Variable Power Pools.. Again

[Red Knight]

I'm sure that thisissue has been asked and answered before but I have not been able to find the answer that I need.

The question is this... I have a player that wants to create a power armor suit that has "Modular Mission Packs" that basically would allow him to switch out weapons and equipment on a mission to mission basis... I think it is a cool idea but anyway....

The question arose when I saw the write-up and noticed that the "Standard package", which is the base weapons and flight abilities incorporates a Multi-Power. The thought being that the weapons are in a module that attaches to the suit. The Multipower just represents the weapon pack....

Would you allow this???
I seem to remember somewhere that you cannot mix a VPP and a MPP. But I can't find the rule.

I know that the GM has final say but I would like some advise. I am leaning towards allowing it since it is a tight concept and the "theory behind the function" is sound.

Well??? Any thoughts??

[Steve]

Well, my understanding of the rules is that it is 100% illegal to put a Multipower and associated slots inside a VPP. If a player wants to do a VPP of gadgets, then he has to take each one as a separate slot in the VPP. Putting a Multipower or Elemental Control inside it is a flat no-no.

[fbdaury]

Something like this has come up in the past and an MP inside a VPP is out and out illegal. That being said, let hiim use a Multifom to represent diffrent suite with altered modules and weapons- it's a little more time consuming initially but in the end it will make the character more versatile and he can use experience to "upgrade armor" by buying another form, very in keeping with Iron Man source material, as Tony has designed many special purpose armors over the years for specific missions.

[Red Knight]

I like the idea of Multiform... makes sense.. I'll suggest it to my player..

[Red Knight]

OK... Equipment Pools are another option.

I think I'm leaning towards the Multiform option.....

It seems a little labor intensive for the initial write-up, but it does make sense.

[Mike W]

The multiform thing does not make sense to me. I think this is a case where you need two side by side frameworks. An MP for the stuff that is always on the suit and a small VPP to represent the modular aspects.

[Red Knight]

... An MP for the stuff that is always on the suit and a small VPP to represent the modular aspects.

After speaking with my player, We came to the same idea. We figured that we'd rework the overall equipment list and then use a MP for the base equipment and then include a small VPP for the "packs". These packs are going to be limited.

We shall see.....

[Mike W]

This idea reminds me of the modular version of the armor that Iron Man used for a while.

[Southern Cross]

Same here.

[Hawksmoor]

I think that using just a small VPP for the odd and end thing that you might want to customize for a mission is the way to go. You can even 'fudge' slightly and let the PC use a gadgeteering (power skill) roll to temporarily alter an existing power that is outside the VPP for a session; like reduce the Bootjets flight and give it +10" Swimming x4NCM instead.

OTOH I have allowed VPPs to *MIMIC* Multipowers and Elemental Controls. That is to say if a target has a MP and a character with a Mimic Pool dupes his powers the Mimic builds the Multipower with the points in his VPP. I think the limitations MP and ECs have inherently balance out any abuses.

Hawksmoor

[Mike W]

The main place I could see something like this is with weapon pools. Some guns and some martial arts weapons need to be built as multipowers. So I could see allowing a framework inside a framework for something like this but you would have to keep verys trict control of it.

[Hawksmoor]

Right.

Say I play HyTek, the master of all things technological and I decide to whip up a gun just like those nasties in VIPER use. Why should I not get to build it as a Multipower? Because I have a VPP? Seems a silly restriction.

If there is a real reason and the play is not disrupted then go for it.

Hawksmoor

[Kirby]

The Harbinger of Justice (4E Dark Champions) had a VPP for his weapons that had the following limitations. His cost a total of 123 points for an 80 point pool, but if you took off the "Cosmic Power" advantage, it would cost 93 (30 point savings!) and look like this:

93 <html><table width=346 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr><td valign="top" align="left" colspan=3 width=346>Variable Power Pool, 80 base + 13 control cost, (120 Active Points); No mental powers (-1/2), Weapons cannot be retreieved in Far-Removed dimensions (-1/2), Custom Modifier (Attacks only; -1/4), Weapons must be hand-held (-1/4), May not summon 'duplicate' weapons (-1/4), No lasers or blasters (-1/4)</td></tr></table></html>

[AmadanNaBriona]

Another option for the weapon modules is to adjust the MP to a similar feel as a VPP. Just add a set of limits to the multipower... "May only have X # of slots available", possible a RSR to change available slots, can only change available slots in limited circumstances. Could even be Independent, if the character can't replace modules (possibly a way to drop the XP cost of the occasional new slot... representing experimental and irreplaceable technology... buy off the Independent to represent learning how to construct the module in question)

A lot of this popped into my head thinking about Modular Man from Wildcards