HELP!! Duplication Power Limitation(s)

[Kajaro]

So I have a dark champions hero who can divide himself into four copies - totalling out five full on heroes.

What I'm looking for is some interesting limitations to take with duplication but am throwing my books up in the air as I don't know where to begin. Help?:confused:

Some thoughts I've had are along the lines of:

1. Requires EGO roll to duplicate with a cumulative -1 for each duplicate present -1/2. Thus making it more difficult to keep cranking out duplicates on the fly.

2. Death of a dupicate is permanent -1/4.

3. Don't know how this would work, but the color is - after a given time period (day maybe?) he begins to strain and its difficult to keep himself spread out. Maybe requiring some kind of roll ... but what happens if he fails it? He takes stun? The duplicates do? I don't know how this works or how to make it work.

4. Anything else we can think up? I like the character - I just don't want my character to run roughshod through a game or have infinite abilities to send duplicates to the four corners of the world. Additionally I'm thinking it would be cool if he was more comfortable with being duplicated into 2 beings most of the time but could strain to be a total of 5 - the later just being difficult.

Make anything resembling sense? Any help would be fantastic as I'm completely at a brick wall - and hitting my head against it profusely.

Kajaro.

[Lord Liaden]

I shall provide what help I can, Hero colleague. :) To deal with your points in order:

1) This sounds like the Requires a Skill Roll Limitation with the roll based on Ego. Since the target roll is set by the Active Points in the Power, and doubling the number of duplicates adds +5 points for each doubling, you could say that producing more duplicates would raise the Active Points and thus add a penalty to the Skill Roll.

2) I'm afraid that for the default Duplication Power, death of a duplicate is already permanent. :(

3) I'd do this as a Dependence Disadvantage on being Recombined for the base character and probably all the Duplicates, with the interval and amount of damage they take set to your preferences.

4) You might also look at the Feedback Limitation under the description of Duplication in the 5E rulebook; it means that all the duplicates and base form share a bond, in that if one is injured, they all suffer the same injury. Amount of the Lim depends on who takes the damage and how much.

BTW in case you weren't aware of this, you don't have to worry about your character having "infinite" duplication abilities. He can only have the maximum number of Duplicates that he payed for active at any one time.

Hope that's helpful to you. :)

[Kajaro]

This information is very helpful. Thanks! I do like the dependent disadvantage based on recombination - and your tips are helpful.

So curious - if a Duplicate dies ... and your power said x4 duplicates - does it become story at that point for x3 or do you get points back or do you rebuy it later or is it just color or ... or... or... or... was THREE REALLY COMPANY? (John Ritter remembered).

[Kajaro]

In the above instance, how would you list the Dependence?

Are Duplicates very common since they are always around or extremely rare/unique since besides the four of them there aren't any? Boggle ... :confused:

[Farkling]

When in doubt pick the points and roll.
Here are my opinions for you::

You are a dependent on an uncommon substance...your Duplicates are extremely rare even if you DO make them...you are dependent on a very common substance if ANY duplicate will fulfill the Dependence...because you could just create one and recombine. It is uncommon if you must recombine with each specific duplicate. I would opt for weakness/incompetences over actual damage, so hopefully you r friends will get you back together before you die...

Two dependencies would work...one long term one fro damage, and a shorter period dependence for the weakness/incompetence.

Feedback on your duplication would go nicely with this construct, as would a Mind Link of the empathic variety (-1 only others with this link, -1/2 emotions only, range as you wish.)

If you can recombine at any range the dependence is very common...if you can recombine at normal ranges, I would split the difference and make it common...

Do you need any other clarifications or ideas?

[Kajaro]

Hey that works - I love it. Uhm. If anyone has more idea's on different limitations or disads - besides those mentioned or discussed - I could greatly use the help.

I'm not so much interested in powergame point mashing - just a colorful roleplay scenario with its own built in obstacles to deal with.

[Lord Liaden]

Well, since you asked so nicely ;) :

How about an Incantations Limitation? The character has to shout a magic word or phrase in order to change. Extra Time would mean the duplicates can't just pop out of him at will. Duplication normally costs no Endurance to use, but the Costs Endurance Lim would represent expending effort to duplicate. You could even add Increased Endurance Cost to make it a real strain for him. If the process is painful or otherwise detrimental to him, Side Effects might be appropriate. Then there are conditional Custom Limitations restricting when and where he can Duplicate: Only at Night, Not on Consecrated Ground, whatever matches his concept.

Maybe No Conscious Control at the the -1 level? He Duplicates only under certain conditions, like when he's in danger, and remains Duplicated until those conditions have ended. If you don't want the ability to be that random, you could still give the character an Accidental Change Limitation so that he Duplicates involuntarily when certain events occur - makes keeping Secret Identities more problematic.

[Magmarock]

You can take a side effect, so that if your PC fails to create a duplicate, he takes STUN or some other kind of adverse effect, like Burnout- where you cannot duplicate again until the end of the adventure or some other time frame...

Mags