Specialized Defenses - "Only vs Z" Damage Reduction

[Kristopher]

If a character is supposed to be highly resistent to one SFX of damage, magic for example, would you require the character to buy only one Damage Reduction, with the limit "Only vs X", or would you require the character to buy Physical, Energy, and Mental Damage Reduction with the limit, in order to be fully protected against all attacks of that SFX?

Thanks.

[Metaphysician]

I *think* that you can buy DR against a type of attack, like magic or psionics, without buying it across categories. Can't remember for certain, though.

[Zeropoint]

I would expect that all attacks from the same SFX would be applied against the same defense, and thus only one Damage Reduction would be required.

For a special effect that could reasonably be expected to generate all three types of attacks, I'd go for a single Damage Reduction, priced about the same as a normal Damage Reduction. Maybe a little less; it would depend on the expected frequency of the special effect.

Zeropoint

[Lord Mhoram]

For a special effect that could reasonably be expected to generate all three types of attacks, I'd go for a single Damage Reduction, priced about the same as a normal Damage Reduction.
Zeropoint

Yeah in of the old 4th 3e magic sourcebooks (cannot recall if it were Mystic Masters or The Ulitmate Supermage it talks about that. Having Magic defence and Magic reduction. Also having a missle D that will D any magic, whether targeted vs Dex or CV. Each one was treated as the same cost.

I've built supermages with a 1/2 r DR to magic.

I use some of those ideas in my FH games (anti magic spells granting armor vs Magic, buying "magic immunity" as 10 armor and 3/4 r DR both for magic).

In the years I've been doing that (admittedly a small statistical sampling) we've never had any balance issues.

[Kal'daka]

Me myself I run a very rich mystic/ magic game and as such I house ruled two new defenses.
One is Damage reduction magic which is bought like regular damage reduction in points but only protects against spells, spell like abilities, wands and scrolls.
Then I created Mystic Defense which is bought like mental def 1pt / 1 pt plus ego/5.. it protects against all mystical, magical or dimensional attacks. It is non resistant so if you have killing magical atttacks or enchanted weapons you will have use the 1/4 adder to make it resistant.

Nuff said........

[Edsel]

Another good option is to buy Desolidification, only vs that particular mode of attack. Unfortunately it makes your own attacks terribly expensive since they have to be bought with the Affects Solid advantage.

Our groups version of Iron Man has a 50% Energy Damage Reduction vs Electrical attacks, with the limitation that it does not work if any BODY penetrates his armor (breach of his insulation).

[Sean Waters]

Your construct is perfectly legal: if you had 50% DR v. Magic, magically created ice bolts (against physical), electrical bolts (against energy) and charm spells (MC against EGO) would all have their effects reduced by 50% (after other defences), BUT ‘normal’ ice, electricity and mind control would all have full normal effect after other defences.

[Sean Waters]

...although you'd only be able to do this if magic was just one of many sfx in your world. If the majority of powers were magic based and magic was common, you'd need to buy DR as normal, with a small limitation for 'only v. magic'

[Kristopher]

I'm very leary and conflicted about the whole "Desolid only vs X" construct.

[Black Rose]

I'm very leary and conflicted about the whole "Desolid only vs X" construct.

I think the "Desolid only vs. Z SFX" construct can be made to work, but you have to do some prep first. Make a list of the more frequent SFX in your campaign (you'll note that Champions has done this); this should absolutely include the SFX all the PCs and their Hunteds use. Give each SFX a frequency rating (Very Common/Common/Uncommon/Very Uncommon). Any that are Very Common should probably be disallowed, or perhaps arrange with the GM to have a Naked Advantage: Affects Physical World for up to (highest Active Point power total). Any that are Common would get a -0, maybe -1/4 depending on the total number of valid SFX in your campaign. Uncommon gets -1/4 to -1/2, and Very Uncommon gets -1/2 to -1. Now, if your GM allows this (this whole thing requires that the GM allow it, so it seems kind of silly to say it now), you have Desolid; 0 END (+1/2), Persistant (+1/2) [80 Active Points] Only vs. Z SFX (variable). This will act as a 100% Damage Reduction power against the aforementioned SFX.

[BNakagawa]

The whole concept of SFX based defenses has to be considered on a campaign by campaign basis.

On the whole, I would estimate that about half of the attacks you'll see are physical, maybe 40% energy and 10% exotic and/or mental.

But, if you're in a highly themed campaign (mutant oriented, mystic oriented, martial arts oriented, etc) you might end up with a game where 90% or more of attacks share the same sfx...

In such a case, using one Damage Reduction to affect all mystic attacks or all mutant powers seems awfully cheesy...

In general, I'm against such constructions. (or rather, I'm against one defense that affects all powers with a common sfx)

[pinecone]

As a base I'd go with limiting DR the same way VPP's "limit" so "Only magic" is -1/4 so I'd start with DR,"only vs magic -1/4" as a starting point then modify as nessisary, if "only technology runs -1/2 , then -1/2 on the DR as well...simple at least as a starting point (This has the assumption that the DR will work against all magic regardless of mechanic)...