Powers Issues -- S-T

[Opal]

Well, if you do that, then you aren't actually animating the objects, you're simply summoning objects out of thin air.

It's an F/X thing. You buy the ability to summon things out of thing air, which is more powerful and versatile than the ability to animate existing things, then you 'limit it down' to the functionality of animating them. You're 'animating' exiting items. As long as your summoned creatures are strong enough to move or destroy the item you're animating, the fact that the 'animated' item might be in a different place or destroyed when your summon ends isn't really an issue, either.

[CTaylor]

You summon a chair that's animate; basically I'd do it by building a template of "animated object" powers that adds points to a thing, then build my summon with a broad category of types (+1 probably). You could get away with just the template cost if all you do is summon ordinary objects, but if you animate more useful things such as a computer or a car, you'd probably need more points in the summon to simulate their abilities.

In other words: build a creature called "animated object" with the basic abilities such an object would have, perhaps with a few variants based on size and durability. Then you build the summon power with "all animated objects" and you have the ability to summon every variant.

[BobGreenwade]

You summon a chair that's animate; basically I'd do it by building a template of "animated object" powers that adds points to a thing, then build my summon with a broad category of types (+1 probably). You could get away with just the template cost if all you do is summon ordinary objects, but if you animate more useful things such as a computer or a car, you'd probably need more points in the summon to simulate their abilities.

In other words: build a creature called "animated object" with the basic abilities such an object would have, perhaps with a few variants based on size and durability. Then you build the summon power with "all animated objects" and you have the ability to summon every variant.

Then a chair would be built as a creature, using a full character sheet, but with the Physical Limitation Inanimate? Isn't that a bit complicated for something that basic?

[GamePhil]

Then a chair would be built as a creature, using a full character sheet, but with the Physical Limitation Inanimate? Isn't that a bit complicated for something that basic?

I'm sorry, but weren't they discussing how to actually animate a chair? When did summoning an inanimate chair come up?

As for how to do it with Summon, you just Summon a creature that only has the DEF and Body of a chair and no other Characteristics. If it should ever become necessary to purchase a Power to create a chair, which I don't see happening. On the other hand, you could fold Entangle into Summon with such a system, so it might not be useless.

[CTaylor]

Then a chair would be built as a creature, using a full character sheet, but with the Physical Limitation Inanimate? Isn't that a bit complicated for something that basic?

No, it's just a chair. This is just a way to animate objects, not my personal choice, but it would work.

[BobGreenwade]

I'm sorry, but weren't they discussing how to actually animate a chair? When did summoning an inanimate chair come up?

My misread. Somehow when the word "animating" was used earlier, my brain transfigured the word into "creating" or "summoning." Sorry.

[Kevin Roberts]

Here is a request, make Telekiness a mental power.
Yes, in 4th edition, there are optional rules for using telekiness based on ego and not having it cost more and it having the same visual effects as telepathy and ego.
I do not know right now what 5th edition books has this optional rule in it.

[nexus]

Well, if you do that, then you aren't actually animating the objects, you're simply summoning objects out of thin air.

The SFX is that an object is animated. It's reasoning from effect. The character could get a Limitation: OIF: Object of opportunity to reflect this.

[nexus]

Here is a request, make Telekinesis a mental power.

Yes, in 4th edition, there are optional rules for using telekinesis based on ego and not having it cost more and it having the same visual effects as telepathy and ego.

I do not know right now what 5th edition books has this optional rule in it.

The Ultimate Mentalist, IIRC

I'd say leave it standard. Telekinesis as a generic ability fits for some many special effects that aren't mental in nature.

[nexus]

I'm sorry, but weren't they discussing how to actually animate a chair? When did summoning an inanimate chair come up?

As for how to do it with Summon, you just Summon a creature that only has the DEF and Body of a chair and no other Characteristics. If it should ever become necessary to purchase a Power to create a chair, which I don't see happening. On the other hand, you could fold Entangle into Summon with such a system, so it might not be useless.

Maybe not specifically a chair (though I could see it being a minor magical spell) but the ability to create mundane objects could be very useful.

[casualplayer]

As befuddled and outraged as I was initially by the 5th Ed. change for constructing characters with permanent size differences from human norm, I've become a convert and think that the evolution should be towards that method for all size change, permanent and transitory. Size change is an SFX that suggests a suite of abilities and disadvantages but should not shackle the character to that grouping. Sidebar it, offer detailed, easily modified templates but please don't codify it into something that has to filed down to fit.

Stretching is precisely the ability to exert your STR at a distance away from your core self and should be costed as if it were Str Ranged, with the expense proportionate to the character's STR. If I didn't feel like I was tilting windmills, I would suggest that the prohibition against STR Ranged be lifted and classic Stretching be moved to the sidebar, likely constructed as STR Ranged, Limited Power: Affected as if HTH Attack/Attackable Focus, Must Cross Intervening Distance. Especially adept stretchers would add degrees of Indirect or velocity damage and other bells and whistles, but those bells and whistles should not be intrinsic and intrusive.

[Paragon]

I still don't see why the Growth/Shrinking Always On and Inherent method wasn't a better choice on the whole; it allowed a lot more meaningful twiddling than the Disadvantage method does.

[CTaylor]

I think the power+inherent gives consistency and specific rules to how to do things, which ironically the people who are saying "ditch it" often are the same ones who are saying "we need more specific rules." We have them for growth and shrinking. Shrinking costs too much and gives too much benefit, but the system works as is.

[casualplayer]

"Shrinking" makes you harder to see, harder to hit, easier to conceal and able to negotiate a smaller aperture. This could be done with Skill Levels more easily than the current construct. If you want, throw in a Side Effect or Dist. Feature to represent the weight/reach/STR reduction. "Growth" is the inverse and could be done with STR + reach with negative skill levels towards being nimble, seen, concealed or hit.

[CTaylor]

This could be done with Skill Levels more easily than the current construct. If you want, throw in a Side Effect or Dist. Feature to represent the weight/reach/STR reduction. "Growth" is the inverse and could be done with STR + reach with negative skill levels towards being nimble, seen, concealed or hit.

Or, you could just buy it with Shrinking and Growth, as is, in the system. Which gives you predictability, ease of building, and the same system from creature to creature, instead of reinventing the wheel with several extra paragraphs of explanation. I mean there's this big push toward making things more compact and simpler, how does ditching these powers and making everyone build the same thing with 5 different structures achieve that goal?