth more points than the
Shrinking (a real problem with Linked as currently written -- and please,
people, since it's already been announced that Linked is being fixed for
the soon-to-be-released Fifth Edition, let's not bother debating about the
Fourth Edition version yet again!).
The other is to take a Limitation on Shrinking. I think Dave assigned
- -1/2 for "Proportional STR" to Shrinking in one of his Power Point articles.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 07:04:45 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Character Advancement
At 09:06 PM 11/10/98 -0600, Brats Incorporated wrote:
>
> I'm curious how other GM's handle characters acquiring new powers,
>skills, and talents in there game?
> So far, I've had it going so that my gamers either have to start
>trying to use the skill and learn it the hard way or find someone who knows
>it and be taught it. As far as skills go.
> Powers have me thrown though. Any thoughts ???
This is something of a toughie, at least in most cases. Of course,
gadgeteers and other high-tech types aren't so tough; "I built it" is
usually sufficient, and sometimes "I bought it" is just as good.
For those with intrinsic Powers, I generally consider it good enough to
just say it was the "discovery" of a new ability rather than a
"development" -- in other words, he could've had that Flash or Force Field
all along, but only just now figured out how to use it. (See "The Greatest
American Hero" for further examples of this method.)
In some cases, of course, there are those "Non-Powered Powers" that a
character learns like Skills and Talents.
If a player wants something that can't be explained by any of the above,
then a "radiation accident" may be in order.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 11:29:29 -0600 (CST)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
Subject: Re: Negative Sight
On 11 Nov 1998, Stainless Steel Rat wrote:
> "N" == Nuncheon <jeffj@io.com> writes:
>
> N> Right...you just seemed to forget that it was still /darkness/. The way
> N> you suggested treating it meant 'this is the same stuff, we call it
> N> darkness over here instead of light'.
>
> Then it does *NOT* act like light. It acts like something else.
>
> Which is it? Does darkness in his universe act like light in ours, or not?
It depends upon the observer.
To him (and people from his universe) darkness in his universe acts just
like light.
To you or I, it would be something that acts like light, except for the
fact that it obscures vision.
In his universe, if you were shut up in a box, you would be able to see
just fine. (Well, maybe you wouldn't - it might be too bright to see
inside the box since there's absolutely no source of dark around). OK, if
you were in a room at night with no darks on, you'd be able to see. If he
came into his room and turned the darks on, the room would be pretty much
plunged into shadow - but if you crawled behind the couch (which would
block the dark) you'd find that it was light back there.
Hence, in his universe, darkness acts like light - it behaves the way you
would expect light to behave in a certain circumstance. Maybe there are
'darkons' over there instead of photons - the actual physics of it are
irrelevant.
Nothing gets weird until you introduce someone from the other
universe. What he wants is for his character to perceive darkness as
light, and vice versa. A flashlight would produce a spot of darkness on
the ground to his perceptions. Turning on a lamp when you enter a room
would make everything dimmer to him.
Does that make things a little more clear?
J
Hostes aliengeni me abduxerent. Jeff Johnston - jeffj@io.com
Qui annus est? http://www.io.com/~jeffj
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 09:23:22 -0800
From: "James Jandebeur" <james@javaman.to>
Subject: Re: Negative Sight
>Then it does *NOT* act like light. It acts like something else.
>Which is it? Does darkness in his universe act like light in ours, or not?
Darkness in his universe sounds like it acts like light in ours, and his
senses are tuned to using it to see instead of light. If you really need a
further explanation of why our darkness works for him like his, it could be
assumed that some of his "otherdimensionelness" came with him, and makes our
darkness into his, and our light into his.
Not that this has anything to do with what he asked for. He gave us a
perfectly sound comic book conception, one which ignores the laws of
physics, and has been told, "Physical laws don't work that way". In what way
does that matter, especially to a comic character? I know that some would
not allow it in their games precisely because it breaks those laws in a way
that Rat, for example, doesn't seem to accept, but that is not the case
here.
All he wants is the ability to see in darkness but be blind in light. All he
asked for was the way to model that ability. All else was character
conception, and it's a good character conception for a comic book character.
In fact, there is precident in the comic books: Dr. Midnite has a very
similar ability/disadvantage.
The complicated way - You could take: Night Sight (5 points, cost based on
UV vision, allows you to see in the dark); Flash Defense: Sight, only to
protect against light-based flashes, minimum of one phase (the light works
like a darkness field for you, but only lasts a short time); N-Ray Vision:
only to see through Darkness fields based on being dark (Darkness that
blocks N-Ray is wierd, and shouldn't generally be allowed in my opinion, but
if it is, this won't work perfectly). Take the disadvantage that you can't
see in the light and take "lightness" penalties, and you're set.
The simple way - Take Blindness and Spatial Awareness. Define how your
spatial awareness reacts to various sight altering powers, which may be
worth a Limitation. You still, for example, won't see invisible targets, but
Darkness based on absence of light won't affect you, and light based Flash
attacks will either not affect you (they don't last long enough) or will
only affect you briefly. You and your GM (if you're not) should still take
the time to define these things, but they don't need to be written up with
powers if you use this method.
JAJ, Gaming Philosopher
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 13:14:33 -0600 (CST)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
Subject: Funky AID stuff
OK. Here's a power I'd like to detail. The SFX are by and large
unimportant: what I want the power to do is twofold:
1) Make a particular power (or group of powers) more powerful.
2) Make those same powers harder to control.
An example would be a psi-enhancing drug that increased someones (say)
Pyrokinesis levels, but the person would have trouble setting a small
fire, tending instead to produce massive conflagrations.
'More powerful' is easily enough defined - I want the powers affected to
have higher active point totals - this suggests Aid as a base.
'Harder to control' is a bit tougher. The common element I seems to be
thinking of is some sort of will/skill roll to be able to control the use
of the extra power. Also, the tendency for the power to manifest itself
even when the victim isn't actively trying to use it (like, say, when
they're upset or otherwise in a highly emotional state).
So, for the base power described above, what do you suggest?
What if I wanted the aid to be able to add advantages - say, it would turn
Inferno's flame blast into an AE attack, or an AP attack? Would I add
'Variable SFX' to the Aid, or is there somethign better? What if the user
couldn't choose which advantage was added? (i.e. he knows that using his
power on Inferno will do /something/, but he doesn't know if the firebolt
will be generally nastier (more AP), bigger (AE), more focused (AP), etc).
J
Hostes aliengeni me abduxerent. Jeff Johnston - jeffj@io.com
Qui annus est? http://www.io.com/~jeffj
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 98 20:25:42
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Character Advancement
On Tue, 10 Nov 1998 21:06:01 -0600 (CST), Brats Incorporated wrote:
>
>I'm curious how other GM's handle characters acquiring new powers,
>skills, and talents in there game?
> So far, I've had it going so that my gamers either have to start
>trying to use the skill and learn it the hard way or find someone who knows
>it and be taught it. As far as skills go.
This also works for Talents - a Paladin might go to a mystic master to
learn Defense Manoever or be gifted with Danger Sense; a bard might go
to a meistersinger to acquire Perfect Pitch ('he already had it, he
just couldn't control it').
> Powers have me thrown though. Any thoughts ???
Mages find spells in books, or develop their own.
I've scant experience with SHRPG, but the Radiation Accident is always
a good one, as is adding a Power with NCC and gradually buying off the
NCC to represent the character acquiring the skill to manipulate the
power.
qts
Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 98 20:40:16
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Funky AID stuff
On Wed, 11 Nov 1998 13:14:33 -0600 (CST), Dr. Nuncheon wrote:
>
>OK. Here's a power I'd like to detail. The SFX are by and large
>unimportant: what I want the power to do is twofold:
>
>1) Make a particular power (or group of powers) more powerful.
>2) Make those same powers harder to control.
Aid and RSR!
qts
Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 16:24:04 -0500
From: Brian Wawrow <bwawrow@fmco.com>
Subject: RE: Character Advancement
> I've scant experience with SHRPG, but the Radiation Accident is always
> a good one, as is adding a Power with NCC and gradually buying off the
> NCC to represent the character acquiring the skill to manipulate the
> power.
>
[Brian Wawrow] you guys ever read any X-Men? There's nothing
that a high powered telepath and a Danger Room can't teach you about
your powers. If it's skills your after find a teacher, read a book or
take a correspondance course.
You should allow any PC to learn anything by using all or some
of the following: training, introspection, experimentation and practice,
practice, practice.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 98 20:38:45
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Character help, Arclight
On Sun, 08 Nov 1998 09:30:14 -0600, Tim Statler wrote:
>qts wrote:
>>
>> On Mon, 02 Nov 1998 18:37:02 -0600, Tim Statler wrote:
>>
>> >11 1d6 Flash, Vari Adv(+1 1/2)(Adv must be same as MP
>> >slot)(-1/4), linked to MP(-1/2), OIF (-1/2) END 1
>>
>> This bit doesn't look right.. You need to put a Partial Limitation on
>> th Variable Advantage, so we get
>>
>> 9 1d6 Flash, [Base 10] Linked to MP (-1/2) OIF (-1/2) [5 CP so far]
>> Variable Advantage for Flash (+1 1/2) [Active +15],
>> Adv must be same as MP (-2)
>> OIF (-1/2) Linked (-1/2) [=+4 CP, 5+4=9 Real]
>
>Sorry it took so long in replying you message got buried the the junk.
>
>I did put the limit on the on the Vari Adv. That is why it was in
>parenthesis. I only gave it a -1/4 value though. I take it you think it
>should be higher.
I'm probably more generous than you :}
qts
Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 16:00:55 -0500
From: Brian Wawrow <bwawrow@fmco.com>
Subject: mob attacks - 'More brains!'
Hi,
This may be covered in existing material but I wanted to get the list's
opinion.
So I'd like to sick a horde of shambling zombies on my FH party. Given
that the PC's are all very fast and have DCV's that a lowly zombie could
never touch in one on one combat, how do I simulate a dog-pile tactic. I
want to pack the zombies in so tight that the PC's can't dodge
effectively and have to cut their way through the undead and wind up
knee-deep in gore. Nice, eh? It's kind of a 'Night of the Living Dead'
thing. I'm not trying to totally outgun them, just knock them around a
little and make them panic.
See, I went to the Rob Zombie show last week and I've got to work these
necromantic urges out of my system.
Have a superduper day.
BRI
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 15:06:29 -0600 (CST)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
Subject: Re: Funky AID stuff
On Wed, 11 Nov 1998, qts wrote:
> On Wed, 11 Nov 1998 13:14:33 -0600 (CST), Dr. Nuncheon wrote:
>
> >
> >OK. Here's a power I'd like to detail. The SFX are by and large
> >unimportant: what I want the power to do is twofold:
> >
> >1) Make a particular power (or group of powers) more powerful.
> >2) Make those same powers harder to control.
>
> Aid and RSR!
Um, maybe I wasn't clear...
Bob Booster wants to use this power on his pal Inferno. Putting RSR on
the Aid will only make the Aid require a skill roll. I don't know of any
mechanism that lets you add limitations to other peoples powers...(besides
maybe Transform, which would be nasty and kludgy).
J
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 15:49:47 -0500
From: Bill Svitavsky <nbymail11@mln.lib.ma.us>
Subject: Re: Funky AID stuff
At 01:14 PM 11/11/98 -0600, Dr. Nuncheon wrote:
>
>OK. Here's a power I'd like to detail. The SFX are by and large
>unimportant: what I want the power to do is twofold:
>
>1) Make a particular power (or group of powers) more powerful.
>2) Make those same powers harder to control.
>
Interesting. My initial thought is to do it with the Aid, as you did,
Linked with a Mind Control, Single Command: "Use this Power at high levels,
frequently." The Mind Control component would not be based on ECV,
naturally. This achieves the desired effect: the Target gets an augmented
power, and has to make EGO rolls to avoid using too much of it. If you'd
rather the control roll was based on INT, DEX, or something else, make it
Mind Control Based on whatever.
>What if I wanted the aid to be able to add advantages - say, it would turn
>Inferno's flame blast into an AE attack, or an AP attack? Would I add
>'Variable SFX' to the Aid, or is there somethign better? What if the user
>couldn't choose which advantage was added? (i.e. he knows that using his
>power on Inferno will do /something/, but he doesn't know if the firebolt
>will be generally nastier (more AP), bigger (AE), more focused (AP), etc).
>
I have a few ideas how this *might* be handled, but I'm not going to touch
it without my BBB handy.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 21:01:50 -0800
From: jayphailey@juno.com (Jay P Hailey)
Subject: Re: Character Advancement
> I'm curious how other GM's handle characters acquiring new
>powers,skills, and talents in there game?
> So far, I've had it going so that my gamers either have to
>start trying to use the skill and learn it the hard way or find someone
who
>knows it and be taught it. As far as skills go.
> Powers have me thrown though. Any thoughts ???
Well, I have GMed for a while and here's what has occured to me.
A> If I limit what a player can spend his points on, then I might as well
go whole hawg and assign points myself. I.E. "Bohb, your character shot
at a lot of people recently. So your character has gotten to the point
where he now has +1 OCV w/ pistols." No "point" awards but occasional
upgrades to the characters.
The players don't like this very often. They have a pretty specific idea
what they want to do with their characters, and me hijacking their points
and assigning how I think they should go really robs them of part of the
fun of the game, developing the character according to their own vision.
But, I had a character in a heroic level game who was an expert in about
15 different fields, including being a detective, a nuclear scientist, a
nuclear engineer, Sky diver, combat driver, shooter and lots of other
things. I just couldn't figure out where this particular character got
the time to learn, and practice all these skills to this degree.
So I hit upon a compromise that so far has worked for everyone. I
sharply limit the number of points I award for each game. I award 1 cp
per game. Period. If the character does something that particularly
pleases me, I award the player a point on the spot. But this happens
rarely, every third game or so.
The point inflation and skills inflation problem has gone away, and the
players still have control over how their character develops, albeit
slowly.
This compromise works. Although I have never done it myself, I have had
character changes dinked for being out of character concept by other GMs.
(In our superheroic campaign). I sigh and say "okay" (I wasn't as
graceful as all that but that's what it boiled down to). Although I do
like to keep the rules raping under control, it's much harder to say
"This isn't consistent with *your* idea."
But these days, since we all wear the GM's hat, I don't have to.
Jay P. Hailey <Meow!>
___________________________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 15:14:04 -0800
From: "James Jandebeur" <james@javaman.to>
Subject: Re: Funky AID stuff
>Bob Booster wants to use this power on his pal Inferno. Putting RSR on
>the Aid will only make the Aid require a skill roll. I don't know of any
>mechanism that lets you add limitations to other peoples powers...(besides
>maybe Transform, which would be nasty and kludgy).
Okay: Aid normally gives you the extra power, no strings attached. If it is
going to give the person a restriction to their powers at the same time, it
is a less useful power. Therefore, this is a Limitation on the Aid power:
reduces the control of the recipient based on how much they are Aided.
However, then you get into the problem of, "What if I use it on an enemy?" A
Limitation should certainly not allow you to mess up your foe in this
manner. For this, you might want to think about using that Transform you
were talking about: the only alternative I know is to hit them with Mind
Control and Aid at the same time. Mind Control, single command: Have less
control over your powers.
JAJ, GP
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 18:11:01 -0500 (EST)
From: tdj723@webtv.net (thomas deja)
Subject: Re: Funky AID stuff
- --WebTV-Mail-1322611041-2176
Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit
It sounds like you can do this a couple of ways.
One way is to give the AID to any power of a specific special effect
(using your example--AID to any one flame-based power). You then slap a
Side Effect onto that AID--makes base power No Conscious Control for
duration of AID. Then you can slap a Req. Ego roll to reflect the hero
being AIDed having to 'concentrate' to channel his abilities.
Anyone else want to give this a crack?
"'Money doesn't talk--it screams."
--A.J. Benza, HOLLYWOOD MYSTERIES AND SCANDALS
____________________________________
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Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 13:14:33 -0600 (CST)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
To: Champions Mailing List <champ-l@sysabend.org>
Subject: Funky AID stuff
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OK. Here's a power I'd like to detail. The SFX are by and large
unimportant: what I want the power to do is twofold:
1) Make a particular power (or group of powers) more powerful.
2) Make those same powers harder to control.
An example would be a psi-enhancing drug that increased someones (say)
Pyrokinesis levels, but the person would have trouble setting a small
fire, tending instead to produce massive conflagrations.
'More powerful' is easily enough defined - I want the powers affected to
have higher active point totals - this suggests Aid as a base.
'Harder to control' is a bit tougher. The common element I seems to be
thinking of is some sort of will/skill roll to be able to control the use
of the extra power. Also, the tendency for the power to manifest itself
even when the victim isn't actively trying to use it (like, say, when
they're upset or otherwise in a highly emotional state).
So, for the base power described above, what do you suggest?
What if I wanted the aid to be able to add advantages - say, it would turn
Inferno's flame blast into an AE attack, or an AP attack? Would I add
'Variable SFX' to the Aid, or is there somethign better? What if the user
couldn't choose which advantage was added? (i.e. he knows that using his
power on Inferno will do /something/, but he doesn't know if the firebolt
will be generally nastier (more AP), bigger (AE), more focused (AP), etc).
J
Hostes aliengeni me abduxerent. Jeff Johnston - jeffj@io.com
Qui annus est? http://www.io.com/~jeffj
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 17:41:29 -0600
From: "Melinda and Steven Mitchell" <mdmitche@advicom.net>
Subject: Re: Funky AID stuff
> To: Champions Mailing List <champ-l@sysabend.org&> Dr. Nuncheon
<jeffj@io.com>
> Date: Wednesday, November 11, 1998 2:40 PM
> On Wed, 11 Nov 1998 13:14:33 -0600 (CST), Dr. Nuncheon wrote:
> >
> >OK. Here's a power I'd like to detail. The SFX are by and large
> >unimportant: what I want the power to do is twofold:
> >
> >1) Make a particular power (or group of powers) more powerful.
> >2) Make those same powers harder to control.
>
> Aid and RSR!
And if you want it radically harder to control, use some variation of the
"difficult to control" limit. I've seen this set at -1/4 to -1/2, in both
cases causing RSR to take -1 per 5 active, instead of -1 per 10.
I allow this multiple times, but not on the original power as written.
Rather, it is an extra limitation imposed on those who try to use powers
they really do not understand. The progression I use is -1/5, -1/3, -1/2,
- -1/1. Of course, this will not help with forcing the power to
spontaneously manifest itself.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 17:51:46 -0600
From: "Melinda and Steven Mitchell" <mdmitche@advicom.net>
Subject: Re: Funky AID stuff
> From: Dr. Nuncheon <jeffj@io.com>
> To: qts <qts@nildram.co.uk>
> On Wed, 11 Nov 1998, qts wrote:
> > On Wed, 11 Nov 1998 13:14:33 -0600 (CST), Dr. Nuncheon wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >OK. Here's a power I'd like to detail. The SFX are by and large
> > >unimportant: what I want the power to do is twofold:
> > >
> > >1) Make a particular power (or group of powers) more powerful.
> > >2) Make those same powers harder to control.
> >
> > Aid and RSR!
>
> Um, maybe I wasn't clear...
>
> Bob Booster wants to use this power on his pal Inferno. Putting RSR on
> the Aid will only make the Aid require a skill roll. I don't know of any
> mechanism that lets you add limitations to other peoples
powers...(besides
> maybe Transform, which would be nasty and kludgy).
>
Oops, I should have read all my mail before I joined in :-) Well, it's
kind of klunky, but you could stretch the UBO optional rules in Almanac I.
Hmm, since Aid is already UAO, buy "self only -1/2" on the AID, along with
the RSR. Then buy UBO on the resulting power, per the Almanac. Mix in NCC
and Always on in there somewhere, and I think you are fairly close.
Steve.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 17:46:47 -0600
From: "Melinda and Steven Mitchell" <mdmitche@advicom.net>
Subject: Re: mob attacks - 'More brains!'
> From: Brian Wawrow <bwawrow@fmco.com>
> Hi,
>
> This may be covered in existing material but I wanted to get the list's
> opinion.
>
> So I'd like to sick a horde of shambling zombies on my FH party. Given
> that the PC's are all very fast and have DCV's that a lowly zombie could
> never touch in one on one combat, how do I simulate a dog-pile tactic. I
> want to pack the zombies in so tight that the PC's can't dodge
> effectively and have to cut their way through the undead and wind up
> knee-deep in gore. Nice, eh? It's kind of a 'Night of the Living Dead'
> thing. I'm not trying to totally outgun them, just knock them around a
> little and make them panic.
>
> See, I went to the Rob Zombie show last week and I've got to work these
> necromantic urges out of my system.
For by-the-book, you good use the optional +1 OCV per additional attacker,
combined with grab attempts on the original rush. Once a couple of zombies
get ahold of the PC, they will not be dodging much.
Personally, I find that the multiple attacker rules seem to slow the game
down too much for my taste, as it is always available. When creatures can
logically get bonuses by attacking together, I typically build in
appropriate powers and skills as "Pack Tactics". Sometimes this is just an
improved tactics skill over what you would expect from their intelligent.
Other times, it is actually skill increases (i.e. wolves). Finally, I
require a "Coordinating" skill to coordinate attacks. Such characters
typically have a relatively high skill in that.
Steve.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 23:00:46 +0000
From: "J. W. Eiler" <jw_eiler@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: mob attacks - 'More brains!'
From: Brian Wawrow <bwawrow@fmco.com>
To: "'champs list'" <champ-l@sysabend.org>
Subject: mob attacks - 'More brains!'
Date sent: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 16:00:55 -0500
> Hi,
>
> This may be covered in existing material but I wanted to get the list's
> opinion.
>
> <snip>
I know it's not what you were asking about, but an acquaintance of mine
pointed up zombies like this for a campaign.
You might also consider giving them the following power:
75% Physical (Killing) Damage Reduction:
Limitation: Not vs. Head Shots (Loc. 3-5)
I don't remember the points (don't have the book with me), but it gives
those Speed 2 Zombies a definite *zing*.
J. W. Eiler
Drink deep the ruby wine,
Your soul is bound with mine,
We'll share eternity.
Cynthia McQuillan -- Sweet Ruby Wine
------------------------------
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