Limitation or Disad?

[garou]

Okay, here's the question. I am working on a character concept (currently titled as National Anthem, hereafter NA). NA is your typical brick, as far as powers go (strength, strength tricks, jumping, etc), but I want all of his powers to have sound and visual effects, in addition to the normal ones.

When NA swings and hits a bad guy, I want people to see a "Pow!" and hear some theme music (or something), kinda like the fight screens from the old Batman TV show. These effects wouldn't have any effect in combat - they wouldn't block LOS, they wouldn't provide cover, they don't blind people, etc. They're just there - and annoying as heck when he teams up with the inevitable Batman or Shadow style character and needs to be stealthy.

I'm thinking that the best way to model this is as Distinctive Features, rather than as a Power Limitation. Thoughts?

[Fox1]

Your attacks have to be visible to three sense groups in any case. Sight and sound are already defaults- yours are just more flashy.

Unless there is some disadvantage to having it that goes beyond simply being odd and different, there is no justification to DF any more than any of the other superpower SPX many characters have.

And unless there is some advantage, there is no cost.

It's just SPX, have fun.

[garou]

Right, but I was thinking that, since this is so much more than the normal sight & sound, that it might have crossed over into Disad territory. A punch might not be heard more than a few hexes away, but a "Ka-pow!" and a musical "Ta-daah!" makes it much more difficult not to attract attention.

It's certainly not something even remotely appropriate outside a 4-color game, however.

[Fox1]

A punch might not be heard more than a few hexes away, but a "Ka-pow!" and a musical "Ta-daah!" makes it much more difficult not to attract attention.

If the character's in a setting where stealth hidden movement is a common and desired action for him, this would be worth a side-effect: revealing images, with a bonus to PER rolls by others.

Thus a limit.

If however he's a 'in their face up front fighter' in a campaign where fights are supposed to be up front. Nada. No Limit.

[garou]

Right, that's why I was thinking Distinctive Features (Not Concealable, Notice & Recognizable by Common Senses).

Plus, it's going to be on everything, so even if it were a limitation, it would just seem. . . cheap.

[Fox1]

Right, that's why I was thinking Distinctive Features (Not Concealable, Notice & Recognizable by Common Senses).

Plus, it's going to be on everything, so even if it were a limitation, it would just seem. . . cheap.

Sounds like a physical limit then, not a DF.

[philnicau]

This is neither a Limitation or a disadvantage, its simply a special effect, therefore no points for it.
Its no different from me creating a PC called the Gambler and declaring his EB to be giant dice which rolls towards you.

[Sketchpad]

I dunno ... I might grant 5 pts for it as a DF ... My reasoning behind it would be that it would make the character hard to use stealth, plus it'd also make it hard for him to work quietly in a group.

[Kirby]

The most I'd give him would be a 5 pt DF. Simply because it's loud doesn't mean it's a disadvantage; it could be a boon for a Presence attack or to draw attention to himself while others are sneaking around.

A punch might not be heard more than a few hexes away, but a "Ka-pow!" and a musical "Ta-daah!" makes it much more difficult not to attract attention.

Possibly, but I'm thinking that if you're punching someone, you already have their attention. Besides, energy blasts flying through downtown will attract attention even in sound-proof areas if they have windows.

I'd most likely not accept this as a reasonable Disadvantage simply because I've been in campaigns where combat left it's own distinctive feature: if there's a 7' vertical hole in the wall, Thor went through there; if the side of a building's been torn off or there's a horizontal hole in the floor, and the level below that and the one below that and so forth, well, that's Olga.

I might go for a 'Change Environment' look, but not if you're wanting this to be a bad thing.

[Hugh Neilson]

I dunno ... I might grant 5 pts for it as a DF ... My reasoning behind it would be that it would make the character hard to use stealth, plus it'd also make it hard for him to work quietly in a group.

The Human Torch glows bright red when he turns his force field on and fires bursts of flame. Is that less disadvantageous? It's hard for Torch to be stealthy if he's using his powers, which is whenever he wants to fly and/or have his defenses active, as well as in combat. It's hard for the other guy to be stealthy if he's fighting, but he seems able to move aroundnormally, and his defenses have no SFX from the description..

[garou]

The Human Torch glows bright red when he turns his force field on and fires bursts of flame. Is that less disadvantageous? It's hard for Torch to be stealthy if he's using his powers, which is whenever he wants to fly and/or have his defenses active, as well as in combat. It's hard for the other guy to be stealthy if he's fighting, but he seems able to move aroundnormally, and his defenses have no SFX from the description..
In the original, I said:


all of his powers to have sound and visual effects
so yes, his armor will ring when it gets hit, when knocked back there's a "wham", etc. It's something that is always on, and is easily heard/seen. (Needless to say, he has a public ID). I want this to be louder, more visible than normal SFX.

I don't think it should be worth many points (DF seemed to be waay too many, but it might do okay as a Phys Lim),, but it will cause more problems than the usual SFX of powers.

I guess another example would be the episode of Family Guy where Peter wishes to have his own personal soundtrack. So, when he gets up and walks, there's music, riding on the bus triggers music, etc. While NA doesn't have that (yet, though I have thought about it), it's the same basic concept.

[Wilfred_Death]

I'd make it a small Psychological Limitation ( 5 Pts ), So he could resist using it if he 'really tried'.
Then also define an Images Power, with loads of limitations, and he can only turn off when he resists his Psych Lim.
- included would be the theme music and such -
So When the group is sneaking through warehouse, He has "M E G A - S T E A L T H !" in like lurid glowing letters above his head.
And other things like : "Caught By Suprise!", "Will Our hero survive?", "little did they know....".
Back at HQ, things like: "meanwhile....", "in another part of town...", "National Anthem tries to think..."
Eventually the other PCs will shoot him, but if he happens to be looking up he might see the words - "Betrayed!"

I suppose you'd have to add "usable ON/By Others", So other team members get exclamation marks over their heads from time to time, you know like in the Manga / Anime.

[garou]

Turn it off? Where's the fun in that? ;)

[Hugh Neilson]

In the original, I said:

so yes, his armor will ring when it gets hit, when knocked back there's a "wham", etc. It's something that is always on, and is easily heard/seen. (Needless to say, he has a public ID). I want this to be louder, more visible than normal SFX.

And a foirce field is visible to three sense groups at all times when it is activated, with no limitation for that. Why shuld your Armor receive a point savings for something that is less disadvantageous?

[beauxdeigh]

Only one question needs to be answered.

Is the GM going to use it as a Disadvantage?

Yes?

Then it's a Disadvantage.

Even if only in quirky/humorous ways.

As a GM, I would allow this as a Disadvantage, because I would occasionally make it do bad (though funny) things. Plus it gives me, as a GM, something to work with at slow periods, and makes the combats more interesting. Depending on how easy it is to hide, I'd might give the character 10 points for it.

For me, Disadvantages are hooks that I can use to make the game more interesting and fun. Anything that does that is worth points.

Of course, that's in my game. I'm sure some people here wouldn't give Peter points for 'With Great Power...'

:D