Time Limited Superhumans

[Steve]

Some superhuman concepts are set up with a time limit. Marvel's Johnny Storm used to have a time limit on his flame powers, DC's Hourman had his Miraclo pills that granted super-strength and other powers only lasting for an hour.

 

How would you use Time Limit on a superhuman's powers?

 

I had in mind a Teen Champion that could transform for an hour a day into a superhuman. Would that be 1 Charge with Time Limit and Hero ID Only on every power? Perhaps a Multiform?

[Christopher]

Those one our time limits only really work with fully single Author controlled settings. One of the things that just will not translate well between genres.

Most often lately superpowers have a "plot lenght" time. Ben 10 for example had originally little control over how long each form lasts. And the time between he could use his powers was isntable as well. They did not bother nailing themself down with "fixed time limits", and instead used "time of plot".

If I had to model this, Time Limit + RSR can be used to have "success based Time". APG I notes using Extra Time to make a "Cooldown" on abilities, so "Success based Cooldown" is a possibility (roll once when using it to determine lenght. Roll once on end to determien cooldown).

 

As usual when having a limited power, the limited power should not exceed campaign limits. Also you need to have skilsl to use when the limitations is actually limiting/preventing the use of that power.

 

Multiform is a way to build it. As would be a really large compound power. Or a bunch of loose powers with a Shared limitation and Mutually linked.

[McCoy]

If the time limit is longer than a few combat phases, I would say multiform, one charge, and make the time limit a +0 limitation. 

[phoenix240]

It could be a Physical Limitation: Can only maintain Multiform for X amount of time per day.

 

Continuing Fuel charges on Multiform?

[Cassandra]

Some superhuman concepts are set up with a time limit. Marvel's Johnny Storm used to have a time limit on his flame powers, DC's Hourman had his Miraclo pills that granted super-strength and other powers only lasting for an hour.

 

How would you use Time Limit on a superhuman's powers?

 

I had in mind a Teen Champion that could transform for an hour a day into a superhuman. Would that be 1 Charge with Time Limit and Hero ID Only on every power? Perhaps a Multiform?

 

1 Charge/Duration 1 Hour/Recoverable, Can Not Use Again Until 1 Hour Has Passed

[Shadow Hawk]

For Johnny Storm, I would say his powers were on a endurance battery with a low recovery rate.

[Lucius]

Accidental Change, Always Happens, When an hour has passed in powered up form.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Accidental Change to Palindromedary

[assault]

I'd consider making the Accidental Change Infrequently, so he has to roll every phase to retain his powers. It makes for more dramatic tension: can he save the day before his time runs out?

 

In this case the trigger becomes "More than an hour" or some similar wording.

 

And of course then he can't change back for an hour.

[Major Tom 2009]

The character of Ultraman (from the Japanese live-action show of the same name) is a perfect example

of a character whose super-abilities only last for a certain amount of time; whenever the human who

was symbiotically bonded with Ultraman used his "beta-capsule" (IIRC, that was what it was called) to

transform into Ultraman, he had at most somewhere between 5 to 10 minutes to defeat the monster

du jour before automatically transforming back to human. You always knew when it was getting close

to Ultraman's return to human form when this light at his waist started to flash on and off, while at the

same time a two-toned sound was going off; as it got closer to the end of the time limit, both the

flashing light and the sound became faster.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[BhelliomRahl]

To determine cost I would ask 2 questions:

 

1) Does the character have to use the power: a) for a continuous period or can they use it in a day for only a set period but broken up how they desire?

2) How long in the game do daily encounters run?

 

If usage is b and the encounters are relatively short which in a lot of my game the actual period of combat can be only a matter of turns I would not give this as a limitation as it is likely not to cause any complication.

 

However if usage is a and encounters can take long periods on multiple occasion over a single day I would allow the Limitation: Continuous Charge 1-hour (-1/4) on the applicable powers.

[megaplayboy]

I think one relevant question is how long it takes to activate the power. If it takes longer than a phase, that's kinda major, because the PC has to turn on the power before combat starts. A one hour time limit is a significant limit. Less than an hour, and you essentially have a power set that is only useful in combat situations...and probably not more than one combat per day, either.

[Hyper-Man]

At the day/24 hour level it is something that has to be manipulated by the GM to really be a Limitation. 

 

Example:

There were multiple episodes of Justice League Animated/Unlimited where John Stewart ended up in a different dimension or time era (usually without his Lantern).  Other Dimension: The Warlord crossover, The Justice Society crossover. Time Travel:  To alternate future where Vandal Savage won WWII, To Wild West & Near future w/ WW & Batman, Into Legion of Superheroes future  w/ Green Arrow & Supergirl.

 

In every one of these cases he had no time to prepare and either had to make a split decision or had no choice at all.  The 24 hour charge on his ring put a time limit on his effectiveness in his new surroundings.  The WWII 2 part story was the only one where he actually had to deal with a depleted ring charge (he joined up with Sgt. Rock and Easy Company, not too hard being a former Marine!).  All the others only hinted at his time limit.

[Hyper-Man]

Even at the 1 hour level this really becomes a factor if the character is part of a team of heroes who go on patrol or take turns at monitor duty.  Your group's 'Game Time' then becomes only the most special encounter of the week.  It is assumed that the character also uses this limited ability in several 'lesser' emergency situations on a regular basis.

 

Here is the template I would begin with to model Hourman:

 

The Hour of Power! (List), all slots 4 clips of 1 Recoverable Continuing Charge lasting 1 Hour (Recovers Under Limited Circumstances; Recovers 1 hour after use.  The extra clips would represent the extra Miraclo pills that he carries with him.; +1/4); all slots Unified Power (-1/4), Only In Alternate Identity (-1/4)

[Notes: Below are just some sample slots.  The Common Limitations on the List is the main purpose of this build.]
37    1)  That Tickles!: Resistant Protection (15 PD/15 ED) (56 Active Points)
25    2)  I Have the Power!: +30 STR (37 Active Points)

 

*Note that any powers added to this list are essentially getting 0 END due to the Continuous Charge.  Whether the recoverable nature of the ability should cost a (+1/4) or just be (-0) is debatable.  I would still make sure the overall combined Limitations go no higher than -1/4).

[GhostDancer]

Largely off topic - it would be amusing to build a character with points paid for a positive Reputation: Momentary Super Powers...maybe call him Minuteman...the kicker is he is super powered all the time.

[Christopher]

At the day/24 hour level it is something that has to be manipulated by the GM to really be a Limitation. 

 

Example:

There were multiple episodes of Justice League Animated/Unlimited where John Stewart ended up in a different dimension or time era (usually without his Lantern).  Other Dimension: The Warlord crossover, The Justice Society crossover. Time Travel:  To alternate future where Vandal Savage won WWII, To Wild West & Near future w/ WW & Batman, Into Legion of Superheroes future  w/ Green Arrow & Supergirl.

 

In every one of these cases he had no time to prepare and either had to make a split decision or had no choice at all.  The 24 hour charge on his ring put a time limit on his effectiveness in his new surroundings.  The WWII 2 part story was the only one where he actually had to deal with a depleted ring charge (he joined up with Sgt. Rock and Easy Company, not too hard being a former Marine!).  All the others only hinted at his time limit.

I noticed that too. I just asumed that because this was a group adventure (not a solo one) there was simply not enough facetime to show his complication. If you inlcude that one Static Shock Crossover of JL, it was onyl mentioend twice. And his ring was taken once or twice at tops either despite being an obvious focus.

They barely mentioned Supermans/Supergilrs weakness to Kryptonite and Red Sun Radiation either.

Heck, the first foe forgot to take Hawkgirls Mace when putting her into restraining stuff.

 

Largely off topic - it would be amusing to build a character with points paid for a positive Reputation: Momentary Super Powers...maybe call him Minuteman...the kicker is he is super powered all the time.

Basically one of his powers is people asuming limitations on is powers that are not there. I thought about modelling that for "bought off" limitations or when the character had a radiation accident that rewrote his power. Best I could figure out was a Perk (faulty Superpower Information).