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Poison character delivery vectors... looking for design input


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Hello all, I'm trying to sort out how to build a suite of poison-based powers for one of my players and I'm having trouble figuring out an elegant way to put the idea together. Basically the idea is a sort of "one from column A and one from column B" power set where one column selects the delivery method from five options and the other column selects the toxin in question.

 

I know that may not be entirely clear as stated above so here's what I'm attempting:

Column A (Delivery Vector):

Dart (more range, possibly armor piercing)

"Loogie" (less range, bypasses any armor that isn't sealed by delivering contact poison)

"Grenade" (Range based on strength, Radius AoE, inhaled/contact toxin)

Spray (No range Cone AoE, inhaled/contact toxin)

Touch (Contact toxin delivered by touching target's skin with hands, lips, etc.)

 

Column B (Toxins)

NND attacks, drain, suppress, whatever effects she wants to snag with a "Poison" special effect.

 

Is there a way to build Column A minus the toxins and then let the player select the delivery method first and then add whichever toxin she prefers? In other words, if she has six or seven toxins can she pick which one goes in the darts as part of the attack action?

 

The only way I've come up with to model this so far would be a couple charges of each, effectively combining Columns A and B in advance in small numbers so she's got whichever combo she needs at the moment but that seems inelegant (List 30/35 separate powers with 1-5 charges each? Blarg.)

Anything sexier than that solution would be a vast improvement if anyone has any ideas. Thanks in advance.

 

C.F.

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I would say this would work best as a variable power pool. You could be looking at hundreds of options so a multi power would be prohibitively expensive.

 

If you are looking for realism you may want to have expendable foci in each of the charges. Also not all toxins and venoms are also poisonous.

 

You could create a simple excel sheet with xy coordinates. To help manage it, or create a dozen options in hero designer and just have him pick which ones.

 

I recall one of my books (Equipment maybe?) Covering this in some detail.

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I agree with the Variable Power Pool (VPP). Another way to do it, possibly, is build a bunch of Column B powers with Variable Advantage (VA) and Variable Special Effects (VSP) to represent the vectors. I have done zero actual consideration as to the details, but its either VPP or VA/VSP. I would very strictly monitor which powers go into the VPP, but it would also be a good base to grow from. I imagine the other way (VA/VSP) would hit a ceiling much quicker. That may or may not be disadvantageous to you, as the GM. It certainly will feel so for the player.

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I know that may not be entirely clear as stated above so here's what I'm attempting:

Column A (Delivery Vector):

Dart (more range, possibly armor piercing)

"Loogie" (less range, bypasses any armor that isn't sealed by delivering contact poison)

"Grenade" (Range based on strength, Radius AoE, inhaled/contact toxin)

Spray (No range Cone AoE, inhaled/contact toxin)

Touch (Contact toxin delivered by touching target's skin with hands, lips, etc.)

 

Column B (Toxins)

NND attacks, drain, suppress, whatever effects she wants to snag with a "Poison" special effect.

 

Is there a way to build Column A minus the toxins and then let the player select the delivery method first and then add whichever toxin she prefers? In other words, if she has six or seven toxins can she pick which one goes in the darts as part of the attack action?

 

I thought this was an interesting challenge, so this is the design I came up with.

 

 

Cost  Powers

24    Delivery Methods: Multipower, 30-point reserve, all slots OIF (Toxin Rigs; Multiple Foci; -1/4) - END=

2f    1) Darts (Injected Poisons): Ranged Killing Attack 1d6, Increased Maximum Range (300m; +1/4), Penetrating (+1/2); OIF (Toxin Rigs; Multiple Foci; -1/4), 8 Recoverable Charges (-0) - END=[8 rc]

2f    2) Claws (Injected Poisons): HTH Killing Attack 1d6, Penetrating (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END, +1/2);  OIF (Toxin Rigs; Multiple Foci; -1/4) - END=[0] 

1f    3) Mist Sprayer (Contact Poisons): Blast 2d6, Area Of Effect (8m Cone; +1/4), AVAD (Life Support (Sealed Suit) or Force Field; All Or Nothing; +1); 8 clips of 1 Charge (-1), No Range (-1/2), OIF (Toxin Rigs; Multiple Foci; -1/4) - END=[1]

1f    4) Gas Grenade (Aerosol Poisons): Blast 2d6, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), Attack Versus Alternate Defense (Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing); target holds his breath; All Or Nothing; +1); 4 Recoverable Charges (-1/2), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4), Range Based On Strength (-1/4), Can Be Deflected (-1/4), OIF (Toxin Rigs; Multiple Foci; -1/4) - END=[4 rc]

     - END=

37    Poisons: Variable Power Pool, 20 base + 80 control cost, 30 Charges (+1/4), Powers Can Be Changed As A Half-Phase Action (+1/2); Limited Class of Powers (Poisons) (-1); all slots OAF (Poison Cartridge; -1), Must Deal Damage With A Delivery System (-1/2) - END=

0    1) Knockout Spray: Blast 6d6, Area Of Effect (8m Cone; +1/4), AVAD (Power Defense; +1); 1 Charge (-2), OAF (Poison Cartridge; -1), No Range (-1/2), Must Deal Damage With A Delivery System (-1/2) Real Cost: 13 - END=[1]

0    2) Knockout Gas: Blast 6d6, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), AVAD (Power Defense; +1); 1 Charge (-2), OAF (Poison Cartridge; -1), Must Deal Damage With A Delivery System (-1/2), Range Based On Strength (-1/4), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4) Real Cost: 13 - END=[1]

0    3) Knockout Serum: Blast 8d6, AVAD (Power Defense; +1); 1 Charge (-2), OAF (Poison Cartridge; -1), Must Deal Damage With A Delivery System (-1/2), Limited Range (300m) (-1/4) Real Cost: 17 - END=[1]

0    4) Muscle Relaxant Spray: Drain STR 6d6, Area Of Effect (8m Cone; +1/4); 1 Charge (-2), OAF (Poison Cartridge; -1), No Range (-1/2), Must Deal Damage With A Delivery System (-1/2) Real Cost: 15 - END=[1]

0    5) Muscle Relaxant Gas: Drain STR 6d6, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4); 1 Charge (-2), OAF (Poison Cartridge; -1), Must Deal Damage With A Delivery System (-1/2), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4) Real Cost: 16 - END=[1]

0    6) Muscle Relaxant Serum: Drain STR 8d6; 1 Charge (-2), OAF (Poison Cartridge; -1), Must Deal Damage With A Delivery System (-1/2) Real Cost: 18 - END=[1]

 

Powers Total: 65

 

So this build presumes a multi-part "toxin rig":   The character has a bandolier with 30 cartridges containing different poisons.  These do not need to be defined ahead of time.  There are four delivery methods, each of which requires a Half-Phase action to load (i.e. changing the VPP power), and will require a skill roll (a failure means grabbing the wrong cartridge, failing to load it properly, etc.).  Each power is built with 1 charge so even repeat uses of the power require re-loading it.

  • Right-wrist mounted Dart Launcher which fires reloadable darts that can penetrate non-hardened armor and deliver a serum.  The character has 8 darts which can be recovered and reloaded into the Dart Launcher. 
  • Left-wrist mounted Mist Sprayer which fires a stream of liquids that seep through heavier armors.  Each use of the Sprayer requires a gas cartridge which must be reloaded after each use (represented by the clips).
  • "Claws" which are hypodermic needles that spring out from the fingertips when pressed against a target.  Because they are not real claws and would be ruined if hammered into someone or used as slashing weapons, the "claws" get no STR bonus.
  • Gas Grenades that can be hurled and release an aerosolized toxin. The grenades come unloaded and can be recovered and reloaded, but it takes longer to pressurize the grenade than to load the other weapons (represented by the Delayed Phase).

The poisons are then built to match the dispersal pattern.  I provided two poisons, one that deals tons of STUN through an AVAD vs Power Defense, and then a "Muscle Relaxant" that drains STR, but you could change it to any other characteristic.

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