Extra Time ?s; or How do you halve a -3/4 Limtation? (Math fun)

[ender42]

So, I was looking at some Extra Time limitations in 5E, and it says "If the Power has a lengthy activation time, but the character can use it every Phase from then on without taking Extra Time, halve the Limitation value (min. value of -1/4)"

So, if I've got a -3/4 limitation, does that mean I'm now calculating a -3/8ths limitation (uhh, what's that in decimal?), or should I round it (yay, up!) to -1/2?

Also, this doesn't specify if the power is instant or constant - could I have a lengthy startup on an EB, and as long as I continue to use my EB every phase, not have (additional) Extra Time (ie: be able to actually target people)?

And why can't you track a target thru your whole extra time startup? I could see needing to make two sucessful targeting rolls (one to start up the power (when you spend END), and when the time limitation runs out), and to maintain LOS during the whole Extra Time.... but otherwise it seems like you should be able to track a moving target while your laser pumps up.

[Kaimont]

Hi, Ender! That name sounds familiar. Have we met before?
3/8ths in decimal would be .375, I think. (It should be .125 above .25 and below .5) I'd use 3/8ths. I can't think of anything I've seen in the rules that says a limitation has to be in quarters, so I would figure it just like the say, as half of 3/4, or 3/8.

Well, I feel like it was intended to mean constant powers, but I suppose it could be instant ones, too. For example, I've you've got some sort of energy rifle that takes a while to heat up, but after that, it can fire shots every round until it overheats or runs out of energy. Of course, I'm still new to this system myself, so what do I know?

[L. Marcus]

The rules say to round to a quarter, in the character's favor. Since a larger point rebate is favorable, your example (-3/4) will become a -1/2.

[Hugh Neilson]

I thought the rules (or the FAQ) indicated that, if you halve a limitation, you round down (half of -3/4 being less than -1/2 would mean it moves down to -1/4). I also look to these and ask how much it will limit the character. Can he get up in the morning, Activate his power and have it available thereafter? How limiting is that?

EDIT: IDNRC


If you have to to halve a Power Modifier’s value, how do you halve 3/4 and 1 1/4?

The rounding is in the character’s favor, as usual. +3/4 "halves" to +1/4; -3/4 "halves" to -1/2; +1 1/4 "halves" to +1/2; -1 1/4 "halves" to -3/4.

[ender42]

Can he get up in the morning, Activate his power and have it available thereafter? How limiting is that?

Well, it's not about being 'available', it's about turning on the power. Now, if the power is 0 END, and fully invisible, and doesn't otherwise impact the character (gee, sorry I bumped into you in the elevator with my damage shield), then yes, that certainly is a good question.

I was contemplating a constant power that uses END. The limitation is that you need to keep the power running from the point you successfully activate it (and meet any other limitations it might have).

I guess I need to include some other conditions for this, since I guess you could throttle back the power to one DC, and one END per phase, which most characters could recover all the time... And that's not what's intended. Intent is to try to turn it on during a fight, finally get the bastard running, and be able to keep it on without rolling again for every phase during the fight (preferably keep it on for the whole duration of the fight without it switching off). But not to run it all live-long day.

[torchwolf]

Well, it's not about being 'available', it's about turning on the power. Now, if the power is 0 END, and fully invisible, and doesn't otherwise impact the character (gee, sorry I bumped into you in the elevator with my damage shield), then yes, that certainly is a good question.

I was contemplating a constant power that uses END. The limitation is that you need to keep the power running from the point you successfully activate it (and meet any other limitations it might have).

I guess I need to include some other conditions for this, since I guess you could throttle back the power to one DC, and one END per phase, which most characters could recover all the time... And that's not what's intended. Intent is to try to turn it on during a fight, finally get the bastard running, and be able to keep it on without rolling again for every phase during the fight (preferably keep it on for the whole duration of the fight without it switching off). But not to run it all live-long day.
A continuing Fuel Charge lasting, say, 1, 5 or 20 Minutes would make the player be careful about when to turn it on. A typical fight last for less than a minute in game time, so 5 Minutes might be appropriate.
You could also do it with a small END Reserve, which requires more bookkeeping, but may make the power up and down aspect matter more as well as allowing for Pushing. Heavily conditional or Slow Recovery would restrict use automatically.