Electromagnetic Pulse

[Black Lotus]

All right, I need to write up an "Electromagnetic Pulse" device.

Electromagnetic pulses were first suspected to exist with the advent of the atomic bomb, and they're now scientific fact. Basically, they ruin (or severely damage) electronic/ electrical systems within their range of effect. No real physical damage is done, though, except collateral damage as a result of systems failure, and maybe wires catching fire or the like.

My quandary is this: should I write this up as doing DAMAGE to electrical/ electronic systems only? Do I write it up some other way?

For example, if I used an EMP device in the middle of a city, any computers/ coffeemakers/ etcetera would be runied, and the city's power grid would likely fail. Cars would have any of their electronic/ electrical systems destroyed. Robots, computers, electrical grids, lights, anything like that. No damage is done to any living creatures, though.

It's a tough write up, and I'm looking for suggestions. There may already be an example in FREd or Star HERO, but I don't think so.

Anyone?

[Dr. Anomaly]

You could do it as a massive AoE Dispel vs. electronics / electrical devices / electrically powered devices. After all, if you do enough effect with a Dispel to turn off the powers in a Focus, it's broken and must be repaired, not just switched back on. If you want to get really nasty about it (as well as jack the point cost into the stratosphere) add the "All Powers of a given effect at the same time (+2)" Advantage to the Dispel, and you'll make sure to get all the powers of a device, car, robot, whatever, and not just the largest.

Failing that, since all it takes to destroy powers in a Focus is to get even one pip of BODY damage through its DEF:

1 pip RKA, AoE: Radius (increase radius to taste), x3 Penetrating, No Range, Only vs. Electronics / Electrical Devices / Electrically Powered Devices, OAF Expendable EMP Bomb

[Black Lotus]

You could do it as a massive AoE Dispel vs. electronics / electrical devices / electrically powered devices. After all, if you do enough effect with a Dispel to turn off the powers in a Focus, it's broken and must be repaired, not just switched back on. If you want to get really nasty about it (as well as jack the point cost into the stratosphere) add the "All Powers of a given effect at the same time (+2)" Advantage to the Dispel, and you'll make sure to get all the powers of a device, car, robot, whatever, and not just the largest.

Failing that, since all it takes to destroy powers in a Focus is to get even one pip of BODY damage through its DEF:

1 pip RKA, AoE: Radius (increase radius to taste), x3 Penetrating, No Range, Only vs. Electronics / Electrical Devices / Electrically Powered Devices, OAF Expendable EMP Bomb

Thank you for the swift and salient reply, Doctor. Be warned, it will take some time for me to wrap my small brain around all the annals and implications of your suggested solutions, so I decided to thank you now and respond more articulately at a later time. (Plus, the GF has opened a hailing frequency and desires my presence in the kitchen).

In the meantime, further suggestions are welcomed!

[Dr. Anomaly]

Thank you for the swift and salient reply, Doctor. Be warned, it will take some time for me to wrap my small brain around all the annals and implications of your suggested solutions, so I decided to thank you now and respond more articulately at a later time. (Plus, the GF has opened a hailing frequency and desires my presence in the kitchen).

No problem, and my pleasure. I'm just heading off to cook dinner myself! Have a good one!

[ghost-angel]

Another, more esoteric, suggestion would be: Transform, AoE, Non-Shielded Electrical Devices into Non-Working Electrical devices, transformed back when repaired/reset (whichever applies). Make it All or Nothing and really large number of dice.

Though, personally, I've just handwaved this effect in my games.

[pinecone]

Military electronics are somewhat protected vs EMP...so you might go with a NND 1D6, Does body type effect and model sheilded electronics as Power Def....in a comix world such sheilding would be much more likely in a civilian setting, or more realisticly make it an AVLD so it can burn through sheilding....In a world of Techno-savey terrorists sheilding might become common.....

[ghost-angel]

Military electronics are somewhat protected vs EMP...so you might go with a NND 1D6, Does body type effect and model sheilded electronics as Power Def....in a comix world such sheilding would be much more likely in a civilian setting, or more realisticly make it an AVLD so it can burn through sheilding....In a world of Techno-savey terrorists sheilding might become common.....

Another method, assuming one goes with a uniform way of dealing out EMP, is to make Shielding Power Def, any shielded object should purchase it as "Shielded" SFX. This would work if your EMP were Dispels or Transforms.

[Black Lotus]

Military electronics are somewhat protected vs EMP...so you might go with a NND 1D6, Does body type effect and model sheilded electronics as Power Def....in a comix world such sheilding would be much more likely in a civilian setting, or more realisticly make it an AVLD so it can burn through sheilding....In a world of Techno-savey terrorists sheilding might become common.....

Yes, I was an avionics technician in the Air Force. Components and equipment protected from EMP are referred to as "Nuclear Hardened". I was considering a NND Power much like the one you mention. The only difficulty is in adding the appropriate Disadvantages (which will have to be made up and valued on the spot), such as "Affects Only Electronic/ Electrical Entities" and, as you mention, the ability that can protect against the NND, known perhaps as "Nuclear Hardened".

Hmmmmmm.

[Ghost Archer]

I think I'd specify the damage/Transform or whatever be limited a little further than 'electronic'. I know I am old and once worked with tubes, valves to the Brits, but I imagine there are still a few older type electronics around. The government is still like five or six years behind the civilian world in computers. All that taken into consideration, perhaps damage/transform to 'IC chips' would narrow it down and be more accurate.

[pinecone]

Yeah Iwas thinking something like 2D6 AVLD (power def) Lim: only vs emp vulnrable targets -1/2 to -1 (I'd go with -1/2 'cause being aware of the limit I'd be making sure it came up seldom) add in Does body and you're home, just needs AE or what ever else and you gots EMP...one nice thing is Dispell and supress are both reduced by Power def.....so even an alternate build is "stopped" by the same defensive power......you might need a bigger AVLD but if Hardened electronics have 1 or 2 points it's "good" as is, though the Dispell and supress likely need much bigger defenses to stop....so you need a bigger hammer with the AVLD...

[pinecone]

I had an additional thought on this...buy the AVLD as PEN, then you can Harden with power def vs dispell and supress and only harden a coupla points to stop the AVLD and you got one unified mechanic for EMP...

[Roy_The_Ruthles]

I've always seen it built as dispell

[JmOz]

THis comes up from time to time

Okay, I will say this on dispell: It in my opinion EXCEEDS the mandate of the power to allow it to damage a foci

I know what the book says

I still think that it is a tact on thing to let some people justify there favorite build

I in the past have used a AF Pen, Exploding attack for this, but the AVLD Does body seems a better way to me now that I have seen it

Also helps to jack the price to a point where I would be happier with it

so something akin to

1d6 RKA, NND(+.5), Exploding (+.5), Does Body (+1), AFx5 (+1.5), Persional Immunity (+1/4), 32 Charges (+1/4), Must be fired in 5 round bursts (75 Active Points)

[Onyxclaw]

my electric dragon gives off a biological EMP when frightened. In her normal environent this would disrupt her electrical signiture by with other larger predators would track her...in the Sci-Fi setting it screws with electronics...which she can also drain. It's concept is she pushes outward the electric forcefield that she generally has around herself, and the pule of the field expanding causes the EMP

We built it as follows:

Slot 4 Was that supposed to work?
EMP – Dispel 5d6 – All electronics (+2), Area Effect (+1 6” Range), X4 Cumulative (+1), No Range (-1/2), Full Phase (-1/2), Must Follow Force Field on Dispel (-1/4), x1.5 END (-1/4) [75 AP] [11 END]

you can take off or add whatever you want, since I doubt your machine will follow the same rules or limitations

[Sketchpad]

The question also arises then ... is AVLD/NND the way that everyone would go with a Star Wars based Ion Cannon?