CSLs and Naked Advantages

[memesis]

I'm building a power called "Gungate", which consists of a "naked" Indirect advantage that can be applied to up to N Active Points of firearms, allowing them to be fired through briefly-open teleportation gates. I want to add a couple of Combat Skill Levels, to represent the sort of "perpetual surprise" bonus that comes from a weapon that can open up on you from ANYWHERE. Is this a valid 3-point CSL?

[BNakagawa]

Given that pistols is an example of a 3 point CSL, all firearms would have to be a 5 pointer. (convenient, in that it is also the smallest size of CSL that can have power limitations applied to it such as 'costs endurance')

[memesis]

Sounds about right, then. thanks :)

[Tech]

I don't quite know if Naked Advantages are abusive or not but they do seem munchkin-like. Can I see some specific examples and way they're created, of players or GM's using them so I can make a better determination of it?

[JohnTaber]

Hi Tech: I've got some examples that I am using for some NPC and villains in my Champs campaign. Here are how these particular ones work...

The active points in my campaign center on 60.

Silver Avenger Chow is Cyberline enabled. She can call forth her super speed and strength to deliver targeted blows. This is bought as a Naked Advantage of AP on up to a 40 STR with increased endurance. In this case my NPC has a 40 STR. So I bought something like this...
Naked Advantage Armor Piercing On Up To STR 40 (20 Active Points) with 2x END cost.

Reactor, a brick with a nuclear punch, has Explosion and Personal Immunity bought as Naked Advantages on his STR. With some other well placed limitations this mimics a shockwave that he performs by punching the ground.

Just some ideas of how it can be used and not be abusive...

[memesis]

Originally posted by Tech
I don't quite know if Naked Advantages are abusive or not but they do seem munchkin-like. Can I see some specific examples and way they're created, of players or GM's using them so I can make a better determination of it?

To use the example I posted about, "Gungate" is built as a Naked Advantage, Indirect (+3/4) on up to 60 Active Points of powers at a time (generally firearms), coming to 45 active points on its own. It's modified with Costs END (-1/2) for a real cost of 30 points. This Indirect ability can be applied to up to 60 AP of RKA (only!).

To compare pricing, then, let's buy this as a regular Gate-Teleport: 10" (20 points) plus AOE (one hex) +1/2, Usable By Others +1/4, Continuous +1, Gate -1/2, Only for shooting guns -1/4. 55 AP, 31 real points. Given that this "real" teleport is only one point more, in terms of point cost at least, this particular Naked Advantage is hopefully balanced.

[Note that I used Usable By Others, rather than On Others, because of the limited functionality of the power]

Built as a Teleport with Gate, this power could easily be put into a Multipower for the point break, whereas a Naked Advantage could not be (without GM permission).

[BNakagawa]

Of course, the gate version of the power has one significant flaw compared to the naked advantage version, namely that it exposes the user(s) to return fire and/or missile reflection.

Also, limiting the gate to a mere 10" is quite limiting. Our GM purchased a MondoMat and let me tell you, 10" is a tiny, tiny distance on that behemoth.

Given the functionality of the power, you'll almost certainly want to work a few range mod PSLs into it.

$0.02

[memesis]

Originally posted by BNakagawa
Of course, the gate version of the power has one significant flaw compared to the naked advantage version, namely that it exposes the user(s) to return fire and/or missile reflection.

Also, limiting the gate to a mere 10" is quite limiting. Our GM purchased a MondoMat and let me tell you, 10" is a tiny, tiny distance on that behemoth.

Given the functionality of the power, you'll almost certainly want to work a few range mod PSLs into it.

$0.02

It's also a very few points away from being a full-blown Gate power, whereas the Indirect is basically fixed :) However, that's beyond the scope of the question, which was "so how do these things stack up?" :)

Given the special effects of the Indirect, it most certainly qualifies for Missile Reflection vulnerability and other issues. But that's part of any power you buy :)

[Blue Angel]

You could also use stretching with the 'does not cross intervening space' modifier. It would eliminate the range modifier, indirect is already part of the power, and there are several other limitations under stretching you could pile on to reduce the cost.