Is it possible to Aid OCV?

[McCoy]

I want to create a power that improves my teammates chance to hit the opponents, my PC gives a Captain America-esque pep talk and the other PC's find their "to hit" boosted by a pip or two.

First thought was levels useable by others, but that just seemed to lack elegance.

So I thought of Aid. Aid specifically is used to "increase one of his or someone else's Characteristics or Powers." While OCV is somewhat like a secondary Characteristic, don't think it has ever been offically designated as one.

Is OCV enough like a Characteristic that it can be Aided, and if so how many Character Points would be necessary to Aid OCV +1. (I'm thinking 5, like a 5 point combat level. On the other hand, were I Aiding DEX, a 9 point boost would result in +1 OCV and +1 DCV, so 9/2 = 4.5 which if we round in favor of the character would be 4.)

Or is there a more elegant solution to get the same effect that I have overlooked ?

Looking forward to all thoughts and opinions, and thanking everyone in advance.

[Dr. Anomaly]

Well, OCV isn't a Characteristic, so I don't think it could be Aided. I'll admit my first thought was Levels, Usable By Other, Extra Time (full phase), Incantations to Start, but you say that lacks elegance so it's not what you're looking for.

Hmmm.

Change Environment can apply small negative effects in an area; -1 OCV, -1 to DEX checks, that sort of thing. (These could be, for example, the effects of filling the area with fog or coating the ground with ice, respectively.) So could you have a small positive effect using Change Environment? IDHTBIFOM, so I can't check off hand.

[TheEmerged]

Officially, Change Environment can't give bonuses.

Unofficially, I ran a few tests on allowing this and IMO it comes out a little too cheaply for the effect -- on the other hand, CSL's with UBO are a little more expensive than I care for. Maybe if I made Selective a +1/2 advantage instead of +1/4...

[Dr. Anomaly]

Officially, Change Environment can't give bonuses.

Unofficially, I ran a few tests on allowing this and IMO it comes out a little too cheaply for the effect -- on the other hand, CSL's with UBO are a little more expensive than I care for. Maybe if I made Selective a +1/2 advantage instead of +1/4...

Okay, that doesn't surprise me. (That officially it doesn't allow positives, I mean.) If they come out a little too cheaply, then what about allowing positives, but making them cost twice as much per + as the CE normally charges for each - ?

[McCoy]

Change Enviroment "cannot provide positive effects or bonuses . . .."

Maybe use CE to -1 from opponents' DCV? Still seems to lack elegance.

[Gary]

You could probably have him do a Presence Attack with how much he makes his Oratory as a bonus. It would require a little handwaving, but you could rule that every +10 on the result means +1 OCV. Thus cynical jaded people (high Pre Defense or Ego) would derive less benefit which seems to fit the 'feel' of what you're looking for.

[ghost-angel]

AID: DEX; Only to give a bonus to targets OCV -1 1/2

not sure about the appropriateness of that Lim Level on it, but it feels right. Maybe even a -2 considering everything else DEX does.

[Champsguy]

Dex Aid, Area Effect, only provides OCV (-1).

[Champsguy]

AID: DEX; Only to give a bonus to targets OCV -1 1/2

not sure about the appropriateness of that Lim Level on it, but it feels right. Maybe even a -2 considering everything else DEX does.

Ah, you beat me to it.

[ghost-angel]

Ah, you beat me to it.

That's ok, now we can hash out whose Limitation Value is more appropriate.

Any particular reason you chose -1 instead of something higher? Seeing as DEX provides SPD, DCV and Initiative Order for those going on the same Phase. as well as a host of combat related Skills.

[Champsguy]

That's ok, now we can hash out whose Limitation Value is more appropriate.

Any particular reason you chose -1 instead of something higher? Seeing as DEX provides SPD, DCV and Initiative Order for those going on the same Phase. as well as a host of combat related Skills.

Seemed like the value that Hero would give for it. Often the "limited power" limitation gets undervalued in the official products. I went with the less controversial number, though I could certainly see the limitation value being higher. Also remember that Aiding Dex doesn't boost Spd.

[Dr. Anomaly]

In the listing of Lightning Reflexes, they give a -1 for "Dex only to act first in a phase", so -1 is probably what it'd be if it were an 'official' example.

Personally, though, I'm rather partial to Gary's idea!

[Phil]

Isnt there something about AIDed characteristics not affecting Figured CHARs? In which case AIDing DEX only increases three things (that I can think of!): Skill Levels, OCV and initiative. So only to increase CV certainly shouldnt be any more than -1, and personally I'd probably go for -1/2

[Hugh Neilson]

For OCV only, I'd go a -1 limitation.

Mind you, I'd probably allow "Aid OCV" at 5 points per in the first place, which is not far off the same end result. After all, you can Aid a character who has 0 STR, so why not treat "+0 OCV levels" as being an Aid-able stat as well? After all, everyone has an OCV.

The DEX aid, only OCV, seems more elegant, though. 3d5 at Standard Effect = +1 OCV (+2 if used twice). Link it to a PRE attack, or even some variation on RSR to require a successful PRE attack, to get the specific effect desired.

[Sean Waters]

The problem with Aid: (limited) DEX is that the active points cost is going to be real high, which is a problem if you use active points caps and want a reasonably meaty power (you'll need 27 points of effect to manage +3OCV)

Other options: personally I don't see that levels UBO is too clunky - certainly less so than working out the DEX increase (at 3 points per point) then working out the effect on OCV (at 3 points pf DEX per point) but with just a smidge of handwaving you could AID to OCV levels (5 points), so you don't need to do anything complicated. The cost works out about the same and the mechanics are far simpler. The handwaving comes in in assuming that part of the basic OCV is combat skill: not everyone has CSLs so not everyone could benefit from the AID if you play it straight.