A Shock Staff

[Monolith]

Originally posted by Geoff Speare
Guess we need to hear more from Ben.

Yeah, darn that Ben! Why doesn't he get in here and tell us all what is going on!

[Chaosliege]

Originally posted by Ben Seeman
This is good stuff, guys...

Another question, and this is something that has troubled me on a lot of aspects of character creation... what determines what an EXTREME side effect is as upposed to a major or minor effect? Does extreme to full damage, major do half damage and minor do one-quarter damage? I can't find anywhere in FREd where that is defined.

P.201 in FREd states:

-1/4 Minor side effect 15 active points or one-fourth of the active points int the power(whichever is greater) or some other trivial side effect.
-1/2 Major side effect: 30 active or one half active(whichever is greater)
-1 Extreem side effect: 60 active or full active(whichever is greater)

Let me show you waht I first came up with to help clarify wehat I'm looking for. Bear in mind that this is not a personal weapon being bought with character points in a Champions campaign. It is for Star Hero.

This two-handed weapon delivers a powerful electric charge when striking an enemy. Special protecting gloves need to be worn so that the wielder of the staff does not take damage from the jolt. It requires two hands to brandish and the user needs to have sufficent strength to deliver a powerful enough blow to activate the charge.

EB 6d6 (vs. ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (45 Active Points); OAF (-1), Side Effects, Side Effect always occurs when not wearing protective gloves (-?), STR Minimum (15; -3/4), No Range (-1/2) Total cost: ?? points

IMO in this case it is more likely that the side effect is going to aply to someone else than to the character. The "someone else" could be a teammate, so I'd give it some limitation score. on the same page of FREd it lists two limitations on the limitaion(lowering the overal limitation value) that would effect this type of weapon.
1) 1/4 less: Side effect always occures whenever the character does some specific act(not waring the gloves)
2) 1/4 less: Side effect only affects the recipient of the benifits of the power (whoever is using the staff without the proper gloves gets zapped)

That brings the limitation down to -1/2. This is resonable IMO.

[Monolith]

Originally posted by Ben Seeman
EB 6d6 (vs. ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (45 Active Points); OAF (-1), Side Effects, Side Effect always occurs when not wearing protective gloves (-?), STR Minimum (15; -3/4), No Range (-1/2) Total cost: ?? points

I would go with the Major Side Effect with the modifier that it needs gloves. That would give it a -1/4 Limitation value.
That would make the cost of the item 13 points.

[Ben Seeman]

Thanks for the input guys... not only did you help me flesh out the staff (Flesh Staff?) but I also have a better understadning of how Side Effect works.

[BasilDrag]

Originally posted by Chaosliege
<snip>
FREd ... lists two limitations on the limitaion(lowering the overal limitation value) that would effect this type of weapon.
1) 1/4 less: Side effect always occures whenever the character does some specific act(not waring the gloves)
2) 1/4 less: Side effect only affects the recipient of the benifits of the power (whoever is using the staff without the proper gloves gets zapped)

That brings the limitation down to -1/2. This is resonable IMO.

5th ed., p202:
>In the case of Powers intended to benefit
>the target (such as Healing or Aid),
>characters can define a Side Effect as affecting
>the target.
{emphasis added}
So, your second reduction to the Limitation doesn't apply

General point: since the shock-rod as described doesn't have Activation or RSR, it should have the "x2 value --- Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used". For a 45 Active Point Power, with the Side Effect equaling the Power, this is either
1) -1.75 (-.5 x 2 less .25) or
2) -1 ((-.5 less .25) x 2)

[Chaosliege]

Originally posted by BasilDrag
5th ed., p202:
>In the case of Powers intended to benefit
>the target (such as Healing or Aid),
>characters can define a Side Effect as affecting
>the target.
{emphasis added}
So, your second reduction to the Limitation doesn't apply

actually, at this point FREd is not real clear. It is clear, though, that by the concept of this weapon someone other than the character can benifit from the power, and suffer the side effect, thus the reduction in the limitation.

General point: since the shock-rod as described doesn't have Activation or RSR, it should have the "x2 value --- Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used". For a 45 Active Point Power, with the Side Effect equaling the Power, this is either
1) -1.75 (-.5 x 2 less .25) or
2) -1 ((-.5 less .25) x 2)

This is only an option on constant powers(such as force fields and damage shields). I was thinking the charge only activates when the staf is used to attack (an attack roll required).

[Ben Seeman]

Originally posted by Chaosliege

This is only an option on constant powers(such as force fields and damage shields). I was thinking the charge only activates when the staf is used to attack (an attack roll required). [/B]

You're right, though. The Side Effect only takes place when attacking.