Life Drain.

[Herolover]

Okay.

There is a creature that when you are within a certain range of it you grow tired very quickly as your "life force" is drained away.

I really don't want to do a BODY drain, because it really doesn't do damage until after a period of time. I would say it is more like drowning.

My first thought was a CON drain. This would take into effect END and once the CON and END goes negative you start draining STUN and BODY as with drowning.

What do you think?

Or should it just be a straight END drain?

[Keneton]

You do not go to negative end. You go to zero end and then burn stun if you spend end. A power would not cause this drowning effect.

If you wanted to simulate this use a cumulative transform linked to an end drain. make the cumulative transform invisible power effects.

:)

[Tech]

I don't know over what kind of a time-frame you want the person to get hit by this attack. I'm going to assume over several hours for my example. Howabout:

10d6 Con Drain, only takes 1d6/1 hour, only to zero Con +
10d6 End Drain, only takes 1d6/1 hour, only to zero End, linked to above +
(I'm assuming the target will eventually die so...)
10d6 Body Drain, only activates after Con & End are at zero, only takes 1d6/1hour =
10d6 Stun Drain, as above, linked to above

Add Area Effect, Invisible Powers Effect, 0 End or whatever as your taste deems. Mix & stir receipe as needed.

[sbarron]

If it's just for your game, I wouldn't "build" it at all. I would just say...

"For each of the creatures phases, anything within 10" takes -5 End. If they run out of End, then they take -5 stun per phase. If they run out of Stun, they take -1 Bod per phase."

It's easier just to stat it out like this than it is to build an esoteric power. But this being Hero, everyone wants to build everything with points... ;)

[SCUBA Hero]

Originally posted by sbarron
For each of the creatures phases, anything within 10" takes -5 End. If they run out of End, then they take -5 stun per phase. If they run out of Stun, they take -1 Bod per phase.

But this being Hero, everyone wants to build everything with points... ;)
Lessee,

Area Effect Suppress END (Standard Effect), Only To 0 END, plus Area Effect Suppress STUN, Only If Target Is At 0 END, Only To 0 STUN, plus Area Effect Suppress BODY, Only If Target Is At 0 STUN

That way, the 'life force' comes back immediately once out of the area. If you want it to linger, make it Drain instead of Suppress.

:p

[Arthur]

2d Drain, AoE Radius, Personal Immunity, Group of related stats simultaneously (+2) [STR, CON, BODY, END, STUN].

Sound about right?

[SCUBA Hero]

I think so, except you don't want STUN going until END is 0 and BODY going until STUN is 0. . . some custom Limitation, I think.

[Farkling]

eh. Just warp the Gradual Effect limitation, add a custom and the previous construct is good to go.

[Farkling]

me...I'd have drain all of them at once...that feels more like a life drain. I'd be tempted to include EGO too...

[Arthur]

Originally posted by SCUBA Hero
I think so, except you don't want STUN going until END is 0 and BODY going until STUN is 0. . . some custom Limitation, I think.

Oh. Well, then I would just reduce the +2 Advantage to +1 or so, since it's "a set of Characterstics in serial" rather than "....in parallel".

It seems unHerolike to increase the Advantage to a certain level then use a Lim to reduce the effect back in about the same way. Just use a lower Advantage. Fewer AP.

[Lord Liaden]

Originally posted by Herolover
Okay.

There is a creature that when you are within a certain range of it you grow tired very quickly as your "life force" is drained away.

I really don't want to do a BODY drain, because it really doesn't do damage until after a period of time. I would say it is more like drowning.

My first thought was a CON drain. This would take into effect END and once the CON and END goes negative you start draining STUN and BODY as with drowning.

What do you think?

Or should it just be a straight END drain?

Note that by the rules, a Drain of a Primary Characteristic would not affect Figured Characteristics derived from it, so a CON Drain would not automatically draw away END and STUN.

Okay, let's look at the effect you want. The Life Force Draining will affect any character who comes within a certain distance of your creature. Drain does sound like the likeliest mechanic, with the Fade Rate bought down to an appropriate level, and the suggestions for Area of Effect, Personal Immunity and No Range are mechanically sound. You might also consider Invisible Power Effects if you don't want it to be obvious that the creature generates this life draining aura.

You want the effect to resemble drowning; first END is lost, then STUN, then BODY. Here's what I would suggest: apply Variable Effect to the Drain at the +1/4 level, so that you can Drain any related ability one at a time (in this case, END, STUN and BODY). Take the -1 No Conscious Control Limitation, which means that your creature can use the power at will, but not control the effect. Define the No Conscious Control as requiring that the Characteristics always be drained in sequence: END first, switching to STUN when END is exhausted, then BODY when STUN is gone. If you think -1 is too high a Lim for an effect that's predictable, you might want to reduce it to -1/2.

Does that sound like what you were going for?

[Lord Liaden]

Originally posted by Arthur
Oh. Well, then I would just reduce the +2 Advantage to +1 or so, since it's "a set of Characterstics in serial" rather than "....in parallel".

It seems unHerolike to increase the Advantage to a certain level then use a Lim to reduce the effect back in about the same way. Just use a lower Advantage. Fewer AP.

Actually, looking at the way a lot of published characters and powers have been built, I'd say that that is eminently Herolike. ;)

[Herolover]

Originally posted by sbarron
I
It's easier just to stat it out like this than it is to build an esoteric power. But this being Hero, everyone wants to build everything with points... ;)

I agree completely with this statement and many times as GM I don't make things up and just go with what sounds good. However, this time I actually want to make it up.

[Herolover]

Thanks to everyone who made suggestions.

I find I have fallen into a trap that I have warned others about. I got so wrapped up in how something was done in another system that I forget to really think about things.

As I originally stated Lord Liaden's write up gives me exactly what I asked for. However, I might have asked for the wrong thing, because when I look at Arthur's write up I really like what I see. However, I admit I will probably change it somewhat to suit my own campaign and the creature in question.