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Paragon
May 2nd, '08, 06:47 AM
This is connected with my various how-tos on spell building, but I figure its a bit more general so its really a rules question.

In the spells I'm building, one color of Magic (Copper) has a lot of spells that give bonuses to items in one way or another: augment their Body, give them pluses to hit, and so on. I mostly try to do this straight rather than with Aid (among other things it avoids the "can't Aid something that isn't there" problem). Its not clear to me exactly how you're supposed to set this up price-wise; you don't seem to be able to use Usable by Others to do it (its going on an object rather than a being) but surely you don't have to use Usable Against Others; that'd inflate the Active and probably Real cost of them significantly, for something that's usually somewhat less useful than using it on a person.

But as I said, I'm not clear on how it is supposed to be done, so I'm hoping someone is clearer on this than I am. You'd have thought this would have come up before with all the years I've used this system, but this is the first time I recall actually needing to figure it out.

ghost-angel
May 2nd, '08, 07:36 AM
You have to apply Usable As Attack level of the UBO Advantage to affect inanimate objects.

Paragon
May 2nd, '08, 07:49 AM
You have to apply Usable As Attack level of the UBO Advantage to affect inanimate objects.

Doesn't that seem rather excessive for the benefit? Of I do a +1 to hit as a level I can use or one of my friends its only a +1/2 Advantage, but if I do one that effects a weapon that can be taken away from me (which seems more of a limitation) its _more_ expensive? That seems a little bizarre.

ghost-angel
May 2nd, '08, 07:51 AM
Then change it. I just pointed out RAW.

Paragon
May 2nd, '08, 08:02 AM
Then change it. I just pointed out RAW.

I was just curious to your view of whether it was reasonable.

ghost-angel
May 2nd, '08, 08:06 AM
In my experience it is.

With Usable By Others you are granting control to another Character.
With Usable As Attack you are retaining control of the Power.

When you grant a Power to an object you are retaining control of the Power. If the object is taken you can immediately remove the Power by turning it off. Making it a moot point as to who has the object.

Paragon
May 2nd, '08, 08:24 AM
In my experience it is.

With Usable By Others you are granting control to another Character.
With Usable As Attack you are retaining control of the Power.

When you grant a Power to an object you are retaining control of the Power. If the object is taken you can immediately remove the Power by turning it off. Making it a moot point as to who has the object.

Fair enough. My perception may be being colored here in that the magic system modifications I'm using don't permit you to just turn off a power at will; you invest energy in it when you turn it on and then it runs for a certain time, so if someone makes use of it during that time it'll continue to work whether you want it to or not.

ghost-angel
May 2nd, '08, 08:26 AM
Ah, then I suggest you either reduce the value of UaA or apply a Limitation "Unable To Turn Off Once Started"

Paragon
May 2nd, '08, 08:31 AM
Ah, then I suggest you either reduce the value of UaA or apply a Limitation "Unable To Turn Off Once Started"

I'll probably do the former to avoid Active Point bloat, since that affects mana (modified End) and skill roll penalties.