"Always On" limitation in an unusual place...

[Kristopher]

An interesting topic came up during some character creation here. Is the Always On limit at all appropriate for certain types of defensive powers? Examples:

A) Power Defense that can't be dropped to let the team healer fix the character up.
B) Mental Defense that doesn't allow the character to accept a Mind Link from the team mentalist.
C) A Force Field that's on all the time, making for some awkward moments.

Actually, that brings up another question...can power like Power Defense be consciously "switched off" by the character in the first place?

[Lord Liaden]

For me, Always On as a Limitation has always implied that the Power causes some significant impediment to the normal functioning of the character. Force Field is a classic example of this for published Champions characters, since detrimental features are easy to define for it. Since a basic Force Field is always Visible while it's on, the character would always draw attention, have difficulty disguising himself, have trouble moving stealthily, etc. He might not be able to touch many objects or take in food. Those negative factors would be sufficient to warrant a Limitation IMO.

OTOH what you're describing for Mental Defense and Power Defense are rare and unusual circumstances. Most people don't use Telepathy to communicate for example, so an inability to lower Mental Defense would be an unusual circumstance (unless you're postulating an alien society where Telepathy is common, making the character the equivalent of a deaf person in hearing society). Similarly, people with Healing are uncommon, and the character can still heal normally.

Personally I don't think I would allow a Limitation on those special Defenses; however, depending on how often the inability to lower them would hinder the character, I might allow a small Physical Limitation, "Can't lower X Defense".

[Killer Shrike]

The player would have to make a very strong case for how limiting it really is, and even then I would probably opt for a -1/4 limitation more specific to what thier proposed downside is, vice the -1/2 "Always On".

You can turn off MD and PowD. Technically, a Defense applies vs Attacks. Powers that arent attacking you arent affected in the first place however, IIRC.

[Killer Shrike]

As a side note Always On Force Fields are generally limiting (and are even noted under the AO text IIRC), but only if the character suffers some penalty from such.

A character with Life Support No need to Eat probably wouldnt be limited by it, where as any other character will starve to death ala Unus the Untouchable or IIRC Skids.

[Kristopher]

So take the example of Mental Defense that can't be lowered, and the character in a team that relies on its telepath's big Mind Link for communications?

[Killer Shrike]

IIRC Mind Link doesnt apply vs Mental Defense. I dont have my book, but Im pretty sure its a flat effect.

[Lord Liaden]

Originally posted by Kristopher
So take the example of Mental Defense that can't be lowered, and the character in a team that relies on its telepath's big Mind Link for communications?

If the character can't make the connection with the telepath, and that link is a commonly used tactic for the team, I'd go with a Physical Limitation, Infrequent (possibly Frequent), Slightly Impairing.

[Kristopher]

Originally posted by Killer Shrike
IIRC Mind Link doesnt apply vs Mental Defense. I dont have my book, but Im pretty sure its a flat effect.

For some reason, I was under the impression that there was something of an NND relationship between the two.

[Killer Shrike]

Just got home and have my book. Mind Link does not apply against MD. There is no "effect" roll, its not an attack, and it can explicitly only be used on a willing subject.

[Kristopher]

So someone with 20 pts of Mental Defense up and running can still be contacted by a Mind Link, no problem?

Huh...I'm not sure I like that.

[Killer Shrike]

Originally posted by Kristopher
So someone with 20 pts of Mental Defense up and running can still be contacted by a Mind Link, no problem?

Huh...I'm not sure I like that.

"and it can explicitly only be used on a willing subject."

[schir1964]

To simplify:

A willing character lowers his ECV and Mental Defense to 0.

If Always On is applied to Mental Defense, then that character can NEVER communicate via Mind Link.

How limiting that is, is for the GM to decide.

- Christopher Mullins

[Kristopher]

Originally posted by Killer Shrike
"and it can explicitly only be used on a willing subject."

My concern is that the "willing subject" doesn't have to lower his defenses to allow the Mind Link to work.

Heh. It would be quite a bit of cheese to have Mind Link, Usable Against Others, wouldn't it?